Anime Review - Metallic Rouge (2024) Episodes 1-3

Studio Bones has created some of the greatest anime of all time. Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood, My Hero Academia and Mob Psycho 100 are all anime that I feel will stand the test of time and go down in the history books as all-time greats. I bring up these shows as Metallic Rouge is Bone’s 25^th-anniversary project. A show that is a celebration of the studio hitting such an incredible milestone. So, one would hope that this project will go down as one of the studio’s best and based on the first 3 episodes while the journey has been a bit bumpy it’s a promising start. Taking place in a world where humans and androids coexist. The show follows Rouge and Naomi who are on a mission to murder nine artificial humans who are hostile to the government.

If you watch the first 3 episodes of the show though you would have no idea that is the plot of the show. The show’s narrative has not been front and centre sadly and it leads to a show lacking something. While the world-building is present I feel the show spends too much time explaining and detailing the world rather than telling a story and giving the characters dimensions. I love the designs for both Rouge and Naomi and the voice acting in the English dub by Monica Flatley as Rouge and Cassie Ewulu as Naomi are excellent. Their characters just are missing something. I have no connection or understanding of what drives these characters. I just hoped after 3 episodes I would have some understanding of where this show is heading.

The first episode is a great introduction to the world but mainly the action. The mech-inspired action scenes are stunning, Bones knock it out of the park yet again. The action is fast and kinetic and is just simply stunning. But what is even more shocking Is how great the animation is. This is probably the best-looking show that is airing this winter 2024 season, and it is by a long shot. Everything frame is just filled with rich texture and continues to show why Bones is one of the best anime studios working today. I am excited to see more and I’m hoping that as the show continues on we will focus more on the narrative that is slowly unfolding because I want this show to be a must-watch and after 3 episodes I just find it to be really good.