Yes, I’m referring to that slogan of a particular American presidential candidate now Oval Office presider. The thing is, anime was always great. There’s no need to improve it… or is there?
Too often nowadays the seasonal charts are swamped by titles that only reinforce the too-common stereotypes about anime: childish, strangely designed (big eyes, unnaturally long hair, frequent shots and angles of panties), overly and overtly sexual, weird. I’m talking about shows like Umaru-chan, Eromanga-sensei, and Boku no Pico. And yes, I haven’t seen any of those and you can’t really tell an anime by its cover image**, but scroll down a seasonal anime page and you’ll know what I mean. Before I got into anime with Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, I too had the misconception that anime was just girly Chinese cartoons for otaku weeaboos who spent their waking moments clutching body pillows and staring at 2D characters with lustful intent. I was proved wrong, but that doesn’t nullify the fact that such otaku weeaboos do indeed exist. And they exist for a reason. Anime is just that awesome and addicting.
According to Gigguk’s video “Life Cycle of an Anime Fan” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4VCkq0e2920), anime viewers begin their weeblives in a period called “The Awakening” in which after encountering a show particularly good they think everything else they watch is good. Later on during “The Void”, they watch a show so good that everything else they watch is inferior, and so they continue watching to fill the sensation of emptiness. My first anime was so good and so unique compared to books or live-action movies that I just had to watch more anime. Since then I’ve matured and don’t think everything I watch is a 10 out of 10. But that ineffable feeling of awe and delight and pure joy while immersed in a story has come to me rarely since, only in the forms of One Piece (the anime) and Game of Thrones. So even if I’m watching anime that is genuinely good and well made, it doesn’t give me that incredible feeling and make me spend my waking thoughts devoted to that world and those characters and what’s going to happen next. It’s a void to fill, a barrel with a hole at the bottom, an unreachable paradise that I search and yearn for in the media I consume.
Well. I’m writing this blog entry/rant/reaction/review because I’ve found it. I’ve discovered it yet again. I’ve found an anime that revitalized my passion for the medium. I’ve found a world unshakably irresistible in its beauty. I’ve found a precious gem of humanity, a work that I’m proud of humans for crafting. It is Made in Abyss.
I adore this anime. Everything, literally everything, about it is good. The premise is simple yet all the more revelatory for what is to come. The characters are solid, one in particular who has joined my favorites. The visuals are breathtaking and reminiscent of Studio Ghibli. The soundtrack is high Australia. The writing fits the child-meets-darkness archetype superbly. The OP and ED are superb, more so after you’ve seen the whole thing. The voice acting is extremely realistic and brings out the youth of the main characters well. And the storytelling itself… Subarashii. I was enticed by the stark contrast between the idyllic thrill of adventure and the indifferent, unforgiving nature of the Abyss.
To fully pay respect to Kinema Citrus and Tsukushi Akihito, I will include spoilers in the following section, which is intended for those who have already seen all 13 episodes of Made in Abyss (MiA). Note: Everything I say here is based on what I have seen and deduced from the anime only. No manga spoilers, and I recommend NOT reading ahead in the manga for maximum enjoyment of the second season and beyond in the anime.
At the outset, Riko is excited to venture down into the Abyss. To go deeper than she ever has before as a Red Whistle and to find her mother, she largely ignores or is oblivious to the true dangers of the Abyss and pushes on. In episode 3 (“Departure”), the sole voice of reason is Nat who opposes her and Reg’s going, pointing out that Lyza is most likely dead and that she will never see them again if she reaches the bottom of the Abyss. Not to mention the beasts and natural hazards.
