Ergo Proxy - Reviews

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angelsreviews's avatar
Aug 6, 2013

This show is rather hard to follow sometimes, showing a lot of thought into it. It’s not great if you want your mind to shut off but if you really want something to think about, it’s great. It’s hard to follow at first but I fell in love with the story line and the meanings behind everything that happen. I was second guessing myself every once in a while to figure out what was real and what was all in the mind. So many things about it get turned around and become a mind-fuck (Pardon the language) that most of the times, the end of the episode left me with more questions than answers. I still have many questions about the show that were not answered, or were just half answered.

They never give you a true answer in the end as well, making up a lot of problems when they leave me scratching my head but I guess this is what happens when you look at the journey of self discovery and it's not you that you’re learning about. My thoughts on that are watch it more than once to get the true meaning of the show.

The characters are wonderfully created and fully detailed in background story but I feel we do not spend enough time on them. Still, the women lead, Re-L is a wonderful choice as although she is a perfect character in Romdeau, she feels out-of-place in the outside world and yet if she is considered Yin, we can fully call Vincent yang. They are opposites that seem to be attracted by one thing and that it to find out the truth, no matter what is in store for them.

The artwork has rather a dark, gray, sleepy feeling to the look that could make you fall asleep at times. The darkness makes it hard to see and even when I had my brightness set high, it was still hard for me to see. It is like walking through a tunnel where you see only shadows of things. Now that is mostly for the outside world of Romdeau where most of the story actually seems to take place. On the inside, it maybe still gray but the area is much lighter and they even have a substitute sky up however unrealistic that may look.  

The music is hunting and scary if you’re not ready for it but I still loved it none the less. It was mostly instrumental and choir vocals which made some of the scenes a little… well… godlike I guess, or made me believe that whoever was around was not a normal human or something that was above human thought.

9/10 story
7/10 animation
7/10 sound
7/10 characters
7/10 overall
absenz's avatar
Mar 20, 2014

I thought I'd write an honset review as a counter to many unwarranted negative reviews I've seen about this series.

Also, no spoilers.

Ok... First things first... This isn't a series for everyone. The story does VERY little hand-holding. It may be confusing till the end, and even then you might be confused. But the truth is there is a method to the madness and all the information required to understanding the story is available to you throughout the series. The story has many twists and things that are not explained until later. That said, if you really do attempt to pay attention to the end, you will be most rewarded, as there is very little you would have missed or not understood by that point. There are a few "easter eggs" and hidden foreshadowing and things that you most likely will not pick up on unless you watch a second time, which I think is cool.

The source of many people hating Ergo Proxy simply comes down to the fact that could not comprehend it. Even the stuff that seems out of place and ridiculous (like the game show episode that other reviewers have commented about) fits perfectly within the story and makes 100% perfect sense (albeit a little confusing at first) IF you pay attention.

The characters... There are 2 protagonists from the start -- Vincent and Re-L. I really enjoyed seeing how their personalities clash (or compliment) each other as the story progresses, as well as their developments into understanding who they are. The inner dialogues are great, and this is something I wish more animes (or movies in general) would do. Others criticize them as being too "angsty" but I did not feel this way. Their actions and thoughts aligned perfectly with the problems they had to deal with through the story. Aside from the 2 main characters, the rest of the cast is wonderfully portrayed. I especially liked the role the "Entourages" (androids), and specifically Pino, played and their dynamic with the other characters. 

Some people criticize the action as slow. Well, here's the kicker -- it's not an action anime! It was never meant to be. The first episode had a bit of action, which I suppose threw some people off. But it's really not. There is a bit of action in almost every episode, but not to the extent that you could call it an action anime. 

The music is good. Downtempo electronica, which I happen to really like. The intro and outro songs are also really good. THe sound design in general is really well done.

My only real complaint is that while the animations and backgrounds are nicely done, the character facial animations threw me off a bit too much, especially later in the show. Depending on the angle the character was faced in a scene, the drawing could look completely different than their drawing in scene preceeding it (specifically around the face). Oddly enough, this is one thing I haven't heard anyone complain about, and although I LOVE this series, it's the only thing that bothered me a little. Other than that the cyber punk otherworldly atmosphere is expressed exceedingly well. 

Overall, I highly recommed this show for viewers who want a complex futuristic sci-fi suspense drama. :-) Just be prepared to pay attention if you want it to make sense!

-Logan

9.5/10 story
8.5/10 animation
10/10 sound
9.5/10 characters
9.5/10 overall
iSuckAtWriting's avatar
May 20, 2014

When a show is touted as deep or intelligent, I often fear what makes a good story will be neglected. Maybe it’s no secret a show can be praised solely for its profundity while failing in storytelling. But hey, ‘intelligence’ is good armor for a show to have. Why bother with authentic storytelling when a show can show-off its psychology knowledge?

But instead of ranting, let’s look at Ergo Proxy.

