In the near future, humans have discovered a fourth dimension, Dimension W, and a supposedly infinite source of energy within. In order to harness this profound new energy, mankind develops advanced "coils," devices that link to and use the power of Dimension W. However, by year 2071, the New Tesla Energy corporation has monopolized the energy industry with coils, soon leading to the illegal distribution of unofficial coils that begin flooding the markets.
Kyouma Mabuchi is an ex-soldier who is wary of all coil-based technology to the extent that he still drives a gas-powered car. Kyouma is a "Collector," individuals with the sole duty of hunting down illegal coils in exchange for money. What started out as just any other mission is turned on its head when he bumps into Mira Yurizaki, an android with a connection to the "father" of coils. When a series of strange events begin to take place, these two unlikely allies band together to uncover the mysteries of Dimension W.
[Written by MAL Rewrite]
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Comentários
2LongDidntReview
*Spoilers will exist to explain why this show is great* Story: 8 Now some of you have heard that time is considered part of the fourth dimension, but what if you were told that there is a dimension that contains all of the possibilities in the world? This is basically what the story is based on. The anime does not explain the mechanics of Dimension W too deeply, but it explores it enough to give us an understanding of what it's trying to convey, such as when coils go haywire and Dimension W manifests in the real world, or when the characters are able to enter Dimension Wand see all the possibilities. However, the actual use of Dimension W is a bit superficial outside of that. Everything just mainly revolves around coils and the 'possibilities' get shoved back as more of a nominal thing. So in the end the actual usage and exploration of 'possibilities' was a bit minimal, and may have become more of just a theme to a battle story with some cute moments.
And as good as the combat was, it seemed a little odd at times. Mabuchi seems to just freely throw out however many dart things as he likes, while being able to wire them so he can perform spiderman or AOT style swings and climbs as he wishes, along with the fact that they can also act as some sort of snare. There wasn't any moment where he ran out of darts or was in any particular danger due to his choice of weaponry which kind of made him a bit of an immortal god of sorts.
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Art: 9
In regards to the art, it was very well done, especially the characters. They stood out well and were designed quite differently. Mira was consistently cute, Mabuchi maintained his gruffness, Loser maintained his enigma while Lasithi was designed quite sexily. The use of colour was appropriate to the moment, though backgrounds would occasionally look quite bland.
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Character: 9
As for the characters, I did want to give it a 10, but the only thing that ruined it was the main antagonist, Haruka Seameyer. He was just a little too cliched with his insanity and cruelty. He just didn't feel unique enough as an antagonist for me to really be drawn to him and to actually hate him for his existence (like Joffrey in Game of Thrones).
However, setting aside the antagonist, Mabuchi Kyoma is quite the likeable character. He's strong and independent (not clinging to friendship nonsense), and has a cool attitude but with a sad history.
Whilst Mira is the lovable female MC who's a robot with a full human personality. She cries, blushes, and even expresses pain. She's funny, cute and most of all, has a consistent character.
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Sound: 9
The voice acting in this was also great. Mabuchi has a cool, deep and slightly apathetic voice that suits the character and helps set him apart from everyone else, while Mira has an appropriately feminine and cutesy voice which greatly complements the character.
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Enjoyment: 10
Overall: 9
Overall, I really liked this show. Maybe I'm biased towards shows that can have a consistently cute girl and who isn't annoying or out of place. Mira is not your damsel in distress, but an actual partner to Mabuchi, which I feel really helped with me giving this show such a high score. And I definitely hope to hear more of her voice in future titles.
*Some further spoilers and personal inputs on what could have made this show even greater*
There was a line in the last few episodes that really helped bring the logic of the world and the coils together, which was: "Possibilities can be predicted and explained but not observed, that is because once it is observed, it is no longer the possibility but the result. I.e. Schrodinger's cat." or something to that effect.
This line alone is what could have made this show all the more interesting. Somehow manipulating Dimension W to bring about a favoured possibility which results in the defeat of the final boss. Maybe the anime studio ran out of time, maybe the author just wasn't ready for such a complex story. They had the opportunity to utilise it through Genesis, but ultimately removed it by 'destroying' Genesis.
Without actually exploring the fundamental concept of possibilities which links the entire story together, the show was prevented from being unique and instead became another battle story with just a different theme, much like Bleach, Naruto or Fairy Tail.
Stark700
Watching Dimension W makes me feel a bit like my childhood days. I’d watch some random anime on TV with my friends on Toonami and we’d make jokes about the story, characters, artwork, and every other funny thing going on. Dimension W isn’t a funny story but it does have the feel of a show that’s aimed at the Western audience. And furthermore, it takes place in a fictional world in the future so there’s tons of potential. Dimension W capitalizes on those potentials and makes this show not just fun but an insightful experience. Calling Dimension W another stereotypical sci-fi action flick would be injusticeas the series explores quite a bit based on its premise. The show is directed by Kanta Kamei with Aketagawa Jin as the sound producer and produced by Studio 3Hz and Orange. It’s noticeable that Funimation is the co-committee of this series as well to bring their talent into the mix. For those who have seen Darker than Black, you may find the show has a familiar vibe in terms of character design. The interesting part is how Dimension W focuses on its own story and despite not being too refreshing for its ideas, it’s very a high dose of popcorn entertainment.
The story takes place in a fictional world in the future. By 2071, humanity began using a source of energy that can last forever for their planet. Through influence of the fourth dimension, they are able to harness energy in the form of objects known as “coils”. Coils are manufactured by New Tesla, an energy company that uses them for profit. However, they also private firms and groups that uses illegal coils for their own purposes. The show introduces Kyouma, a collector who has a hatred for coils. His adventures takes him to all sort of places including his meeting with a peculiar robot girl, Mira. Get the picture here? Any fan of sci-fi should feel intrigued because of the amount of world building with the show. Indeed, Dimension W does a good job by building up its fictional world and constructing it concepts with interesting details. The imaginary setting of Dimension W introduces many concepts including its rich history, society, and technological advancements. As such, getting into this show allows the viewers to appreciate the ideas of the creator.
In general, the plot is about Kyouma, a collector who despises coils. There’s actually a credible reason for this as explored in later episodes through background storytelling. His encounter with Mira is a bit odd however. Essentially and for most of the series, he is indifferent about her presence and often calls her names like “junk” and “useless robot”. Despite that, there’s a growing chemistry between the two. Mira is also a character that will spark interest because of her very human behavior. She is a robot but displays a lot of personality as if she is an ordinary girl. Throughout the show, we can see that she wants to help people and her partnership with Kyouma leads her to do selfless deeds. Kyouma is portrayed more as the guy who wants to get the job done and lives life like a simple man with a love for vintage cars but hate for coils. His fighting skills is fairly impressive and is able to fight on par with cyborgs, coil enhanced mechanisms, and even multiple enemies at once. Add a bit of his driving skills and it’s easy to see that Kyouma is the badass everyman.
