"I think Texhnolyze is an important work because it's *against* nihilism." I think I see the point you're trying to make here, but because of the wording I'll have to maybe disagree with this. Texhnolyze is about how humanity can choose meaning and what's important to them in spite of the undeniable emptiness of this ultimately meaningless existence, and that it's simply your choice to embrace the fact that the principals which we live by, the pillars that support the foundations of our beliefs are subjective. That objectively there is no meaning in this universe, but that doesn't mean we can't find happiness while embracing this reality in our minds. Let me explain. The characters of Texhnolyze all strive towards their ideals and dreams for the future. Yoshii is a standout example of a character who was so driven by his goals that he even told Ran, a literal oracle, not to tell him how he'd die. He wanted to live by his pursuits and beliefs, and despite dying without fulfilling his goals, he goes out with a smile. Ichise is another standout, and someone who I'd say is the other side of the coin. He is someone without a goal, no real ideal to believe in, he doesn't contemplate the meaning of life the way Yoshii does, and he doesn't actively hurt people if they haven't already hurt him first. His goal is primordial: wanting to live and not be killed. But he finds something to cling onto. For Yoshii it was this idea of progress and igniting a fire within Lux by kick-starting an all out war. But Ichise has always chosen something less high minded and more personal: his loved ones and the people he cares for. The memory of his mother (he clings to her cells and is devastated when he finds out that Doc threw them away), Onishi for giving him structure and treating him like a human being, and Ran for saving him from the sewers and showing him kindness. By the end of his life he is alone, but sees a projection of a flower, one that reminds him of Ran, someone who he became strongly bonded to. It's just a projection, however, and he ultimately dies; but he goes out with a smile. He reaches oblivion, and the memory of his time with Ran has no meaning in an objective sense as he still would have died with or without it, but he ultimately finds peace because of the comfort it brings to him. This flower, this projection, is the whole point of the story: that what we feel, what we believe, has no objective meaning, but it still brings us joy, makes us capable of doing impossible things that shape the lives of ourselves and those around us. Yoshii and Ichise have seen the meaninglessness of this world and they managed to cling to something they believed in. Ideals might not be real in a tangible sense, and everybody dies in the end, but our feelings are real, our beliefs and what we project onto the world is what shapes our very lives and is what makes it worth living. So Texhnolyze is absolutely about Nihilism, but it isn't about giving up because of it. Texhnolyze is both a warning against those who give up too easily, and a declaration of defiance against the void we were born in. What we feel, what we project, that's what matters. Ran and Ichise's relationship was a rare one, one that was located in a city where relationships between husband and wife, father and son, for examples, were twisted and disturbing. But Ran and Ichise had a familial bond between them that wanted to embrace the good that the other could share unselfishly and without a secret desire to stab the other in the back, and in this type of setting? That kind of love was sorely needed. And that's why it meant something, despite everything.

the show has such an insane bait and switch pay off when the main characters get to the surface. honestly, I keep thinking about that all the time since I last watched 2 years ago.

"Yoshi's art is death. He's about to paint his masterpiece."

An underrated masterpiece. Chiaki Konaka's magnum opus

I also think the separation of good and evil is a strong point here.. both sides have dissolved without the other.. a good commentary on why our world continues to progress with both.. the over-sterilization or overly destructive paths are a sure fire way to end our reality. The natural balance is necessary for life to continue in this reality.

I loved how texhnolyze is sometimes so dream like and other times so raw and real.

Thank you so so much for this video (and your other videos). Understanding deeper meanings behind a plot/characters has always been hard for me, but it's thanks to storytellers like you who can break down 20+ episodes that I can go back, rewatch, and try to have a different reaction. TY!

You describe the show's atmosphere perfectly.

Probably the best analysis I've ever watched, thank you so much for making this video.

