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BEATLESS
Episodes 1-2

by Theron Martin,

How would you rate episode 1 of
Beatless ?
Community score: 3.4

How would you rate episode 2 of
Beatless ?
Community score: 3.3

BEATLESS's origin is a little different from the norm for anime adaptation, as it's based on a serialized novel that was later published in print rather than a long-running light novel series. However, that doesn't immediately result in any apparent differences in content, as BEATLESS's first episode is mostly run-of-the-mill sci fi fare about androids called hIEs that are almost indistinguishable from humans. After some machines go amok, the male protagonist finds himself connecting with one pretty model named Lacia, becoming her legal owner as part of an effort to protect his own life. The only thing even slightly unusual about this setup is that his little sister (who lives with him) is not only accepting but enthusiastic about the situation, and she even helps Lacia buy more appropriate clothes in the second episode. And of course Lacia is special even beyond just being a “luxury” model, as one of protagonist Arato's friends puts it. After watching episode two and reconsidering some scenes from episode one, it seems more clear that this is a case where surface impressions don't tell the whole story. Outwardly, BEATLESS still seems to just be going through the motions, with Arato's friends finding out about his new android, Lacia getting involved in an hIE fashion show after Arato's sister enters her picture in a modeling contest, and so on. But under that veneer, the story is covertly exploring some advanced technological, psychological, and sociological issues. Lacia is the perfect companion in many respects: beautiful, personable, and capable without any hint of pretense. However, her personality is at least partly the result of adaptive programming, as hIEs are designed to accommodate humans on every level, and her capabilities largely come from being able to access cloud servers to download skills as needed. Downloading various skills into your body is hardly a new idea in anime – it appears in Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex if not earlier – but this is the first case I can think of that invokes the use of a cloud server specifically.

Episode two expands on the premise further by detailing a more futuristic version of a modeling shoot. Instead of being filmed in a studio, Lacia and the other two models wander the streets of the city with drone cameras about, making it a public show with music and special effects-equipped vans at the ready for the climax. It's more interesting in execution than it sounds, although it helps that the other two models look every bit as sharp as Lacia. The event also brings up the concept of an “analog hack,” which operates on the notion that hIEs are human-seeming enough that people will subconsciously let their guard down around them, leaving them more open to be manipulated for purposes like crowd control. The series further points out that the downside to this phenomenon is that some people will never get over seeing hIEs as objects, so they can react negatively in much the same way that treating other types of people as alien can lead to social discord. This is all interesting enough and gets enough focus that I have to think it's going to be a recurring element in the series. (The title for episode three suggests that there may be an obsessive fanatic scenario on the horizon.) The issue brought up in the first episode about how owners assume legal responsibility for the actions of their hIEs also seems likely to be a prominent element, though it hasn't come up again since then.

If the story continues to delve into these matters, then the series may actually have a chance to distinguish itself. The visual merits certainly won't catch anyone's eye, as the colors often seem muted and the character art (especially for crowd shots) isn't nearly as sharp as the better-looking series this season. The moody musical score fares better, but “muted” is a good word to describe the series as a whole so far. It's definitely not an energetic go-getter like Killing Bites or DARLING in the FRANXX this season.

Comparisons could be drawn to a number of other series; elements of Chobits, Bubblegum Crisis, Mahoromatic, and other series involving the humanity of androids can be seen reflected in this material if you're looking for them, but BEATLESS doesn't overly resemble any of those at this point. It's a series striving to carve out its own identity while not straying too far from established successful formulas for comfort, and I'm curious to see if it can pull off this balance.

Rating: B-

BEATLESS is currently streaming on Amazon Prime.


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