All I can say is Wow... Wow.

This series has to be hands down one of the most intriguing and intelligent anime shows I've seen, story wise and character creation surpassed RahXephon and Evangelion.

The artwork is definitely not to die for, but I don't think the show was created to dazzle but to convey the story in a believable manner and that is what it does. This show is not funny, not once. No site gags or imbecilic jokes. Although the main characters sister, whoever dubbed her voice in English needs to be dragged into the street and shot.

It feels like Jin-Roh a bit but doesn't just limit its scope to espionage; the politics reminds me of the West Wing with a pinch of the Sopranos since the Yakuza and Chinese mafia partake in this story as well.

The basic premise is two major corporations are competing for domination in the creation of Bipedal tanks or TA's (Tactical Armor). Trust me this is not corny stuff, these TA's are limited to real world physics, watching these robots fight in regular people size corridors and the rooftops of buildings is hands down clever and unique. No ones done this stuff in sci-fi literature since Heinlein's Starship Troopers. The pilots of these TA's are being experimented with mysterious performance enhancing chemicals known only as compound D and Compound S.

The interesting stuff happens when the main character finds out he's been dead for eight years (hah!). Anyway, there's supernatural themes, with a scope that goes back and forth between feudal Japan and today. Also there is heavy Japan regaining former glory situations running rampant in this story even to the point of a totalitarian Japan. I don't want to drop too much of what makes this series super cool in my opinion, because it would just be giving it all away.

I highly recommend for hardcore technical story lovers.

Review by David Marini
www.everythingevangelion.com