This anime series is one of the most interesting I have encountered in a long time. It, of course, suffers from all the usual "failings" of the genre, i. e. overacting and a significant distance from reality, etc., etc., but those are in actuality a part of the charm. However, the artwork is superior. There are almost too many characters to count and each one is extraordinarily well thought out and very detailed. They have to be because they are quite bizarre. The cast of characters is made up of humans and puppets and others who appear to be somewhere in-between, sort of cyborgs but not exactly. The story basically revolves around a young boy who is suddenly thrust into this world and finds himself fighting for survival without knowing any of the rules or reasons for what is going on. It is also a story of his maturation. To further complicate the story, the narrative fragments a good deal. If you remember the film The Saragossa Manuscript, a Polish film from 1965, a man finds a manuscript that tells the adventures of the writer. Part way into that story another man begins relating another narrative. Part way into that story another man begins relating another narrative, and so-on and so-on, until at one point I think I was trying to follow six or seven different narratives. This anime does not get that complicated but suffice it to say, there are layers upon layers of story. Add to this confusion the twist that the different characters in the different narratives look alike and you will understand that watching this series is challenging. Challenging but worth it. The following is not a spoiler. At the very end the entire cast of charact6ers appear on-screen in a magnificent curtain call. Then in the final image there is an empty circus ring, and as the lights dim you hear the "click" of the lights being turned out. Clever!
