The Bleakest Depiction in Anime

[@nono9543]

You said it best. Texhnolyze is the opposite of "fun" but I appreciate that it doesn't shy away from being uncomfortable and dreadful. I love its use of technology too, it feels surprisingly grounded. Rather than being the cure for humanities ailment it instead serves as a reflection of its people, its directionless. Yeah they achieved limb enhancements but for people either too bored to care or too fixated on violence to do anything innovative with that tech. Tech is only as innovative as its people the people of this world are dark age remnants.

[@maxderrat]

Totally agree about the technology stuff. It felt real, where so many other forms of augmentation in sci-fi feel like fantasy.

[@abelbavdaz6823]

@@maxderrat Please do Ergo Proxy too

[@SpringteapRepanjolion]

Texhnolyze is fun anime

[@ferro1601]

When usual anime usually prophecy can be changed,but texhnolyze not

[@theplacewhereyouare]

Love your last sentence, i've thought about it and it's been thought about for some time I guess. Stone age morality with cutting edge technology seems how our world is at the moment.

[@americanstruggler587]

Texhnolyze has to be my favorite anime by far. Very complex and philosophical.

[@danielchequer5842]

I have to watch that again for two reasons: 1 - Tehxnolyze is dark, I mean visually dark and some parts of the anime I literally missed bc I couldn't see the scene 2 - I was a teenager at the time so I did not have maturity to understand or reflect on the themes of this show

[@americanstruggler587]

@@danielchequer5842 all of it is free on KZbin in Japanese with English subtitles.

[@dimepia123]

when does it start making sense? i tried watching it but was very confused

[@danielchequer5842]

@@dimepia123 you literally have to watch it all the way

[@americanstruggler587]

It's a drama so it's slow paced.

[@worstmusicproduction]

“All we have to do is to have the will to say “yes” to the journey of life” That struck me. I’m totally terrified by life - way too much bad and disgusting things happened in past and some are happening nowadays. Every day I’m waking up and asking myself throughout the day “is this day worth living?” I couldn’t find the answer. I can’t enjoy my life (yet?). I just have to accept it the way it is and (as psychologists say) be grateful for what I have. Currently I have no energy to change it. Or is it an excuse?

[@staciwhite1256]

Hello, friend. I’ve been in your shoes, and still struggle from time to time, but I find that when I fill my heart with gratefulness and spend time doing things I enjoy, good people respond to me positively without any solicitation for feedback. When I go back into memories of trauma, dwelling on them without resolution, I relive it emotionally and it can fester and cause unnecessary pain until I find a way to address it (the combination of prayer, talk therapy and self education has been very helpful in managing hopelessness and anxiety for me). I sincerely hope you find your “will to say ‘yes’ to the journey of life”. For all it may be worth, I pray you find contentment and happiness. 💕

[@worstmusicproduction]

@@staciwhite1256 , thank you, Staci. Your words mean a lot. I’ll try once again.

[@realswobby]

I try to think that despite of how I feel atm, I have to still keep doing things to avoid this stagnancy, even if it all has no deeper meaning, at least it may lead to smth good during my lifetime and, well - the alternative is just terrible, laying for days in bed depressed, doing absolutely nothing ambitious, I know very well how all of this feels so I decided to just try doing things and just ignore my current feelings, and appreciate my tiniest efforts and achievements I get. This does give me some positive feelings and I guess this is what's all about it. No need to search for smth more meaningful than your lifetime, imo death gives to everyone final answers, whatever they may be. Searching for divinity while being still alive is like trying to see what's after death and stay alive, it's pointless.

[@Dhips.]

Texhnolyze is my favorite anime I never recommend it to anyone. Calling it a "slow burn" is an understatement, the subject matter can really mess with you if you're in a low place. I understand why you suggested watching the video first, but watching it blind was a hell of a ride. The last few episodes were shocking, when I hit the credits I sat in the dark and soaked it in for a good hour. If I knew the ending going in it wouldn't have that same impact on me. Also the OP song is a banger.

[@FilosofiaDeJuegos]

No lo conozco, ¿podrías darme una descripción de él por favor?

[@SpringteapRepanjolion]

Other anime nihilism main villain:i wanted destroy world,world is meaningless,hahahaha Texhnolyze villain:'evolution 'human 'evolution 'human

[@KiMON_52]

Juno Reactor always goes crazy

[@testoftimegaming5219]

I feel you i can never recommend angel egg people are just either bored or confused 😅

[@zerosolis6664]

​@@testoftimegaming5219Honestly I say they are just on a lower wavelength. When media confuses people its because they just can't understand whatever its trying to bring across. Media illiteracy is a real thing

[@casper3105]

i honestly haven't seen anything in media that made me as horrified as the Shapes, i cannot tell you how hard i gasped when i saw Haruhikos head on top of the shape it made me shiver with fear

[@matthias6933]

Yep, the introduction to the shapes took me completely off guard too.