When watching the show, I noticed some trends about the plot structure. It focuses on society and explores Kyouma’s daily adventures. At first, some of his cases really shows more than what he does in everyday life. However, subsequent episodes introduces other ways at how Dimension W’s world works. There’s also murder mystery, cyber-punk themes, and how events from the past connects with the story in the present. The show also introduce Numbers and their presence really exposes the dangers of coils. Background storytelling is also incorporated into the show that explores Kyouma and other characters’ pasts. Unfortunately, the series is only one cour of 12 episodes while the manga has at least 9 volumes. Get the idea? Expect a lot of cuts with certain side characters and certain rush of the story to get to specific arcs. Characters like Elizabeth, Albert, and other many of the minor villains get some spotlights but not much characterization. As one of the downsides, Dimension W’s adaptation content may be a disappointment for manga fans.
Despite that, I think the show is still very entertaining for its characters. Then, there’s a lot about the Dimension W universe that is intriguing. We get to see how androids interact, the world fiction of Dimension W’s technological aspects (coils, numbers, machinery, etc), and the show even has some pretty solid action. Kyouma’s a legitimate badass and he has little patience for evildoers. Similarly, the show has both a comedic and serious feel. The comedic moments are timed right especially through the interactions between Kyouma and Mira. In addition, the series rarely tries to exploit its shock values to entertain the fans but rather with its own merits.
The art style of Dimension W tends to have a very scientific feel. Character designs are also neat and will remind anyone of Darker than Black. Kyouma reminds me of a lone wolf detective and bounty hunter that came out of a classic movie. Meanwhile, Mira has the appearance of a young girl with robotic characteristics. (see that cute little mechanical tail?) The sci-fi backgrounds and technology also looks credible and advanced enough to be set in its timeline. The gadgets of the show and other robotic designs have a fair amount of details to further make its world building look believable. There’s even a bit of artistic enhancement with creative shade coloring at many noticeable scenes. Fan service is fairly minimal although there are a few times when the camera likes to shine on Mira. The real fan service is the action delivered right to your face.
Soundtrack is solid especially when Kyouma is on a mission involving him collecting illegal coils. It’s eerie, energetic, and portrays science fiction with theatrics. In addition, I appreciate how Kyouma’s voice sounds as a mature adult rather than some kid out of high school. On the other hand, Mira’s voice can sound a bit bratty so fans will have to get used to that. Luckily, you will be rewarded with the very creative OP song. Performed by STEREO DIVE FOUNDATION, it’s very colorful with the dancing, full throttle action, and creative coloring. OST and music is just as impressive and shows that the creators cares a lot about their work.
Dimension W is a show that I think anyone can watch with something to talk about towards the end. Whether it’s the world building, storytelling, characterization, or technical art/music/soundtrack style, the show is a lot of fun. It lives up to what it tries to do despite cutting content from the original manga. As most series in modern years, it’s not very original and still borrows a lot of ideas from other sci-fi works. However, Dimension W still embraces the sci-fi genre and shows that it can be unique in its own way.
lawlmartz
If there's one anime this season that went unnoticed, unhyped, and maybe even unfairly underrated, it's Dimension W. While not the flashiest, and certainly not the most outstanding anime- DimW has one thing going for it: it's original. Sidestepping the trappings and tropes that seem to permeate modern anime, and instead embracing a groovy sci-fi near future with androids, flying cars, giant robots, and more- this one was a definite breath of fresh air. Produced by Studio 3Hz, apparently a very new studio, with literally one credit to their name, the animation and art aren't anything special, but neither are they completely uninspired. It's abit on the low budget side compared to some modern shows, but fluid and frenetic action coupled with some stylized CG made it very watchable. Similarly, voice acting is handled competently, and the music fits well, adding accents or enhancement to the mood when necessary.
The nearly infinite, but unstable energy source that the show is named for takes a front and center position in the plot- weaving a narrative around the creation of "coils", which as essentially batteries that can access the 4th dimension, a plane of existence where possibility is endless, and is tapped into as a source of energy. Everything takes coils: the robots, cars, computers, and nearly the entire world run on this limitless supply of energy.
Kyouma Mabuchi, our main character, is essentially a luddite in this techno world of Dimension W. He works essentially as a mercenary, collecting special types of highly unstable coils which can create massive rifts in space/time, and generally screw up everything, including sucking people into the energy black hole it forms. In return, he gets paid in things like gasoline (a scarce commodity in this future-world) and parts for his "antique" cars.
Kyouma's dislike for coils, robots, and essentially anything technological puts him at odds with the technologically obsessed world he lives in- in a sort of "born in the wrong generation" way. His rugged, tough guy, and often rude demeanor are offputting to most people he meets, but he's dependable to get stuff done when it needs doing.
The premise of the show is a fairly basic revenge tale, but this isn't immediately apparent, even through the first half of the show. The first section with Kyouma taking various jobs from his boss serves mostly as a semi-episodic adventure, introducing all the myriad characters, and then neatly segues into a long term plot. Without saying too much- there's a very collectible coil situated in a very dangerous area out in the Pacific ocean- one that is worth a lot of money, and none of the "collectors" (people like Kyouma who hunt coils for a living) can pass up. In a sort of "Mewtwo Strikes Back" kind of way- this alluring prize on an island in an old lab turns out to be more dangerous than any of the collectors can handle. They gather, each with their own goals and reasons for doing so- whether to use the money to help a decimated country, for personal greed, revenge, or just to satisfy bloodthirst, and this sets the stage for a battle royale of wits and wills. At times though, the show seems to lose sight of what it was going for- getting sidetracked on what are seemingly one off adventures that mostly end in Kyouma questioning something about himself, but not actually creating any new development.
The show has quite a large cast to be as short as it is, but this isn't all great, as many characters are relegated to first string bench warmer status, and play little to no role, especially later on. It does, however, do a fair job of returning to important moments from previous scenes, and wrapping things that seemed like dead ends up.
Kyouma's motivation for his job and raison d'etre are both explored at length. Finally, a show with a non-insert main character who actually has both tangible goals and reasons for why they do what they do. In his own angry-at-the-world way, Kyouma struggles against his inner demons, for love lost, his survivor's guilt, and the purpose of his continued existence in a world he no longer cares about. Cynical, hardened, and rather rage-filled, he makes for an interesting character who doesn't need anyone but himself, and honestly doesn't really care if people around him get hurt or killed. While not entirely heartless, he's a pretty cold and stoic character focused almost solely on his revenge. This isn't revealed immediately, but as we learn more about the character, we slowly begin to understand the obsession that eats at him.
In finishing, Dimension W was a nice change of pace this season- with a very action oriented show that wasn't preachy or pretentious in presentation, satisfying, and most importantly: unique. It's not a mystery, and it's not a pure shonen battle- it's got just the right amount of spice to keep things interesting, moving, and fresh. I don't think there are too many anime that couldn't benefit from longer to flesh out their ideas and really explore characters and plots, but Dimension W is just about right at 12 episodes. Any less would have felt extremely rushed, and any more would have unnecessarily dragged it out. A shallow anime that's enjoyable enough? Sleeper anime of the season? That's for you to decide.
As always, come rage at me, or say something nice. I don't care.
TheAnimeToast
Dimension W, definitely the best thing Studio 3Hz has made so far. Dimension W is a very episodic road trip-ish anime about a dude who is essentially a bounty hunter and a robot girl who gets stuck with him. Pretty standard setup for an action show with some fancy visuals. It's not without its flaws but if that sounded interesting to you it might be worth a watch. --Full review: minor spoilers ahead -Presentation(visuals & sound) Dimension W has some well used CGI, though sometimes it can still stand out a bit too much.The backgrounds are well made, the CGI never felt choppy, and I like the character designs.