The future, probably. Technology has advanced to where it’s created AutoReivs, androids who act as servants to people. But in the city of Romdo, a bug called the Cogito Virus is spreading through the AutoReivs. They gaina will of their own, often to destructive results. Detective Re-l Mayer is tasked with investigating the Cogito Virus, but is attacked by a monster called a Proxy.

The Proxy had escaped from a research lab under Daedalus’ watch, and is strangely drawn to the immigrant Vincent Law. After another incident, Security Bureau Chief Raul Creed tries to capture Vincent and the Proxy. But the former, joined by the child-like AutoReiv Pino, escapes Romdo out to the wasteland world. And thus begins Re-l’s mission to discover what the Proxy is, Vincent’s journey in the wasteland, and the proverbial chess game between Daedalus and Raul.

For Daedalus, it’s his reason for living at stake. He has strong feelings for Re-l, willing to use his authority to let her break rules when she needs to. Or assist her in killing the Proxy despite Raul’s mission to capture it. A smooth talker and an even smoother schemer, Daedalus is defined by his feelings for Re-l without much else to his person. He’s an empty man, whose reason for living touches on a crucial point for Romdo’s citizens. And that point ups the urgency for Raul to capture Vincent and the Proxy alive.

Raul himself starts as the antagonist—antagonist, not villain—for all the characters. But as he learns more about the Proxy and Vincent, the more he questions why they must be captured alive. His character arc deals with authority, and how far someone will follow orders without question. Early scenes also make a connection between Raul and Pino, to hint at another side to him. Unfortunately, this connection and that other side aren’t explored until the final act. It’s too bad, because fully realized, the connection between Raul and Pino would round out the former.

Pino is the classic tale of an innocent child learning about the real world, but tainted by unnerving implications from her ‘age’ and the Cogito Virus. From her lack of grasping death to adventurous curiosity, it’s unclear whether her actions are more from her programming or her ‘will.’ She’s supposed to be infected, but doesn’t show the destructive actions as other AutoReivs do. Then again, she’s a child at heart. And regardless of why she learns about the world, what matters is she does. Her empathy grows with her fondness toward Vincent, and her tact sharpens under Re-l’s demeanor.

This is because Re-l ends up joining Vincent. She pursues him to bring him back to Romdo, but decides to join his journey after certain events, to learn more about the Proxy. Re-l herself is the picture of professional, maintaining her gun’s aim the way she maintains her eyeliner; perfectly. Because for how cold she can be on the job, she’s also a bit frivolous. She apparently spends every morning fixing her make-up, shows fear against the Proxy, and gets angry when things don’t go as planned. My goodness, it’s like she’s lived a sheltered life as the granddaughter of Romdo’s leader.

Correction: she IS the sheltered granddaughter of Romdo’s leader. Re-l is often in over her head despite her demeanor, like she was mismatched to her job. This isn’t unbelievable though, as early on much of her work is done through her AutoReiv Iggy. But after certain events, her character arc becomes one of growing independence, and knowing when to relax in the company of others. Re-l might be hard to like—though Vincent would disagree—but at least she’s compelling to watch.

As for Vincent, his journey is a quest of self-discovery. He’s an immigrant from the city of Mosque, but the threat from the Proxy and Raul forces him to escape. But, he realizes he has no memory of his time in Mosque. So he decides to travel there, hoping to find the answers to his memory. Vincent himself often thinks about who he is, almost to the point where it’s all that defines him (and because of his role in the story, can’t get away with it like Daedalus).

Thankfully, it’s not. Vincent’s journey changes him bit by bit, going from a boy depressed by events and hesitant to face the truth, to a man who can smile despite the odds and can deal with the wind being taken out of his sails (metaphorically, and...literally). Unfortunately, his progress cracks in the final act, when it moves at near breakneck speed to advance the story. The story itself moves brisk and quick during the first and final acts, but it’s the middle act that can be a problem.

The better part of the show’s middle act is punishingly slow, doing nearly nothing to advance the story. People expecting a quick trip to the final act should exercise patience, and take time to admire the setting and characters along the way. Because unlike some shows where a five minute event takes five episodes to unfold, Ergo Proxy moves along a time span of weeks and maybe months. It’s a long journey, but it always has something to show for it.

Sometimes it peeks into a future for Romdo, like the abandoned city occupied by a single man whose circumstances mirror Vincent’s. Or the closed-off amusement park that subscribes to ignorance and bliss before its eventual downfall. At other times, it’s a character study to test the bonds between Re-l, Vincent, and Pino. From trusting each other with food and water supplies, to saving each other from new and familiar faces, to placing their fates in each other’s hands (literally and metaphorically).

Going further, one episode strongly hints to the answer of Vincent’s memory, while another episode explores consciousness where there normally isn’t consciousness. It also looks into some of the minor characters. There’s one person whose sense of want and duty blur together as he feels emotions he’s never felt, while a military unit fights against destructive AutoReivs.