[@saaimhaider8703]

There was something so disturbing seeing the human faces of the Shapes twitching as Ichise was walking through the dead asf city. This show does horror very well

[@-penta-1357]

Despite the fact that Texhnolyze has probably the bleakest depiction of humanity's future in animation I've ever experienced, I love this show to pieces. I first watched it in december 2017, when I was 16 years old, and although it didn't change my outlook on life, it most certainly reinforced it. Despite everything that this story may be trying to convey being absurdly depressing, I cried some of the most cathartic tears of my life watching this masterpiece, because I've never felt more at peace with my inevitable death and how meaningless my life had been up to that point. There's comfort in accepting that you're powerless, and yet what kept me going back then despite that was my belief that, even if my efforts were lacking in meaning in the practical sense, they held personal meaning through what my experiences defined them as. I've cried and cried and cried until my tears dried out every single episode, because what Texhnolyze displays is a showing of raw and unfiltered human connection, not through words, but through actions, and how that shakes up the foundation of a world shapen by innaction, almost like a butterfly effect. It's as subtle as a slap to the face of a depressed shut-in, and that's why it's beautiful. The lingering shots of delapidated architecture and the long pauses between every action only strengthens this 22 episode long punch to the gut, because this sort of breathing room gives us room to process the emotional charge of what every character is going through in their painful life journeys. Texhnolyze is as much about death and decay as it's about life, and how the many moments of stillness in our lives are needed for us to have the will to carry on when things seem their bleakest. It's not supposed to be fun, it's a wake up call and a celebration of what makes our existence precious and irreplaceable, and I wouldn't want my favorite anime to be any other way.

[@Rx79100]

Ichise is really good example or model of people struggling in life. He'll take any trash at him while he remain true to himself and try to achieve his goal. ( and yeah while the entire world is crumbling down around him. )

[@Dahpie]

Texhnolyze is one of the greatest most painfully underrated anime ever made. An anime that sets up the negative interpretation of Nhilism and then completely subverts it purely through the action the main character takes rather than the end result of those actions.

[@bracerkum69420]

Texhnolyze, upon my first viewing, has struck me as something that I can never truly forget, nor should I forget. It made me cry for 2 days after finally wrapping around it's story and the fate of all the characters in the show. It all lead to nothing, and Ichise is left to rot fully knowing he is the last human left in Lux.

[@serraramayfield9230]

The earth will heal regardless, perhaps something could return.

[@caduhidalgo4996]

​@@serraramayfield9230 That being said, I wish the series could explain what happened to the Theonormals, or if they could have a chance to be normal humans once again. They definitely didn't put enough emphasis in them (The Theonormals).

[@serraramayfield9230]

@@caduhidalgo4996 We know that the majority died off apart from the humans who became Shapes.

[@justgrey3114]

based texhnolyze enjoyer rocking a gintoki pfp

[@13KillerShadows]

I agree, I've mentioned technolyze ONCE since I've seen it 10 years ago, but I still remember it, even though afterwards I hated it. I raged for the last real "human" Ran's outcome, with her end... I hated the world she lived in... With no happiness or good memories and yet was still a "person". I was sad for weeks. I will never recommend this show, but I'll always have it in a corner of my mind. (And quite recently I watched a video on the lore of a game called "fear and hunger" with yet another character I feel deserved so much better. That story also centers around godhood and transcendence.maybe I just hate "ruined innocence")

[@pluto9837]

Texhnolyze has one of the most 'painful to get through' pacings I've ever seen. It's the biggest factor that holds people from getting into it imo.

[@maxderrat]

Totally agree, Griffith.

[@MarcAlcatraz]

its ironically immersive because of that lol

[@user-sl6gn1ss8p]

I actually really enjoyed the pacing, and even preferred the pacing of the first half and felt it was a bit jarring when it started moving faster by the end

[@Dhips.]

On the bright side it keeps people from memeing it super hard like they do with Lain. It's also far more depressing. I love it.

[@sprawlz6466]

That’s what stopped me from really enjoying it. The first episode had no dialogue and people can say “it’s artistic” all they want, but there were like 4 things that happened in episode 1. With dialogue, I feel like they could’ve conveyed those things in 6 minutes. I support artistic creativity until it interferes with a story’s pacing to that extent. I felt that way during many other points of the show too. I thought it was a frustrating watch. Not to mention that show is so far up it’s own ass it had me rolling my eyes lol

[@Etidorhpa]

I'm thrilled someone else has watched this; we have to be a few far between. Texhnolyze is one of my favourite anime, probably even top 5. When it first came out, I gobbled it up, and it's one of the rare anime that makes me shed a few tears. I always recommend it with the warning that it IS very slow, but just stick with it, and it's amazing. Those last few minutes of the anime... so heart wrenching. I just love it, and your video has done a justice. Thank you for making this video. It means a lot to me.

[@stapuft]

anime is the plural of anime, just FYI

[@Etidorhpa]

@@stapuft Right, thanks. Auto correct loves to do the one thing it's supposed to not do lol.

[@stapuft]

@@Etidorhpa LOL been there¿my fat thumbs dont help much either.

