Texhnolyze

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Texhnolyze

テクノライズ
Genre	Cyberpunk, Drama, Psychological, Science Fiction
TV anime
Directed by	Hiroshi Hamazaki
Studio	Madhouse (company)
Network	Fuji TV
Original run	–
No. of episodes	22

Texhnolyze (テクノライズ, Texhnolyze^?) (pronounced [téknolàiz]) is an anime series broadcast in 2003 by director Hiroshi Hamazaki. It takes place in the crumbling underground city of Lukuss (pronounced "lukes"). Initially, it is mostly concerned with the conflicts between the yakuza gangs in Lukuss, but changes scale as the series goes on to look at the city's interaction with the surface world. The central plot device is a method of creating prosthetic body parts, called "Texhnolyze."

It is an extremely dark and violent series and makes use of very experimental cinematic and dramatic techniques. For example, in the very first episode, less than a dozen lines of dialogue are spoken. The series is occasionally referred to as "The Staff of Serial Experiments Lain's 5-Year Reunion," because the two series share not only a significant number of staff, including character artist Yoshitoshi ABe, scriptwriter Chiaki J. Konaka, and producer Yasuyuki Ueda, but a similar visual style and dark tone as well.

The three main factions in Lukuss' hierarchy are the Organo, the Union, and the Racan. There is a fourth faction, known as the Class, but they do not seem to get involved with the city as much as the other factions do. Anyone belonging to any of these groups immediately find themselves on higher level within society, and are now better off. However, the remainder of the population is extremely poor. Overrun by such criminal organizations, Lukuss quickly became a dystopia located at the center of the Earth. Upon viewing the first couple of episodes, the creators do their best to portray this gap between the social classes.

1 Summary
2 Analysis
3 Symbolism and Notes
4 Cast
5 External links

[edit] Summary

"Built deep inside the Earth, the experimental city of Lukuss became 'The Abandoned City' as the surface world forgot about it. Now its citizens live in despair while gangs use violence and retribution to rule the city and control 'Texhnolyze'--an advanced technology that replaces human limbs with more powerful cybernetics! The fate of this world will soon be decided by four special individuals: Onishi, the gang leader who controls the city; Ran, a young girl with visions of the future; Yoshii, a mysterious new visitor from the surface world; and Ichise, a maimed boxer on the run for crossing the wrong people. Will Texhnolyze be the city's salvation or its destruction? Experience this hard-boiled sci-fi adventure set in a dystopian world that reveals the depths of human nature within the heights of technological achievement." [1]

[edit] Analysis

Texhnolyze is an example of an anime which requires interpretation. The characters and the intentions of many scenes, in a sense, are incomplete on their own. At the end of the show, the viewer is expected to form his own understanding of the characters and what each of them symbolizes. This is one of the show's experiemental aspects.

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The following is one interpretation of Texhnolyze

Similar to many other popular Japanese Anime series such as Neon Genesis Evangelion and RahXephon, Texhnolyze revolves around the concepts of fatalism and free will, Armageddon, the question of one's identity.

Texhnolyze foreshadows a dark fate awaiting humanity in its constant pursuit of advances in technology. In the story of Texhnolyze, the "surface world" symbolizes a society in the throes of its dependence on technology, leading to a silent demise of humanity. The "surface world" is one which glorifies technology, as symbolized in Frank Lloyd Wright's 1936 design of the Johnson Wax Headquarters; expressing the architecture of a new modern era, and which's solitude is portrayed using almost direct replica of Edward Hopper's work[2]. It's counterpart, the "under world" is currently evolving to an inevitable replica of the "surface world" as armies of cybernetic Mecha invade the last pockets of human survivors.

In the world of Texhnolyze, the human beings are isolated and lonely individuals who accelerate their demise by their insatiable desires emanating from their ego, violence, and efforts to texhnolyze their surrounding world. One's end is typically met while gazing at the flower (symbolizing perfection and beauty). What they discover is that they are left behind in the evolutionary process, superseded by a new race of beings as symbolized by the humanoid Mechas that have begun growing roots and merging with the earth (the root and trees are symbols of immortality in many cultures: While other beings wither away in time, the rooted being endures the next stage of evolution).