I've heard from some people that this is their favorite OP of the season, but it just sounded like pretty generic electro to me.
Same thing with the ED, not saying they're bad but I've heard better.
Overall the animation is just very fluid, colorful and nice to look at.
-Story
Dimension W is very arch based and starts with what I would call a very bad first episode, it's essentially just a setup for the next episode.
If you plan on giving Dimension W a go, then make sure you watch two episodes before deciding if you're going to complete it.
The second episode is much stronger, and introduces one of the recurring characters, Loser (yes they actually call him that).
There's one more episode that just felt like mostly boring info dumping, but that doesn't come until later on.
And even with the info dumping by the characters this is how I understand the coils: wibbly wobbly timey wimey, realities inside of coils.
Based on the premise I thought this show would comment on fossil fuel usage, but I didn't really hear much of that at all, for the better or worse.
For the sake of explanation I'm going to mention that the coils can essentially provide infinite energy, meaning they can do pretty much anything.
The author clearly had fun with this, maybe a bit too much since sometimes it feels like whatever happens the author basically pulled out of his ass.
Not that it matters too much since it's excused and explained and the story isn't super important here.
One more gripe I have with the story is how the characters backstories are explained almost entirely in flashbacks, come on can't you figure out something more creative?
Otherwise the story is interesting enough.
The ending is conclusive enough, definitely not just a read the manga ending.
-Characters
Probably the best or the second best thing about the show, depending on how much you appreciate the animation.
For once we don't have a completely bland main character, Mabuchi Kyouma is a person who dresses in traditional clothes and hates coils.
Minor note that I don't particularly like the fact that Kyoma does his fighting with throwing knives, it tends to make for poor battle choreography.
Though the choreography is still better than average.
He has a fairly extensive backstory that I won't spoil.
Yurizaki Mira is Kyoma's robot partner who is extremely strong and can detect coils.
Their dynamic was quite fun to watch, and mira is also given an okay backstory.
Other than that due to the Nature of the show there aren't that many interesting recurring characters aside from Loser
But what is there is pretty good.
-Overall
It might sound a bit harsh to only give Dimension W a 6/10 but there are many shows just like it, and outside of the premise
dimension W doesn't have much to distinguish itself with.
And on top of that it wasn't really my type of a show to begin with.
The narrative can feel a bit choppy at times.
Characters didn't get much development because the show was busy just establishing them in 12 episodes.
The visuals aren't without a few hiccups and the music used wasn't really my thing either.
I could still recommend Dimension W to someone who likes futuristic action shows.
Gridfire
Dimension W was billed as one of this season's shows with the potential to really appeal to a western audience. On the surface it does share some of the elements that tend to get a bit more attention from action-starved overseas fans. A cyberpunk setting, a sci-fi thriller plotline, and a no-nonsense masculine lead in Mabuchi Kyouma. The latter is a near-future Luddite. Dimension W is set in a world where everything is powered by devices called 'coils' which tap into a hypothetical fourth dimension for unlimited energy. Kyouma despises the contraptions, symbolically driving a gasoline-fuelled car when the rest of the population has switchedto electric vehicles. The coils are administered by an uber-powerful corporation called New Tesla, and yes, the very predictable routes of corporate corruption will be explored, beating that horse just a few more times as it barely wheezes a neigh.
So the punchline is that Dimension W isn't that good, but how could an anime with such a cool setting be so mediocre? Well, let's start with the setting. It actually sucks. A few episodes start with a synopsis that pisses in the face of Albert Einstein, where dimension w is shown on a cartesian x-y-z graph as a line parallel and opposite to the x-axis. A keen observer might notice this is actually the negative-x axis, but the laziness doesn't end there (by the way, E=mc^2 is only the non-relativistic component). Apparently the energy from dimension negative-x is distributed amongst the populace via a network of 60 control towers, and that's not the only big number used to give an illusion of complexity where there is none. Also, apparently New Tesla just straight up murdered the wife and child of their most important inventor, and if there was an actually legitimate reason for this to be at all plausible, I've completely forgot it.
That important inventor, Professor Yurizaki, has developed a robot called Mira that mimics human emotions, who due to a series of goofy hijinks, teams up with Kyouma in his job to hunt illegal coils, which aren't regulated by Megagoogle. Her name is Mira and sure enough she's the best character is the series. Cute, while also having genuine agency in the story. The dynamic between her and Kyouma is great fun, so of course the more screen-time she gets, preferably along with Kyouma, the better this show turns out. Well, more than half of the series is taken up by Kyouma's character arc, where she spends a lot of time as a supporting role. Whoopsie!
It's a shame in fact, because Dimension W starts off okay. As overwrought and uninspired as the setting is, it can at least serve as a template for some interesting episodic stories. That describes the first five episodes. The latter seven episodes comprise the aforementioned character arc, and boy if the series doesn't squander its potential in them. One thing I've noticed with one-cour series is that they usually tend to do best when they focus on a cast of four or five key characters, while not getting too distracted by side characters that can be interesting but should nonetheless remain on the shelf most of the time. The alternative is having a good story, which at the moment is an ambitious expectation.
The last half of this series does neither. Many different parties participate in a search for a macguffin, and so the focus of the plot is immediately split between the motivations and backstories of these parties. This is such a waste of time, when time is of the essence in the one-cour format. Do you care about the stereotypical African prince, or the mysterious phantom thief Loser, or the downtrodden villain who's shoehorned into the plot out of nowhere? Of course not, but Dimension W shoves every hackneyed detail of these characters down your gullet.
Granted, if the series kept up the episodic structure, it still wouldn't be good. The underlying flaws in the setting preclude any attempt to really take itself seriously. But it would have at least had variety going for it. Alas, this show is simply following the broad structure of the manga.
At least it looks good. The character designs are on point and blend in well with the style of the backgrounds. Both use a fairly wide color palette that is tamed by avoiding over-saturation. The quality of the drawings doesn't deteriorate much, and the animation quality is above average, although the CG robots are as unwelcome as ever. Wait for Flip Flappers for an exhibition of what Studio 3Hz may really be capable of.
So ultimately, Dimension W was just boring. Its source material is crap and it doesn't make any effort to spice it up.
Zuit
Dimension W is an anime that stands out as a hidden gem within the vast landscape of the genre. Underrated and often overlooked, it offers a refreshing blend of science fiction, action, and mystery that captivates viewers from the very beginning. With its intriguing concept and well-executed storyline, it deserves recognition for its unique take on the futuristic world it presents. Set in a not-too-distant future, Dimension W revolves around the existence of "coils," devices capable of harnessing unlimited energy from a parallel dimension called "Dimension W." However, as humanity grows dependent on these coils, a darker side of this newfound power emerges. The story followsKyoma Mabuchi, a skilled bounty hunter with a deep mistrust for coils, as he gets entangled in a conspiracy that threatens the delicate balance between dimensions.
One of the anime's greatest strengths lies in its world-building. It presents a visually stunning and meticulously crafted universe that effortlessly blends the familiar with the extraordinary. The animation is consistently polished, showcasing vibrant landscapes, detailed character designs, and fluid action sequences. The artistic direction is complemented by a fitting soundtrack that enhances the atmosphere and adds depth to the overall viewing experience.
