Ergo Proxy

Ergo Proxy tackles a plethora of different thematic ideas but narratively it's too disjointed and awkwardly paced to work. The plot is convoluted since the writing is full of lofty, and frankly, pretentious philosophical monologs that become increasingly meandering as the series goes on. It rarely decides to make an effort to properly develop the setting, instead it dwells on the philosophical concepts of self-identity in pretty ungratifying ways.

An intriguing start and some outstanding episodes don't quite manage to compensate for the way the entire storylines collapses into utter nonsense by the end. Nonetheless, the ride was fun even if the destination turned out to be B.S.

'Self contained' sci-fi. Builds a system of rules that don't mean anything because they don't relate to anything in the real world. The 'experimental' episodes rip off Evangelion and fail because that show is about something and this one isn't. The main character vacillates between two different types of audience surrogate: the cool badass guy you wish you were and the awkward but still overly flattering depiction of the average anime fan, and never feels like a real person as a result.

Pacing issues are the main problem with EP, but when it's on it's on (which is most of the time). It's very intelligent and I don't pretend to understand everything they are trying to say. The gimmick episodes near the end are hit and miss (talk show was a cool exposition dump, the Smile Land one was not great except for Pino). Nice dark atmosphere/animation, excellent music all around.