Xenosaga: The Animation is quite an appropriately named project, because after all it's an animated version of Xenosaga. More to the point, the anime is a more or less faithful adaptation of the original PlayStation 2 game that was released in 2002. It's always a risky thing when a company decides to produce a show based on a game. Sometimes it works and other times it doesn't. In the case of Xenosaga it falls somewhere in between good and bad.

I would like to state for the record that I am a fan of the Xenosaga game franchise. I started way back when with its quasi-original title known as Xenogears and followed the saga aspect right up through the third game Also sprach Zarathustra. To be honest, with the space opera-like atmosphere, weird alien beings, and deep musings on religion, life, and everything in between, I always felt that Xenosaga would make a powerful anime. I suppose it didn't hurt that in the games the characters already were designed with that particular style in mind. Giving the animated version only twelve episodes to retell the first game's story, however, didn't do the franchise justice. I suppose you have to be careful what you wish for.

The flaws begin right from the outset when the program was given a total of twelve episodes to work with. If the producers went ahead and crafted a side story or other element of some kind within the confines of the series I suppose that would have been the way to go. Unfortunately The Animation retells the story from the original Xenosaga in a severely condensed form; I'm talking attempting to squeeze a Thanksgiving turkey into a can of gravy condensed.

The heavily edited version may be well and good for people who are well-versed in Xenosaga lore and already know the first game backwards and forwards but newcomers are going to be left in the dust. Terms like Gnosis, Hilbert Effect, Zohar, and Realians are dropped on a dime with virtually no explanation whatsoever. Characters are also thrust in front of the camera with no introductions or sense of purpose. The end result is a program that will appease fans and possibly work as a refresher (though by now they have probably played Xenosaga II & III) but will almost completely alienate a new audience looking for a fast-paced sci-fi anime.

The first volume features four episodes which encapsulate a ton of exposition for the plot and propel the story ahead rapidly. When we meet the main characters they are taking part in a battle simulation. Shion (token anime girl with miniskirt and glasses) is watching as KOS-MOS kicks some virtual robot butt and the rest of the team moans about wanting to get on with real battles rather than testing. That night the KOS-MOS team gets their wish.

A rift in space opens in front of the fleet and whale-like creatures drift into view. They begin launching an assault on the humans with very little retaliation from our part. These Gnosis appear to reside just out of our dimension because the fleet's weapons prove to be futile against them. When KOS-MOS activates herself and unleashes the Hilbert Effect it solidifies the Gnosis bodies and allows them to be harmed. However, she activated to save Shion and wound up being too late to rescue the fleet. The Gnosis steal the Zohar Emulator, Shion escapes, and KOS-MOS is left floating in the void of space. Oh, and I suppose I should also mention that in between all of this the villain Albedo is also introduced (if you want to call it an introduction).

All of that happens within the first two episodes but the final two on this disc do not go out of their way to save you from being bombarded with information. Based upon what I have seen and what I recall it would appear that the original Xenosaga's opening ten hours are crammed within these first four episodes (totaling a 100 minutes). Despite all of this the content here is actually pretty decent. The story was great when the first game was released and though it's edited in this particular form it's still good here too.

If you're a newcomer and you happen to rent this (which is what I suggest you do) you'll want to watch it a couple of times just to let everything seep in. Xenosaga: The Animation has potential but it starts at such a breakneck speed that it can be daunting to watch it all. Fans of the game franchise will undoubtedly be drawn to this show and you'll be entertained enough if you don't mind reliving the original game's story. Given what I've seen so far though I can't say that I'd recommend anything more than a rental.

Xenosaga: The Animation originally aired during 2005 which put it ahead of Xenosaga III in timely fashion. The design of the anime matches the style of the first game quite well and though there are some differences here and there, fans will be able to recognize everything and everyone. On the technical side of things the DVD received a decent transfer but there are a few flaws here and there. The full frame picture showcases a lot of grain in some scenes, aliasing in others, and compression blocking in the darker areas. Considering the show takes place primarily in space you can expect to see a lot of artifacts floating around. Neither flaw is glaring by any stretch of the imagination but they are certainly enough to make you scratch your head.

The audio in Xenosaga: The Animation comes in the form of Japanese 2.0 and English 5.1 language tracks. The dubbing quality for both is acceptable though I found neither to be very compelling since the dialogue feels flat at times. The Japanese 2.0 track held up well on the soundstage with the front channels catching all of the necessary effects. Things were better with regards to the English track which spruced things up in the action department with presence on all channels and superior bass. A sense of immersion isn't the English selection's strong suit though and most of the experience relies on heavy bass rather than finely implemented rear channel usage.

Like most other anime released this first volume includes only some trailers and clean animations for the opening and closing.

If you absolutely love Xenosaga then picking The Animation up is a no-brainer. However, if you find yourself longing for a fresher experience from the franchise you're going to be left wanting. This show is merely a retelling of the first game's story and with that it loses most of its edge. I suppose it isn't just the rehashed plot that spoils the program; a big chunk of the flaw resides in the show itself.

Jamming ten hours of game and story time into under two hours of animation leaves things very hurried. Nothing is explained and you'll get the sensation that you're being pushed from one scene to the next. Perhaps things will slow down and receive better development time in the next volume but until then this one gets a recommended rental (unless you're the aforementioned fanboy).

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