Sakugan
サクガン
Synopsis
The "Labyrinth" is an expansive space deep underground where humans live in clusters known as "colonies." Over the years, the surface has become a distant memory—even perhaps only a fantasy to those who have never experienced its wonders. Making sure humanity survives the harsh conditions of the underground, a colony's citizens can take on a variety of specialized jobs. These include "Workers," who mine precious ore to fuel the colonies, and "Markers," who journey into the Labyrinth's surprisingly lush environment to bring back information that eases navigation. However, humanity also faces a threat to its existence—creatures called "kaijuu" whose sizes range from that of a small child to an enormous building, and are hostile to any human they see. Moreover, kaijuu that are large enough can force their way into the colonies, further increasing their threat level. Memenpu is a nine-year-old college graduate whose inventions have greatly benefitted the Workers in her local colony. Recently, however, she has been dreaming of a place with a neverending ceiling not bound by bedrock. These aspirations fuel her desire to become a Marker and explore the Labyrinth's vast unknown in search of such a fantastical place. Despite her father Gagumber's vehement disagreement, a certain incident with the kaijuu jumpstarts a dangerous yet exciting adventure that will surely alter humanity's course forever. [Written by MAL Rewrite]
Trailer
Recommendations
Reviews(20)
Stark700
December 23, 2021
Sakugan, is sort of an anomaly, as in the type of show that takes off on an unique adventure in a science fiction realm. It's also unique in that the anime is based from a story contest novel that ultimately became what we see today. From the science fiction category, Sakugan is really something an underrated gem I don't see people talk about much this year. At first glance, the premise doesn't sound too special and seems like something anyone could come up with. A science fiction adventure usually depends on characters that are worth investing into and an imaginative setting. Memenpu and Gagumber are twocharacters that exmplify the daughter-father relationship in fictional stories. Both of them clearly cares for each other but aren't always on the same page. For someone her age, Memenpu has big dreams and is eager to prove herself. Meanwhile, Gagumber tries to prevent his daugher from taking risks that jeopardizes her life. And to make matters more complicated, he himself often gets on the wrong side of the law. Watching their adventure no doubt brings plenty of drama. With 12 episodes, Sakugan chronicles its science fiction adventure by showcasing the skills of Memenpu. Trust me, she is a lot smart than she looks. Being able to repair complex machines and piloting a giant mech, you should know that Memenpu is what people call a child prodigy. She still has her childlike traits but displays characteristics far above her age. My impression is that there's lots of untapped potential about Memenpu. Watching Gagumber is a different story, as he seems like a womanizer and often getting into trouble. For instance, he managed to find himself being in debt to the thief Zackletu. And that's not all, he also gets into trouble with the law dealing with gangs, gambling, and other sheneingans. At some point in the story, I think viewers should just accept Gagumber for his behavior. He's not exactly a role model father. For Sakugan to succeed, it definitely need a supporting cast that appeals to an audience. I will admit that the cast can be somewhat of a hit or a miss. Yuri, for instance, is a leader of orphans with hacking skills. Similar to Gagumber, he runs into trouble with the law. But through his interactions with him, Yuri takes on a more relevant role in he show and provide invaluable skills as a hacker. Other characters such as Lynda, Rufus, among others feel less relevant because honestly, it's more of the main cast carrying the show. However, the familial relationship between Memenpu and Gagumber is a major selling point. The anime takes every chance to highlight their relationship and does its best work at capturing their chemistry. Story presence of Sakugan remains somewhat scattered with each episode. The first half of the show mainly focuses on their adventure but these episodes are standalones, almost like a monster-of-the-week format. The second half's pacing picks up more that focuses on character relationships. It also throws in a otherwordly episode full of peculiar comedy if your stomach is up for it. To be honest, Sakugan's story structure definitely needed more work as it does feel directionless at times. But, it makes it up for the overall sci-fi themes and main character relationships. Studio Satelight is known for their range of sci-fi works so having them helm the show's production makes sense on a technical level. And because it features an adventure, it's important for the anime to take advantage of its world building. On paper, the worlds and places our main characters journey across doesn't look very complex. But upon a closer look, it's shown that Sakugan is able to define the imaginary creativity of the creators. Indeed, we see corruption and dystopian-like themes spread across their journey and and the art style makes the magic happen. Character designs are also influenced by their personalities such as Memenpu's tactical mind or Zackletu's mischievousness. Nonetheless, I urge viewers to watch the show with an open mind because at the end of the day, Sakugan rides as the sci-fi adventure it wants to be.