Reg, on the other hand, chooses to go to uncover the reason for his coming up to the surface in the first place, having lost his memories (and to help Riko find her mother). I didn’t really catch this my first time through, but after rewatching MiA I’ve realized that Reg’s lost memories are pretty significant. Later in MiA you learn that Reg is indeed the humanoid robot-like figure espied by Lyza and actually interacted with her on several occasions. Lyza most likely didn’t make him, which suggests that Reg comes from the 6th layer or lower and had a strong reason or purpose for going all the way up to the top -- without Lyza, who stayed behind for some reason. Even more authentically cyborg than Genos, Reg is somehow both fully human and fully robot -- after waking up and losing his memories in episode 1 (“The City of the Great Pit”), he immediately assumes he is human and is surprised to learn that he is a robot. I’m thinking that he was originally fully human and underwent an advanced procedure that unified his flesh with mechanical parts. The fact that Reg can do basic human functions such as eating, sleeping, crying, etc. suggests so, and the fact that he is immune to the Curse of the Abyss only shouts at the reason for his design -- a human able to travel up the Abyss without suffering from the Curse. Hence a critically important motivation for his mission (a message to convey to those at the top, perhaps news of an occurrence at the bottom?). Hence his appearance on the 1st layer in episode 1, saving Riko from 200 meters away (implying full mastery of the Incinerator), and promptly fainting -- and somehow losing all his memories from what could either be a steep fall or an exhaustion of all of his power.
So while the duo is initially all agog about going, as the episodes progress we gradually see more and more of the Abyss’s true nature. The limitations for whistle bearers depending on the color, the hammerbeak being suddenly devoured by a passing creature (and the chicks bereaved of their mother), the unspoken recognition that going into the 1st layer means a last dive, and so on.
Let’s look at the world more closely.
In episode 2 (“Resurrection Festival”), Habo’s return and the festivities of Resurrection Festival are deceptively joyous as the discovery of Lyza’s whistle could only hint at her death. Compare this to whenever the Scouts come back from missions in Shingeki no Kyojin: at first people are hopeful, but soon realize what happened, who they lost, and how the Scouts ultimately failed. The Abyss is celebrated as a fount of discovery, but the truth within is much more horrifying.
In episode 3, while Riko is eager to enter the Abyss even if Reg hadn’t also wanted to go, Nat is very concerned for her potential well-being in the deeper layers, noting the likelihood of her mother’s having died long ago and the veritable fact that they would never see each other again, i.e. she wouldn’t be able to return. The 6th layer is hence called the “Capital of the Unreturned” and the “last dive” for White Whistles as anybody who goes that far isn’t expected to come back. The mood of adventure is thus stymied a bit, not to mention the unspoken uncertainty for whether Riko and Reg can even reach the 6th layer. By episode 13, they are just beginning to head for the 5th layer.
In episode 5 (“Incinerator”), Reg is forced to blast a bunch of corpse-weepers to feathery smithereens. Afterwards he hallucinates and sees a bloodied Riko being eaten by a corpse-weeper, guts and all. And for lunch the two have meat from the corpse-weepers Reg killed, signifying the circle of life in the Abyss. There is no true apex predator, as all creatures the two encounter can be eaten. Besides Hollows, of course.
In episode 7 (“The Unmovable Sovereign”), Ozen attacks Reg mercilessly and even flicks Riko with one finger against a wall, bloodying her face. Reg is forced to use his Incinerator, faints, and is all scraped and bruised until Ozen’s cave raider group comes. Although Ozen was testing their mettle, her portrayal as a villain or boss* is quite harsh, and the difference in strength between her and Reg, which will only increase as more creatures and bosses are encountered deeper on, shows all too realistically the dangers to come.
In episode 9 (“The Great Fault”), in order to reach a hole in the Great Fault below, the duo uses some neritantans as bait to distract the madokajacks. Riko even laments not being able to use them for their own food. Later a madokajack gets its head blasted away by Reg, and an amakagame is punctured like a balloon. All three species did nothing wrong, they were just unfortunate players of the game of thrones life.
