Ergo Proxy - Volumes 3 + 4
Licensed By: MVM Entertainment
Genre: Action
Episodes: 9-16
There are things in life one can always rely on:
1. Nothing gets cheaper.
2. Noel Edmonds will forever be the most irritating person on this or any planet.
3. As long as there are Otaku, there will be sci-fi anime.
Sci-fi anime like Ergo Proxy.
The show made it to our shores in the latter half of 2007. Recently, volumes three and four were released in which the humanity of the Proxy is analysed along with the emotional effect of the Cogito Virus upon the AutoReivs, Re-L, Vincent and Pino.
Ergo Proxy takes place on an earth that, having been ravaged by a natural disaster, leaves its survivors residing in “domes” and living alongside androids (referred to in the show as AutoReivs).
Apart from the slightly oppressive atmosphere, all seems well in Romdo. That is until demon-like creature’s called “Proxy” appear, causing numerous deaths and infecting AutoReivs with a virus named Cogito that appears to make the artificial humans self-aware.
When the Proxy’s appear the lives of Vincent Law and Re-l Mayer clash and decide to leave Romdo in an attempt to discover what the Proxy’s actually are. Cue 23 episodes of self-discovery played against a very grey world.
The English dub has been handled rather well and almost all the characters have been re-recorded in a faithful homage to the work achieved by their Japanese counterparts. Some of the dubbing talent have worked on Bleach and Naruto and this experience seems to have paid off. It doesn’t beat the original cast but watching the dub can be handy for some of the more complex moments within the show.
Unfortunately, the DVD’s are bereft of any special features other than a few trailers. Surely if someone was going to buy a DVD they would expect a little bang for their buck. Interviews, post production art-work or even audio commentaries wouldn’t go a miss.
The blend of 2D and 3D animation is well met and the two never really seem to jostle for attention. The character designs are futuristic, but grounded in a familiar style, with Re-l’s black hair, blue eye shadow and black outfit never appearing to fall into the category of Emo or Goth. Her character carries off the skin tight black outfit with a healthy portion of cool.
Although the show is very well presented, the constant references to philosophy and ancient Greek thought might leave the more action orientated otaku isolated. I suspect that these references will make sense as we approach the conclusion, but may require repeat viewings to catch all the hidden meanings.
It’s impossible to say at this stage whether Ergo Proxy is a brilliant anime; it depends more on how the story continues and what your own personal preferences are. If you liked writer Dai Satō’s other works like Wolfs Rain or Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, then you’ll probably love this, but it may fall more into the category of being a bit slow for those of you who like your anime with a little more dazzle.
If you can put up with it, Ergo Proxy volumes three and four will provide you with a stable middle to the series, hopefully setting things up for an exciting finish. Here’s hoping!