The characters are well-rounded and memorable. Kyoma Mabuchi, the stoic and determined protagonist, undergoes substantial growth throughout the series as he confronts his own past and unravels the mysteries surrounding the coils. The introduction of Mira Yurizaki, an android with human-like emotions, brings a layer of complexity to the narrative, as she becomes an unexpected ally to Kyoma. The interactions and dynamics between the characters are engaging and contribute to the overall sense of intrigue.
While the plot may seem complex at times, it maintains a steady pace and keeps viewers on their toes with its intriguing plot twists and revelations. The anime skillfully balances action-packed sequences with quieter, more contemplative moments, allowing for character development and exploration of deeper themes.
Furthermore, it delves into thought-provoking ideas such as the ethical implications of technological advancements, the consequences of unchecked human ambition, and the nature of humanity itself. These themes are subtly woven into the narrative, making viewers reflect on their own relationship with technology and the potential ramifications of its misuse.
However, Dimension W is not without its flaws. Some viewers may find certain plot points or character arcs to be underdeveloped or rushed, leaving room for additional exploration. Additionally, the series concludes with a sense of open-endedness, leaving several questions unanswered. While this may be frustrating for some, it also invites speculation and allows for personal interpretation.
Markezzo
The story of Dimension W takes place in a world where humanity has attained unlimited energy, reshaping the foundation of our daily lives, raising the bar for what is possible for us to achieve. With an interesting premise and the promise of sci-fi action the anime catches your eye easily. The artwork of the series remains flashy and slightly stylized through the whole experience, even when it obviously cuts a few corners. Sometimes the backgrounds will vanish for example, but rather than hide it, Dimension W makes it their greeting card, turning a weakness into a recognizable trait. Sadly enough, when I reached the end of theseries, I couldn't help but feel it ended up a mess. At some point, the series simply lost focus and fell under the pressure of its own potential. What I mean by that is that the setting, story, and characters, are being pulled in so many directions that you can't get a sense of what it wants to be. It lays out its premise very clearly - 'What if humanity had unlimited energy?' - yet it never focuses on exploring this concept. Instead it brings in tropes from countless other animes and classic stories, and then tries to push it all into a blender. Examples would include the master thief that announces where he'll strike next, and ghosts living at a mysterious rural mansion. Neither of those examples seem to fit into a sci-fi setting.
I was very happy to see some actual variety in the cast, showing a wide array of personalities, backgrounds, and nationalities. It's not every day that you see African characters portrayed in anime, and on top of it, playing roles that are important to the story. The show manages to make the world seem connected by doing this.
But what about our main leads? First there is Kyoma, the brooding version of Sakata Gintoki, a veteran soldier who's haunted by his past and refuses to fight with modern weaponry. Secondly there is Mira, the sexier version of Pinocchio, the robot with a heart of gold that looks at the world like a naïve child. They form a dynamic duo that's fun to watch, but since the anime doesn't have time to delve too deep into them there is still a lot of untapped potential.
To summarize, Dimension W is a series that will disappoint those who are looking for a strict sci-fi story, but might just barely entertain those who just want a bit of action.
BanjoTheBear
(This review has been adapted from my blog/reddit thread. Spoilers ahead!) When I was a kid, I would play video games so much that I had to constantly beg my parents to keep a reserve of batteries in the house. We actually stashed them in the refrigerator, believing that having them at a colder temperature would somehow make them last longer. Whether or not that’s true, though, I cannot say. What I can say is that Dimension W needed to replace its own batteries at some point but never got the memo. STORY Dimension W follows Kyouma, a man with a deep resentment for Coils. Coils are a newfoundtechnology that tap into the ominous fourth-dimension – named Dimension W – allowing for, as its founder would describe, “unlimited energy.”
While not technically true, Dimension W has two halves: the first five episodes and the last seven episodes.
The first five episodes do a nice job of presenting necessary information. The concept of Coils, the society built around the devices, and the futuristic setting are laid out. Mira, a unique cyborg, makes for a cute yet purposeful companion. And the importance of the so-called Numbers is made known. All within just the first two episodes.
Episode three is more character oriented, but episodes four and five are more relevant narratively. Episode four includes an interesting setting relative to the one given prior, and episode five introduces the idea that Numbers allow for a myriad of possibilities – an important detail for later.
Then the rest of the anime happens.
Where the first five episodes were spread out in terms of focus, the last half of the anime hones in on one specific plotline: Easter Island. With the change in focus comes a drastic change in scale. Before, breaking into a museum, playing with a bunch of kids, and investigating a spooky mansion were as grandiose as the anime got. Afterwards, threats of global destruction, the end goal of the different cast members, and the political and violent direction each inflate the scale beyond what feels reasonable.
Simultaneously, the anime tries and fails to introduce new narrative elements. Different villains that are either too silly or improperly explored join the fray. Random ideas, like a floating ball of energy or Mira moving through Kyouma’s subconscious, are difficult to accept even with all of the concurrent pseudoscience. Even certain plotlines, such as the bureaucracy finding out about Mira’s true origins, are discarded, making the anime come off as forgetful.
In order to present a lot of this information, the anime relies on heavy exposition. Characters spill their thoughts through long-winded monologues. And thematic subtlety is traded for heavy-handed explanations, telling rather than showing its messages.
Nevertheless, these themes are surprisingly complex: immutable history, acceptance of reality, and indeterminism.
In Dimension W, many of the episodes focus on the past. Kyouma’s life and wife are presented entirely through flashback. The same happens for many of the events in the last half of the anime – how Kyouma came to acquire Genesis, what drove Seameyer to go insane, and so on. In a way, the anime demonstrates that the past cannot be changed. I.e., history is immutable.
Along the same lines, the show pushes the idea that people have to accept this given reality. Both Kyouma and Salva refuse to acknowledge their pasts. For them (and anyone), it’s something that sticks no matter how much they may forget or not want to remember.
Yet that does not mean what is to come is predetermined. For while the past cannot be changed, and the present must be accepted, the future has no such rules. The possibilities are endless. Mira does not have to sacrifice herself. Kyouma can turn a new leaf. Loser has every right to fight to save his beloved.
Altogether, these themes have close ties to Dimension W (the concept, not the title). Dimension W’s voids symbolize history’s immutability through their stillness. The widespread use of Dimension W, despite it challenging established norms, represents society’s acceptance. And Dimension W creating multiple possibilities help to highlight that indeterminism still stands.
The themes are both layered and connected, and the first half of the narrative is at least competent. But the numerous amount of issues in the second half are still enough to make the narrative an overall weak package.
ANIMATION
Dimension W’s artistic direction does have a few positives. It uses a visual trick to, at times, profile the characters. One-colored backgrounds and off-colored shadows give Kyouma, Mira, and others a poster-art look. The technique does not serve a purpose, but it does add flair.
The outcome of interacting with Dimension W (the concept) is also an interesting choice. Grotesque mutations and otherworldly obstructions turn what should be a lauded discovery into a hideous amalgamation – a dichotomy reminiscent of the show’s own love-and-hate technology motif.
