Made in Abyss is one of the best shows I've ever seen. It has a rich and intriguing world, touching characters, fantastic soundtrack and a great plot. However, some people tell a lot of nonsense about it, and deter others from watching it, doing a lot of injustice for this wonderful anime.

So before getting into the meat of the review, I'd like to counter some of the arguements against watching the show.

First is the claim that this anime is for pedophiles, which is incredibly silly but still unfortunately convinces some people to avoid the show. The people who claim that refer to the few scenes in which the characters' skin is exposed. However, it's not fully exposed and it's always "strategically" censored using camera angles, objects (braids, water...) that block the view of the intimate parts, etc., and during these scenes the characters are not being sexualized - they do not flirt with each other, do not grope each other's genitals, and of course do not have any kind of an intercourse. While I am not in favour of these scenes, calling the series "pedophilic" because of these mellow scenes - which are, as I've implied before, few in their number - is very wrong and misleading. So please, please do not pass on this anime because some people - who I doubt have actually watched it all through the end - tell you it's for pedophiles.

Secondly, the claim that the world-building is mediocre, which I've seen in some of the reviews in this site. People who make that claim seem to forget or ignore three important things - this is a show of 13 episodes, it is obviously meant to be continued (and has already got a movie for the arc folllowing the first season), and the world-building isn't the sole focus of the show. There's only so much you can do in 13 episodes, without forsaking other important parts of the plot. Given those limits, I think Made in Abyss has done the possible best to present us a colorful world and leave us with longing for further development in the anticipated sequels. Do not come in expecting a detailed world comparable to that of a long running franchise such as One Piece, which had hunderds of episodes to dedicate for developing its vast setting.

Lastly, something that is more of a double-edged sword of the show - the art style which gives some people the impression it's a childish anime. Do not write it off as a children show, because it absolutely isn't. You really shouldn't expect a cute and easygoing show - Made in Abyss has some extreme scenes of gore and distress. The usage of a colorful and chibi art style is intentional - the younger, the more innocent the characters are, the more terrifying the horror as they experience it, and there's a popular anime title that has used this idea already before Made in Abyss.
Made in Abyss, in actuality, is an anime weak-hearted people should avoid.

Now that I'm done refuting the claims against watching Made in Abyss which I believe are unreasonable, it's time to get into the real review.

Summary

Made in Abyss takes place in a world where an enormous pit exists - The Abyss. The Abyss' full depth is unknown, and it has its own ecological system, unique natural phenomenons, and countless treasures and supernatural objects. Many delvers are lured by the Abyss invaluable riches and fascinating nature, and descend into the Abyss despite the great dangers lurking inside and the Curse of the Abyss, which takes a severe physical toll while ascending - the deeper one ascends from, the more lethal the effect of the Curse is. The legendary ones among the delvers are the White Whistles, who are allowed to explore the Abyss without any depth limit and are celebrated as great heores.

The main character is Riko, a young and cheerful orphan girl who possesses great passion and awe towards the Abyss. While exploring the very upper limit of the Abyss, she comes across a robot boy, whom she names Reg. Reg doesn't remember his origins and can't tell who exactly he is, but still quickly gets attached to Riko and her friends. Shortly after, Riko is shown documents who are believed to have been sent by her mother - a White Whistle who has never returned from her last descent into the Abyss - hinting of Reg's origins and leaving a message - "I'll be waiting at the bottom of the Abyss". Riko, who wants to explore the Abyss and find her mom, and Reg, who wants to learn of his origin, decide to descend together into the Abyss, into a journey full of wonder and terror, kind people and horrendous people and a lot of adventures.

Plot

The plot of Made in Abyss is rich, and contains elaborate world-building (which is done the best way possible, as I've already explained), intriguing and relatable characters and impactful moments. The pacing of the plot is balanced - it does not spend too much time on the less important parts, and still knows to dedicate plenty of time to the interesting parts. There are plenty of very strong scenes - in the gore and horror they present, in the emotional impact they leave or in the presentation of the colorful world of the Abyss. All the strong scenes teach us of the nature of the Abyss and the people exploring it and how they are affected by it. The last episode is especially impactful and moving - even after the third time watching the anime, the beautiful last episode still left me with teary eyes. I believe the ending of a story can make-or-break it - and in the case of Made in Abyss, the first season leaves a very, very strong impression thanks to an excellent ending.

Characters

The cast of characters for Made in Abyss isn't very large, but the characters do contribute to the themes and the idea of the series. Riko is your typical delver - she's curious, very passionate about the Abyss and the exploration of it, and brave - or stupid. Reg is her companion, a robot with a human heart who believes the answer for his origins lies deep inside the Abyss, and who cares deeply for Riko (and of course Riko deeply cares for him too). On their journey they meet different people, who are all in a way affected by the nature of the Abyss, and sometimes reflect it themselves.

Art and Animation Style

As I've mentioned before, the art style of Made in Abyss is very colorful and lively, and somewhat resembles a children show. This fits the series, as the Abyss is full of wonder and varied creatures and plants - and also horror - the contrast between the terrifying scenes and the innocent-looking art style amplifies the merciless cruelty the Abyss can show.

Another thing to notice in Made in Abyss is the backgrounds - since the Abyss is full of life and has a lot going inside it, extra effort is put into the details of the surroudings. The result? Breathtaking sceneries that perfectly capture the richness of the Abyss.

The animation is fluid and good. Made in Abyss is no battle shonen, but when there are battle scenes, the animation gets them across finely.

Soundtrack

The soundtrack of Made in Abyss is one of the most praised aspects of the anime, and it totally deserves that praise. It is rich and magnificent. It is played in the right moments and amplifies the emotions and the atmosphere the scenes are meant to transmit. I enjoy listening to it alone from time to time.

Overall

With the exact same words I wrote in the beginning of the review - Made in Abyss is one of the best shows I've ever seen. It has everything I want to find in an anime - rich plot, colorful world, interesting and relatable characters, great visuals and a very impactful ending. It is very memorable for me, and I'm still moved by it even after three times watching it (and I am planning on rewatching it again in the future). I absolutely love it, and I strongly recommend it. It is not completely perfect, there are few shortcomings, but I think they are minor, and since I rate based on my overall enjoyment on not based on objective criteria, it gets from me 100/100. However, It is important to emphasize again that Made in Abyss has some scenes that are difficult to watch - weak-hearted people should avoid this series.

So please ignore the nonsense some people spout about Made in Abyss, and watch it (if you're ok with some harsh scenes).