[@lodeyo]

what are your other top 5-10? i feel the same way about texhnolyze and am curious what other anime series people recommend.

[@Etidorhpa]

Well Texhnolyze as I said, then whew, Ergo Proxy, Paranoia Agent, Paprika, Hellsing (Original series, not Ultimate) Uraboku, Gintama, Trigun, Cowboy Bebop, Vampire Hunter D, Devil May Cry, Castlevania... the list could just go on. @@lodeyo

[@DonVigaDeFierro]

Haibane Renmei: Heaven. Serial Experiments Lain: Earth. Texhnolyze: Hell.

[@NateCreed07]

Never finished the last two sadly

[@lostinthesestories3082]

@@NateCreed07wow but you have the first? The least known of one that’s pretty interesting. How did you end up deciding to watch it?

[@NateCreed07]

@@lostinthesestories3082 was a long time ago but ran out of shonen to watch but scifi has always been an interesting genre for me, cerebral and over my head sometimes but interesting

[@lostinthesestories3082]

@@NateCreed07 what did you think of Haibane Renmei?

[@NateCreed07]

@@lostinthesestories3082 that one I don't know. Will have to check out

[@dinonicle97]

I seriously can't thank you enough for making a video on Texhnolyze. This series is my favorite show period and I watch it once a year to gather more information with each watch. It is sad to me that a lot of people can't keep up with plot when it's not shoved into their face like Tik Tok. Yes it is rough to watch for other people. For me.. well I love the pacing. Really. The long drawn out environmental shots with that beautiful eerie music, the profound dialogue, build ups like in the episode "loiter", ... it even has whole concepts explained in about 2 minutes when you pay attention. For example there is a scene where a guy working for the "lighting engines" that keep the lights on in lux explains how people's eyes have blackened over time, losing hope and the whole scene is flooded with eye-like shapes. This is a concept for example you forgot to mention. The concept of black eyes (having lost faith in living), blue eyes (e.g. Ichise and Doc, the thriving will to live and progress the story forward) and golden eyes (e.g. Ran and Kano, overseeing the inevitable doom). For anyone who wants to dive deeper into the rabbithole that is Texhnolye, a BIG shoutout to "BadRespawn". This man has done gods work analysing the show, Ran, the shapes, the shows links to the Calhounian mouse utopia... This is one of the most profound shows you will ever watch. If you have any interest in deeply philospohical subject matter, this is a must watch. Sit through it, get the MCU glasses off and feel through it all.

[@UseTheLess00]

I got a smile from ear to ear when I saw the thumbnail. Calling Technolyse has to be one of the most underrated and underappreciated animes of the 2000s. Thank you for giving it the much deserved praise it deserves

[@Ariye]

I've never clicked a notification so fast! This was one of the first anime series that I really dug into analytically, and it's stuck with me ever since. I'm so glad you're covering it, it's just so good!

[@GrimMetropolis]

I dont know anyone who actually likes lain, but...I LOVE LAIN

[@lorefox201]

WE ALL LOVE LAIN

[@D.IronsWorld]

@@lorefox201 I'll drink to that. Let's get lost in digital space, well we're kinda linked. Matrix had that cyberpunk Lain vibe, for sure The Wachowskis took some notes.

[@IafetCoto]

Let us all love lain

[@Kittyjingles28]

The thing I loved the most the first time I saw lain was its super wild shadows. Instead of shadows they're like transparency masks over drippy art

[@jocylinfrancis930]

I remember watching it. I don’t think on it very much, perhaps because I came to the same conclusions way before I watched it, but it’s a solid recommendation.

[@butrixtoadvine]

Thrilled you ended up watching Texhnolyze. There's limited YT content on the series (though what little exists is quality, especially the one that highlights the parallels of the mouse utopia experiment to the civilization above ground), and your strengths in psychology, philosophy, and dedication to providing unique insight are a much needed addition to this classic. While in my top 5, this is one of those series that I go out of my way to almost never recommend, even to friends who have very similar tastes to me because it is definitely slow and arduous (though I find it much less so on subsequent viewings). However, it blows my mind how, like SEL, prescient its thesis is today. Lain reminds me of some of Greg Egan's short stories written in 80's and 90's in that they were borderline prophetic. You can consume it today and totally forget that they were created in a time when the impact of the sociotechnological implications were nebulous. For instance, Lain also depicts a post social media world, though it is at a level of abstraction (and somewhat auxiliary to the overarching philosophical concepts). The manifestation of Lain's different identities along with her seeming omnipresence throughout the series is, in my mind, a representation of the fragmentation of many different identities that manifest via social media and other Internet communication forms (forums, anonymous, pseudo anon, real identity). This compounds with how others varying identities perceive your strands of identity. Egan has a distant spiritual relative in his short story 'Unstable Orbits in the Space Of Lies'. I consider them distantly related because it incidentally predicts how social media divides us by identity and ideology to the point that it looks like unseen forces are physically causing people to segregate, as if in separate orbits. If you had no exposure to technology, this would be observable as such. All that said, I think if I had watched Texhnolyze in the decade it came out, I would have considered it a masterpiece, but not something that you watch more than once or twice. More importantly, at that point in time, the strangling effects of our environment and the society we were living in was not so evident. Having first watched it in this decade, it's relevance today is entirely clear to me. It may be the most impactful piece of fiction I've consumed. The persistence of struggle in Lux, a world that from its inception does everything it can to demoralize its residents becomes moving when later juxtaposed with the sanitized, safe, and ascended utopia above ground. If I watched this in my 20's, a darker time in my life, maybe the depressing factors and futility may have impacted me more than the crux of the show, which is ultimately a rebuke of almost everything presented; fatalism, utopian-ism, nihilism, technocracy, etc. The bleakest depiction in anime is a rebuke of itself. Yoshii, Ichise, Onishi, Shinji, the Union - these characters all represent different philosophical approaches to impending doom, whether from chaos as stasis, apocalypse, or sociological heat death (this one being the worst). However, the unifying thread is that the pursuit of vitality and embracing of life, which is at its greatest in the face of death, is the ideal paramount to all others. Of course, there will be plenty who disagree with my interpretation, in part or whole, and probably more who may take issue with my view of our current world as a slow closing in of the walls. However, it also seems obvious to me that the creators at least had related fears despite the early 2000's being a far different time. Great video, as per usual, Max. Thanks

