As far as science fiction series go Infinite Ryvius isn’t your usual kettle of futuristic fish, whereas a lot of future themed anime sci-fi series dabble primarily in towering robots, dinghy dystopia or slinky cyber punk, Infinite Ryvius lurks at the other end of the sci-fi spectrum. It’s an infinitely quainter, less verbose take on seemingly familiar material, that pulls in the slyly subversive social commentary of William Golding’s literary tour de force ‘Lord of the Flies’ and welds it on to a saleable story of teen angst and pubescent drama.

The resulting series is something of a mixed bag; at its best Ryvius is a fascinating character study that provides a searing social commentary whilst addressing the extremes of human nature, both good and bad. At its worst it is an exercise in slushiness of the soppiest kind, riddled with predictable love triangles and crass sentimentality.

The romantic interludes might warm the heart but they undercut the series’ more venerable, serious side. It may serve as a fair representation of the schmaltzy, doe-eyed nature of adolescent life but that doesn’t stop the series from feeling like a space age re-versioning of ‘Dawson’s Creek’ at times.

When Ryvius hits all the right narrative chords however, which is thankfully more often than not, it truly shines. At its core this is a tale of survival, survival in the face of extreme and overwhelming circumstances. As result a great deal of the series’ appeal lies in seeing how the various members of the Ryvius adapt to life aboard their doomed vessel.

Forced into a life of regimented labour we’re privy to witnessing the characters branch out into one of two divides. Some dig in, pitch themselves head first into the fight and contribute what they can to the Ryvius’ plight, whereas others embrace the discord, live on their wits, lie, cheat and steal to survive. All the time it begs the question: If you found yourself in this situation how would you react?

With a cast that numbers in the hundreds Ryvius is nothing short of grandiose and whilst there’s every chance that the characters could have been lost in the sprawl, the series takes a more intelligible route and zooms in on the more interesting sectors of life aboard the ship.
The core ensemble may hog the limelight, but the creators allow us to revel in the day-to-day going ons of life aboard the good ship Ryvius. Allowing for plenty of painstakingly realised eye in the sky segments that imbue the faceless denizens onboard the Ryvius with some much needed identity. The camera hurtles around the ship allowing the viewer tantalising sneak peeks at the various sagas unfolding onboard, creating a tangible, living breathing world that lets the viewer know exactly what’s at stake if the crew of the Ryvius fail in their plight to deliver the ship’s patrons into the arms of safety.

So far so good, but my musings up until now probably make the series sound a lot more heavy going that it truly is. On the contrary, there’s plenty to enjoy here, from patches of easygoing comedy to wittily observed visual gags, Infinite Ryvius boasts a playful side, that not only ensures the intermittent romantic interludes are easier to swallow but lends the dramatic gear changes some added gusto, bypassing what could have potentially been a somewhat grimmer line of subject matter.

A few problems do poke through that spangly veneer though. My main bone of contention is primarily to do with pacing and some inherently dodgy scripting early on, that I have to admit, very nearly crippled my enjoyment. The series hits full throttle almost before you’ve realised what’s going on. As a result it’s easy to get lost in the stream of techno babble — some of which would have GITS fans cringing behind their computer manuals and clumsily handled exposition that deepens rather than clarifies the ensuing confusion. Picking your way through this mire of uneven scripting can be a chore, but once things pick up and the series settles into a more leisurely pace these prior concerns fly out the window. Where Ryvius is concerned perseverance is the key, stick with it and disappointment will soon give way to absorption, trust me, it’s more than worth it.

I can’t finish this review without a quick gush over the design work of one, Hisashi Hirai. Perhaps best known for his squeaky-clean designs on Gundam SEED, Hirai’s angular, but oh so loveable character designs are as stunning here as they ever were. The beauty lies in their simplicity, endearingly retro but boasting a countenance that’s both modern and instantly recognisable.

Visually this show is a corker, aurally; well I’m not too sure. Just when you think a sweeping orchestral piece is going to breeze in and treat your ears to a little spectacle a lazy ambient groove oozes from the speakers. The sparse ambient grooves and stilted hip-hop breaks may make for a pleasing change but they just don’t fit the theme of the series. I can’t help but feel it cheapens the experience, a soundtrack that’s as out of place as it is unexciting, diluting the impact of scenes that with the proper aural accompaniment should and would have taken my breath away.

In Summary
 
Infinite Ryvius is a series that’s easy to admire but hard to love. The odd discrepancy aside sci-fi fans owe it to themselves to see this series, it may get off to a floundering start, but stick with it after the initial muddle and I guarantee you won’t be disappointed, new ground is most assuredly broken, it’s just up to you, the viewer, to make sure you hang around long enough to see it.