The Deeper We Go, The More We Love It
As the months roll on, its become clear that Kinema Citrus’ Made in Abyss has resonated with audiences on such a profound level that it could be well on the way to reaching the top spot on a number of lists as the best anime of 2017.
Given the level of high quality anime we’ve been blessed with this year, that’s high praise indeed.
The story follows a spunky young girl by the name of Riko, whose home surrounds a supposedly bottomless pit known as the Abyss. As a low-level cave raider, she traverses the Abyss’ upper layer in search of relics to assist with her orphanage’s financial issues. One day, following a surprise attack by a giant monster, she discovers an unconscious boy, one who happens to be more machine than man.
This is Reg, an android who has no memory of who he is or where he came from. The two quickly develop a strong friendship, but there’s little time for merriment as it is soon revealed that Riko’s missing mother may still be alive…and waiting for them at the bottom of the Abyss.
Sound like something out of a Studio Ghibli movie? You wouldn’t be wrong in that regard, since the series’ breathtaking visuals, innocent lead characters and dark undertones have managed to capture the hearts of fans everywhere in such a way you’d think they’d just watched Castle in the Sky.
Who knows how it’s going to fare against other hits like Little Witch Academia and My Hero Academia: Season Two by the year’s end, but so far its managed to earn itself a place in many an anime fan’s top anime of the summer.
This includes Kotaku, where it managed to stand shoulder to shoulder with other standouts of the season such as Princess Principal, Kakegurui: Compulsive Gambler and Welcome to the Ballroom.
In their glowing review, they wrote:
“Unlike lots of anime today, Made In Abyss’s world is conveyed through in-character exposition and excellent cinematic direction rather than direct explanation. More compelling than a voice-of-God narrator is hearing the director warn orphans about shaming their parents and stealing relics; Riko explaining the Curse of the Abyss to the cyborg Reg; or the orphan Shiggy detailing the abyss’s map to Riko and Reg, who are poised to run away from the orphanage. Sprawling, vertigo-inducing panoramic shots show the world’s infinite possibility, as do magical found artifacts. It’s true fantasy in that its world is its most compelling character. And that world’s slow reveal of its rules (and the exciting ways Riko breaks them) makes a persuasive bid for viewers’ continued curiosity.”
Though to be fair, we wouldn’t be surprised if Ozen just scared them into submission and forced them to write that. Who could blame them?
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