ALARIS' REVIEWS

11th February 2010
RahXephon (2002)

The best word to describe this science fiction anime series is 'intriguing', and this proves to be its greatest strength, as well as its fatal flaw.

In premise, RahXephon has a lot in common with the phenomenally popular shonen series Neon Genesis Evangelion (1995). In both, an ordinary teenage boy is the only person able to pilot a powerful, military mecha, and soon finds himself thrown into battle against mysterious and frighteningly surreal leviathans.

The tone of RahXephon is understated, dramatic, and deeply intriguing. Elaborate mysteries are alluded to in a complicated tapestry you hope will come together in a breathtaking work of genius.

Unlike Serial Experiments: Lain (1998), which is excellent at generating creepy atmosphere, but walks a little too far on the side of arty silences and oblique symbolism, RahXephon has enough of a comprehensible plot to keep the story going, while scattering puzzle pieces like ticker tape.

There's an engaging range of characters in RahXephon, many of whom turn out to be surprisingly empathetic, and one or two are even pretty damn cool. For me, this is a nice distinction from Evangelion, which is populated primarily by painfully damaged, neurotic, self destructive individuals.

However, Evangelion probably handles action better, delivering some seriously visceral battles. RahXephon's drama lies primarily in the characters' interactions, their secrets and lies and unrequited yearnings. Entire episodes revolve around quiet looks and guilty silences, with a fight tacked on at the end almost as an afterthought. However, as in Chuck (2007), the action is much less interesting than the personal stories.

The animation in RahXephon is beautifully cinematic, the musical motifs thematically resonant, and some of the imagery is close to captivating. The score is exceptional, with a wistful closing theme that went straight to high rotation on my MP3 player.

RahXephon also has the most heartbreakingly tragic fight scene I've ever encountered.

Unfortunately, this is where the review turns.

I deliberately waited a while before writing this review, because if I'd written it immediately after the finale, the praise would have been manically drowned by the angry, angry rant.

In brief, ten minutes from the end of the series, I thought "There's no way they can explain all the mysteries, resolve all the messy issues, and wrap up the story in ten minutes".

They didn't.

So, instead of basking happily in the glow of a masterful tapestry completed, I found myself sitting in a tangled mess of string that was cutting off my circulation. I like stories to have satisfying endings. They don't have to be happy, just satisfying. They need to have closure, some clarity, some sense of an important journey well ended. RahXephon ends with the characters in a confusing state of flux, without resolution or explanation. Countless questions are left without answers, elaborate mysteries dribble into silence. It isn't devastating enough to be arty, just cruel enough to be perplexing and weak.

RahXephon had the potential to become one of my favourite anime series, but is let down by an unforgivably inexplicable ending.

Verdict: An intriguing, quietly dramatic series, which doesn't deliver the payoff it promises.

**+