Today I want to talk a bit about one of the spookiest, under-touted anime I’ve seen: Texhnolyze. But Texthnolyze is not like most other series, that try to entertain you with action, romance or comedy. It drags you deep into the silence and despondency, and the city that still appears to have taken its last breath. It’s not anime for everyone, but those who stick around will find it has a way of transforming itself into something unforgettable.
I just rewatched this anime, and damn if it didn't hit me in the feels hard all over again. One section brought goosebumps, another a numbness, and a third more consideration of my own fights with despair. This isn't just easy entertainment, it's designed to be an experience you'll carry with you.
Anime Details:
Title: Texhnolyze Episodes: 22 Demographic: Seinen Genre: Cyberpunk, Drama, Psychological, Sci-Fi Studio: Madhouse Director: Hiroshi Hamasaki Writer: Chiaki J. Konaka IMDb: 7.8/10 MyAnimeList: 7.7/10 My Rating: 9/10
Basic Plot Story:
Texhnolyze is set in the underground city of Lux, which feels like a tomb for those living there. Three primary factions rule it. The Organo, who are powerful elites in the city of Lukuss and the world of business The Union, a group of populists calling themselves a noble organization but hold no faith in their demanifest government as they see it only or them and anyone monstrous from above them are scum The Racan older members of that warriorgroup rebelling against this escaping to find a future for themselves The Texhnolyze prosthetic technology.
Ichise, an ultimate fighter reduced to possessing one arm and leg. Stripped naked and left to die, he gets a second chance in the form of Texhnolyze — mechanical prostheses that can keep him alive but also trap him in a world where even humanity itself feels tenuous. By his side are Ran, a quiet girl with the power to see the future, and Doc, a scientist who treats underlings’ bodies like machines.
The plot is not fast-paced. It is founded on atmosphere and silence, and slow revelations. It’s a world falling apart it shows you and asks you just to sit there for a while. The silence says more than anything else, and every little word or gesture matters.
My Review:
Texhnolyze has a long time to understand when I first saw it. There’s barely any dialogue in the first episode, and I remember staring blankly at it, waiting for something to happen. But I did eventually, and then I realized that silence was the language of Lux. It’s the sound of a city dying. It was a game changer for me, knowing that.
Ichise is not a typical hero. He is not speech maker; he doesn’t move people with his courage. He is alive because he cannot die. He’s suffering, he keeps fighting, and he keeps crawling when the world gives him nothing. He reminded me of those times in life we’ve been impotent, when silence and stubborn endurance are the only recourse to keep us going.
Ran became my favorite character. Calm and prophetic in her visions, she added a mystical grace note to this dark time. Doc Freaks me out, because of his the cold hospitality of progress and its mindlessness about human barriers, doesn’t give a damn for soul. Everything is broken, and yet somehow true. They carry slices of human nature — ambition, despair, cruelty and sometimes a scabrous hope (imagine that!).
My Opinion:
Texhnolyze isn't the most accessible thing you'll ever watch, and I'm not going to pretend that it is. It is sluggish and washy, and sickening with woe. But that is also its beauty. It’ll make you think about survival, technology and what it means to be human. A few animes take you by the hand and guide you in; Texhnolyze hurls you into the deep end and asks if can swim.
The art is also heavily washed out, practically no color to speak of, which only contributes to the general rotting that’s ubiquitous. When it comes, the music is sparse but effective, particularly Juno Reactor’s hauntingly industrial opening. The closing theme, too, is a downer that casts each episode in the pall of death’s hush.
For me Texhnolyze is at a 9/10. But I can’t really give it a 10 because it’s somewhat of an affliction waiting-wise. It’s a bit slow, at times — although maybe that’s what makes it work. It is a very real hopelessness — slow, suffocating and hard to escape.
Characters and Symbolism:
Ichise has more on his mind than mere survival. The Texhnolyzed body serves as a metaphor as to how technology can both preserve and dehumanize. Ran, in her visions, is the mute possibility that things might be different when no one believes they actually will. The Doc is the embodiment of what happens when you play god with human lives, and the factions are actually a reflection of real society – power, rebellion and anarchy; in constant warfare but innocent people suffer.”
Lux itself feels alive. The city is not just a backdrop; it’s a character. Its walls, its shadow and silence are the picture of soul of those who live there. As it collapses to the ground, you feel like you’re watching the human spirit collapse, too.
Final Words:
Texhnolyze isn’t anime that you go to for fun. It’s not a show with easy answers or bright lessons. It’s a meditation on survival, technology and meaning — slow, painful and full of despair. It will try your patience, but if you allow it to, it will scar forever.
This show reminded me that there are times when not speaking is better than saying anything at all, and that just making it through another day can be its own form of steel. It’s not cool, it’s not as easy, but there it is. Texhnolyze will stick with you long after the credits if you can bear its bleakness.
If you want an anime that seeks to destroy your soul and not just please your eyes, Texhnolyze is lurking in the abyss.