The rest of the art tends to be hit or miss. On the hit side, the sprawling city – with its alleys, skyscrapers, and underground shops – adds variety as well as a futuristic yet realistic setting. On the miss side, the monotonous mountains, snow, and derelict corridors that make up the vast majority of the second half of the anime replace the variety and futuristic details with repetitive, boring backgrounds.
Actual animation remains roughly around average. Once again, a first-half-second-half distinction can be made. In the first half, Kyouma’s escapades and Mira’s silly reactions keep the anime from feeling static. In the second half, while the action involves robots of different types, the animation is not as fluid as it once was. Certain scenes can bring back that spark, like when Kyouma takes down a robot, but those moments are few and far between.
(Even so, Kyouma’s dance moves from the OP deserve a special shout-out.)
If nothing else, the character designs manage to be both interesting, cool, and different compared to one another. Kyouma’s lion-esque hair and laidback attire paint him as both fierce and nonchalant. Mira’s green hair, catlike features, and various outfits (especially her bulbous hat) turn her into the cute and likable character that she is. And both Salva’s and Lwai’s appearances are exotic, fitting their royalty and foreign statuses.
CHARACTERS
The cast of Dimension W is weirdly handled.
Take Salva and Lwai. Salva’s backstory is shown, but the extent of his relationship to his brother (and his secretary that he constantly slaps) does not receive much attention. Lwai is similar. It is revealed later on that Lwai is actually in a comatose state, controlling, at the same time, robots that look like him. But beyond his devotion to his brother, he does not have much to his character.
To be fair, his main purpose is to become friends with Kyouma before his revelation. By doing so, it demonstrates that Kyouma can, in fact, befriend a cyborg that uses the very Coils that he despises.
But a weird problem arises: The anime spends almost too much time on the Egyptian brothers. Instead of focusing on other established characters, like Loser and Dr. Shidou (Mira’s father), the anime instead chooses to focus on these latecomers despite their relative unimportance to the plot. Worse still, the focus needed is stolen from others. Namely, Kyouma and Mira.
Kyouma and Mira share a tenuous relationship. Kyouma despises Coils and, consequently, Mira. Mira does not hold any feelings of ill-will towards Kyouma, but she does wish he would treat her more like a friend (at least an acquaintance) and less like a piece of junk he picked up from the side of the road.
So when Kyouma gets all buddy-buddy with Lwai, it almost feels like a betrayal. Granted, Kyouma does not know of Lwai’s personal background, but as he grows his relationship with the young boy, Kyouma (and therefore the anime) must subsequently disregard the relationship between him and Mira. Given that Kyouma and Mira’s relationship is easily more important to Dimension W when compared to Kyouma and Lwai’s relationship, it becomes hard to justify the anime practically forgetting about its main duo.
Their relationship is weird, too. Mostly because the transition from Kyouma ragging on the young girl to tolerating her presence has little to do with each other. Yes, Kyouma saves Mira from certain death (twice), but his behavior towards her does not change as a result of their interactions together. Rather, the change occurs because of Kyouma learning more about himself.
What he learns is memories he had essentially repressed. The girl he met, fell in love with, and married. The horrors he and his crew faced while scouring the island. The location of Genesis.
A lot of these details helped to explain his current character. His wife imparted on him a love of old objects (which partly explains the muscle cars), and her death instilled in him a deep hatred for anything related to Coils (which also partly explains the muscle cars). His membership with the so-called Beasts of Grendel provided a foundation for his uncanny physical abilities. And learning the truth behind why his memories were disjointed in the first place allows him to understand his own origins.
He believed that he failed his comrades and, more importantly, his wife. But who he truly failed was himself. He blamed the Coils for his losses rather than the choices he (and his wife) made, turning him into the angered man afterwards.
In the end, Kyouma foregoes entirely hating Coils. His use of his signature Coil-based weaponry is evidence enough. But this change is only nice for him. He now views Mira more positively, sure, but, to reiterate, their change does not derive from mutual understanding. It’s a one-sided shift that the anime attempts to make balanced – but it fails.
Mira’s character unfortunately gets sidelined by the aforementioned weirdness. The inordinate amount of time spent on less important characters, as well as her relationship with Kyouma going largely unexplored, leaves her in a difficult spot character-wise.
At the minimum, she has a bit of uniqueness in the Dimension W world. While she is yet another cyborg, her make and conception are shrouded in mystery. Indeed, she is much more reactive and lifelike when compared to other similar cyborgs. Her affable personality, general cuteness, and overall calm demeanor make her an easily likable person.
“Person,” not cyborg. For her major conflict involves a sense of self. She does not fully comprehend her origins – a parallel to Kyouma, one that gets surprisingly tied back with the revelation that her own body is in fact Kyouma’s wife’s body. She does not ever want to be reset, losing the relationships and experiences she has made thus far. And the idea of death scares her, for she knows that that means the end.
Again, though, this conflict is not fleshed out. It comes together through small, singular scenes rather than through a layered approach. Yes, Kyouma stops Mira from sacrificing herself, proving to her and the audience that she is more than just a cyborg. But Mira does not experience so much development as she does a reaffirmation of what her character has symbolized from the beginning.
After Kyouma and Mira, the rest of the cast is riddled with issues. Seameyer, the main antagonist, is awful. He appears out of nowhere, his motivations are laughable, and his overt craziness cannot be taken seriously.
Loser (as was briefly mentioned) hardly receives any attention despite how much he is invested in the proceedings, and his own backstory is sloppily put together. Plus, his relationship to his daughter, in contrast to Salva and Lwai’s relationship, does not receive any attention, losing out on an important emotional connection.
And many of the cast members are forgotten about once the second half rolls around – such as the kids, the big boss lady, and Albert, Kyouma’s closest friend and fellow Beast of Grendel.
The cast is, simply put, weirdly handled.
SOUND
Arguably, the strongest part of Dimension W is its OP. The techno beat and feel easily fits alongside the technology, electric, and futuristic motifs. And the different tonal sections add variety without coming off as out of place. Admittedly, the English lyrics can be silly to hear (“Low resistance of high zest inner cells”), but the song is still a welcome addition to the anime.
The ED does not reach the same heights. While the start of it is cool with its guitar work, and the ending is nice with its vocal work, the middle stretch of the piece leaves much to be desired as it somewhat strolls along despite the band’s loud interjection.
As for the rest of the original soundtrack, it has a surprising number of interesting tracks. “Osoikuru-Mizukaranoteki” intertwines orchestra with acoustic guitar and castanets. “Yappariwakaranai” slows everything down with slick harmonica playing. “Kanashiki-Kioku,” with its choir and organ, invites a sense of foreboding. “Isshokusokuhatsu” builds suspense through clanging and light violins. And “Kesshi-no-Tatakai” goes grandiose to coincide with the later, larger scale.
These tracks from the OST are not stellar, and, indeed, many of the pieces are rather average. But the they do at least have some care put into them.
Finally, only a couple of shout-outs are deserved in terms of voice acting performances. Reina Ueda as Mira adds cuteness, personality, and life to the robotic girl, and Daisuke Ono as Kyouma proves his veteran status with a manly and peeved voice for the disgruntled main protagonist.