In episode 10 (“Poison and the Curse”), it hits like a bullet. No, a bomb. Riko’s cries of pain are so realistic, they really sound like a young girl in pain -- so hard to watch, even during a second and third viewing. Reg uses a scaled umbrella to make them look bigger, but the orbed piercer only slams right into it, spines centimeters away from Reg’s face. Riko is pierced and poisoned, and for 9+ minutes on-screen she suffers intensely. First her vision is colored weirdly; then blood foams out of her eyes, ears, nose, and mouth; her poisoned hand swells and turns purple; and finally Reg is forced to amputate it, or at least he tries. He only succeeds in breaking her arm (sob) and cutting through some of the bone, by which point she’s lost consciousness. Had Nanachi not made her entrance then, Riko would have died, and Reg would probably have gone mad with sorrow and loss of the will to continue. (Plus Nanachi may never have found a way to send Mitty off in peace.) … You have two kids, children, going through such pain and suffering… It’s difficult to watch, and even more difficult to imagine. Especially at that age.
In episode 11 (“Nanachi”), Nanachi treats Riko efficiently like a doctor. Before I found out her identity, I presumed that she was a former cave raider who somehow retained her humanity after surviving the Curse, since she had equipment and knowledge of the Abyss. Sort of like the “mentor” type character whom the protagonists meet who assists them on their journey. Boy, was I wrong.
In episode 13 (“The Challengers”), we have the Flashback. Just as ONE PIECE SPOILER
Law’s flashback mini-arc was sad and long and thus indicated his importance to the story,
Nanachi’s flashback (which extended the final episode) was sad and long (relatively) and renders her quite an important character. She comes in later in the show but as this is only season 1 she’ll definitely get lots of screen time in season 2.
Only 13 episodes. The anime adapted 26 chapters of the manga and as of the time of writing there are 50 chapters i.e. almost enough material for a full, 1-cour second season. Currently they’re working on the third recap/sequel movie and produced Tate no Yuusha no Nariagari for Winter 2019 so we shouldn’t expect to see the announcement for Season 2 until later this year. Hopefully.
I’ve read ahead in the manga and it only gets darker from here.
~THE MAIN CAST~
I’ll be blunt. Riko is a wimp, a crybaby, and completely useless when it comes to facing Abyss predators. She typically screams in terror while staying stock-still until Reg saves her. I’m not necessarily complaining, though. It adds to the realism and we shouldn’t expect a 12-year-old to not panic when a crimson splitjaw is looking for lunch. Furthermore, she has almost no caution, taking water from the pond and almost being snatched by the ottobasu within (ep. 8), and literally walking into the amakagame’s trap and stomach (ep. 9). In short, her eagerness to explore the Abyss eclipses her rationality.
Reg on the other hand is fully equipped for Abyss combat and travel. His arms extend to 40+ meters and his Incinerator is powerful enough to completely eradicate Mitty even with her regenerative ability. As we’ve seen from his rescues of Riko, he can sprint fairly quickly, and he is also quite agile (e.g. doing backflips when facing Ozen). And unlike Riko, he approaches unfamiliar situations with caution, thus balancing our her naiveté.
“Nanachi. Nanachi.” Her hideout is formed to look like Mitty; she’s made quite a few stuffed toys for Mitty; she’s manufactured many different medicines via Mitty’s immortality (i.e. the many moss-covered graves for cave raiders); she wears clothing that she stitched together herself; the curtain to Mitty’s room is shaped like her mouth. Clearly, she’s been living on her own with Mitty for a significant period of time, several years maybe, since escaping from Bondrewd. She is also familiar with the nature of the Curse of the Abyss, how to counter the creatures’ prognostication, and the flora of the area. The fact that she managed to survive for this long is impressive. Like Riko, she has always yearned to see the bottom of the Abyss, but unlike Riko, she is much more capable of taking care of herself. She even refers to the orbed piercer as “Orby”. If you recall from her flashback, she spent her leisure time while at Sereni reading a book on the Abyss and fantasizing about the bottom, along with searching garbage for the most appetizing food. She can read nether glyphs because the only books that people would throw away are those they can’t read.
