Cross Ange defies simple definition. You could say it's just an unoriginal, Code Geass derivative mecha with one of the heaviest doses of crude and tonally discordant fan service ever animated... but in fairness to the show holistically, that's not precisely true. Because between the gratuitous shots of tits and ass, the illogical and shallow world building, the often poorly characterized and unwieldly large cast, and the truly bland and uninspired CGI mecha battles, this show can still shock you with hard hitting and genuinely moving scenes that dig to your core. I am honestly uncertain if the show knows at all what it is trying to do, but I must assert that Cross Ange is, without any doubt, a completely unique experience.
Cross Ange is a story about a princess being fundamentally rejected by her world and then being transformed by the challenges and struggles that follow. Or, at least, if there had been a good editor, that's what it would have centered on. The story starts there, with Ange being cast out of the perfect, idyllic human society and branded a sub-human "Norma", sent to join her kind on a far-flung island where they battle against invading interdimensional dragons to protect the utopian society that rejected them. However, as the story progresses, increasingly less time is spent on Ange's personal struggles and more is spent on an ever growing cast of (also) well-endowed and often scantily clad women. This proves to be an unfortunate turn, since when the show proceeds to try and give these characters their own moments of challenge and growth, their shallow characterization, especially in comparison with Ange herself, critically undercuts any meaning or significance for the viewer.
This is not to imply that the supporting cast has nothing to offer (even outside of the conspicuously plentiful shower and hot springs scenes). They generally act like real people, no matter how brutally unflattering that might be for them. Their motivations are not always well established, as implied above, but that doesn't make them useless for the story.
That story, however, succeeds in getting rather lost all on its own. It's quite disappointing how much the show starts fumbling it's plot just as it approaches the mid-way point. It's here that the curtain is rolled back, and the true stakes and nature of the conflict are revealed. Alas, if only they had stayed hidden. Cross Ange never lets itself slip into much of a status quo; it keeps the relationships between it's cast and the situations they face constantly evolving. But as it continues down this route, the twists and reveals and increasing stakes sadly cause the plot to spin so very out of control. Too many plot points logically contradict one another, time is wasted on developments that accomplish little, and ultimately the entirety of the villain and their machinations collapse into an insultingly stupid and underwhelming finale. Which is to say nothing of how finnicky death ultimately proves to be.
I suppose I should also mention the mechs. They are present, ugly hood ornaments included for some reason. The transformation between "flight mode" and "combat mode" is interesting, though it doesn't seem to actually make any difference in terms of their speed or maneuverability. If you are looking for a display of skill in the mech battles, I am sorry to inform you that you won't find it. Winning and losing is dictated by the immediate needs of the plot, the combat is just set dressing and not the result of any fighting capabilities displayed by the individuals involved. They also sing to charge up and use their super-weapons. I think this was supposed to make the scenes dramatic, but in truth, the only thing it accomplishes is reminding the viewer of how unimportant the mechs are outside of being dei ex machina.
It is necessary to be blunt: Cross Ange's main means of "how" is vulgar lewdness. It is the most consistent element of the show. And I don't just mean the ridiculous flight suits, or the many dialogue scenes that take place in the nude or lingerie, or the oddly plentiful and barely PG-ified sex scenes, or the intellectually-insulting number of times the lead male somehow ends up with his face buried in Ange's crotch, or the downright immature way sexuality is presented, or even the way the camera insists on framing the characters whenever they appear on-screen for more than 3 seconds. No, Cross Ange crosses the line of fan service straight over into the realm of the truly tasteless, obscene, and downright degrading, becoming at points so raunchy and disgusting as would be unacceptable in a porno. The dissonance produced between the context and tone of a scene and the simultaneously-occurring aggressively dehumanizing sexualization could itself very easily power a small city.
If, however, that was the show's only means of conveyance, I would not have written this. I would have never even finished the show. While the "suggestive images and themes" are undoubtedly an integral part of the Cross Ange experience, it is the oddly and deeply resonate moments that elevate it. They seem to appear as if from nowhere, with about as little fanfare as any other moment. Yet they are striking all the same. Suddenly story threads which had been laid down pull taut and one is assailed by genuine, resonate emotion through beautiful resolution. Many of these moments will be seen as Ange wrestles through the process of understanding her identity and place in all that transpires around her. As the show loosens its focus on Ange, this is lost somewhat, but surprisingly picked up in several instances between supporting characters.
It is not good writing. I should make that crystal clear. The show seems unfocused and prone to wander, characters are regularly poorly utilized with plot threads left dangling, and the contrivances and hand-wavings really undermine the impact of major moments. But, even with all that, Cross Ange demonstrates time and again that it can break the mold. It could have, as many anime have before, merely gone down a well-worn path and hoped that the camera-loved and nubile female cast would be enough to maintain an audience. In some ways, it did do this. But unlike the torrent of insultingly bland anime filled with "eye candy," Cross Ange did more than just give the appearance of substance, but dared to say something meaningful. In this regard, if in no other, it deserves praise.
Cross Ange, at its core, is a story about identity, belonging, and what it means to truly be human. It's not the most focused set of themes, and their development often takes a backseat, and at times seems almost crudely conveyed, but these themes are present throughout the run of the show. A question is presented early on: how do you know who you are? For Ange, that matter had been set without any effort on her part by her royal station in society. Then, when that was all taken away, she is left to uncover the answer herself in the midst of adversity.
The key, as gradually expressed in the show, is agency. One cannot find real belonging, or indeed be fully human, if they have not faced challenges and overcome them with, at least in part, their own efforts. This theme will be expressed through the the relationships of much of the cast, and indeed, through the glimpses of the societies shown to the viewer. To be handed all your desires without struggle is not the heavenly state that it initially appears to be. To live like that is to live stunted. And to seek such a reality only strips one of their humanity and renders them animal-like. Cross Ange posits, in short, that identity must be fought for and not granted, that to feel belonging requires common sacrifice, and ultimately, that to be human is to struggle.
Still, in the end, it's not really worth your time. If you were looking for grand stories, well-told, with resonate themes, there are plenty of better choices out there. But if, like me, you were open to some chaos and adventure, and looking a singular and unique anime experience, warts and all, then this might be precisely what you're looking for.
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