Friday, February 9, 2018

MARIAH's THOUGHTS on Made In Abyss (2017)

Japanese Title:
メイドインアビス

Genre:
Sci-Fi, Adventure, Mystery, Drama, Fantasy
Series:
TV series
Rating:
R-17+
(violence and profanity)
Episodes:
13
Run Time:
25 min per episode
Release Date:
Jul 7, 2017 to Sep 29, 2017

Directed by:
Kojima, Masayuki

Producers:
Media Factory, AT-X, Takeshobo, Sony Music Communications, Kadokawa Media House, Cygames, Kanetsu Co., LTD.


Adaption:

Cast:
Mariya Ise, Miyu Tomita, Maaya Sakamoto, Shiori Izawa, Taishi Murata, Tetsu Inada, Yoko Soumi, Manami Hanawa

Plot Summary:
The Abyss—a gaping chasm stretching down into the depths of the earth, filled with mysterious creatures and relics from a time long past. How did it come to be? What lies at the bottom? Countless brave individuals, known as Divers, have sought to solve these mysteries of the Abyss, fearlessly descending into its darkest realms. The best and bravest of the Divers, the White Whistles, are hailed as legends by those who remain on the surface.

Riko, daughter of the missing White Whistle Lyza the Annihilator, aspires to become like her mother and explore the furthest reaches of the Abyss. However, just a novice Red Whistle herself, she is only permitted to roam its most upper layer. Even so, Riko has a chance encounter with a mysterious robot with the appearance of an ordinary young boy. She comes to name him Reg, and he has no recollection of the events preceding his discovery. Certain that the technology to create Reg must come from deep within the Abyss, the two decide to venture forth into the chasm to recover his memories and see the bottom of the great pit with their own eyes. However, they know not of the harsh reality that is the true existence of the Abyss.


~~~~~~

*My Thoughts*

Kids go spelunking, what could possibly go wrong? Made in Abyss was an adventure through and through when Riko and Reg decided to descend into the giant hole that is surrounded by the town of Orth. It’s for the best that one should not judge an anime from its first episode because from my perspective, I would have not continued watching until the end if I were watching it alone. It started as a relatively light-hearted anime with children seeking adventure and glory; the honor of being White Whistle ranked Divers. However, the further I got into the anime the more mysterious and dangerous it became. It was a slow build up but forcing the plot into a 13-episode season is surely no easy feat. The plot is a mystery from episode one but at first the characters, considering they were children, derailed me from wanting to continue. They were naïve and headstrong to the point of annoyance, as if they could continue dreaming and everything would be swift and easy. But Riko’s desire to delve deeper into the Abyss and Reg’s amnesia spurred me to keep watching.

Looking at the animation and illustration was enticing because of the strange creatures that inhabited the Abyss, but the characters looked small and petite, even if they were adults. It was certainly different and innocent enough until I really thought about the profession of a Diver. Little twelve-year-old children are descending into a giant chasm with dangerous creatures and a depth of about 20,000 meters, even the first layer was considered hazardous to an extent. Made in the Abyss was far from innocent the further Riko and Reg travelled into the Abyss. The beautiful illustration didn’t hide the darker, bloodier side of Made in Abyss. The Abyss wasn’t a simple walk in the meadow, as evidenced when Riko almost lost her arm. Made in Abyss was intense, as it should be if children are fighting against monsters in different levels of uncharted territory.

Made in Abyss was not for the faint of heart or for anyone close minded about the potential of children’s desire to survive. It was like a rated M for mature video game but with cute avatars and characters. While Riko and Reg desire to reach the bottom, they faced life threatening creatures, had probably seen each other naked more times than they should have, and killed more than normal children in the Made in Abyss universe.

It’s not my all-time favorite anime for 2017 but I’m glad it was recommended to me for my Friday night.

My Rating:





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