Casshern Sins (Series rating: 9/10)

Robots eventually advanced so much that they could be indistinguishable from humans are a glance. They had emotions and could feel just like a human. Sadly, this eventually led to an all out war between the humans led by Luna and the robots led by Braiking Boss. Fearing Luna’s power, Brainking boss sent his top warriors to find and kill her. It was the strongest warrior, Casshern, that eventually killed Luna. But that was a mistake. Along with Luna, the world also seemed to die. Plant life withered away, poisoned filled the air and water. Humans died easily, either from sickness or from battling the robots. The robots didn’t fare much better though. The pollution in the air also corroded their minds and bodies. A plague called “the Ruin” made robots fearful of death for the first time. Now, hundreds of years later, the Earth is a wasteland where most of the robots are mindless monsters killing seemingly at random. Only a handful or them have kept their sanity and their body, but none are safe from the Ruin. Except for one: Casshers. He wonders the world having lost his memories. The Ruin cannot affect him and he is immortal now. He is looking for a meaning in his life.
 
If I had to describe this show in one word, that word would be “bleak”. The world is dying and there is nothing anyone can do about it. The few individuals who have kept their sanity do what they can to keep hope alive. They even started rumors that Luna is alive, and can stop the Ruin. Or that eating Casshern can stop the Ruin. There are no real bases for those rumors, but they show the desperation of those still alive. In the end, this show is about accepting death. The colors in this show are very muted to better portray how the world is ending. I don’t think the Sun shined more then a handful of times during the whole show. The characters were pretty great, and get a fair level of development. The story is a bit convoluted and I’m pretty sure I didn’t understand all of it. For example, I still have no idea what what episode 18 meant. Maybe I’m just stupid. All in all, this is a great show that makes you think.