[@DaTLMusic]

I loved this show. Ive already seen lain and ergo proxy and loved them too. Do you have more recommendations like this one?

[@ArawnOfAnnwn]

@@DaTLMusic Philosophical anime? Monster, Paranoia Agent, Ghost in the Shell (movie), Psycho-Pass, Sonny Boy, Berserk, Kino's Journey, Babylon, Angel's Egg (movie). They deal with a variety of subjects, not necessarily the same things as Texhnolyze, Lain and Ergo Proxy. But they all give you something to ponder. For something more uplifting, you can always check this seasons' breakout sensation, Freiren. Although Kino's Journey isn't particularly sad either.

[@DaTLMusic]

@@ArawnOfAnnwn angels egg was excellent! I've got most of these on my to watch list and I'm about halfway through monster, ill add sonny boy to the list for sure. If you haven't seen mawaru penguindrum, I think you would enjoy that based on those

[@ArawnOfAnnwn]

@@DaTLMusic Oh I know Penguindrum. The guy who made it is also known for a few other anime, namely Revolutionary Girl Utena, Yurikuma Arashi and Sarazanmai. Kunihiko Ikuhara is known for being big on queer anime, if that's your interest.

[@DaTLMusic]

@@ArawnOfAnnwn naw the focus of Penguindrum isn't queerness, if you haven't seen it, definetly watch it

[@D.IronsWorld]

Max your topics for video essays are spot on for me. I have a feeling you're kind and friendly. I wish I had a friend like you. Watching how deep and beautiful is your mind gives me hope. Coz I know I'm not alone in all this "life" mess. Keep up good work. Yellow is a new black for me 🔥

[@maxderrat]

Thanks for leaving this sweet comment.

[@elijahkaiva8058]

Texhnolyze is one of the greatest anime of all time in my view, and I'm SO HAPPY you made a video on it like I did. Thank You so much for this!

[@N_Wah_]

Texhnolyze will always hold a place in my top 10 things ever made in anything ever

[@ben-taobeneton3945]

Oh my! Is this one of those "old" animes which had that Philosophical background to it like "Monster"? I'll give it a watch for sure. 🙏 Bro. Back in the day, animes had a hidden meaning to it - a hidden message to it. Nowadays, sadly everything is being mainstream-ized. I wish get more animes like this or ,for example, _Psycho-Pass, Code Geuss, Monster, Death Note, FMA etc._ But hell, thank you Max for a detailed analysis of this. This had me hooked the entirety of the video. Very thrilling and deep.

[@Rockmih]

In my opinion one of the most underrated Anime out there, i put it up there with Lain and personaly like it more.

[@DemonAbyss10]

I need to rewatch some of these older series. Texhnolyze, Serial Experiments Lain, and Ergo Proxy being three big ones.

[@Alexandroras]

Recently finished to rewatch Ergo which me understand it after a few years. Still really good. Lain is next on my list

[@Myself0094]

I think Shinsekai Yori being much newer fits this row very well too..

[@quantum.9883]

All three series have one producer in common.

[@lowserver2]

does ergo proxy ends as bleak as this? if it does i will not watch it lmao, no need to spoil@@Alexandroras

[@alchemistofsteel8099]

Black lagoon is a good action anime

[@Robin447]

I personally saw it more as a demonstration of the folly of searching some vaguely defined “perfection” in an inherently imperfect world, especially if it entail losing your “imperfect” humanity.

