If the story keeps me excited and intrigued, I welcome being confused with the promise of everything sliding perfectly together at some later point. I’m typically a fan of little to no exposition with world-building. That being said, Metallic Rouge is its own unique world, and it was a little difficult to get into all aspects of it, not just the mecha. If you know what a “Gladiator” is, you’re going to have a much better grip on the story.

If you are, you might have a much easier time getting into the world of Metallic Rouge. The “meh of this new mecha anime seriesĪ disclaimer: I am not a connoisseur of mecha anime. This episode is all about world-building, which, unfortunately, doesn’t quite land. We see Neans struggling to get the substance they need to survive, we follow club singer Sarah as she’s hunted down by a mysterious android, and generally speaking, there are just a lot of shady nighttime meetings lit in neon. The premiere is solidly rooted in introducing us to the world of Metallic Rouge. That being said, in this episode we don’t learn very much about them. How long will the women we are meant to root for fall into the trap of “just following orders?” Will they wake up and work towards a better world together, or split up and fight alone? A thematically rich journey awaits! Metallic Rouge (Crunchyroll/Studio Bones) I always appreciate the “are-we-the-baddies’ angle, and that’s definitely the path these two will go down. Morally vague girls in space teaming up to have big robot battles will always be a good concept. We know very little about her, and she is already my favorite character. She’s chipper, witty, and talks out of a bird sometimes. Rouge is paired up with her informant Naomi, a similarly laid-back individual with a stellar character design and mysterious motives. Great news for fans of deep inner turmoil! Thankfully, Rouge Redstar is closer to “a cute girl who wrestles with morality as she reckons with the fact that she is a willing tool in the oppressive machine.” The amount of pain from Neans she’s willing to overlook in this episode means the weight of her eventual guilt will be crushing. At first, the way she was introduced made it seem like the anime might lean closer to the “cute girls doing cute things” subgenre (which is fine, but not my cup of tea). This episode sets her up for a future rude awakening and a hell of a character arc very well.

Rouge shows more emotions about eating chocolate than she does about being tasked to hunt down members of her own kind or her own dehumanization. In one scene, a man bumps into her and expects her to apologize, which she does unquestioningly. She’s Nean hunting down Neans for the human government, and it doesn’t seem like she’s questioned that even slightly, even though humans around her do not view her as worthy of respect. In this world of cyber-noir, we find our protagonist Rouge is a bit of a laid-back ditz, following orders without knowing where they’re from and quick to brush off the sting of dehumanization.

Metallic Rouge (Crunchyroll/Studio Bones) Instead, it felt more in line with Blade Runner, in both aesthetics and themes. It’s a mecha anime, but it’s much more grounded than something like Gundam. Most scenes occur in dimly lit bars, secretive alleyways, and other locations where you might hold sketchy meetings rather than fighting with big robots. One scene in the beginning has some particularly fantastic vibes, as Nean singer Sarah croons out a synthy ballad in a dark club of humans and Neans alike. The first episode is entertainingly atmospheric, with dark techno visuals mixed with a haunting score. Is it worth checking out? Are we starting the year out on a good note for anime? Let’s see! The good of Studio Bones’ Metallic RougeĪs a fan of noir, sci-fi, girls getting into fights, and noir girls getting into sci-fi fights, Metallic Roug e ticked a lot of my boxes. Metallic Rouge is a mysterious mecha anime, in a world where humans coexist with androids called “Neans.” When a group of Neans known as the Immortal Nine rises against society, another Nean by the name of Rouge Redstar (aka “Metal Rouge”) and investigator Naomi Orthmann must head to Mars to hunt them down. It’s the start of a new year, and with it comes the promise of a new year of anime! One of the first new shows we’re getting is Metallic Rouge, a sci-fi production by Studio Bones.

Anime youtube banner