09.27
For my initial impression on Aldnoah.Zero, please refer to my entry on the Summer Clusterfuck Week 1.
When I first experienced Aldnoah.Zero, I summed up my opinion piece *points upward enthusiastically*, with the note that this is Urobuchi at his most blasé. Well… little did I know Urobuchi would depart by Episode 3’s end, leaving the rest of the season under someone else’s responsibility. So, as a result what I saw after the first three episodes was not the intended vision of Urobuchi. However, it is not much to talk about in the end since there is little to say.
After the first episode, the remaining two were… okay at best. If there was anything great about them it was how Urobuchi settled the foundation for the series’ tone and style. The Earth characters are relentlessly reluctant, cynical, and uncertain about their prospects and the Versian ones are remorseless, unforgiving, and evil in their blatant scorn for the former. It is a bit cliché but it is nice to know where all stood at that time. Style-wise the first three episodes did a good job establishing the style of mecha battles that would dot the rest of the series. Such battles involve a heavy focus on the struggle between utility (Earth) and hubris (Vers), and it is kindof exciting to see how the former manages itself when the latter has the feeling of invincibility due to advanced technology. Unfortunately, my enthusiasm was not raised exponentially (even with the startling act at Episode 3’s end), but remained very cautious if curious on how things will go from there without the Urobutcher…
…Yet after going through all twelve episodes, all I can muster is Aldnoah.Zero was a thing that happened. I am rather at a loss on what to think about series as it both greatly intrigues me and deeply irks me (Irktrigueging?). One minute I was all “Oh this show seems fine, interesting even.” While five minutes later I was all “Oh you’ve got to be freaking kidding me.”
Its intrigue is helped by how everything looks and sounds nice. Granted once you get past the character designs with the moeblob faces, and the rather procedural plot one could swear was inspired by Code Geass, everything is of polish. The CG animation fares and works well enough with the rather calculated battle sequences, and Hiroyuki Sawano’s music offers a nice, techno, ethereal edge to the show. Plot-wise, despite its Geass-esque conventions, the show finds ways to foment moments of shock that compel the viewer to check in next week to see what happens. It is a well-run machine all things considered.
I just wish the staff running said machine was more interesting and appealing, never mind I doubt both their work style and ability to keep it running as it is in the next season.
If there is anything irksome about Aldnoah.Zero is its characters. Apart from Lt. Marito, there really is not much to say about the characters. Most of them are fairly procedural in their capacity as reluctant students cum soldiers, regular soldiers, evil aristocrats, and the like. They do their job but there is not much for appeal in any of them. They do not do much bad, but they do not much good either. For something so well polished as Aldnoah.Zero it is in a way frustrating that I cannot find myself invested in any of the cast.
This is unfortunate, for that includes the ‘tagonists (as the other reviewer of episode 1 deemed them): Inaho and Slaine. Initially I found Inaho to be a breath of fresh air compared to the milquetoast, uncertain, whiny protagonist with his taciturn, near zen, demeanor when it comes to conflict. However this opinion slowly changed as the series went on. No longer do I think of his demeanor as zen but just outright weird, possibly mentally off. Nothing really sparks Inaho on an emotional level to get us to connect with him in any way, and his ability to just pull things out of his ass when the chips are down can get pretty old (this will be covered later in the review).
Slaine is even worse. I guess he fills the reluctant mecha rival role that Suzaku from Code Geass or Athrun from Gundam SEED had, and he just SUCKS at it. It seems that apart from gazing longingly for the Princess figure, what the show tends to do with Slaine is essentially make him its bitch. When he is not cocking up with strange outbursts of killing and mutiny, he is getting chastised, whipped, and beaten by his Martian superiors, who keep finding ways to keep the schmuck. Then when he decides to be an active participant in the chaos he somehow finds ways to screw THAT up too, and then we are back to Square One where Everybody Hates Slaine. Even the show gets in on that when every moment of Slaine slowly but surely getting the respect of the Orbital Knights is always cut short by whatever plot contrivance is needed for the episode.
This leads into what I mentioned as the work style of the series. While the tactics of Inaho and crew against the Orbital Knights are initially cathartic and well-planned, it quickly loses its luster. How so? The Orbital Knights are revealed to be nothing BUT complete and utter idiots (No wonder the Vers Empire is in deep shit). While it can be said there is dramatic irony that their hubris is their downfall, it becomes a wash when ALL of them have the same problem. None of them are cunning; there is no clash of intellect or any sudden flashes of inspiration and improvisation. It inevitably becomes the tale of a markedly erudite David taking on dimwitted Goliaths. Then after such we get a plot twist of sorts which engages the viewer somewhat in its shocking turn, but then gets lost in the series resuming status quo of traveling then fighting the next big dimwit in a giant robot. This is where the aforementioned ability part comes into play here, because it will be to the series’ detriment if they keep pulling this next season.
Speaking of next season, the crown of what makes Aldnoah.Zero so irksome is that goddamn ending. After slowly but surely realizing what has been previously stated, getting past the intense moments, and then finally meeting the end… We got this finale. It all works well until the final part of the episode, where the actions left me dumbfounded. While there is no character assassination (so to speak), I am at a loss why the show ended the way it did. Had it been like a 25 episode coul or it had more focus on the characters I may have accepted it in a way but this… This is how we end Slaine’s arc for the coul!? This is how we end Inaho’s arc? Where the fuck do you go from this finale with how the characters ended up!? It did not feel right and when coupled with my distant feelings toward the characters, it becomes worse!
Even so, it has sadly accomplished in getting me hooked on waiting for the next season in January 2015. Should you? Eh, mileage may vary. If you are like me and you kept watching despite your reservations, it is best to wait for the second half. Aldnoah.Zero is a truly nice machine, but again, I dunno if it will keep its luster with the kind of crew performance it had for the first season.
If it sadly does, then Aldnoah.Zero is truly the biggest thing that happened in current anime, leaving me with the biggest feeling of ambivalence since well… the Escaflowne movie. That can’t be good right?