I first thought Mitty was a baby monster that Nanachi picked up and decided to raise, akin to Hagrid with dangerous creatures. RIP. The truth is much more horrific. In terms of personality, Mitty’s character is very well developed -- wait, sorry, it doesn’t exist anymore. Due to Bondrewd’s Tucker-esque separation, Mitty essentially died in that elevator chamber, leaving only a physical vessel at the sentient level of a dog. (Notwithstanding her soul still being present, crying constantly, in the Narehate body.)
~ANIMATION and VISUALS, some things~
The smoke emanating from Reg’s arm. The characters blend in seamlessly with the picturesque backgrounds reminiscent of Studio Ghibli. The ever-present chiaroscuro in each shot and scene, reflecting the adventure’s constant balance between awe and danger, light and dark. The way sunlight fills an expanse and creates shadows. The formless yet nebulously formed clouds adorning the firmaments.
I will note that some of the CG was a bit lackluster, e.g. the ottobasu in episode 8 and the neritantans leaping onto Riko after she kills the amakagame. But these moments are so far and few between that the rest outweighs, or should I say outvisualizes, the faults.
~MUSIC and SOUND~
Worldbuilding. Just when you couldn’t get enough of the Ghibli-esque background art with the luscious attention to detail, you hear the gentle natural music of the local flora and fauna. The score, see below, is amazing. The softly redolent, aural visage of the Great Fault. The cries of the shroombear as it was stuffed into Reg’s container. The urgent calls for a mate by the oottobasu. You’re there. You’re not actually in the Abyss yourself, but yet you wish to be. Sublate that desire for the unknown into yourself.
The soundtrack, thank you Kevin Penkin for coming from Australia to do this masterpiece, is the best anime series soundtrack I have ever heard to date. No track is undeserved. Every track supports the scene wonderfully. The drumbeats themselves make for the patter of little feet running down a stony hill. The shaman calls of “Roar of the Abyss” rings of the ever-imminent dangers. The progression from flute to trumpet to sweeping strings and bassoon (I think) in “Beni-Kuchi-Nawa” mark the descent into further darkness as one descends the layers. The light, muted piano and arbitrarily chosen sounds of “Hanezeve Caradhina” are sorrowful and beautiful at the same time. The omnipresent crescendo beginning with the synths/keyboard for “Tomorrow” manifests the sense of hope concluding the last episode and scene. It’s not the plangent, emotive susurrations of Yutaka Yamada (Tokyo Ghoul) or the symphonically strong orchestrals of Akira Senju (Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood) but it’s phenomenal. When I listen to the soundtrack on its own or while doing work, while I’m writing these very words, I am recalled back to the Abyss and can re-experience to a degree that vibrant adventure.
~SEIYUU WORK~
Crying, utterances of pain, otherwise loud vocalizations. Oh god, it’s still horrifically realistic even though I haven’t heard a young girl scream in pain in a while, and equally difficult to hear even on the third watch. Miyu Tomita, fantastic work. Mariya Ise, you as well, I didn’t know that Killua’s seiyuu was here too for you sound more boyish but I’m sure he appreciates it. Shiori Izawa, my blessed soul, you killed it for Nanachi. Not Mitty, but “it” as in the true bunny girl we all needed, NOT the one that we cannot name for we have forgotten her.
Supporting voices for Ozen, Lyza, Habolg, and Bondrewd are solid. The man behind the Wizard King, a former ballroom great, and Ichigo’s father performed excellently for the children’s next boss, who we will see a lot more of in Season 2/the upcoming film. I’m excited to see who voices a particularly important new character the trio will meet.
