Steins;Gate Review

In terms of plot, Steins; Gate is a remarkable accomplishment. It handles an interesting premise with an original and thought-provoking manner. As a time-travel-theory novice I can’t vouch for the accuracy of the physics involved, nevertheless the context is pretty heavy-going, enough to indicate the writers have a vague idea over the subject matter. Or at least enough to make the utterly absurd sound plausible i.e. the microwave that sends text messages to the past. Unfortunately this is one of the few drawbacks, the overtly technical side. Understandably it can be a bit overwhelming especially in the beginning and factoring in the speed at which things progress, it’s not easy to digest initially. 

Steins; Gate takes it time to introduce the cast, the setting and the science, all done to the anime’s credit, before plummeting full throttle into a magnificent thriller that becomes the focal point. Despite a relatively repetitive sequence of events (literally), the storyline itself does not become repetitive. Quite the opposite actually, it becomes grippingly addictive. This is in no small part due to the unravelling of the complex, multi-layered plot and the fascinating exploration of trying to twist it back together.

For the most part, the characters are crafted wonderfully. Okarin as the primary protagonist and self-proclaimed mad scientist experiences the most character development largely down to the emotional roller-coaster he endures and thus is the most three dimensional. Whereas his immediate companions, Mayuri and Daru are essentially stereotypes or stereotypes, yet are delightful enough. Kurisu the female protagonist and blatant love interest is a little more challenging. On the one hand her interactions with Okarin provide enjoyable conflict and on the other her personality weakens in the context of the backstory. However it’s the secondary cast, cat-girl and the girl-guy who are an eternal source of annoyance. At first I took them for throw away characters and I wasn’t strictly speaking wrong. As plot devices they’re integral, as characters they’re not.

All in all, Steins; Gate is an incredible feat, one that’s rarely seen these days. Yes, it’s not perfect, there are flaws primarily in the character department, but these are so minimal in comparison to the shows ultimate triumph, it practically re-writes the sci-fi genre. High recommendations.

Rating: 9/10