FRACTALE

Majority of anime shows are for male audiences, sorry to say. How else could one explain the abundance of over-sized breasts and ... over-sized breasts? Hell, every time I watch The Story of Fujiko Mine I know there's going to be at least one boob shot, erect nipples and all. Fractale was made with the intent of countering such anime conventions, and it's hard to resist the sincere warmth the show radiates as its characters venture to save the world. There's still the mandatory allusions to sex of course, but Fractale is not at all lewd. It was a very different anime experience for me and one I sincerely appreciated.

The impossibly cute Nessa.

Nearly a millennium into the future the world seems to be occupied by more Doppels (life-sized avatar projections) than people. The owners of these Doppels are off enjoying their worry-free independent lifestyles, a feat made possible by the world encompassing Fractale system. People don't have to work and they don't become ill; prayer to the church organization that runs Fractale ensures that people are regularly cared for. There are those, of course, who are not comfortable with the spoiled and inept nature of man under Fractale and constantly seek to destroy the church that maintains it. We follow Clain, Phyrne and Nessa as they travel with the Lost Millennium rebels who wish to restore man's ability to choose how he will interact with the world. The story is a tad similar to the Tales of Symphonia game and The Matrix, but without absurd amounts of violence or a large investment of time. Fractale is short and sweet, just the way I like my shows.

Although Phyrne and Nessa are significant to the plot, Nessa and Clain are the most notable characters. Clain discovers Nessa hidden within a special pendant Phyrne gives him. She is an odd Doppel with tactile sensations, and she travels freely throughout the world thanks to the reach of the Fractale system. Clain becomes her sole companion and guardian while they travel with Lost Millennium. Nessa's innocent worldview is surprisingly adorable, and her tendency to vanish and wreck electronic systems when she's upset is funny.

The animation for Fractale neatly glues together the pure and innocent atmosphere the show aims for. The fields and small towns the Lost Millennium occupy are out of Fractale's range, and the warm, lush color palette reflects the natural earthy tones that would be present in such a state of nature. The characters designs are simple and no one has gravity defying hairstyles. The show's intro is also visually stunning. At first I thought I was looking at various kaleidoscopic images, but it turns out that the intro is entirely composed of fractals, detailed images that endlessly repeat in mirror-like fashion. The show's Fractale system works the same way, the global network organized so that no matter where one is, there will be peace and societies will be free of maladies and fears.

I'll leave readers off with this: watch Fractale. There are positive and negative reviews on the show and both types bring up valid arguments, but if I can at least present readers with an opportunity to see an alternative anime experience then my job is complete. I don't expect anyone to fall madly in love with the series; walking away from Fractale with some tingly and inexplicable happiness inside is good enough.

* Fractale was produced by A-1 Pictures and Ordet.

- Elijah