This Is Science and Dr.Pepper.. A Review of Steins Gate

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So what the hell is a Stein's Gate?? Well let's just say you will need to drink a lot of Dr.Pepper to figure this one out. Like most anime in this day and age It's adaption based off of a visual novel developed by 5pb and Nitroplus that our came out for the Xbox 360 on October 15th 2009. A PC version did come out a year later on August 26, 2010, which I am happy to announce, is getting a fan translation which will complete before the year is over. I also wish to add that Funimation added steins gate to their list for a domestic DVD/Bluray release. The anime is being done studio white fox which is a new comer to the stage on a project like this with music from Takeshi Abo

I do realize that the series nearly over now but hell I feel like it's better late than never to do the review for the series, also don't mind the publish date I just did a time-leap to do it is all. I will say one thing this series, based on the premise alone was enough to have me asking... What?? "Sending Text Messages To The Past" but it has blown my expectations out of the damn water, just like Clannad and Higurashi did when I first watched them. I will admit I didn't expect much from this series but it's what a good Sci-fi series should be. Also all of the roles in the series are filled by characters that actually look/act their age as well.

Behold AHAHAHAHAHA

Steins Gate revolves around our main lead Okabe Rintarō who quite frankly has to be one of the strangest male lead I have seen in a really long time. "Mainly his habit of talking on a cell-phone about the evil origination sern and drinking D.R. Pepper." The first episode starts off Okabe going to class about time travel with his child hood friend Mayuri Shiina who is off buying a coin slot item which she happens to loose by accident but it's worth a cool 100,000 Yen "Just how rare was that Item??"  Mean-while Okabe is debating the theory and relativity of time travel Kurisu Makise or CCCHHHRRRIIISSSTTIIINNNAAA as okabe calls her with his trad-mark laugh. Kurisu also happens to swear that she met Okabe fifteen minutes prior but he has no memory of it.. 

A little time passes and while going upstairs he finds that Kurisu has been stabbed covered in blood so he then texts one of the other male leads Hashida Itaru. After sending the text, everything get's all damn trippy where you see Okabe walking down the street alone even though he was just talking Mayuri. When Okabe awakens from this surreal dream he learns that the class room that he was hit by a huge satellite. It's later that Okabe discovers while he is talking to Itaru on a elevator that the texts he sent him about Kurisu was some-how sent a week ago. However the biggest mind-fu** at the end of the episode is the fact Kurisu is still alive and well, then that's it for the episode one.

So Tsun.. So Tsun..

I will admit that Steins Gate is a series that is really hard to follow, despite this flaw once you catch on to the main focus it's one of best series for 2011. The characters, story, they way it's being handled is just something I was not expecting for a series like this. Stein's Gate genially makes you care for each character, always keeps you guessing what's going to happen next and the twist they have done so far I didn't even some coming from a mile away. Another worthy note is the art style and music they choose for the series. Okabe himself looks like he really is an mad scientist with the beard and lab-coat, the focus on facial features for each characters and the back-ground are really above par as well.

One thing I love the most is the theory of time-travel the are using for this series. Mainly the use of world lines or the possibility of every small choice can change our outcome in life, even our gender if we are not careful enough. Small changes like this however are not enough to fully split the world in A to B lines. Something so drastic such to split the world lines for example what if “September 11^th never happened or if Y2K did affect our computers”. I personally sit around pondering these what if scenarios all the time.

It needs to be something to drastic that it changes everyone’s life not just yours. The other fascinating thing is that later on when a main character is killed; despite Okabe’s best efforts he can not change her fate. This is due in part that she is meant to die no matter what they would need something like I just mentioned to make sure it doesn’t keep re-occurring but at what cost?? This could be linked to a theory called the butterfly effect, however I don't have the time to explain that here and I am sure for many of you this theory is way over your head.

Now for a series being based off of visual novel can go either way and they really took the high ground with this one. The music is just wonderful with a great Op and Ed that still even personally give me chills every-time I see them. One funny thing to point out is the random product placement of Dr. Pepper in the series. Okabe loves to mention the fact that this soda/drink is only meant for high intellects such as him-self. Well I could go on and on about this series but there isn’t a point I just want to get this review out of my way. If you haven’t caught this show yet you really need to, it’s worth your time and you will not be disappointed.

Edit/Update: After completing the full series I wish to add it has one of the most satisfying endings that I have personally seen in a long time. Most if not all the questions are answered and doesn't leave any logic error's lingering around. There is also an ova floating around the net that adds a little more to the series but nothing major. I do hope however that funimation will have this along with their release later next year.

Stein's Gate ED The Twelve Time-Governing Covenants

Age Rating 16+

Animation 5/5

Story 5/5

Music 5/5

Characters 5/5

Overall Rating 5/5 "PERFECT"

-Cecil the Dark Knight

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