The story begins in a domed city called 'Romedeau', where the humans and their android robots, called 'AutoReiv', live in a state of controlled peace. They demand that complete order and servitude is kept within Romdeau to keep chaos at bay. However, this utopian landscape is soon shattered by a series of horrifying murders. Re-L Mayer, a female inspector from the citizen Information Bureau, along with her AutoReiv partner Iggy, is tasked to solve the murder cases. She begins to learn the truth about mysterious creatures that are referred to as 'Proxies' , and is obsessed to find out the truth about them, with Vincent Law, a humble immigrant with unsure secrets, and a child AutoReiv, Pino.
This show has a dark philosophical story with a gloomy rhapsodic feeling. The plot might seem slow, stretching to 23 episodes. This series is copiously packed with mind-boggling concepts that keep the viewers interested, and questions the true meaning of existence. Spirituality is addressed throughout the anime. However, the intelligent storyline might seem confusing, and might not appeal to the audience who enjoys a riddle-free anime. In a world of fascinating machine-driven background and dreary, shady scenery, Ergo Proxy might remind you of Matrix.
One of the biggest selling points of this anime is the gothic character designs, which are stylish and interesting. The scenery is vividly effective even if darkly hued. You probably have to turn the brightness up to notice some tiny details while watching.
At first, the main characters -- Re-L Mayer and Vincent Law -- may appear to be superficial. One is the snobbish and strong female protagonist, dead set in her ideals, while the other is a clueless pawn in an advanced society drowned in uncertainty. Their first impressions of facile characters gradually fade away as the story proceeds, developing more complex feelings about entity and understanding relationships. The AutoReivs, such as Pino, are seen to develop human characteristics, such as happiness and sorrow. The other characters of this series are not very interesting, but they have stories of their own.
The music of Ergo Proxy will not let you down. The composer Yoshihiro Ike complements the dismal and absorbingly nyctophobic atmosphere, with equally haunting Gregorian music. The carefully cued score magnifies the intensity of the scene. The opening and ending, featuring works of Monoral and major alternative rock band Radiohead, respectively, will take you to a melancholic Avalon.

Verdict: The story might seem a bit boring and slow-moving, also difficult to understand at first, but as the anime goes on, the unpredictable twists and turns with absolutely awesome characters will leave you on pins and needles.

Shazmeen Haq, 17, is an A-level candidate (private).

RATING: 6/10