Forum - View topicREVIEW: Ergo Proxy DVD 1
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HellKorn
Posts: 1669 Location: Columbus, OH |
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First impressions of a show (in this case the first batch of four episodes) can often be misleading, but generally the show stays well with its overall focus on its plot and character, as well as pacing. Ergo Proxy, once all is said and done, is an exception to the rule. I know that this review is only covering the first four episodes in a twenty-three episode series so it matters little for me commenting on later events, but I can't think of an anime that I've watched recently which shifted around so much for its ending in contrast to its beginning like this one.
You're pretty much spot-on with its pretentiousness, Zac, in addition to how the story is straightforward (right now) with what it giving the audience. Hell, one of the "mysteries" that most people would believe to cover most of the series to unravel is resolved early on. Its plot does get a bit... let's say "confusing" later on down the line. I disagree somewhat with your assessment of the characters so far, though. Sure, you can well establish your characters and immediately break away from any clichés from the start, but Ergo Proxy isn't that type of show. It starts off by showing many different plot points and develops the character in the "journey" to solve said points. The characters essentially take a back seat for now to establish the story, which I wouldn't consider a huge mark down. As for the music... eh, it's a matter of taste. I found it to have a healthy variety and overall a better musical score than the majority of anime I've come across, but different strokes for different folks, I suppose. Glad to hear that the English dub is up to snuff, as to be expected with New Generation Pictures. Definitely going to check it out. Oh, and I really hope that the video was cleaned up for the DVD releases. The animation is certainly worth mention throughout, but the art becomes really inconsistent and even sloppy at occasions later on (looks to be the shortcoming of Manglobe considering how Samurai Champloo went). Finally, for any comparison to other anime: that's tougher than a lot would like to think. The Ghost in the Shell franchise and Texhnolyze seem to be the most common of them. While I haven't seen the Stand Alone Complex as a whole (or even a full episode), I personally see the similarities limited to only being in the sci-fi genre and it being a "thinker" series. I can fully attest to having watched all of Texhnolyze and can say without a doubt that they only share focus on sci-fi and apocalyptic settings. I'd even go a step further than that in comparison and state that Texhnolyze, love or hate the fatalistic atmosphere it has, is more complete, focused, deep, and tells its story the way it wants to be told without having lower itself so anyone can easily understand it (yet somehow never become pretentious and "try to be smart"). Ergo Proxy does not do this and as a result never really finds itself a consistently real identity (irony not intended). To put the above into a basic understanding, Ergo Proxy is more like a mixing of Neon Genesis Evangelion: The End of Evangelion, Samurai Champloo, Serial Experiments Lain, and perhaps a dash of Pale Cocoon. Yeah, it's just that bizarre. |
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Raven Shinobi
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I've been waiting for for a sci-fi anime of the caliber of Lain and Texhnolyze and this one seems like a pretty interesting series.
The review mentioned that the heroine doesn't leave that much of an impression, but I heard from those who watched the entire series that she's actually one of the most interesting and best developed heroines in a while, but this review is only based on the first four episodes. I'll definitely check this one out. |
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v1cious
 Posts: 6227 Location: Houston, TX |
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is there a review? i don't see it for some reason.
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Rªdì¢âl_£Ð
 Posts: 112 |
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It seems that all the entries for the latest review on the main page are missing. Here's the link for people who can't navigate the site: animenewsnetwork.com/reviews/display.php?id=1105 |
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RezSav
 Posts: 542 |
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I had to click on the Answerman column to read it.
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Dranxis
 Posts: 591 Location: Ohtori Academy |
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Great review, this hits on all of Ergo Proxy's high and low points very well. I'm glad to hear that the dub is fine: ever since hearing about the cast I was a little bit wary. As for the unsympathetic characters, I have to say that this changes greatly over the course of the show, but the reviewer is right about how they stand in the first volume. Initially, I found the characters very boring and hard to empathize with, especially Re-l. But as others have mentioned there is quite a bit of character development later on (I'd say around episode 9, everything about the character relationships changes) and eventually the lead characters Re-l and Vincent became some of my favorite protagonists ever. I also find it interesting that the review never mentions Vincent, who turns out to be the "real" main character shortly after the first disc.
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penguintruth
 Posts: 8499 Location: Penguinopolis |
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The review is pretty much right on the mark, even though a mention Vincent, is oddly absent. Ergo Proxy does seem to be a bit pretentious, and one of those "lights off" programs you can only watch at night or in a room without any light whatsoever (it's dark both in tone and in color), but it's far less frustrating to watch than Texhnolyze (at least, the first half) and is quite interesting.
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Treeloot
Posts: 140 |
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I hated this show. The future was too damn dark. It was like they lost the ability to use electric lights or something.
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Deltakiral
 Posts: 3338 Location: Glendora, CA (Avatar Hei from Darker than BLACK) |
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I can not wait until Amazon ships this to me. I am so excited to see how this series turns out. This and Zipang were two series that I wanted to wait for DVDs for and so far Zipang has been great, now if Ergo Proxy can do the same I am in. The one comment that I read from Zac review and it's really got me wanting this series more is that it's like WHR in that Gothic mystery sense.
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Cloe
Moderator
 Posts: 2728 Location: Los Angeles, CA |
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Best reason to praise anything ever. I might have to skip Ergo Proxy, though, based on the review. I find these slow, intentionally dark and edgy shows hit-or-miss (LOVE Lain, like Texhnolyze okay, hate Blame! [the anime, not the manga] and Witch Hunter Robin) myself. It's not really a genre I actively seek out, unless names I really respect are attached to the project. |
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Key
Moderator
 Posts: 18435 Location: Indianapolis, IN (formerly Mimiho Valley) |
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I got to see the first episode of this one at a 'con over the summer and was completely blown away by it. (But then, I've always been a fan of dark, foreboding sci-fi series - Dark City ranks among my personal favorites, and this one gave me a somewhat similar feel.) It's disappointing to hear that the story has issues and the artwork becomes inconsistent in the long run, but heartening to hear that the dub is good. Definitely a series on my must-see list.
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Zac
ANN Executive Editor
 Posts: 7912 Location: Anime News Network Technodrome |
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You'll like Ergo Proxy. It's much more like the first two shows there than WHR; I only compared it to WHR because of the mystery angle and the atmosphere of the show. But if you really loved Lain and liked Texhnolyze I'd consider this one, maybe as a rental. |
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Keonyn
 Subscriber Posts: 5567 Location: Coon Rapids, MN |
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This one sounds like it's right up my alley, has many of the elements I'm most drawn to in an anime. The darker feel, the mystery and shadowed portions of story, the slower pace and style focuses on atmosphere.
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indrik
 Posts: 365 Location: yonder |
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Yep, confirmed my preconceptions, goes in the "to be watched" pile. Am I the only one who thinks "Hilary Hahn" looking at the main character person? Yep, bet so. Who's this Evanescence? Never mind, I know, they just drive me nuts. Definitely going to check this one out as soon as it is sent to me.
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Tony K.
Subscriber Moderator  Posts: 11440 Location: Frisco, TX |
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Great! I'm glad so many people are willing to check this out now. By my estimate, the series will be one of those hit-or-miss titles. If slow, dark, and dialogue-heavy series are your thing, it's definitely worth a rental, at least.
The psychological and philosophical undertones are the best part, though, in my opinion. Manglobe did a great job putting it all together, and I hope it gains a fairly big crowd, or at least a small one consisting of those who will come to appreciate it for it's peculiar style and production elements. |
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