ENJOYMENT
Without a doubt, Mira was a lot of fun. In this world filled with angry dudes and potential death, I could count on Mira to make me smile. Her pouting when Kyouma was being mean, her kindness in dealing with others, and her happy face while holding hard-earned money had me grinning and laughing. Usually both.
Mira’s antics with Kyouma were fun, too. Kyouma closing the bathroom door on Mira and Mira freaking out when Kyouma approached her from behind after she read all of those scary books were silly moments. I especially liked the rock-moving bit. Kyouma was having extreme difficulty moving even one rock, but Mira was tossing them aside like pebbles. I just wish there had been more of these moments.
I also liked Albert. More specifically, I liked the relationship he shared with Kyouma. Albert was technically Kyouma’s enemy, but they were friends. It gave their dynamic a sense of camaraderie. That they understood each other’s positions and treated each other with respect. Similar to Kyouma and Mira, however, I wish that Albert had more scenes with his friend.
Everything else, however, was not the most engaging for me. A lot of the action was either too over the top or lacking in coolness. The various dramatic bits, like Kyouma’s wife’s death or Loser’s death, didn’t get to me emotionally. And the other characters and plotlines were simply uninteresting. I was simply not entertained.
Dimension W gets lost amidst space and time. The story’s construction introduces a lot of problems, the characters are given odd levels of importance, and the art does not usually impress. Basically, the show’s batteries didn’t last.
SUMMARY
Story: Bad, the first half sets the stage only for the second half to trip all over it
Animation: Fine, okay artistic direction, about average actual animation, and nice character designs
Characters: Terrible, from Kyouma to Mira, the cast have a hard time remaining relevant let alone being worthwhile
Sound: Fine, good OP, bad ED, okay OST, and okay VA performances
Enjoyment: Bad, Mira and Albert were fun, but the majority of the show was not
Final Score: 3/10
_Hans_
I'm mixed about Dimension W. Should you watch this show. Check this review to find out. Pros - Opening and ED themes (Kyouma dancing and Mira being a waifu. Nuff said) - Stellar animation - Good OST (shout out to my boys , STEREO DIVE FOUNDATION for that opening tho) - Marvelous Action - Very interesting sci-fi premise Cons- Uninspiring plot
- Substandard character development
- Kyouma and Mira's relationship (When will Kyouma stop hitting Mira and callling her trash, I mean thats his character but it got annoying real quick. Who in their right mind wants to abuse that adorable robot (ಥ﹏ಥ) )
- Terrible Villains
Overall, I don't know if i enjoyed Dimension W too be honest. It started out hype af (especially because of that opening) but then after about episode 5, I felt the show's plot dragged on and became predictable. I felt I was being forced to watch it every Sunday. Hey, but don't let my thoughts dismay you. Check it out yourself and make your own opinion!
Give it a 4 episode rule
- Hans out ಠ_ಠ
AwesomeDudex3
Sci-fi is a pretty common genre in not only anime, but other mediums, such as novels and movies, as well. For a sci-fi series to stand its ground, its need to at least have a solid fleshed out world or rules that are consistent to that world, or else, everything else will fall flat and lose its impact. Dimension W follows the typical sci-fi formula while still being able to differentiate itself from others in the genre. In a world where unlimited energy is no longer an issue, Dimension W explores the possibilities and situations various people can still go through. Devices called Coilswere created to harness an unlimited source of energy. At first might be seen as a MacGuffin Device, Coils, which are pretty important in the world building, are a means to deliver elements of the narrative.
One of the many notable aspects of Dimension W is its ability to stay consistent to its own rules. I always admired how Dimension W was able to use its "4-th dimension" premise" to craft intriguing yet enjoyable stories and plot points, plot points that actually become relevant as the series progresses. The show was able to build an interesting world with creative rules and still able make new ones while not breaking the show. Dimension W doesn't don't do anything groundbreaking, but the story for the most part is consistent and its all I ever want from sci-fi animated series. Another brilliant element of the show is its cast of characters. Kyouma is your typical badass main character who lives in the future, but due to unforeseen circumstances in the past, hates the world he lives in. Mira, his cute robot sidekick, provides a light cheerful mood in the relationship in contrast to Kyouma's serious and brooding demeanor. The chemistry and history between the two is enjoyable to watch, as well as give some levity to the dangerous situations they are put in. Another character, who is my personal favorite, is the supposed "villain" of the series, Loser. A masked vigilante with cybernetic enhancements with the power to manipulate energy, with an added bonus of having an awesome costume design and mysterious past. From the get-go, I was in love with his character and I loved what the show did to explore his character even more, giving him a meaningful yet compelling motivation.
The animation for the most part is pretty solid, it isn't as shiny or as polished as a high budget anime, but it could have been a lot worse also. It gets the job done. When it came to action scenes, they were pretty enjoyable, though was a bit disappointed with the lack of choreography seeing as how Kyouma is basically a ninja... Well he is, isn't he? The art and aesthetics of the show also work in its favor. The character designs are all unique and makes it easier to distinguish the characters. The choice of colors was also quite pleasing to see as it helps portray the beautiful world of Dimension W and its sci-fi landscape. The use of green was also quite clever as it is used to portray how energy flows in that world as well as give the various locations in the show charm. The music for the most part is pretty good. The Opening song, as well as the animation in conjunction with it, will be stuck in your mind for awhile. Seriously, it is that catchy. The OST is also pretty solid, however, they isn't many outstanding tracks. The ending song of each episode was also nice to listen to.
There aren't many complaints I have with the series. Dimension W followed the typical sci-fi formula of having a futuristic setting for "such and such" reason and certain situations because of some science related disaster. The show sort of played it safe by following the usual tropes seen in sci-fi series, while still being able to bring something new to the table. The premise of unlimited energy, the existence of a 4-th dimension, and presence of impending doom all makes the show really enjoyable and entertaining to watch, which is all I want from a sci-fi series. Not every sci-fi show needs to be an overly dramatic, dark, and serious thriller. I enjoyed every aspect of the show, and this is without a doubt one of the most enjoyable series of 2016 so far, as well as my favorite of the Winter 2016 season.
I highly recommend the show to those looking for a good action and sci-fi series, Dimension W will fill your needs. I can guarantee you will not get bored with the series. However, those looking for a serious and compelling story or a show with amazing visuals, you may want to approach this show with caution. Overall Dimension W is a pretty solid sci-fi series that entertained me throughout its entire run.
jayvwrites27
I binged watched Dimension W for 2 days while waiting for episode 12 to air. I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed Dimension W. Here are some of the reasons. Story (8): What I loved about Dimension W is that it is engaging and leaves you wanting more and more. You want to know what happens in every twist and turn and in a way, you wish that it could go on and on. I did not like however that it felt entirely inconclusive and that the ending seemed lacking, at least for me. Art (9): Bandai Visual is one of the best production houses, inmy opinion and the art for Dimension W was colorful, despite the darkness of its theme. The animation was also really stunning and the fight scenes are engaging. It's not overwhelming to look at and the characters, both protagonists, supporting characters and villains, seem distinct.
Sound (9): I really give much credit for the opening and ending themes for the score I'm giving this category because they are amazing. I loved the opening theme and of course animation. It definitely brought me back to my love of Gangsta. The ending was just adorable. The sound in the show itself wasn't necessarily up there but it blended in nicely with the plot.