Oops, I stayed on the road of storytelling but it went into a jungle of existential and societal metaphors anyway. Whether stated or implied, the show is filled with the kind of intelligence I described earlier, but doesn’t hinge itself on profundity thanks to its compelling characters. They’re rounded enough to make the psychology a part of them instead of the other way around. The show is a story first, a display—display, not show-off—of psychology second, and that’s the way it should be. Save for the awful episode 15 that says nothing new, the show is great about being meaningful without crossing the line into nonsense.

But to give episode 15 credit, it displays the show’s perfectly fitting morbid sense of humor. It’s hard not to gawk at someone who’s literally making a game gravely serious despite his cheerfulness. Another episode shows two people who joke about their own uselessness. And another person threatens Re-l to no effect, as the camera goes back and forth between his increasingly scared face and her unmoving scowl.

The camera work is otherwise unremarkable, standard, except when it decides to throw in Re-l fanservice when it’s not needed. Because a glance of her naked body covered by two towels as she’s stretchered away, doesn’t have the weight of a slow look at her body that mirrors Vincent’s attraction to her when they’re close together. But hey, at least the visuals have the decency to give Re-l unassuming white underwear instead of an accentuating black.

The visuals themselves give the world a bleak look, from the unnaturally spotless Romdo, to the crack-lined, rust-littered structures of the wasteland world. Special mention goes to the character designs, particularly the AutoReivs. Save for Pino, every AutoReiv is identified by mask-like faces where glowing red eyes are the only hint of any expression. Most close-ups of the AutoReivs don’t reveal anything, but it adds tension in guessing whether they’re destructive or not.

But when they ARE destructive, there’s sometimes a firefight following close behind, like when a military group goes against them. Yes, I’m surprised the show has action scenes too. They move fluidly but without crazy choreography, which would look ridiculous in this fairly grounded show anyway. Except for the Proxy. The Proxy’s fights move with supernatural grace, but aren’t louder than the normal action scenes.

Because even in the action scenes, most of the music tracks are atmospheric ambiance instead of distinct pieces; the only noticeable track being the operatic ‘Fellow Citizens.’ The overall score works where it’s used, setting the mood but never distracting from the dialog. And there’s a lot of it. Nearly every moment of the show is charged with talking or thinking, and it demands a certain amount of attention.

Which brings me to another point.

Ergo Proxy isn’t an easy show to watch. There’s action, but people who watch it for the action can quickly get bored. The first and final acts are fast, but the middle act will drive away the impatient even faster. It’s held together by compelling characters, but ‘compelling’ isn’t ‘likable.’ It does most things right, but demands patience. So while the destination is far away, the journey is always here.

7/10 story
7/10 animation
7/10 sound
8/10 characters
8/10 overall
AnimeFinder166's avatar
Dec 27, 2015

(Contain Spoilers) This anime is what pushed me to watch more Sci-fi... yeah,it may not be packed with many action and stuff and there are some complicated stuff going on, and too many dialouges...explanations, etc.

I actually stalled this since it made me bored just from watching episode 1... but since I liked the way the characters were drawn,(after countless months) I continued to watch it. And liked it despite with it's complicated stuff.

There are some things that I'm disappointed: (I don't think) that where the Cogito Virus came from was explained or reavealed (I was hoping to get that one explained) and how come the Cogito Virus affected Pino differently...? AND Vincent and Re-l's relationship, I was hoping that later in the series Re-l would love Vincent like he does...okay, I know that this series dosen't have the romance genre in it... I didn't watch this for romance either, but they threw that "I love you, Lil" in my face from Episode 12. And I was like... "Ohhh, I hope Re-l will return his feelings later in the series". But...nope, after that episode his feelings were never touched on again... It's fine if Vincent didn't confess his feelings for Re-l (hidden-feelings), but he confessed.

After watching the whole show I was like: ...half-way...really?...if you're gonna do it, then do it all the way!!!

At least show some signs that Re-l is falling for him... 

(If you want to explain anything to me... please do it nicely)

9.5/10 story
10/10 animation
9.5/10 sound
10/10 characters
9/10 overall
Dungeon's avatar
Jun 17, 2012

The story its about a futuristic world, the human civilization its nearly extint and the reamining of it lives on a special dome-city, the humans have robots called autorevs they serve humans on a variety of ways, but they are becoming infected with a virus called cogito that gives them human feelings and emotions.

Most of the plot involves the female character Re-I and Vincent Law on their search for the true behind something called "Proxy", the plot has some weird episodes and turns and also some loaded existentialism themes, sometimes it gets confusing since the change from one episode to other its huge.

Overall, the plot its nice not my favorite tho, the characters are on my opinion very tasteless (but pino wich is my favorite one), out of that one no other character really made me feel anything for him/her. and im not a huge fan of bizarre oriented themes (and some chapters of the series are very bizarre).

7/10 story
6/10 animation
7/10 sound
6/10 characters
6.5/10 overall
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