(SPOILER FREE REVIEW Most of you guys have probably heard of/watched this show, but I just wanted to write a review because I was bored lol. Also, this is my first review, so don't judge too hard lmao)

To put it bluntly, Steins;Gate is, well, weird. The sudden 180-shift of focus and tone following the first part of the series was probably one of the most ambitious directions that a series has taken, and albeit it, a successful one. Steins presents itself through its first handful of episodes as your typical slice-of-life comedy series with a hint of romance. Some may say that these episodes were downright boring; however, I see these episodes as necessary to pulling off the craziest second-half run I’ve ever witnessed in a show.

Ever since he discovered that he could arbitrarily go back in time, Okabe Rintarou, the series’ protagonist, has set the goal of developing and perfecting a time machine so that he can fight against SERN, an “evil organization” that seeks time traveling as a means to gain favorable reign over the world. These first 7 episodes present the innocent day-to-day life of Okabe getting closer-and-closer to achieving his goal of time travel. The charming cast, witty comedy, and fun interactions help to cover the dark undertones and themes that Steins;Gate presents to its viewers. Like the calm before the storm, the rising action of the first half helps to further create a more sudden and effective climax that is episode 12. You know what I’m talking about if you’ve watched Steins;Gate; the story seems to completely turn on its head as it moves towards a much darker narrative, which is when Steins;Gate truly poses the question: “Does time truly fix all? Does time actually heal all wounds?” You’ve heard the saying before; it’s commonly believed that any issue can be resolved when given enough time. Steins;Gate seems to completely challenge the notion and validity of this statement.

After spending weeks-upon-weeks with his lab members towards achieving his goal of time travel, Okabe has realized the repercussions of his actions. After traveling across multiple worldlines in a desperate attempt to fix what he started, even Okabe, the self-proclaimed mad scientist, loses his way. The normally enigmatic and ostentatious mad scientist has dissipated into a formal shell of himself. All this time, Okabe’s “mad scientist” act has been a facade to mask his helplessness and questioning of his purpose. Okabe never wanted any of this to happen. His careless and foolish mistakes have caused him and his friends immense suffering and grief. But it’s this same group of friends that gets Okabe back on his feet and allows him to realize that even he still holds a purpose. With the help of Makise Kurisu, one of the best anime tsundere waifus, Okabe is ready to conquer and rewrite his past, once and for all.

Steins;Gate excels in its storytelling. From the small and welcome character arcs of minor characters such as Faris to the twists and turns that lead the story to its fitting conclusion, Steins;Gate is one of the most clever sci-fi stories I have read to date. Where there have been many attempts by many series to perfect a time travel story, Steins;Gate is the closest to perfect and the closest to having a plotline that makes sense. There will never be a show quite like Steins;Gate. However, that is to say that the series is not without its flaws. I do think that while the story did a great job of explaining the concept of time travel and keeping the plot holes to a minimum, the concept can be, well, confusing. There’s a lot to unravel in the first seven episodes, but I do think that the show is fairly paced for casual weebs to understand the main gist of time travel. Another inherent “flaw” of the show also resides within its first seven episodes. The show can be hard to get into. I’ve been a victim of this, having trouble getting past episode 1 without feeling confused and bored. Only upon rewatch did I realize that these initial episodes weren’t a design flaw, but rather a necessity to build towards the second chapter of the story.

I also firmly believe that another strength of Steins is in its approach to conveying emotion between its characters and creating a strong contrast between drama and thriller. The interactions between the lab members had to be one of my favorite aspects of Steins;Gate. The conversations between various characters felt natural and brought a sense of realism in a time of urgency and desperation. To put it simply, this cast is chock full of charming, unique, and unforgettable figures that make the experience all the more enjoyable. The dramatic effect created by Okabe’s helpless situation and emotional retorts towards himself helps create the imminent and organic suspense that makes the second half of the show a binge-fest.

Steins;Gate is almost a masterpiece. I don’t think any form of media will ever be perfect, but I reward 10/10s to shows that have heavily impacted my life or shows to which I wouldn’t change a single frame of. Steins;Gate is neither of these two; rather it encompasses both of these criteria. With its cunning story, memorable cast, thematic developments, and appropriate ending, Steins;Gate is a show that I believe everyone should experience for themselves. Steins;Gate accomplishes what many anime couldn’t. This anime is near-and-dear to my heart, and as a hopeful high school senior who believes that their time is going by way too quickly, I use Steins;Gate as a reminder that time doesn’t fix all of your issues, so spend it without regrets... and avoid microwaving any bananas in the foreseeable future. Thank you for reading. El Psy Congroo.

smugasianboy