Character (8): What's so great about the characters of Dimension W is that they don't beg to be liked, well maybe except for Mira, who you need to like because cmon that face. Anyway, the characters are not waiting for you to love them because they are stereotypically lovable. They aren't. You wouldn't love Kyouma if you're looking for a bishounen or someone who is nice and sweet. He isn't. He's a cold, badass and detached person yet why do I love him so much? It's because he is himself. This goes for the other characters like Loser, Mary and even Salva. They aren't the type of people you'd actually like but you like them anyway.
Although one thing I have to say is that some characters felt like fillers. Even Al felt like a filler character. A lot of them are and some of them seem senseless. All in all, character-wise, Dimension W was pretty solid.
Enjoyment (8): I left watching Dimension W thoroughly enjoyed. Although I didn't necessarily have those shouty feeling-feelings I usually have for an anime, I have to say that because of the action and the story, I definitely got hooked. There were more hits than misses but I think those holes could've been filled if it were a few more episodes longer.
Overall (8): If you're looking for an anime that can fill your action and angst needs, Dimension W is a pretty decent anime to go and watch.
nanakox21
This MAY contain spoilers! Story 8/10: This anime contains BOTH character and plot development. It has an interesting plot with a lot of backstories of each characters & how they all interrelate with each other & Dimension W. There is a lot of action & fighting scenes with the characters in the anime. Characters 8/10: There are a lot of characters that are introduced in the anime. Most of them have a form of connection to Kyoma. (For this review, I will be focusing on the two main characters in the anime). Kyoma Mabuchi is tough guy and works as collector. He is also mean toMira-chan over the series. Mira Yurizaki is helpful, understanding & cute robot. She wants to be able to help Kyoma throughout their missions.
Enjoyment 10/10: One of the best animes that I have every watched. This was my #1 anime to watch on my TOP 10 Anime List. The theme song is awesome too. I always keep listening to it on replay -- if anything, Genesis will become my entrance theme song as a wrestler. The theme of robots, cars & machines are cool too! I assumed that there might a romance between Kyoma and Mira in the future.
Overall 8/10: All-around great anime with lots of actions. Great plot and backstories included! Dimension W has the potential to have a second season!
Tyrannicswine117
Warning possible Spoilers I do like a good Sci-Fi show from time to time and this is a very good example of that considering it has an interesting story and good characters to back it up. The year is 2071 and Humanity uses Coils to power pretty much anything and Kyouma Mabuchi a Collector who hunts down illegal coils in exchange for money suddenly ends meeting a little girl called Mira and then everything changes Now this show had a surprisingly good story it really delved into the whole mystery of how coils worked, what they can actually do and what secrets they hold that only afew people know it was very interesting watching the events unfold itself as the two MC's tried to figure out what was going on and why they were connected to the coils.
I loved the relationship that developed between Kyouma and Mira who started off on the wrong foot and over time slowly started to become more of a team and respect one another, plus the show has a dark tone to it since Kyouma has a dark backstory which is really the answer to everything that happens, but there were a few other moments that were dark like the episode at Lake Yasogami which is when the anime suddenly turned supernatural, there was also quite a few plot twists throughout the show which did surprise me.
The characters were actually really good even though Kyouma and Mira, especially Mira stole the show the other supporting characters weren't too bad either.
Kyouma is an Ex-Soldier who became a Collector after an incident that happened, he hates coils and uses devices that we use today like a couple of Gasoline fuelled cars which included a Toyota 2000 GT which was pretty cool and he doesn't use guns instead he uses knifes attached to wires which at some point he kinda used like 3D Maneuver Gear from AOT when was jumping around and stuff, his personality is stubborn, short tempered and anti-social, but he is a definite badass because he knows how to kick ass mainly because of his experience as a soldier and because of his hatred for coils or anything technical he treats Mira poorly at first, but when he was finding out more about his past and the coils he slowly starts to loosen up to her and starts treating her like a teammate. Despite his personality and attitude towards other people when you find out what he was like in the past and what happened to him you do feel truly sorry for him and understand why he is like this.
Mira was a brilliant, sweet and fun character who is also a robot, but compared to other robots I've seen the way her body works is much like a humans just mechanical which made her very interesting and the fact that she has antennas that look like ears and a amplifier cord that looks like a tail then you have a robotic neko which is cute as hell, but don't be fooled because she is very intelligent and strong thanks to her robotic abilities, she is treated poorly by Kyouma because of this who keeps calling her junk which annoys Mira which when she reacts can be pretty cute and understandable, she is a very likeable character and has a big role in the events of the show since she was created for a specific reason that'll unlock the mystery of the coils.
The other supporting characters were interesting too like the mysterious masked thief called Loser who is looking for special coils because they unlock something and the fact he used to be a scientist, he is a pretty cool character and his daughter Elizabeth wasn't too bad either since she was actually very useful helping out her father.
There was two other guys like Albert who was a former soldier with Kyouma who has some banter with him from time to time and there was Lwai a prince of Isla who is actually a Robot being controlled by his mind from his real body (I know it's confusing).
Not only that there was a bunch of other Collectors who were introduced later on in the show that also provided some good entertainment since they had some pretty interesting abilities.
Now I did like the Artstyle it had a Cowboy Bebop feel to it mainly because it is set in funny enough the same year and it has that gloomy, dirty tone that Cowboy bebop had too, but the difference here is that Dimension W felt more advanced compared to Cowboy Bebop, I liked the design of some of the characters especially Mira who looked very strange, but cool and sweet as well plus some of the locations that Kyouma and Mira went too looked very interesting too like Lake Yasogami looked like it was out of a horror film and Easter island looked terrifying to be on.
The action was actually pretty good it was fun seeing Kyouma and Mira kick some ass against badguy's , but some of the other characters also proved their worth too like Loser and even the other Collectors who has some pretty impressive abilities and these abilities were very handy when they were fighting against the Security Robots on Easter Island or against each other.
Overall I think this was a fun and entertaining show that gave off a familiar vibe that I had with Cowboy Bebop so if you're someone who enjoys Sci-Fi or enjoyed Cowboy Bebop then this is definitely something you might want to check out.
Evil_Ood
This would have been in my top 5 season of anime if it wasnt for the poor storytelling of the first half of the season. EP 1-6 is a 4.5/10 , EP 7-12 9.5/10 I LOVE the premise of a robot learning how to be a human its my PB and J. Mira is a really cool character and concept but this season did a poor job of using her (hopefully they dig deep in later seasons). Kyouma was lackluster for me until they started to develop him in the latter of the season in which this dark little caterpillars past blossoms out into a beautiful story. Art andSound i gave both 8, they dont seem to be anything special but the fight sound effects where cool and the colorful landscape of the Dimension W world is cool.
Characters 10/10, Soo many Animes try and fit 4+ main characters and develop them into a show im happy with this show for only having 2 and developing atleast 1 of them to my satisfaction.
Enjoyment 8/10, I had to stop watching this because while it was airing because i really didnt like it as much as the other things i was watching, but after binge watching it i felt sucked in and had to finish it as fast as possible.