[@lucarioboy98]

I'm really thankful the almighty algorithm led me to your channel. You really get it. After finding out what I found out about climate change and knowing what I know from human history, I had become quite horrified at my prospects. The writ of fate being severed and with no way of going back, I was steadily allowing this despair to get to me. Living in a doomed world, what the fuck was I to do? Thankfully you are there to remind me. This video reminded me of one of my all time favorite quotes from Midnight in Paris: “The artist's job is not to succumb to despair but to find an antidote for the emptiness of existence” and I'm glad that spirit lives on. Despite having witnessed, continuing to witness, and knowing that I will continue to witness the worst aspects of human life, I am eternally surprised and at awe of the wonders and joy of what it means to be human. Life truly is worth living and you remind me of that. Thank you.

[@Aimdrew]

Max slowly working through the anime I was obsessed with but could not find anyone who would watch it with me in the early 2000s.

[@Konamalunu]

I watched Texhnolyze when I was in the perfect mood for a slow burner like this. It's one of my favorites. But after I finished the series, I was looking for analytics and interpretations on youtube. There were a few videos, but I was very disappointed in the amount of them, and - while also interesting - they all focused on the similarities to lux and that rat experiment (I don't know its name anymore. It's when you throw a bunch of rats into a "perfect" environment and can watch while their "society" slowly decays). You concentrate far more on the topics that made Texhnolyze interesting to me on a philosophical and emotional basis. So thank you :)

[@1rez378]

This anime hit hard even a few years back when I watched it. It feels like it would be even more relatable now.

[@av_8596]

Have you thought of checking out Ergo Proxy? Whenever I hear about classic psychological anime, Ergo Proxy is brought up alongside Lain and Texnholyze. It’s hard to understand, but it has a look and feel that’s all it’s own, and is overall a very fascinating show. And has a great dub to boot.

[@1haunt]

There's simply not enough discussion about this legitimately profound anime, thanks for making this

[@pointlessaccount100]

Very VERY few pieces of media left me feeling as void as this one did. It's definitely a slow burner but that ending is a shock to the psyche like nothing else. Similar to legend of the galactic heroes , if you're patient with it, it will pay off on it's terms IMHO. You just gotta know what you're getting into.

[@zero1188]

This is one of my favorite animes. It would be nice more people would review it

[@danmcmurphy2823]

I remember the first time I watched this show, I was so captivated in uncovering the mystery and symbolism I took notes (which I never do when watching something) but when I got to the final episode I just broke down and started thinking to myself, it was all for nothing, almost like I was in ichise's shoes in a weird parallel way.

[@MarcAlcatraz]

OH SHIT HE ACTUALLY DID IT, i just wrote my one-off comment expecting him to be too busy with video game topics! this anime stuck with me for so long after i watched it 8 years ago. It has always been my definition of a bleak anime with a tinge of hope within it if you can find it.

[@imrevisi7003]

Thank you for covering this series, it's rare to see it getting any mentions. Though Bad Respawn had another interesting take on the series in one of his videos, about its paralells with the Behavioral Sink theory and the "mouse utopia" experiments in the sixties, and how a large part of the show can be read as a commentary on some issues Japanese society is currently facing.

[@kimberlee9608]

The philosophy on this one in particular hit me rather hard, really rocked me the full 20 minutes. Great video, so much to sit with.

[@mtaro8658]

For me it was like this: all the episodes of Texhnolyze were shown over two nights on a channel in Germany and I was very enthusiastic about the series and wanted to know what else the studio had done and that's how I came across Lain. But these slow burn stories with little dialogue and lots of expressionistic landscapes and surreal narrative styles are something I have a certain nostalgia for because European animation films from the 80s and 90s were almost exclusively like that.

[@EightPaleHorses]

I don't know how else to put it, and it may come across as if I feel negatively about it - which I don't - but Texhnolyze is the one anime that somehow fills me with an indescribable kind of visceral disgust. Maybe it's the rejection of the bleakness and squandered potential for a future for mankind, or maybe it could be my feelings of dread that I too, like Ichise, had a chance to make things right but didn't.

[@wilberwhateley7569]

Perhaps this is what the author intended - the whole series is about mankind destroying itself in search of a higher ideal.

[@danmcmurphy2823]

THANK YOU FOR TALKING ABOUT THIS! MY FAVORITE SHOW OF ALL TIME!!!!

[@Dan_Jado]

I love Texhnolyze, but even after many years since I watched it, the final episodes still lingers in my mind...

[@iatepacman745]

I just finished it and I couldn’t stop shedding tears😢

[@Dan_Jado]

@@iatepacman745 that day after watching the anime I had a nightmare. It was hard bro.

[@iatepacman745]

@@Dan_Jado dude this anime has changed alot of the way I view things in life, it’s like this anime has given me motivation. This anime will always be engraved in my mind throughout my life😢 but it was a good one and I enjoyed it.

[@Myself0094]

Excellent video, man. There is another anime masterpiece - Shinsekai Yori - one of the best biopunk culture artefacts so far. Highly recommend to watch it.

