This show, airing around 2005, got me back into anime after a long time. For the most part it's a fairly predictable anime, but there are parts of it that make it stand out.
The story is fairly average but adequate, being mostly a homage to THE MATRIX: rebels fighting an oppressive authority (two characters are even named Larry and Andy) within a confined system, a villain whose ulterior motive is to break free of that system, and a heroine who develops her own identity and ultimately becomes a hero to save her family. The story also has an uneven pace at times, sliding between an epic battle for the fate of a world and an intimate look at the protagonists' day-to-day experiences. Still, for the most part it tells its story competently enough.
But the real heart of the tale is the bond between the bounty hunter Roy and the amnesiac Solty, and for me is the most satisfying part. All the other plot angles form a backdrop to this angle, about two lost souls who become a family. Gruff loner Roy Revant is a widower, while Solty is a lost waif who doesn't even have a memory. The way the two grow closer together across the series – defending each other, helping and relying on each other, and even hurting each other but making amends later (this one is fairly one-sided, on Roy's part naturally) – is maturely and carefully handled, and comes to a heartwarming payoff.
The English voice cast is very well done, in my opinion Christopher Sabat (Roy) and Carrie Savage (Solty) did some of their best performances in this anime. And the artwork, while the blend of hand-drawn and computer-generated animation is a little awkward, wonderfully shows off the steampunk setting. The soundtrack is atmospheric and jazzy, with some great tracks that fit the mood of whichever scene it's being used for (the closing track "Float Beyond the Sky" is a favourite of mine).
On the whole, it's a nice story, with a touching family angle. It's definitely worth a watch.
The story is fairly average but adequate, being mostly a homage to THE MATRIX: rebels fighting an oppressive authority (two characters are even named Larry and Andy) within a confined system, a villain whose ulterior motive is to break free of that system, and a heroine who develops her own identity and ultimately becomes a hero to save her family. The story also has an uneven pace at times, sliding between an epic battle for the fate of a world and an intimate look at the protagonists' day-to-day experiences. Still, for the most part it tells its story competently enough.
But the real heart of the tale is the bond between the bounty hunter Roy and the amnesiac Solty, and for me is the most satisfying part. All the other plot angles form a backdrop to this angle, about two lost souls who become a family. Gruff loner Roy Revant is a widower, while Solty is a lost waif who doesn't even have a memory. The way the two grow closer together across the series – defending each other, helping and relying on each other, and even hurting each other but making amends later (this one is fairly one-sided, on Roy's part naturally) – is maturely and carefully handled, and comes to a heartwarming payoff.
The English voice cast is very well done, in my opinion Christopher Sabat (Roy) and Carrie Savage (Solty) did some of their best performances in this anime. And the artwork, while the blend of hand-drawn and computer-generated animation is a little awkward, wonderfully shows off the steampunk setting. The soundtrack is atmospheric and jazzy, with some great tracks that fit the mood of whichever scene it's being used for (the closing track "Float Beyond the Sky" is a favourite of mine).
On the whole, it's a nice story, with a touching family angle. It's definitely worth a watch.