RahXephon

RahXephon is another anime featuring giant robot things fighting each other, although it has a lot more in common with the trippy supernatural style of Neon Genesis Evangelion than the gritty realism of Mobile Suit Gundam. I almost feel like it's an improvement on Evangelion's formula, or at least its execution. It similarly likes to screw with your mind and slowly progress an overall plot while the main character finds a way to beat the monster of the week, but it also generally makes more sense. Until it comes to the end at least, because it's pretty easy to get lost at that point. It's the kind of show that rewards paying close attention and maybe even multiple watches, because there are lots of relatively important character details that are only vaguely hinted at.

A big part of the show is music, which is a weapon for the bad guys and a pretty constant theme. It plays into the story and develops the characters at all times, and the episodes are even called "movements". Recurring visual elements could even be considered leitmotifs. It's also pretty good looking, with nice designs on everything and pretty decent animation. The fighting is pretty good, although a little often there's just some gimmick that traps the protagonist for a while and everybody worries about him for a few minutes until he figures it out and wins instantly. As much as RahXephon's about magic robots fighting each other it's about the characters though, and that aspect is very well done. It tells a pretty good love story, and everything ties back nicely into the main plot. All the aspects come together for the finale, which is suitably confusing and insane enough for any good anime. I'm not sure why a lot of my favorite series tend to have similar subject matter, but I think it's just because they're genuinely good.