Overall 7/10, Could have been done better overall but if i were to here something like "we spent most of the money on the Island arc" It would make soo much sense to me
JoshuaJones16
Although it says I completed it that is a bit of a bold face lie. Well not a lie, just more like I am half way through the last episode since I tried to watch it this morning but I had to go to school halfway through it. But none the less I am doing a review For those who don't know I'm Josh and today I'm reviewing the anime known as Dimension W. Let's do this Story- The setting is interesting. Personally I have never been an end all be all sci-Fi fan but I like the setting. The story on the other hand was...meh. Imean it was original I give it credit there and not he worst story I have ever seen but it just felt...meh to me for some reason. Through the first 5 episodes I liked it but by the second half that is when I found it to be meh. It isn't really a bad story though. I don't know what happens in the end so I couldn't really say anything about that till I fully see it. Overall though I will give it a 6/10
Art- I actually liked the art in this. Pretty good for what it is and I like the character designs to a certain extent. Plus the fight scenes were pretty cool Overall I give this a 7/10
Sound- I love the opening to this to death. I will play it over and over again. That is how much I like it. The ending is average for me and the sound track is decent. Overall it gets a 7/10
Characters- Like the story I did find he characters to be meh. Now granted I do like a couple of them but in the end the character just felt meh to me. Not hat they weren't interesting or anything, I just found them not to be that exciting really. Overall 6/10
Enjoyment- I really enjoyed. It's one of those anime I just can't do anything but find myself enjoying it. Overall 8/10
Overall- Dimension W isn't the greatest, but it is a pretty good anime to watch. I would recommend this to anyone who loves Sci-Fi anime really. Overall the show gets a 7/10 from me
Eleiyas
Saw the original series synopsis that AniDB gave and didn't think this anime would be my cup of tea. I'm so glad I did start watching it, as it's probably one of my current favourites. The idea and concept aren't exceptionally new, as Psycho-Pass did touch on the same sort of subject, but the characters and the way the story is presented are top-notch. The way the episodes are set-out can be a bit confusing, but it's done in an ingenious way to keep potential viewers gripped. They have a standard episode, then they tease and reveal little snippets of the character's backstories, which are fabulous I mustadd, and this teasing has certainly kept me chomping at the bit.
Who is Loser? What are the memories Kyouma has lost? What happened on Easter Island? Who is Mira really and what are her goals?
--Of course, these have been answered now the series is over--
I really can't wait to see what they do in Season 2 (which I do believe will happen)
samuel_sfx
If you loves sci-fi, future, android related movies, this might entertain you (as well as a little bit of combat, I said little bit because it is just ok) The story revolves around the main character (Mabuchi Kyoma) and an android (Mira). The story about a future world where earthlings can substract infinite energy from the other dimension (or dimension in the axis W) through a device named coil. Kyoma who got a bad experience with coil failure is probably the only person on earth that doesn't use any coil and resort to old time battery and petroleum. One thing that doesn't stand out for me isthe lack of climax and anticlimax each episodes. So the pace is relatively flat but still in an interesting phase. (I would usually ditch shitty anime in the first episodes, at least Dimension W survive)
Artwork is awesome, there are a lot of variety in character design, quite fancy colouring. It is nice to watch, altough it is not that fancy in terms of combat animation (because it is an action sci-fi anime, I hope Kyoma have a better combat ability and a lot more combat skills)
The main character was too cold for me, and it goes in at least 5-6 episodes until we know why he is that cold, and for me it is too slow. On the opposite, Mira who is tagging along Kyoma was more than cheerful as an android. Somehow in doesn't make sense how Yurizaki hakase can make such powerful AI (well, anime is anime right?)
Overall I did enjoy Dimension W so far, so could not give less than 8 for this.
I don't recall any anime that have specific type of story like Dimension W. Quite curious with the story development.
UltimateScorpion
NOTE: This was originally a post among r/Toonami's Post-Series Analysis as a review there. The original post is linked here. https://www.reddit.com/r/Toonami/comments/4jersz/dimension_w_final_thoughts_thread/ Well this was a quite a letdown. I mean I liked the first 4 episodes of the series, the inital premise was promising, and I find Kyouma, Mira, and Loser to be fun characters. But I found things went downhill with that 5th episode being so convoluted that I'm still not sure what the fuck happened even with one guy giving me a wall of text explaining to me what happened. And sadly, I felt as if it never really recovered from that episode. It wasn't badenough that I would drop it and/or skip it all the time after that on the block like I did AGK, SAO2, or an average filler episode, but it was still a rather mediocre experience that made me care less and less with each episode that aired and it sometimes went back to making me question what in the flying fuck am I watching. It's ending did little to help me care either and its after credits scene just left me wishing that the series was more like that. At least I liked the OP(What little they played on the block) even if between this and Gangsta, Stereo Drive Foundation does seem to be stuck doing underwhelming shows.
On the plus side, at least the series is short so it doesn't overstay its welcome and it does somewhat prove that some 12 episode shows can work on Toonami in the future like say My Hero Academia, One Punch Man, Madoka Magica, or maybe even No Game No Life. Sadly, I don't think Dimension W is on the level with those shows.
So in conclusion, I didn't think it was terrible but I definitely feel like it wasted its potential in what could've been a cool sci-fi anime like Psycho Pass or possibly Darker Than Black. But Oh Well, I still liked it better than Akame Ga Kill(the show Dimension W replaced) though, Just hope the show that replaces Dimension W is better.
ceroto60
If you're a sports fan, you've likely watched an athlete with a ton of talent and potential. They have shown the ability to be one of the greats in their sport. But, due to lack of effort, injuries, or bad circumstances, they don't pan out. That's what I liken this show to. This show had to much potential to be great. Interesting characters, Good art. Good music. Had the framework of a great show, but it didn't execute the way it should've to reach its potential. Story: The setting was super interesting. I thought they had a nice set up for a sci-fi show. But the story alwaysfelt rushed. It was like watching an abridged version of a 24 episode anime. A lotta details were left out. Character dynamics weren't touched on enough. This show was was like a car careening through traffic just a save a little time, but not accomplishing much while doing it.
Art:
I liked the character designs. The main characters looked cool. The neon lights used throughout the series gave it that futuristic feel. The backgrounds looked good too.
Sound:
BGM didn't stand out much, but the OP sure did. It's called Genesis by Stereo Dive Foundation, and it's a great song. Does a great job of setting the tone of the show. But like the song, the show is super fast paced.
Character:
This is where the show missed out so much on its potential. It had interesting characters. But did not take enough time to develop them enough. The main characters had an interesting relationship, with the main hero hating technology while the main heroine is an android. Things were contentious, but eventually things got better between them. The issue is that not enough time was taken to build that relationship up. Other characters weren't developed enough as well, which is a pretty consistent problem with the show.
Enjoyment:
Some episodes were great and really interesting. Especially when they were doing world-building or character development. But there are episodes that feel more like filler than something made to drive the story forward. This kind of hurt the show for me, even if I thought the show was an overall positive.
Overall:
Dimension W would've been better had it been a 24-episode anime. There would have been more space to develop the world and character relationships. But because it was only 12, it felt like a rushed production. It's why I'm usually not a fan of movies, because there's only so much world-building and character development you can do in 2 hrs. But this show was an example of a 12-episode show that fell to the same pitfalls that movies do.