~OPENING and ENDING themes~
The opening credits, presented alongside their corresponding Orth runes, are sung by Riko and Reg as the pair is shown finding each other in the 1st layer. The opening begins with a shot of the Star Compass, which always points to the bottom of the Abyss, which transitions to Reg and Riko descending through water. Besides the fact that many anime openings feature a character falling through water (e.g. Gajeel in Fairy Tail OP 21, Rei in 3-gatsu no Lion OP 1, Naruto in Naruto: Shippuuden OP 8), here it mirrors their descent into the Abyss, which like the deep ocean has an unknown deep; in addition the Curse of the Abyss allows adventurers to enter easily but escape upwards is difficult, a phenomenon that is also true with the ocean (water pressure, distance, etc.). Riko and Reg are then shown exploring the Edge of the Abyss on their own, backed by the song’s upbeat atmosphere, before the camera zooms in on the two’s eyes and the Star Compass glints once more, prompting them to run towards each other happily. After they embrace, a brief shot of Lyza is shown before jump cuts of the pair walking forward hand in hand. Their goal always in sight, as they both have reason to find Lyza, they will never leave each other. Then shots of what comes later in the season -- the Seeker Camp, Nanachi’s hideout, the Sea of Corpses, Ozen and Marulk, Nanachi, and Bondrewd -- appear in quick succession over Riko and Reg seeking each other. A solid sequence overall. I remember watching it my first time through and feeling a sense of mystery and wonder at the things to come, not knowing at the time who the bunny girl was or what that purple cylinder ocean entailed.
Now the ending sequence literally spoils the show, most prominently the appearance of Nanachi, whose sudden entrance in episode 10 and continued importance to the end is what makes the first season great and not just good. This is a spoiler section so you already know about Nanachi but I think Kinema Citrus could have made her presence more discreet as they did for the opening.
~WORLDBUILDING~
In episode 1, Riko and friends explain Reg’s surroundings to him. By using Reg as a Watson-type character, we as the audience are given plenty of information about the setting without it feeling like a dull info dump (e.g. Sword Art Online II). And Reg, having lost his memories, finds out more about himself and his robotic assets as the story progresses, mirroring our own growing familiarity with and knowledge of the deeper truths.
In episode 2, Siggy and friends learn about the Curse of the Abyss from a book detailing currently known facts of the Abyss; Riko explains her notes from examining Reg’s robotic body; they discuss Reg’s potentially being an Aubade (which gives the audience information about Relics); as part of the Resurrection Festival, the orphanage puts on a short play that explains the whistle tiers and hence Lyza’s status as a White Whistle; Leader tells Riko about her birth in the Abyss and what Lyza sacrificed to bring her safely to the surface.
In episode 3, when Reg says his plan for descending the Abyss is basically just lowering himself and Riko down with his extending arms, Shiggy (after saying that’s naive) unfurls the latest Rough Map of the Netherworld. We receive important information about the layers, most importantly what levels of Whistles go down where.
Such narrative techniques serve to explain the setting and characters from the start without losing the natural feel of things happening. This is good worldbuilding, definitely some of the best I’ve seen in any anime so far -- a solid display of diegesis done within mimesis.
~FORESHADOWING~
Like Shingeki no Kyojin and One Piece, Made in Abyss excels at foreshadowing, perhaps even a bit better. Bits and pieces of information that hint at the Abyss’s dark reality, Reg’s true nature, and the past concerning Lyza are revealed gradually throughout. One good example is Reg’s tendency to say “irredeemable”, which I only realized upon rewatching MiA that it comes from his past association with Lyza, who had the same tendency as revealed in flashbacks. The first flashback with Lyza shows her calling Ozen irredeemable but still the best mentor ever, and this flashback comes before Reg’s recall of being with Lyza.
PEDOPHILIA?!?!
No, there is no pedophilia whatsoever. If MiA has a flaw, it is the fairly frequent sexual innuendo on Reg’s part. Riko is unfazed by being naked in front of Reg since he’s a robot in her eyes, albeit very human-like. Yes, Riko and Reg could have been designed as teenagers. But that would heavily change the exposition of MiA, such as Riko’s being at Belchero Orphanage and her being a novice Red Whistle, not to mention the whole point of having children explore the Abyss. Their reactions to its horrors accentuate the grim realism and enable audiences to reimagine that childlike sense of wonder at a new world that we’ve seen in Spirited Away (via Chihiro) and The Lord of the Rings (the hobbits). (Yes, the hobbits aren’t children, but their inexperience with the world, stature, and relative youth compared to the other characters achieve the same effect.)MiA would be a whole lot different if Riko, Reg, and Nanachi were several years older. As for Reg’s frequent blushing, well, he did lose his memories so his mind was basically reset, so even at his young age seeing a twelve-year-old naked would be discomfiting. Heck, when I was twelve my peers were already dating. So I guess Riko just looks a lot younger than twelve.
