Steins;Gate is one of the more powerful anime of the 21st century, in my opinion. The way it approaches time travel and our 'interpretation' of reality is, by far, its strongest trait. The subject of time travel is something that has been explored by many anime, books and movies before, yet somehow Steins;Gate breaths fresh air into the setting. It cannot be understated...this is anime is has little violence and few profanities....but it is overflowing with emotion. It will keep you guessing at every turn and is a real rollercoaster in the 'feelings' department.
The story follows a group of friends who discover a way to send messages back in time using a cell phone and a microwave. Rintarou Okabe, a self proclaimed mad-scientist, and his lab members are mankind's last hope in the desperate race of time travel. Once they discover the potential of the Phone-Microwave, they're quick to test it out. The messages they send, however, can affect the flow of time and have unforeseen consequences.
You develop a heavy attachment to the characters throughout the story. Their resident hacker named ' Daru', the sweet and innocent Mayuri, the nerdy assistant Kurisu and the madman himself, Okabe. Each of these characters posses strong individualities and each play significant roles in the story. The plot is thick and intricate and flowing with creativity...however, the first few episodes are very slow paced and it may deter some viewers. But I couldn't give the story and characters anything less than a perfect 10/10.
The art and animation, although not amazing/ faultless, does not detract from the story whatsoever. The voice acting is quite good in the English dub and is very suitable for Mr. Mad-Scientist, Okabe's, poetic ramblings.
Conclusion
You won't find another like it. If you're into blood, gore, fighting and swearing...I'm afraid you'll have to look elsewhere because all of these are absent. Although it may be difficult for younger viewers to entirely grasp the detail of the storyline. But for a well thought out adventure of mystery and emotion, look no further...Steins;Gate is the one.
Pro's
- Story/plot is amazing
- Characters are simply fantastic
- New concept of time travel
Con's
- Slow start (and I'm being picky here)
Final Rating: 8.9/10
Steins;Gate
5th of October 2015
Name: Steins;Gate
Episodes: 25
Air Date: April 6, 2011
Episode Length: 24 minutes
Produced By: Iwasa, Gaku
Rating: 13+