Review of Texhnolyze: Vol. 1

Introduction

If you want something provocative from your anime, something that challenges your perceptions and will have the wheels of your mind spinning long after the end credits have rolled, then you need look no further than the work of Yoshitoshi ABe. He came to attention with the phenomenal Serial Experiments Lain, a story that twisted reality with its intricate plot and was astounding in its visual inventiveness. ABe then changed tack with the more magical Haibane Renmei, but retained that flair for storytelling. Now with Texhnolyze, he goes back to the darker side of the genre, indeed far darker than Lain and tells a bleak and raw story set in a grimy, run down underworld. Prepare to be challenged once more.

Lukuss is the city at heart of that dark dystopian world mentioned above. Located beneath the Earth`s surface, it is a place where people live harsh lives, gangs battle for dominance, and the ultimate in technology is expressed in the form of Texhnolyzed limbs, artificial replacements for limbs lost in the constant fights for supremacy, though only affordable by the rich. In this world Ichise is a prizefighter, providing entertainment for this world`s powerful. This is an unhealthy profession though, especially when he has an affair with the fight promoter`s woman that ends badly. He`s given a brutal message that ends with him losing his arm and leg. His shattered body is found by a surgeon, who for reasons of her own gives him Texhnolyzed limb replacements. Meanwhile, a mysterious man descends from the upper world towards Lukuss. Kazuho Yoshii meets a clairvoyant girl called Ran, just in time to save her and her grandfather Gabe from an attack. Yoshii and Ran travel together to the city, where Yoshii has a run in with one of the gangs.

Volume 1, Inhumane & Beautiful contains the first four episodes of Texhnolyze, Rogue 1: Stranger, Rogue 2: Forfeiture, Rogue 3: Texhnophile and Rogue 4: Synapse.

Video

Texhnolyze gets an absolutely gorgeous 1.78:1 transfer. The image is sharp and clear throughout, and while there is the inevitable digital banding associated with anime on DVD, there is no other problem with the transfer. Any grain is solely a creative decision, and adds to the atmosphere of the animation. I think the word dark has been used already in regards to this story, and no doubt will be again, but visually the grimy underworld is brought across excellently, with dark detail and shadows all well defined and superbly reproduced.

The detailed world design is astounding; Lukuss is truly an imaginative creation that serves the darkness of the story well. This is a run down city, aged and decrepit, reflecting the stained people that live in it. The character design is equally stunning, as far removed as possible from the anime stereotypes of large eyes and vibrant colours. There is a realism to them and the way they are animated that adds to the story. The stylistic choices to tell the story also make use of static filled flashbacks, POV imagery and light and shadow to maintain and expand on the atmosphere.

I`ve noticed of late that MVM are producing more and more dual layer discs, which certainly doesn`t hurt the image quality. I do find it curious that the episodes aren`t presented two to a layer; rather the layer change is hidden in Episode 3, although it is discreet.

Audio

You get a choice of DD 2.0 English and Japanese, with English subtitles. This is a show that is dialogue light to say the least, so it matters less than with other anime which soundtrack you listen to. The stereo tracks are a little disappointing, although when pro-logicked up you can take advantage of some really nice sound design. The stunning imagery wouldn`t be at all atmospheric were it not for the sound, and Texhnolyze has an understated soundtrack that echoes the bleakness of the city well. It is also complemented by some equally subtle music. It`s just a shame that this wasn`t given the DD 5.1 treatment.

Features

MVM do a smart job as always authoring their discs, providing a menu in keeping with the tone of the show, as well as a jacket picture to look at when the disc isn`t spinning. The substantial extra on this disc is the Interview with Yoshitoshi ABe and Yasuyuki Uedai, the creative team behind Texhnolyze. They talk about the new anime and the design of the world and characters. The also mention the message they hope viewers will get from it and their desire to give it a hook based in realism.

There are 40 seconds of Alternate Dialogue Outtakes, which consist of the English language cast indulging in some black comedy. There are trailers for Chobits and Trigun and the DVD credits.

Conclusion

The story description above doesn`t do Texhnolyze justice, as it is a richly layered complex tale, told languorously with emphasis on character. It`s also told in a disjointed, confusing style that hints and alludes, rather than resorting to something so crude as exposition. This is an anime that really needs repeated viewing to get a handle of. I also feel at a disadvantage in reviewing it on the strength of just one disc. There are so many images, moments and plot points that I`m sure will have ramifications and consequence in later episodes that I`d rather have the bigger picture so I can put this disc in context.

In the Interview Yasuyuki Uedai makes a point about the realism, and that is most certainly apparent from the first moment in this show. Loss of limb certainly isn`t a new theme in anime, and indeed watching the first disc of Full Metal Alchemist where the main character suffered a similar injury provides an illustrative contrast. In that show, it took the space of one show to see Edward Elric come to terms with his injury, receive a replacement and be back practicing his Martial Arts. There is none of that narrative magic here, where we see how Ichise is maimed in the first episode, but it`s only in the last episode that he receives his limbs, and it isn`t a development he can easily accept. The pace of the show is slow, but it gives ample time for the sort of character development that other shows rarely attempt. All the characters are enigmatic at this stage, but how they relate to each other provides tantalising hints to their motivations. It`s one of those shows where no one is what they appear to be. The introduction to Yoshii and Ran is particularly spooky, as he enters wearing a gas mask, while she has a penchant for wearing a party mask in the shape of a fox. They meet in the ruinous abandoned outskirts of Lukuss and she silently beckons him to follow like a post-apocalyptic White Rabbit. There is also the character of Onishi, a leader in the Organo gang whose intent is hard to fathom at this stage, but seems tied into what happens to Ichise. The driving force of the story at this point has to be the Doctor, who treats Ichise for wholly selfish reasons, thinking of him as a test subject rather than a patient, and indeed the limbs she supplies are revolutionary compared to the normal Texhnolyzed limbs.

Because of the pace of the story, there is also plenty of time to see the world these characters inhabit, and learn something of the back-story. The gang warfare seems on the surface to be similar to such events in our world, but there is a political dimension that drives them all linked to the process of Texhnolyzation. The Organo are all in favour of it, while the Salvation Union oppose it. Its soldiers attack with the cry of "Soul, Body, Truth, Salvation, Vengeance!" yet once again there is more than meets the eye to their motives. The Sage of Gabe, who Yoshii meets early on was once part of a group who ruled this underworld, but now survive on the outskirts while the Organo have taken their place. He expects Yoshii to affect some sort of change, but doesn`t know whether it would be for the better or worse. It`s an expectation made all that more meaningful by the clairvoyant Ran.

Texhnolyze is a deep and multi-layered story; the visual symbolism alone would keep a psychologist busy for weeks. If you expect something more cerebral from your anime then you are in for a treat with Texhnolyze, but be prepared for the long haul, as this first disc teases and tantalises, just scratching at the surface of the story and introducing some inscrutable and faceted characters. The anime looks divine, with an excellent transfer bringing the seedy underworld to vivid life. If you enjoyed Serial Experiments Lain, then this is an easy purchase. I`m going to watch it again now.