-OTHER COUNTERARGUMENTS-
Another common cause for criticism is MiA’s failure to really accomplish anything significant with its 13 episodes. Well, let me tell you critics: urusai. Do you really expect a story this deep (pun intended) to be substantively conclusive and complete in 13 episodes? Or any story’s first one-cour season to be complete? When you criticize first seasons for this, you’re presupposing that first seasons are narratively equivalent to multi-season shows, just because they’re separate “seasons”. Look at One Punch Man. At the time of writing, the ongoing manga has 104 chapters and looks to have a lot more, so obviously the first season can’t accomplish anything grand in 12 episodes. If you treat first seasons as merely being arbitrarily segmented first portions of a larger narrative, then they don’t have to accomplish anything great and wonderful. That is, if they are adaptations of existing material. If a show is original, then yes, seasons matter more.
One might respond by pointing out that the studio chose a certain portion to adapt, i.e. they can choose to end the season at a point in the story that is conclusive (e.g. the end of an arc). But one should also consider the inherent limitations to anime adaptations, industry problems, and so on and ultimately if you don’t know exactly what went behind the scenes in the making, cease your complaints. 13 episodes > 0, unless you want them to wait until the entire manga is complete before adapting. Expect to wait a long time. Madhouse chose an excellent place to adapt Hunter x Hunter, the conclusion of the Chimera Ant arc -- the next arc is massive and still going. The same with Bleach (Thousand Year Blood War arc), although the manga is finished but Studio Pierrot is busy with the son of the Seventh Hokage and the one with the black clover so I wouldn’t be too hopeful, unless a different studio takes the job of course.
I’d like to see Bazz-B animated too.
Besides, they also ended season 1 differently than the manga did so that it would be somewhat conclusive, with a singing hope for more adventure. Remember the ending montage of the balloon ascending the layers? That was anime-only, and a good decision on the studio’s part. A sense of moving on, having finished a stage in the journey, ready to enter the 5th layer and face off against Bondrewd.
OUTPOURINGS OF MY LOVE
1.
Nanachi is so cute. She’s the first legitimately human rabbit character I’ve seen anywhere (probably because she was transformed into a rabbit-like creature while retaining her humanity). I love how her paws grasp things. I love the way her ears perk up. I love her “naaaaa”. I love her voice. She’s a fluffy stuffed doll.
2. The backgrounds of the Abyss make for excellent wallpapers. Compare this to Barakamon. Damn.
3. I’ve been listening to the OST beaucoup. Hands down my favorite and best anime soundtrack of all time, if only for being so perfectly apt for what’s going on. The insert songs? Beautiful. Thank you, Kinema Citrus, for bringing in an Australian dude to do the score.
4. Reg can be found in the Abyss. He evolves into Iron Man at level 20, and finally Genos at level 32.
5.
Mitty’s heart-wrenchingly pitiable voice (after her transformation). I feel sorry and thankful for her death. Thank you, Reg, and please don’t kill yourself, Nanachi.
6. The OP character song is great, just great. I watch it through each time, I don’t skip it, it’s amazing. Makes you realize if you didn’t know already that Reg is voiced by a woman. WHO ALSO VOICED KILLUA GOD I LOVE HIM
7. The Relics. From Fourth Grade to Aubades, there’s so much creativity here. A bell that stops time, a vessel that repels the curse (temporarily), an intangible cloth, who knows what (or who) else they’ll find down there.
8. I love how the characters can walk on the many pathways (e.g. the Seeker Camp) without batting an eye. You can literally just fall off and… well, die. Anyone remember that one inbyo that fell into the fog when chasing after Riko and Reg?
