The Summer 2023 Anime Preview Guide

Synduality: Noir

In a world long overrun by monsters known as Enders, humanity ekes out a living in isolated colonies guarded by combat mechs known as Coffins. The pilots of those Coffins sync with advanced androids known as Magus to defend their remaining cities and scavenge the ruins for supplies. While on such a mission, aspiring pilot Kanata discovers a mysterious Magus abandoned in the wasteland and missing her memory. Their fateful meeting will change their lives – but who is Noir?

Synduality: Noir is based on Bandai Namco's Synduality video game. It streams on Hulu on Mondays.

I can't say I had any expectations about this series going in. Maybe that's because it's a spinoff of a yet-unreleased video game, so there's no real hype; maybe it's that Disney still won't commit a dime to promote the anime they license. Either way, I certainly didn't expect to be reminded of channel surfing in the late 2000s and finding a random episode of Eureka Seven on TV.

That isn't to say these series are all that similar, but something about the aesthetics – character design, musical score, the overall color and texture of the world – it all reminded me of the kind of original mech series BONES and Sunrise used to put out back in the day. The biggest difference was the 3D robots and monsters, but even those are animated with energy and finesse that feels effortlessly fun. At the very least, it was a unique sensation compared to anything else this season, and I'll admit a lot of my affection for this episode comes from that familiarity.

Outside of an unexpected nostalgia bomb, the show is fine. It's alright. The world is your standard mecha post-apocalypse, and the monsters are by far the least interesting designs of the whole thing, though I do like the chunky, squat robot designs a lot. The characters are all pretty stock, especially male lead Kanata, whose most interesting feature is that he has an old XEVIOUS arcade cabinet in his room. Still, they're fun and have enough chemistry to keep the episode moving along nicely. With the right material, they could make for an engaging ensemble, much like the crew of the Nirvash. Even in this first episode, we're introduced to well over a dozen colorful personalities to see how they clash and bounce off one another, which gives me some hope.

The biggest weakness here, unfortunately, is the action scenes. While the CG animation is fine on its own, some strange and off-kilter storyboarding makes the flow of action hard to follow. There's also a weird lack of sound effects, which destroys any sense of the impact of the robots themselves. The actual mechanics of the battle are fine, if simple, but without that layer of polish, they feel weightless and confused. By all appearances, this is going to be an action series with a lot of robot fighting, and if this is the best they can deliver, it will seriously undercut the show's potential.

Still, this seems like a fun time, and there's nothing else like it airing right now. It is hard to say whether it can be more than an out-of-time curiosity, but I'm curious enough – and desperate enough for exciting shows to follow – that I'm happy to stay around and find out.

The premiere of Synduality Noir has a lot going for it: vibrant visuals, adorably stupid-looking little mechas, and the generally poppy vibes of a throwback sci-fi popcorn anime that cares first and foremost about showing its audience a good time. On that front, I think the show mostly succeeds, especially in terms of those good vibes. I'd wager that most folks will find it hard to disagree that Synduality Noir is a fun anime, though I do wonder how many people will be able to fall in love with it when all is said and done.

The biggest drawback of this premiere, for me, lies in the fact that its characters and the thrust of the overall plot don't seem to be doing anything new or risky at all. The futuristic setting itself is well-drawn, but all the people we encounter in it are well-worn archetypes. Kanata is the well-meaning and generically nice guy who would do anything to become a Drifter like his friends, so he can fight the Enders (and you'll never guess what he does by the end of the episode). Noir is the mysterious, amnesiac robot Magus who has lost both her identity and her function (and you'll never guess how she helps Kanata by the end of the episode). Ellie is the childhood friend/crush who is so obviously in love with Kanata that it's almost embarrassing to watch (and you'll never guess her reaction when a butt-naked Noir enters the story). The one significant thing that this premiere lacks is the hook I really need to get interested in the first episode.

That said, the rock-solid production values and zippy pace of the episode ensure that the audience is never bored, and there are plenty of possibilities for the story to explore, keeping things fresh and interesting. However, whether or not the story will actually venture into those territories remains a different matter entirely. That's why I'll be keeping my expectations in check over the next few episodes, as excited as I am to have a fun new robot anime to enjoy this summer.

Thinking about it, I was never angry or insulted while watching Synduality: Noir—but that's largely because it is a show that takes no risks whatsoever. I can't think of a single thing in this episode that I haven't seen in some other mecha series. We have insect-like enemy monsters—which can somehow shoot lasers—that have driven mankind to the brink of extinction (Muv-Luv Alternative). Then there are the mecha, which are giant heads with tiny arms and legs (Gurren Lagann), and our heroes use these mecha to help them salvage materials and other resources from the old world (After War Gundam X).

The characters are likewise copy-pasted from other mecha anime. Ellie is your typical tsundere who is in love with our hero, Kanata, but tends to lash out at him despite this (Evangelion). Noir is a dandere with little in the way of emotions or common sense, who seems to have been made to pilot mecha (again, Evangelion). Tokio is a brash hotshot pilot who has taken the protagonist under his wing in the hopes of giving him confidence (Gurren Lagann). And as for the eager young protagonist who dreams of piloting a mecha... I mean, just take your pick.

The closest we get to something original is the idea that androids are needed to link with a mecha for a human to pilot well. But while I can't remember offhand an anime with this exact setup, both necessary copilots (Darling in the Franxx) and android partners (The Big O) aren't exactly rare in mecha anime.

I guess what I'm trying to say here is that this series is like throwing every mecha show into a blender to see what comes out. Predictably, instead of something new and original, we get a samey kind of mush that doesn't stand out in any real way. The best possible compliment I can give it is that it looks to be the best new mecha anime this season—but that's just because it is the only new mecha anime this season. Hard pass on this one from me.