Casshern Sins: Anime Review

Title: Casshern Sins (Kyashān Sins)

Author: Yasuko Kobayashi

Director: Shigeyasu Yamauchi

Year: 2008

Upon starting Casshern Sins I was no stranger to the Casshern franchise, having seen both the live action adaptation Casshern (amazing) and the OVA Casshan: Robot Hunter (seizures). Casshern Sins is described as a remake of the original 1973 series Neo-Human Casshern, but from what I have discovered of that series, it is more of a re-imagining than a straight remake, differing in style, themes, premise and plot. The series essentially seems to be saying: forget that story, this one's better.

Set in a world which would fall squarely in the post-apocalyptic category, the story follows an amnesiac Casshern as he wanders aimlessly around the planet encountering characters who are more than eager to fill him in on his past deeds.

Amnesia can be a useful storytelling device when used correctly, and it is certainly used well in the early stages of this series. By having a character who has no knowledge or understanding of the world around them, supporting characters can explain the situation without this exposition feeling forced or contrived, therefore letting the audience in without being overly simplistic or patronising. This is especially useful in Casshern Sins, as the world is unrecognisable from our own; a huge open expanse of sand and detritus where a mass of desperate, struggling robots suffer from The Ruin, which in my understanding, seems to warrant the capitals.

It becomes apparent that before The Ruin, the humans and robots of the world, mostly robots, enjoyed eternal life, thanks to an individual named Luna, who is more ostentatiously known as The Sun That Is Called Moon, presumably for her life giving abilities. Early on, Casshern is confronted by individuals who claim that he killed Luna, and is thus responsible for the returned mortality of the robots. Though The Ruin manifests itself in a rust-based wasting disease rather than mortality as we would understand it. Their hatred for him is further set in concrete as he has become immortal and near enough invulnerable thanks to this 'sin'.

The ruin (horobi) is really hammered home in the first half of the series, which is essentially a long sequence of tangential episodes, linked tenuously by the appearance of Casshern and several other recurring characters, though the vast majority of prime characters in these tangential episodes never appear again. The pace of Casshern Sins is incredibly measured, which is a welcome departure from the hasty fervor of other series, though in these seemingly-unrelated episodes it can sometimes feel that the series is playing for time, rather than simply taking its time. Each one of these episodes certainly has a point to make, but it never seems to overly affect any of the main characters and it isn't the catalyst for any developemnt, which can make the series feel disjointed. There is also a tendency for characters to get into trouble only for Casshern to simply appear out of nowhere at the last second and save them. This is the worst kind of thoughtless and cliched deus ex machina, especially when used unjudiciously. Despite this however, the series does eventually find its feet spectacularly, and a consistent and gripping narrative does form.

One technique used to knit the series together is the sequence which occurs just before the opening titles, which is a broken sequence revealing tiny segments of the scene where Casshern kills Luna. These pieces beautifully illustrate Casshern regaining his memory and/or coming to terms with his actions, and also help to focus the series even during tangents.

Even through the opening episodes, however, there is a unique style and an overhauled design which could easily keep viewers enthralled. Rather than the fairly common design that was present in Casshan: Robot Hunter, or the grittiness that was present in the film adaptation, Casshern Sins errs on the side of the abstract and the surreal, though darkness is still heavily prevalent, as in the film, but Ruin is the order of the day after all. Despite this darkness however, the design of Casshern's suit is more cartoony than ever before, which is an outstandingly effective contrast to the destruction and ruin around him, as he stands in his skintight shocking-white costume, further emphasising his immortality/invulnerability in a world that is broken.

Though the design may have altered, it is still recognisable from its earlier incarnations, with the ludicrous helmet and the booster-jets on his hips still in place. The fighting style also remains constant, with overblown acrobatics and speed-of-light movements looking more like a dance of death than a battle. It is perhaps necessary to choreograph the battles in this way, as few characters in the series are anywhere near a match for Casshern, and he spends a vast amount of time pirouetting through swathes of robots to the accompaniment of subsequent explosions. Which is no bad thing. Anyone seeking nostalgia through the classic Casshern attacks such as the karate chop which splits an enemy cleanly down the middle, the tearing off of heads and also the impaling of enemies with his arm, will be more than satisfied. Although thankfully Casshern is no longer able to shoot a beam out of his helmet. There are limits to suspension of disbelief.

The soundtrack comprises of a set of masterful tracks by Kaoru Wada, and there isn't a moment I can recall where the soundtrack missed a step. There are a set of tracks which form the spine of the series, with other pieces used perfectly at opportune moments, such as to signal a change of mood or to support a point being made. The huge range of the soundtrack, from old school booming orchestral tracks to haunting wind-based pieces to a tastefully used vocal ballad, really flesh out the series, where every choice and placement of track is inspired, the music never becomes arbitrary. Disappointingly, for me at least, there is no place in the show for either version of the original theme Tatakae! Casshern, though given its epic-cheese nature it isn't really in the correct tone for the new-and-improved serious style. Luckily I can have them on repeat of my own free will. Isao Sasaki is my hero.

It is strange that in a series where the vast majority of characters are robots, its main focus of debate seems to be life and death, specifically the point of life, or what it means to be alive. Though perhaps by removing this debate from the realms of humanity as we understand it, and also setting up immortality as possible, the series is able to make more pointed observations on the nature of 'being alive'. A light-hearted fighty shounen romp this is not, and while the battle sequences are spectacular in and of themselves, I wouldn't suggest watching Casshern Sins purely on those grounds. The series aims to distance itself from thoughtless beat-em-ups, and though at times its arguments and conclusions can seem vague and muddled, I feel it succeeds in being an unusually human document on the aims of life.

If you seek mindless violence I would advise you to look elsewhere. However, if you want fuel for the robots in your brain, an incredibly sleek and stylish fuel in fact, I'd certainly recommend Casshern Sins. Bear in mind, however, that patience is a virtue.