Anime [David Anime] Gankutsuou 3

It is *excruciatingly* hard to explain why this series is so compelling -- as a case in point, this particular episode didn't have any fight scenes or definable romance, but yet . . . it was utterly enthralling. Although this series doesn't fall into the dichotomous genres of either shonen or shoujo, it offers an absurdly intriguing tale of pure vengeance.

As pointed out in BluWacky's superb review, the most striking feature of this series is its copious use of stark juxtapositions -- in the introduction of this series, we see the wealth of Parisean high society set up against the neighboring slums. Later, we see the contrast between Albert's naivete and the worldly nature of his friends. And of course, there's the sharp contrast between the mortals in Paris, as compared to the otherworldly blue-skinned Count. Typically, it's easy to gloss over these juxtapositions, but after being stymied by contrasts at every corner, one starts to get uneasy, as if something crucial is just not right, as if under the semblance of placidness, something monstrous is bubbling beneath the surface.

If anything, this creepiness is accentuated by the visual style, which is, quite frankly, like nothing we've ever seen before. Even though this series is set far into the future when intergalactic space travel is commonplace, this title retains an unsettling old-world flavor, complete with Georgian paintings and horse-drawn carriages. This, coupled with the visually disturbing suits of the characters, only seem to add to the omnipresent malaise.

When all is said and done, Gankutsuou bodes to be an exceptionally good title. One can't help being pleased as its initial success as a psychological thriller, and if the rest of series is half as suspenseful, it'll be one of the strongest titles of the season.

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