[@cthubol6824]

texhnolyze soundtrack is one of the best soundtracks in general at least in general diversity, tim hecker type ambient to jazz and goa

[@nyodesu]

Always thought that Yoshitoshi ABe’s work (though a lot of people are shared between Lain, Haibane Ranmei, Niea_7, and of course Texhnoylze are all shared together, so I use ABe’s name is an umbrella l) would be great for Max to talk about. The subject matters in these shows jives with him (and myself as well) sooooo well and it’s fun to see what other people think of this show and how they interpret it. The abstractness of these shows and their deeper subtext and meaning will ALWAYS make me love these shows so much, not just as anime, but truly as art.

[@nemossangeomatrix6841]

I'm very late but maybe look in Chiaki Konaka, the scriptwriter behind Lain and Texhnoylze. (I think he was involved with Haibane but i don't remember how much) ABe is great to use as an umbrella but surely his work with Konaka also influenced his own.

[@nyodesu]

@@nemossangeomatrix6841 I absolutely agree with Konaka probably influencing ABe’s own work (that and I know the two worked collaboratively on stuff like Lain and Texhnolyze.) I’m not sure if ABe and Konaka actually worked on Haibane together, but I totally agree with the idea that their together could’ve influenced the creation of Haibane and or at the very least some of its ideas and themes.

[@Snufkeens]

I've watched over 200+ anime and not a single one has ever came close to Texhnolyze, it is a unique work of art and it presents the viewer with so much, it's like eating a banquet for the mind, eyes and ears, it's got so much in it and it's been since i first watched it, without a doubt my favorite anime and tv show of all time. Over the 800+ movies i've watched i'd say the closest thing to it are Bela Tarr, Tarkovsky, and some of Terrence Malik's movies. I'd say it is a philosophical work most of all, but also a meditation of sorts, something that trascends and elevates one mood, i'd suggest watching it whole, take a day off and take it all in.

[@Nobodyknowsm]

Have you checked out serial experiments lain

[@Snufkeens]

@@Nobodyknowsm yes, doesnt even come close

[@americanstruggler587]

I think the only anime that can come close to this even though it's very different is probably Ergo Proxy. And yeah there are some philosophical and mythical elements embedded in it. Had a rewatch a few months ago and yes it compares and contrasts quite well with it's themes.

[@dc7981]

Ergo Proxy is simultaneously easier for people to get into and harder at the same time even compared to Texhnolyze. EP will just swap genres randomly while TL will at be more consistent occasionally but both are hilariously underrated

[@evn556]

Dude your videos really breathe life into me. Thank you man.

[@soapoperaslushy2853]

I'm glad this video exists because those are two anime I've always wanted to watch

[@f.g.5967]

Both were on Spanish tv very late in the night, also noir and ghost in the shell. I would like to shake firmly the hand of the person in charge of the programming and invite him for lunch.

[@KokoTheAngel]

If we are talking anime one series in particular stands out. It is the Mononoke (2007) Not the movie princess mononoke but Mononoke the series. It is deeply occult and metaphysical concerning the Japanese mythology and beliefs. I think it is one of the most visually stunning and intricate pieces of media i have ever seen and having you see it would be a dream come true!

[@rbze7255]

Crazy how few Texhnolyze essays are out there when youtubers nowadays seemingly love being "broken" by various pieces of media. Amazing interpretation, not far from my own.

[@Mattheus368]

By now the only anime missing from the trio is Haibane Renmei. At least is not that bleak but still. Would want to see you talk about it!

[@Retog]

Until we have fully-discovered everything there is to discover, we can’t decide whether life has meaning of not. So the meaning of life must objectively be the pursuit of discovering whether life is actually meaningless or not.

[@rufnew]

SE lain is ahead of it’s time, a hidden gem, and not a lot of people give it a chance but should, such as ergo proxy ESPECIALLY.

[@Mankey619]

I remember seeing this anime years ago back in the early 2000s. Watching it really left me with so many questions. It’s like 2001 a Space Odyssey,but in anime form.

[@yellowrain3747]

my favorite anime, watched 3 times and about to rewatch again

[@GlockheedMartin]

Not many people talk about Texhnolyze and how great of a psychological series it is. Its message and societal outlook has aged really well. Really great video dude glad I found this

[@SpringteapRepanjolion]

Kano js pretty i guess

[@YouWithoutSin]

Texhnolyze is one of my favorite anime’s of all time. Great analysis as always.

[@Tatenak]

Yoshitobi Abe is my ABSOLUTE favorite anime artist.

[@ngocn6477]

Thank you for making this life-changing video.

[@cokepickle]

congratulations on getting engaged!! not sure if you slipped that in on purpose or if i missed you mentioning it before

[@Voidgazen]

Texhnolyze is my favorite anime and I don't think we'll ever get anything about it ever again.

[@steampunker7]

Me, seeing the video title: Wonder if they're going to be talking about Texhnolyze. Me, after seeing the video: Yup. Snark aside, Texhnolyze really is a well crafted, well plotted, visually arresting trip down a very, very dark rabbit hole that explores a number of very heavy philosophical subjects and themes through its multifaceted characters. It is an extremely slow burn but I think, in this case, that works in its favor. Sets a tone and mood that draws you into its beautiful despair, wrapping you in that comforting hopelessness as tightly as its characters are. Making you crave something to happen to break the stagnation and tedium if for but a moment. What is happening takes a kind of backseat to HOW it is happening and while its conclusion seems forgone, it still is delivered with an emotional gut punch. Certainly worth a watch but you should definitely take some antidepressants first.