The dying world of Texhnolyze is one created by humanity itself. A dark manifestation and expression of idealism. There is no absolute outside world to invest hopes in. The world of poverty, pain, and war is nothing but the very result of one's own choices and actions. Without change, there is no escape from the death awaiting our species even with the marvels that technology affords humanity.

[edit] Symbolism and Notes

Ran's Fox Mask

"In Japanese society, the fox, is considered to be the guardian deity of farming (rice fields) by some, because the animal eats field mice that often damage or destroy crops. This guardian deity may signify some special power in Gabe, which is an agrarian community, as well?" [3]

The Capsule Containing Ichise's Mother's Cells

"Some of his mother's body cells are preserved in a solution inside a capsule, which also serves as a makeshift grave for the poor, like Ichise. His longing for his dead mother is the only thing enabling Ichise to maintain his 'humanity'." [4]

Texhnolyzation

"In order to complete a texhnolyzed unit, an endless number of neural terminals must be connected to one another with incredible precision. This ordinarily tiring process seems to give Doc the greatest excitement." [5]

Lukuss

"Latin lūx, light"

The Obelisk

The Obelisk towers above the city of Lukuss. Seemingly needing constant repairs, the Obelisk stands as a monument to the power of Texhnolyzation, as it is because of the Obelisk that all texhnolyzed units within Lukuss are operational.

[edit] Cast

Ichise (voice by Haga Akira) Ichise is a street fighter who participates in underground fight clubs for money. He is often referred to as a "stray dog," a name that is representative of Ichise's personality; on a dark and unknown path and always struggling for survival. Ichise undergoes a texhnolyze procedure on his arm and leg after being spared from death. He can be seen as symbolizing humanity in its endless struggles for survival.
Onishi Kyogo (voice by Tsuchida Hiroshi) Onishi is the head of the Organo. Onishi is one of the Organo's youngest, but strong leaders. Because of his unusual quick rise to power, he has not gained the respect of some of the Organo's low and high level members. Onishi also claims to hear the Voice of the City, a conscious will of the city of Lukuss. He can be seen as symbolizing humanity's ego and stabilizing qualities, in a never ending effort to dominate his world.
Ran (voice by Itou Shizuka) Ran is a flower girl. She comes from the town of Gabe, and can be seen often wearing her fox mask. Ran represents the mysticism aspect of humanity, and its search for the truth. Ran also symbolizes the purity and innocence that suffers and endures pain.
Doc (DOKU) (voice by Niki Shizumi) Doc is the progenitor of the science of Texhnolyzation. She comes from the Class, and uses texhnolyzation, for what she believes, is the next step in human evolution. Doc symbolizes humans' rationality and scientific endeavour for perfection.
Shinji (voice by Kitaide Masaya) Shinji is the leader of the Racan. Shinji is one of the few people who began the Racan. He often gets involved in the city's gang wars. He has a texhnolyzed index finger on his right hand. Shinji represents humans' bold, reckless, and adventurous spirit that sees no obstacle in its way to reach its goals. Considering the show's creator has admitted being influenced by Neon Genesis Evangelion in his works, it is possible that the character is named after NGE protagonist Shinji Ikari. NGE fans will point out however that Shinji's personality in Texhnolyze is radically different from the character in NGE.
Kimata Motoharu (voice by Nakata Jouji) Kimata is the leader of the Union. Kimata believes that texhnolyzation corrupts the soul, and preaches that those in the Union should abstain from texhnolyzation. Although fiercly followed by many, he is still a controversial figure in that his left arm has been texhnolyzed.
Chief of Gabe (voice by Koyama Tekehiro) the Chief of Gabe is the head of the town of Gabe. He is the target of an assassination attempt by rogue Union members, but was saved by Yoshii. The Chief of Gabe and his people hold a belief that in every generation, there is a girl born called a Seer, that will fortell of the future of Lukuss. He can be seen as symbolizing humanity's belief in tradition and fate.
Yoshii Kazuo (voice by Inoue Takashi) Yoshii comes from the surface world. Yoshii came from the surface world to see the city of Lukuss, seemingly for no real reason. He seems to be intrigued by humanity's emotions, and the way the city of Lukuss works.