Finished this last night. Embodiment of bitter sweet. The vagueness allows you to fill in the blanks in your head, or to rewatch it to compare and contast. There's a handful of very important "scenes" that only spand a few seconds, and if you're not fully engaged you will miss them even as you're watching. Episodes 1-5 are brutally slow, 6-17 are normal paced, and 18-22 are where a lot of it all starts to make sense. The music and artwork in the final stretch when they get to the village on the hill already sets the tone of what's to come before you acknowledge what's going to happen, at least for me it did. Its hard to call this good or bad, they're both subjeive. If you want to watch something to be visually entertained then this is certainly not for you. If you want to watch something that has you questioning every scene and keeps you searching for the answer, this is likely what you're looking for. Its only as good as you allow it to be.

Thank you for this video. Texchonolyze is such an interesting anime

Great overview video man. Texhnolyze is an absolutely bleak and brutal tragedy, and I appreciate you pointing out the qualities and archetypes of the different characters.

Texhnolyze put me in a life crisis that I can’t get out of to this day

I was always annoyed that this show is depicted to people as depressing. This show was uplifting despite it's tragic ending. Yes it can be depressing but if that is all you take out of it then your clearly missing the main message. Human beings are so amazing because we always want to survive and move on and can find the will in all our own meanings.

This was a really good video, thank you for this

finally a best analysis thank you ❤️

Great analysis, many of these went over my head, I guess I'm not really the smartest person and still need to experience and think about life a little more, either way, this video really heightened Texhnolyze for me, thank you!

This is a well thought out analysis, definitely got something out of that. There's other things about Texhnolyze that deserve to be explored in addition to this, such as Ran being revealed as "the voice of the city", or the whole story of why and how the founders of Lux were sent/came underground... A lot to think about! Cheers dude

Good job man. I gotta rewatch this some day

I've just finished it i can't even rate it for it's complexity

Amazing vid and ty.

For some reason it puts me in mind that the writer of the series had read the book"The Outsider", think was a influence for Onishi

Just finished the anime. It wasn't for me, but I want to understand it as much as I can before coming to a final conclusion. Hope this video helps

Amazing video, that was really interesting.

Great analysis! I think this gets to some important elements of the show without over-reading or getting too abstract like some other analyses.

Thank you I mean it.

Great video!

Yoooo I heard that hollow knight music

Most depressing Anime I’ve ever seen but for some strange reason I wanted to finish the whole show like it kept me interested in the next episode no matter how horrible the atmosphere & depressing it was

Nice Actually very nice 👍

Yo man, I don't know if you ever get this. But you sound a lot like Mike pondsmith (the creator of cyberpunk)

Watching this anime made me question why some people pour milk before cereal

Finally sat down and watched it, damn it's gotta be the bleakest anime I've ever seen

You sum up the nihilism idea pretty well actually 17:20 , at least one aspect or interpretation.

I think this is a great analysis on the whole so I don’t really want to give you too hard of a time, but I don’t think you really understand nihilism. Now to be fair most people do assume it means that there is no use in trying to live or do anything in life, but it’s rather the opposite in many ways. In the absence of god and therefore any divine or “objective” intrinsic meaning to life, it’s up to the individual to imbue life with their own meaning. Also regarding nihilism, I feel like Yoshii in some ways represents an Übermensch type figure, doing what he feels is necessary regardless of traditional ethics. Whether he believes himself to be above them or simply disregards them in service of sadism, I feel like there could be something there either way perhaps. Anyway great vid! Texhnolyze is definitely one of the most interesting anime to discuss and analyze that I’ve ever seen personally.

this is one of those shows where I respect what it does well but didn't enjoy it at all. It tells a great story but not caring if the audience enjoys it isn't a virtue and overall makes it a far lesser experience. I don't have a problem with slow pacing as anime like monster have slow pacing but are told masterfully as their pacing is slow, but they don't waste a second of their time to develop their themes and characters while in texhnolyze it feels very much like it intentionally wastes your time mainly with the first third. The five or so episodes where the show has the breathing and panting arc really just felt like they were attempting to pretentiously make the show seem as if it were artistic and sophisticated by barely having any dialogue or significant plot progression. It's a shame as for the rest of the show it is great, but they waste so much time that by that point it's hard to care nearly as much as I would have otherwise