[@vivi-er5dk]

if you haven't already you HAVE to look into haibane renmei, it's the most uplifting psychological anime ive ever seen

[@Robocop_1987]

I'm gonna watch this , I've always wanted to see a deep and slow paced anime I'm not interested in the usual action oriented animes , thanks Max .

[@diversitydeliverer7094]

Didn't expect a proper review of texhnolyze in 2023. Good stuff.Make sure to check out Planetes. It's not in the same genre as lain and texhnolyze,but it's the best portrayal of space travel I've seen in anime

[@ZacTaChange]

“And you don’t seem to understand-“ 🎶🎶 I still listen to the theme song ❤

[@arklyshill]

Texhnolyze is such an extraordinary anime, one of the greatest ever made. As a screenwriter, I'd say the themes of this anime are extremely hard to portrait in this form of media, and still achieve the artistic greatness. If this anime would have been remade as a live-action film, directors I see fit would be Tarkovsky, Bergman, Bresson... But they were from a different era, long gone. As well as Texhnolyze that hasn't been seen by many after almost 20 years. Only those who understand and appreciate this form of art will stumble upon this phenomenal piece of storytelling and stick to it until the very end. IF I had to choose some modern director, that would be Ming-liang Tsai and Bi Gan.

[@randomannoyance]

you narrating the ending of texhnolyze followed up by dust from hotline miami is the next level of video essays, thank you so much for this!

[@martinscheib6259]

Such good work max. Even the Hotline Miami at the end. Class !!

[@michaelburgos8127]

Very well done, you really knocked this video out of the park! Those are two of my fav anime. Tex can drag at times but it really makes you think, and the emotional impact when the final credits roll is strong.

[@ravendelacour1917]

Yoshii seems likes a version of Loki. Chaos forcing Order to change from a stagnant state.

[@Fenrisson]

You know, Max. This is one of my 5 favorite channels in youtube. I really like the content.

[@henri3170]

Texhnolyze is not boring because all of it feels purposeful and you get enjoyment from soaking in the atmosphere.

[@normanclatcher]

Ya gotta have the patience for it.

[@gertl]

@@normanclatcher Texhnolyze is α good lesson in pαtience.

[@normanclatcher]

@@gertl Alphαs? 🤨 Someone reαd my description, didn't they? 😉

[@stefdiazdiaz7067]

I would say it can be boring but in a good kind of way and in the service or higher ideals than base fun...

[@benjaminlyons5261]

This was my first anime. Watched it on some cable late night block. Loved it.

[@ConvincingPeople]

I'm surprised that you didn't bring up Albert Camus, because the final scene where Ichise finds peace, feels like a perfect encapsulation of those immortal lines: "The struggle itself towards the heights is enough to fill a man's heart. We must imagine Sisyphus happy." That and the last stands by Onishi and Kimata's partisans collectively really hammer home this theme in the final episodes, this idea that actually doing something, fighting against the dying of the light, is what truly matters more than whatever temporal gains or high-minded abstractions people chase after endlessly. And that's been a real inspiration to me, personally. Texhnolyze is a relentlessly dark show, but I don't think that its fundamental message is really so dark at all. It's a tragedy, but it feels very complete and motivating to me. But yeah, one of my favourite anime series of all time, and like several others of those, extremely difficult to recommend without caveats. I actually love how glacially paced it is. It's a bit like Tarkovsky or something where the director lets the atmosphere reeeeaaaallllly sink in.

[@SpringteapRepanjolion]

I guess dark show will so beautiful and cool when the messsage is good

[@theplacewhereyouare]

I've never been into anime, but you're influencing me into checking some soon.

[@MarcAlcatraz]

lmao at how Yoshii is the ABOVEground man

[@trippinsciko]

Serial Experiments Lain was the first anime I bought as a kid, back when it was 25 dollars a VHS too

[@craig01001]

I agree with 4:00, the only reason I finished Texhnolyze as well was because someone told me a lot of what was going to happen in the second half of the show.

[@satspoopi5704]

I fucking love serial experiments lain. So fucking neat, niche, unique, and experimental

[@Nobodyknowsm]

Me two bro I really wish we had a lot of anime’s like it

[@tttioit]

this is probably the best video essay of texhonlyze that i've found!! ty for the video

[@TealWolf26]

I would argue that humans don't crave divinity and perfection. They crave eternal gratification and novelty. Unbounded experience. That may manifest as craving of achieving new heights and chasing perfection. But as you alluded to, it would ring hollow and bring on despair as they realize there is no more perfection to be found.

[@Dunge0n]

I just want to daydream, make art, watch naughty art, eat well and nap whenever the fuck I feel like. Forever. That sounds like "perfection" to me.