9.
Nanachi saved the show. I’ll admit that in my first viewing of MiA I wasn’t too engrossed until episode 10, enter Nanachi during that disturbing scene (“You’re so noisy…”), upon which I just had to finish. I did in the same sitting, cried a waterfall, and fell in love with MiA. I’m so looking forward to seeing more Nanachi, hearing more “naaaaaa”, and seeing more of the Abyss.
DEEPER MEANINGS
In my opinion, MiA is a microcosm for anime as a whole. It may look childish and simplistic on the surface, but it’s much darker, deeper, and more mature on the inside. The title, “Made in Abyss”, harks to the three protagonists we’ve seen so far: Riko, who was born and resurrected in the 4th layer; Reg, who came up from the 6th layer or below; and
Nanachi, who was transformed by the Curse in the 5th/6th layer.
I won’t be surprised if any new protagonists encountered later are also made in Abyss.
While Riko’s naiveté may be a bit annoying (given how she gives off this vibe that she will reach the bottom), it is part of the idea that the longing for the unknown, which is just that great. It explains why so many cave raiders descend into that darkness, why an entire city flourishes around it, why Lyza decided to stay behind -- and keep going further down.
If you look on the bright side (Riko), armor up and fight (Reg), and maintain your humanity (Nanachi), you'll do OK and be able to explore the world around you and have a great adventure.
FUTURE PROSPECTS
Each member of the trio has something to contribute to the team. Riko’s the cook, Reg’s the fighter, and
Nanachi’s the healer sage. Reg’s extendable arms are perfect for crossing wide gaps; Nanachi has really good hearing (i.e. rabbit ears), which should supplement Reg’s good eyesight; Riko knows a lot about the known creatures of the Abyss, as does Nanachi. And once Reg regains all his memories, he will definitely have more to contribute.
I’m getting the same vibes as when Luffy was growing his crew. I sincerely hope that none of the trio dies in the future, and they probably won’t, but given what’s happened so far it’s possible. Please, I don’t want to cry that much again. Rest in peace, Mitty.
As for Lyza, I’m getting the same vibes as for Gon’s dad in Hunter x Hunter (whom I won’t name for spoilers). Both parents are incredibly strong in their respective fields, and both have a confident, easygoing personality. I’m looking forward to when/if Riko is reunited with her mother, and whoever wrote the message, and who or what else is at the bottom of the Abyss. My heart was gladdened when I found out that season two was in production. I can’t wait, and I cherish MiA as an anime so much that I won’t read ahead in the manga, just as I won’t for Shingeki no Kyojin and One Piece.
RIP. I’ve read ahead in both of those LOL.
Happy ending. Season 1 ended on a hopeful note, I hope that season 2 (and the entire story) does as well. Will Riko reunite with her mother? Will they reach the bottom? Will they return to the top without being transformed? Will the true purpose of the Abyss be revealed? Will Reg’s creators be shown? Just as cave raiders succumb to the joy of discovering the unknown, I can’t wait for what remains unknown to us about the Abyss.
~FINAL THOUGHTS~
Made in Abyss upon completion immediately became one of my favorites. Not just anime, but for all media. I won’t stand for criticism of it. Simply irredeemable. It’s rare to find fantasy anime that really pulls its chops with the worldbuilding, reifying the otherworldly experience and strengthening the escapism.
Made in Abyss rekindled my love for the medium. If only every show could be made with this level of attention and detail… It’s shows like these that I seek. It’s shows like these that make me glad I’m alive.
So does Japan need to make anime great again? No. Just greater, on the level of Made in Abyss.
”A longing for the unknown, you see, is something not a single soul is capable of stopping.”*See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGEfP8hGvcM for more detail on why Made in Abyss could have been a video game. (Not that I personally feel that it should have been; I stand by animation as the most fitting medium for the story wholeheartedly.)
**Just one image isn’t enough. Watch the PV for an anime and one can grasp some sense of what the anime is like.