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Title:
  Ergo Proxy vol 1 - Awakening

UK Distributor:  MVM (DVD Only)

BBFC Certificate:  PG

Suggested Retail Price (SRP):  £19.99

Episodes:  1-4 (of 23)

Audio Options:  English DTS & 5.1 & Japanese 5.1

Subtitles:  English

Reviewer:  Rich (Webmaster)

 

Of all the series that came out in 2007, Ergo Proxy was one of the ones I was most looking forward to seeing.  I'm a sucker for gothic imagery, whether future gothic or fantasy gothic, and it doesn't come much more gothic than this.

Ergo Proxy is set in a post-apocalyptic world where the surviving humans live in man-made utopian cities where their every whim is catered for by robots called Auto-Reivs.  However, a virus called Cogito is making the Auto-Reivs self-aware and causing some to attack humans.  On the case is Re-l, granddaughter of Rondo city's governor and gun-toting investigator, who works with her Auto-Reiv partner Iggy to find the source of Cogito.  However, her investigations cause her to encounter something new, something she isn't supposed to know about.  A monstrous creature is at large in the city, but after she is attacked by it she finds that no-one will believe her story.  Not only that, but she is forbidden from investigating it and discovers that Iggy is being used to monitor her actions.  Desperate to know the truth Re-l continues her investigations surreptitiously, but soon finds that the mystery goes to the highest echelons of society.  The creature is called a 'Proxy' and the security bureau is also desperate to find it, seemingly on the direct orders of the city's rulers.  But what is the Proxy, and how many of them are there?  Also, how is the Proxy related to the Cogito virus?  Re-l believes that the key to the mystery may be the immigrant Vincent Law, but with her every move being watched will she have a chance to find out?
 

As I said I am a sucker for good gothic imagery, and this series did blow me away visually.  The character design and animation is excellent and some of the scenes just ooze jaw-dropping coolness.  In style and execution it is similar to Ghost in the Shell with a hefty dollop of The Matrix, but theme-wise it follows in the footsteps of Appleseed and I, Robot.  Like Appleseed it features a utopian city where things are not quite as perfect as they seem, and features a robot / human investigating team.  Like I, Robot it explores the rights of

artificial life, and how a robot reacts to self-awareness and free thought.  Like the Matrix and Ghost in the Shell it features a kick-arse female lead and explores how technology affects our lives, in particular how electronic systems can be used to control us and limit our freedoms.  It draws from all these sources and more, yet draws them together in its own way, creating an original and engrossing story from familiar ingredients.

I really liked Ergo Proxy.  Like Ghost in the Shell it draws you in to a complex story, constantly raising questions and making you think about what's going on.  Although there is plenty of action in the first couple of episodes, things are more focused around drama and mystery towards the end of the volume.  With most anime sci-fi nowadays being nearly completely action-based, it's refreshing to see that Ergo Proxy isn't afraid to use its head.  The interlinking plot strands may occasionally be confusing, but you find that you want to know where the series is going and what will happen next.  This complex and intriguing story is backed up by some truly stunning animation and design, as well as great music and voice acting.  This serves to make it one of the most stylish and slick anime series of recent years, and the use of Radiohead's Paranoid Android as the closing theme is a match made in heaven.
 

 On top of all this it also features some decent characters.  Re-l is the main focus of the series, but as things progress Vincent Law comes to the fore as well.  Re-l is a cool and collected investigator, but even she starts to crack under the strain when her superiors start to manipulate her life and those around her.  Those closest to her - Iggy her partner, her doctor Daedelus and even her grandfather - seem to be trying to push her away from the Proxy mystery and she soon feels that she has no-one to turn to.  However, it's Vincent that I

found more intriguing.  He's an everyman, an Auto-Reiv repairman and immigrant trying to live a quiet life, but a man who's job gets him caught up in the investigation to find the source of the Cogito virus.  His plight and Re-l's start to interlink, and she begins to suspect he may have some link to Cogito and possibly the Proxy despite his seeming innocence.  Is this suspicion accurate or is Re-l just looking for someone to believe and support her?

It's questions like this that have got me hooked not only on Ergo Proxy's story but its characters and their motivations.  The series is a great example of thought-provoking, serious sci-fi, where the story takes priority over the action.  Don't get me wrong, the action is great, and the visuals and sound are stunning, but the story and characters are paramount, and for me this makes the series an essential watch.  Like many series of this ilk there's a lot of stuff going on that won't be explained till the very end, and if this kind of thing frustrates you then the series may not be your cup of tea.  However, for fans of series like Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, Ergo Proxy vol 1 may just be the most essential release of 2007.  I personally can't recommend it highly enough, it's a stunning anime that deserves attention.

Extras:

Plenty of stuff on offer this time, trailers and clean opening sequences are joined by galleries, a promotional trailer and commercials.  More interesting are the interviews with the English language staff, behind the scenes featurette and a guide to the keywords used by the series.  Nice to see a great release getting the kind of extras it deserves.

Ratings

Feature:   Extras:
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