Texhnolyze episodes 1-6
“The lives we make never seem to get us anywhere but dead…the day I tried to live I wallowed in the blood and mud…”
The above song lyric quote exemplifies the overall feel of this series: bleak, grungy, harsh yet strangely compelling. As you might expect with character designer Yoshitoshi ABe on board it’s a highbrow, cryptic and arty effort that probably doesn’t have much mainstream appeal; personally I really like the unconventional, pretentious complex storytelling and deliberately cruel and inhospitable environs of this show.
A view of Luckuss
The visuals are a big selling point to Texhnolyze (for some reason, I find it difficult to spell correctly) since the moody and grim atmosphere drives the story along at first. It is set in a dystopian underground world of Luckuss (or Lux, depending on where you look) in which control over the city is held by the Organo syndicate. The Texhnolyze technology, that of next-generation artificial body parts, is reserved for the wealthy and influential ruling class who preside over a majority of less previleged inhabitants. These opening episodes follow the likes of Onishi, the leader of the Organo; Yoshi, a visitor from the surface; Ran, a girl with a psychic ability to see into the future; and Ichise, a boxer who becomes an unwilling Texhnolyzed after a run-in with some organised criminals causes him to lose two of his limbs.
The psychic Ran
The inventiveness of Texhnolyze’s storytelling is that it takes its time in explaining things and is reluctant to use much dialogue: nobody says a word for the first ten minutes and we don’t learn the names of many of the characters early on. Ran, who appropriately makes money selling flowers, is akin to a flower herself: she’s a fragile source of colour in a world painted in various shades of browns and greys. Ichise, I suspect, is more than a case study of how tough life is in Luckuss - his overwhelming determination to survive even after having an arm and a leg severed drives him to seek vengeance on those who maimed him. The enigmatic and sensuous Doc, the woman who specialises in Texholyzed body parts, sees potential in Ichise and gives the ’stray dog’ a second chance, which he grudgingly accepts as part of his unyielding will to survive.
Ichise: never say die
The series seems to choose two separate threads but I strongly feel that Ichise’s struggle is not only a metaphor for the people of Luckuss and their tenuous grip on life but it will somehow influence the power struggle that is taking place. Yoshi comes across initially as a curious everyman: a benign tourist who listens and asks questions a lot. As time went on I began to see his unassuming demeanour as a front to a forceful and brutal personality - his polite, philosophical and secretive manner only makes him seem all the more dangerous.
The mysterious Yoshi: what is he up to?
Although the idea of artificial body parts crops up in the likes of Ghost in the Shell and numerous others, Texhnolyze depicts a technology that is more than mechanical limbs that replace the old; the texhnolyzed parts interact with the wearer, showing their status and condition in the field of vision. While it is believed to enchance physical capabilities and form the next phase in our evolution, it feels like, as Ichise finds out, an unnatural and obtrusive experience. As always, Madhouse deliver the goods with convincing mecha designs that offer a juxtaposition of high-tech in front of a gritty and run-down backdrop.
A texhnolyzed’s view of the world
The visuals make every textured surface and environment in Luckuss come to life; the decay, dirt and bleakness is almost tangible and is heightened by the minimalist, industrial musical score. The opening and ending themes are great too: Juno Reactor’s Guardian Angel is a hypnotic, pulsating number that reminds me of the atmospheric trance of Faithless and the ending tune is a mellow acoustic number accompanied by Gackt’s rich baritone croon.
In Summary
Texhnolyze is challenging viewing in every sense, with its depressing dystopia, distant characters and unflinching portrayal of humanity at its most violent and pitiless. Nevertheless the characters of Ichise, Yoshi and Ran, along with the unfolding political mechinations, are enough to keep me watching - it’s definitely not for everyone but its mature and uncompromising approach makes it a refreshing break from the norm.
