No Longer Human is spread across four episodes, told slightly out of order, but in no incomprehensible way.  The story follows the protagonist Yozo Oba, a young man with a troubled life. Rebelling against his senator father, he attempts to find fulfillment in his life, but ends up despising himself. His actions get him in trouble repeatedly, only to be saved by a woman who is in much the same position as him. His despair gets the better of him, and his mind turns to suicide. From there, his path frequently intertwines with the women he encounters in his life, sometimes aiding him, and other times pulling him back.

His destructive habits aren't his only side, though. No, Yozo desires to become an artist, one worthy to impress even his overbearing father. His art often reveals his 'true self' which is something he struggles with constantly. The ominous, powerful presence of his darkest feelings haunts him even if he finds happiness, and this is the true battles he wages.

The story itself is obviously very good, and I'm sure the rest will be as well, given that they're all classic Japanese stories that have stood the test of time. What about the animation? Madhouse delivers. Bringing their A-game, the scenes have a dreamy, soft feel to them, fitting to the story being told (although the bloom could be toned down a bit). Given that the characters aren't jumping around or doing amazing acrobatics, the animation can be dedicated to more subtle, emotional movements. This really helps the show over the first four episodes, as the characters really shine along with their voice actors. Another thing to note is the unique 'inside the mind' moments. The art becomes much more unique here, giving the story a dose of identity. Great stuff all around.

The upcoming stories also look fantastic -- a sampling of what is coming up next:

• Ango Sakaguchi's In the Forest, Under Cherries in Full Bloom - with character designs by Tite Kubo
• Soseki Natsume's Kokoro - with character designs by Takeshi Obata
• Osamu Dazai's Run, Melos! - with character designs by Takeshi Konomo

And that's only the next three. There's also Ryūnosuke Akutagawa's The Spider's Thread and Hell Screen, both with character designs by Tite Kubo. Quite the lineup, and I'm sure the rest will not disappoint. This series is off to a great start. Not only that, there is going to be a movie merging these four episodes, to be released in Japanese theaters December 12th. That was fast! Now to break it down.

What I Liked:

• Great story, and great execution of said story.
• Animation is good (could tone down the brown and bloom a tad).
• Tasteful and well placed background music.

What I Didn't Like:

• Like I said, the brown and bloom is a bit overpowering (however the style will change with each story, so this is only directed at  the first four episodes).
• A few repetitive flashback scenes.
• I noticed the same scene of animation being used maybe 3 or 4 times across the 4 episodes, only in different lighting. Maybe I'm the only one who noticed, but it bugged me when I realized it.