[@TealWolf26]

@@Dunge0n know what? yeah, me too

[@nikolajignatiev6323]

What most people seem to forget and Max likewise, is... we won't ascend to godhood with our present mindset just as animal can't become humans. First your mind has to reach it's potential, rest will follow.

[@david.9633]

Nice episode Max. I remember watching this anime when I was younger.

[@spacecowboy5486]

No one ever talks about Texhnolyze and how great it is, fantastic video as always

[@Typheaus]

I remember watching Texhnolyze back in 2005 or 6 while in university. I didn’t understand the deep philosophy behind it but I called it the “bleakest anime ever” ever since. It stayed with me for 20 years.

[@danmcmurphy2823]

I see a lot of people saying the pacing is hard to get though, but other than the first 'arc' if you'd call it that, with ichise getting his arm chopped. It went very smoothly, there was just one more thing that kept happening when something was about to get boring, they always find a way to put a twist around every corner and I love it

[@bertimccoll4368]

I really enjoyed Texnholyze despite its bleak. On a different note, I have them all on dvd and there are funny outtakes and the like that we still quote 19 years later 😂

[@gspuag]

Have you heard or know about Cashern Sin’s? Gawd its so depressing, maybe theres some metaphorical knowledge to gain from it

[@csam9167]

Hey max , recently i read through "Eden its an Endless World" and i've find it fascinating , it use the gnosticism mysticism to give a humanist message , and i higly recommend it to you... but i give my warning : it goes hard and bleak.

[@partofthetribe3277]

I love that you had clips of claymore in the opening that's a great show.

[@TeQxktcg]

Hey Max. So, Bayonetta 3 has been out for a while now and I firmly believe it to be a surprisingly profound experience through it's incorporation of the philosopy's of Jung and Nietzsche.. I've tried to convey this a couple of times since this is largely overlooked by the fandom but honestly im not eloquent enough to properly phrase my thoughts. Should you ever find the time I hope you at least play it once, at best I'd love your thoughts and given that Kamiya, the author, has expressed he feels the game is misunderstood providing a palpable explanation of the concepts leveraged might actually do some real life good, arguably, for both the misunderstood author and the disgruntled fanbase.

[@boo.1337]

Can't not love a video that has Loneliness 1A in it

[@boris_ev]

It is incorrect to state that the people of Gabe ought to make sure the future predicted by Ran would take hold. They believed it without question, and embraced the duty to uphold whatever role her visions placed upon them - I am sure you can see the difference, Max. Also, Theonormals did not abandon irrationality: they are still capable of emotion, as you can see in the example of the old man who helps Ichise to recharge. I would compare them to highly sedated patients on life support - they still have the human mind, but no attachment to anything real. When I started to watch the video, I stopped to see Texhnolyze for myself, and man am I glad I did that. Took 3 days, never found myself slogging through in the least bit. Thanks for sharing!

[@ChrisJoestarr]

Im always been a huge fan of this type of anime, some of my favorite being Lain, Ergo proxy, psycho pass (S1) ghost in the shell, Angel egg, and some others but I did watch texhnolyze and I'm not gonna lie I fell asleep at least 3 times early on, but I like it.

[@pikaboom6539]

This also explains why JRPGs final bosses are always god

[@DiamondsRexpensive]

Holy shlt.... You are right

[@sebu6831]

Wonderful video as always ! Bonus: I liked the Hotline Miami OSTs you implemented into this video. You placed them very subtle but still fitting and noticeable.

[@jasonblundelldobebussing]

"Becoming a God is cool and all... But how about _killing_ a God?" (a) Demi-Fiend.

[@EzekielGoldbergII]

Wow I would've never expected for this anime to get any kind of traction again. When I first watched it, it felt taxing, like reading some heavy book on philosophy. Thanks for this awesome video. You should definitely check out Ergo Proxy if you like the vibe and the depth of this one.

[@brandonhollar2990]

Present Day haha Present Time hahahaha "Static Noise" "And you don't seem to understand"

[@matthias6933]

Texhnolyze is for me THE perfectly visualized Cyberpunk story. It takes time to establish in detail how a major technological invention influenced its world, why its world is the way it is and where the world is inevitably going to end up. It either puts other contemporaries attempting that broader focus into shame (Cyberpunk 2077) or is a more grounded and fatalistic alternative to stories that drift off into more narrow and abstract subject matters (Akira, Blade Runner). I don't really care about Anime as a 'genre' but Ghibli's stuff, Garden of Sinners and Texhnolyze will always have a special place in my heart (I will give Satoshi Kon one day a chance).

[@Soreniglio]

I watched Texhnolyze long ago, I remember rambling with people about how it's unattainable to pinpoint a definite meaning to the Anime itself and especially the last episodes, I read so many analyses, some talking about it being a metaphor to Dante's Inferno, others to the tower of Babel, others about it being just a critique to technology as a whole and the dangers of trying to reach godhood, in the end I just decided to consider it the best thing I ever watched out of its sheer cryptic tone and how many layers there can be to it.