Review of Texhnolyze: Vol. 2

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. Volume 2 of Texhnolyze continues the story, with Ichise trying to come to terms with his new limb replacements, at first by fleeing the ministrations of the mysterious Doctor, then with the aid of Ran, the clairvoyant girl who guides him to safety. Meanwhile the visitor Kazuho Yoshii is getting to know Lukuss, and decides to engineer a few changes in the underworld society, pitting Onishi`s Organo group against the Salvation Union and Shinji`s gang in a three way battle for supremacy. Ichise ends up in the middle of the conflagration.

Volume 2, Spectacle contains the next four episodes of Texhnolyze, Rogue 5: Loiter, Rogue 6: Repetition, Rogue 7: Plot and Rogue 8: Crucible.

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. The layer change on this disc is in the middle of the third episode, but discreetly placed.

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. You can see the textless opening and three minutes of Alternative Dialogue Outtakes, which make a light and humorous change from the seriousness of the story.

Finally there are a couple of trailers for forthcoming MVM products. Ikki Tosen has more shots of panties and pneumatic breasts in ninety seconds than some series manage in their entire run. If you are interested in teenage girls at a boarding school fighting for supremacy, start saving up now. The other new series is Gantz, which looks like a sci-fi mystery action spectacular with a hint of The Matrix in its styling.

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. This volume takes the premise established by the first volume and adds to it, creating a richer tapestry while deepening the enigmas. Layers are added to the characters, making their motivations even more unfathomable. While Ichise is the simplest of the cast as yet, merely trying to come to terms with where events are taking him, the players behind the scenes seem to be specifically interested in him, as if his actions are intertwined with the future of Lukuss. After the introductions of the previous volumes, it seems as if Organo boss Onishi is the more humanistic of the gang bosses, exhibiting a compassionate streak that is at odds with his position, meanwhile the good natured Kazuho Yoshii is shown to be more machiavellian and cold blooded than his personality initially suggested.

This volume also raises questions about Lukuss and humanity. Just what has happened to the human race? Why are there two separate worlds, and what place does the rare organism Raffia have to do with all this? Texhnolyze continues to paint a picture of a unique and complex world that presents more questions with every answer that you manage to eke out. It left me with a headache trying to sort it out, but it was the most welcome headache I have had in ages, teased and tantalised by a complex narrative, enigmatic characters and a compelling world.

That isn`t to say that the immediate story has been neglected for all this. While the larger picture unfolds, these episodes also continue the parallel stories of the characters. Ichise walks out on the mysterious Doctor, only to lose himself in the streets of Luckuss. The Doctor calls in favours from Onishi to have her subject found and returned, but one of those sent to search for Ichise is the same assassin who took his limbs in the first place. Their second encounter is an emotionally powerful and resonant one, as the assassin is ready to finish what he started with the `street dog` while Ichise is finally getting used to his powerful new limbs. Ran, the inscrutable clairvoyant girl is watching all this, and follows Ichise to guide him out of trouble. When the Organo and the Doctor is finally finished with him, Ran offers him a sliver of hope. Kazuho`s direction in these episodes is also a strong one, he meets up with someone who also came down from the upper world, and his search for information about Lukuss reveals a cold, calculating side to him that is brutal and dangerous. His meeting with the Doctor raises yet more questions, but when he starts taking an active part in Lukuss affairs all hell breaks loose.

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, and this second disc more than adds to the first in terms of enigma and complexity, but also sees the story gain momentum and catch light. 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.