Steins;Gate Anime Review
Using science to prevent catastrophe...
PRODUCTION INFO
Steins;Gate began as a visual novel created by 5pb. and Nitroplus as a sequel to their visual novel Chaos;Head. It was originally released on Xbox 360 on October 15, 2009, but later received adaptions on PC, PSP, iOS, PS3, PSVita, and Android. It received several manga adaptions and an anime by studio White Fox aired in Japan during the 2011 anime seasons for spring and summer.
SUMMARY
Rintarou Okabe is an eccentric guy who loves science. He rents space above an old TV store in Akihabara and uses it for his so-called laboratory experiments. Despite these intentions, the place is mostly used as a gathering spot for him and his friends, Mayuri and Daru, who are both otaku. One day he attends a conference at the Radio Center building in Akihabara when there is a commotion: a girl has been killed! But after he texts Daru about it, things go back to normal, and the girl is no longer dead. How can this be? Rintarou is determined to find out what happened and why.
WHAT TO EXPECT
Steins;Gate is science fiction and deals with both time travel and conspiracy. It references real people, organisations, and legends. It has a slow start, but it gradually gets more and more mysterious until everything starts to fall into place, and boy, is that ever a doozy! The series takes place in Akihabara, Tokyo's infamous otaku district, and has quite a lot of nerdy references.
MAIN CHARACTERS
Rintarou Okabe is an 18 year old man with chuunibyou. He insists his name is actually Kyouma Hououin and that he is the target of an organisation's conspiracy. Of course, he knows himself that he is actually joking around, but when strange things begin to occur, he starts to question this reality. Rintarou likes to invent random gadgets at his so-called lab room. Mayuri Shiina is Rintarou's childhood friend and an otaku. She works at a maid cafe in Akihabara and enjoys cosplay. She likes to make her own outfits. She also likes to collect rare gachapon figures. Mayuri's personality is a bit slow, but she is very kind. Kurisu Makise is the girl who died at the Radio Center building while Rintarou was visiting it. After he sent a text to Daru about the incident, it had no longer happened. Afterwards, Kurisu and Rintarou had somehow managed to meet. Rintarou explained the situation and Kurisu became curious about it, so she started showing up at the lab to find out what was happening.
OPINIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS
Steins;Gate is my very top favourite anime, so I might be a little biased, but this is an example of a time travel anime done wonderfully. The only thing I could ask for is a brighter art style. But you know, the visual novel had beautiful art. I think they just couldn't emulate it as anime form. Not inexpensively. If I had a choice, I'd also make the first episode more thrilling, because I've seen so many people turn away after just one episode, and it's sad. Steins;Gate left me in awe, and I could tell from episode one that I knew it would be special to me. The ideas and explanations in the anime make it all seem so possible, and the way everything unfolds is ingenious! Of course, I've always been a fan of time travel, but even so; nothing has been able to top Steins;Gate for me. If you like Steins;Gate, I recommend Puella Magi Madoka Magica, as it has a very similar plot, but more of a fantasy theme. I also recommend The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, another great time travel anime.
RATING
★10/10★
