The quest for power is part of human nature, according to numerous philosophers and analysts throughout history and time. It is constantly pursued by almost all people, and no obstruction can dissuade a truely devoted power seeker from his eternal quest. However, rivalries do form, and no power, no matter how great, is enough to stop one fighting for pride, and the other for duty.
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Social status is an immense force in the Lost Grounds, the setting of Scryed. It completely divided the lands, which were shaken by a terrifying incident numerous years ago, and caused its inhabitants to develop unique, and deadly abilities, known as Alter. These altered humans, are originally enough, entitled Alter Users, and while some wreak unimaginable terror upon the land; others protect the upper class, and fight for their "species"' honor. The two main characters, probably two of the most well developped and complex characters in any anime imaginable, come from these diverse classes, and fight for just, but uncomprimisable reasons.
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Kazuma is the reckless hotshot. Fittingly, he comes from the poor section of the Lost Grounds, and although he does not go out of his way to make others miserable, he still causes the law and enforcement, quite a bit of trouble, as they try to massacre his neo-species. Kazuma's personality is quite vallicating, and his moods are extremely exaggerated depending on the situation. He can be anything, from the loving foster brother of a sweet girl, named Kanami (of whom the title of the series is derived; which I will explain later), to a fierce and desperate fighting machine. His alter, is quite different from others, as it is grafted to his body; instead of an outside organism. While most command their Alters like pets, Kazuma wields his extremely powerful plated arm (which he can revert at will) and can level buildings with a single punch. He is known by his enemies, and friends alike, as The Shell Bullet. His quest for power is relentless, and he'll go to any measures to get it, so long as it's enough to defeat his true rival --
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Ryuhou, is the dutiful, and seemingly emotionless Alter user, who is progeny of the rich class, and works for HOLY, an elite unit of Alter users that aid the government in bringing down the troublesome, plebian Alter users. His past was shaped by a traumatizing event that killed the ones he loved most. He has never forgotten that moment that shaped him from a friendly boy, to a cold, drone of man.
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He constantly pursues this force, in hopes of destroying it, and in the process, does the work of HOLY. His Alter, is an outside organism, whom he has named Zetsui. It is a mortifying murdering machine, that commands a full arsenal of whip-like tendrils, and a pack of super speed. Although he easily outclasses, and outmatches Kazuma in the epoch of the series; Kazuma eventually gains grounds, as he grows to hate, yet respect (however subtly) Ryuhou even more.
Scryed is not just a hardcore action series, as its facade may lead one to believe. Deep down, it is in fact an allegory of multiple societies, as it symbolizes the tyrannical existence of the Caste system, and how truly oppressive the social system can really be. It expresses the need for social equality, and for rivals to respect their diverse abilities.
Its title, Scryed, means exactly what it say. Scryed, or, to scry, is to see the future or current events through clairvoyance or psychic means. Much of the story is told through the eyes of Kanami, whose ability is to do just that. She can sense and feel the emotions of others, especially Kazuma and Ryuhou, and explains them to the viewer in an intense set of narrations.
The cast of characters, is easily the best I've ever encountered in an anime. Whether it be the comrades of Kazuma, who battle against oppression, or the extremely diverse set of Alter users who reside in HOLY (although they may seem like bad people from this description, most are actually nice people, that are merely tools of the government), the cast is very varied, and will never dissapoint the viewer. All of their Alter abilities have a unique touch, some that are comedical, and others are just damn cool. Although there are a good deal of flat characters, most are actually complex, and have a busied past.
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The animation, artwork, and music of Scryed, are all gold mines. The movement is smoothe, especially during the intensely exciting action sequences (which have tremendous fight choreography) and the character design is very well done. The whole series is bursting with color and liveliness -- all of which compliment the outstanding soundtrack. Scryed's sountrack is a colorful array of jazz and Jpop. The opening song, Reckless Fire, and the closing song, Drastic My Soul, are definitely too of the best songs I've ever heard, and I constantly listen to them on my playlist.
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The music, artwork, and animation, definitely do not bring down the quality of the anime in anyway, but instead, perfectly balance it.
In conclusion, Scryed = Good. I wasn't just making huge amounts of compliments to it because I want to look cool....like James Lipton (refer to the television program: Inside the Actors' Studio, on BRAVO), and I certainly don't do this for every series. Scryed, in fact, is tied, or maybe a little below, for/my favorite series. (the other being Noir) I loved everything about it, and every aspect was brilliantly integrated and utilized. The series is amazing, and deserves the five stars (*****) and A++ I'm giving it.
~ Xenogears
Length: series: 26 episodes, 30 minute each
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