Imagine a world in which the end of all life, both natural and man-made, was imminent. What would you do as the end of the world approached? How could you deal with the knowledge that death was slowly eating you alive? What purpose could you possibly cling to? Could you watch your loved ones slowly waste away by your side? And what if you discovered that not only were you personally responsible for the ruination of life, but you alone were cursed with immortality?
These are the circumstances in which the main character finds himself in Casshern Sins, the 2008 reimagining of Neo-Human Casshern. Don't feel bad if you never saw the 1973 version by Tatsunoko, as Madhouse's take on the series has no continuity with the original series. In fact, many characters take on roles completely unlike those in the original, so it might almost be a hindrance to be familiar with the original.
While Neo-Human Casshern depicted the heroic struggle of a cyborg fighting against an army of self-aware robots intent on killing humanity, the back-story of Casshern Sins suggests that there was no one to stand up to the robots, who subjugated the humans for years before the spread of the Ruin. You might think that the reinterpretation sounds like a 90s attempt at pointlessly darkening up a franchise to be cooler, and there are times when you might be correct. On the surface, it can feel like teenage angst is rearing its awkward head.
But beneath that layer lies one of the most tragically beautiful anime I have seen in a long time. Read on to see why this modern reboot is worth your time.
Casshern Sins
Created by: Madhouse/Tatsunoko
Published by: FUNimation
Release Date: August 17, 2010
Casshern Sins is the story of a robot with no memory of his past, eternally hunted by other robots seeking to gain his power. For reasons unknown to him, he alone is immortal, unaffected by the Ruin plaguing both humans and robots. The one thing he is able to learn from these encounters: he is responsible for starting the Ruin in the first place. Despised by everyone he meets, he wanders the wasteland in search of the truth behind his actions.
Despite what it sounds like, this is not a plot-heavy series as the premise may lead you to believe. I expected a dense mystery, maybe a conspiracy of sorts, all leading up to a series of dramatic confrontations as a shocking truth is revealed. This couldn't be farther from the truth. When I say "he wanders the wasteland," I mean exactly that; Casshern follows no set path, simply drifting from place to place, meeting various groups of humans, robots, or mixes of both. Each individual or group Casshern finds has differing ideas of how to live their lives with the shadow of death looming over their heads. There is some minor plot advancement in the background of most episodes, but it is present mainly to serve as framework for the series to drape examinations of life under the Ruin. Though the episodic structure may turn off those concerned with story progress, which only strongly advances in the final third of the anime, those that stick with it will find a plethora of interesting ideas concerning our purpose in life.
Casshern Sins has little regard for concrete definitions. Whereas most anime might become bogged down explaining the science of the Ruin and how it poisons or corrodes life, Casshern Sins is content to simply present the concept and apply it to the world to see its effects. Those in need of absolute explanations and minute details will find themselves infuriated by the vaguity of the story. This, however, is not a bad thing.
"Abstract beauty" is the best way to describe the attitude that Casshern Sins aspires to. With a plot that is willing to step aside for mere ideas and concepts, what the series strives to give the viewer is not just a story, but an emotion, a feeling. The abstraction extends beyond the story and enters the realm of visuals. As characters interact, the already painting-like animation will take on radically different colors, more concerned with emotional aesthetics than continuity. In one shot, a field of flowers; in the next, a barren wasteland. Even as characters return to a previously visited landmark, it is common for the landscape to have shifted and changed colors to reflect the characters' moods. A touch of a soft, glowing filter adds an ethereal touch that makes the series feel almost like a fairy tale. The result of these techniques is that the viewer is transported into a world filled with despair, regret, and even a bit of hope, sympathizing with the characters' plight.
This connection through abstraction enhances a cast of already strong characters. I never would have thought that characters rooted in a series from the '70s could be expressed with such depth. Months of too-cool-for-school heroes and cookie-cutter moe girls can dull your knowledge that characters don't have to be like they are today. Admittedly, I have only read a little bit on what they were like in the original series. However, when watching this new vision for the franchise, you can't help but feel that they all share some sort of lingering memory of a past life, where they inhabited different roles. Indeed, when certain characters long for the days before the Ruin, it almost feels as though they are longing for the olden days of anime, where good battled evil under simpler terms.
Those days are past, however, and Casshern Sins seems to argue that modern anime must push for oft-unnecessary drama with too many shades of gray in order to draw an audience beyond the moe crowd. Even as it embraces its dark atmosphere, it feels resigned to it. This is a world in which it doesn't matter if you were once a hero or a scoundrel - everyone meets the same fate. Even mighty villains are forced to wander aimlessly. After all, what is the point of dominating a world in its death throes?
And yet, as depressing as this all may sound, there is a glimmer of beauty to be found in every aspect of the production. Strange and wonderous formations dot the landscape, sharing the horizon with crumbling, yet majestic cities and castles. Hidden in even the most barren wasteland, there are rainbows of colors. The people Casshern meets, though dying, carry a burning fire inside that is inspirational. And when the melancholy soundtrack decides to break the silence of the wasteland, there are overtones of acceptance and peace that make it truly beautiful to listen to. Even the opening and ending themes fit surprisingly well into the atmosphere of the production.
Ultimately, Casshern Sins is not about tragic robots fighting over past sins, but the nature of life and death, and how we internalize these concepts in our daily lives. To analyze it any further would rob you of any potential meaning you may draw from your viewing. What Madhouse has done with this series is simply breathtaking, further cementing it as one of the most talented studios in Japan. The bleak tone means it won't be for everyone, but those who take the time to let its emotions flow over them will find a work of somber beauty and wonder.
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