Dimension W

Looking for some great action in a Sci-fi setting, all under a Seinen premise? Well, if another lighthearted comedy type of anime isn’t as desirable as it used to be and some serious anime is needed, then time to delve into a complex series woven like an intricate web instead. And surprise, there are many underrated anime just like that, ones that are just waiting to be recognized and experienced!

Dimension W is one such series, a 12 episode TV anime that aired from 10th January and went on until 27th March as a Winter 2016 anime. It was created by an impressive set of producers, including Bandai Visual, Square Enix, Lantis, Tokyo MX, Good Smile Company, Q-Tec, and I Will, licensed by Funimation and brought to life together by Studio Orange and Studio 3Hz.

It features the genres of Action, Sci-Fi, and Seinen, with a Rating of R - 17+ for the violence and profanity portrayed. The main team behind the anime constitute Kamei Kanta as Director, Aketagawa Jin as Sound Director, Noshitani Mitsutaka as Episode Director, and Tachibana Masaki as Episode Director, Storyboard and Key Animation.

The Source material for the series is the Manga of the same title. This 16 volume manga started publication on 16th September 2011 and concluded on 25th June 2019. It featured the same genres by author and artist Iwahara Yuji and was serialized in Young Gangan. A Side Story Special anime series was also released titled “Dimension W: W Gate Online - Rose's Counseling Room” (Dimension W: W no Tobira Online - Rose no Onayami Soudanshitsu).

This ran for five episodes from the 25th of March to the 26th of August in 2016 and featured Short specials included in the Blu-ray releases. Another single Special episode aired on August 26th, 2016, titled “Dimension W: Do Robots Dream of Bathhouses?” (Dimension W: Short Track/Robot wa Sentou no Yume wo Miruka), which featured an unaired episode released with the sixth BD volume.

The story is set in the near future, when humanity has come to discover a mysterious fourth dimension, called Dimension W. This dimension supposedly houses an infinite source of energy within it. Without a doubt, society wishes to harness this profound new energy for themselves to reach the next big step for humankind.

For this purpose, they develop a particularly advanced technology, known as "coils," devices that are capable of linking themselves to, draw power from and use the energy of Dimension W. By the time the year 2071 comes around, the New Tesla Energy corporation has managed to monopolize this energy industry with coils entirely. But soon, they begin to deal in the illegal distribution of unofficial coils that flood the markets.

Protagonist Kyouma Mabuchi is an ex-soldier who prefers good old-fashioned technology over the newer ones. He is especially wary of all coil-based technology, with good reason, and still drives a gas-powered car as an indication of his suspicions.

In this regard, Kyouma even works as a "Collector," individuals who bear the sole duty of hunting down illegal coils in exchange for money for his livelihood. One fateful day, he starts on just another everyday mission, but it ends up getting turned right on its head when he has a destined meeting with Mira Yurizaki.

She is an Android with a mysterious connection to the "father" of coils. Following this, a string of strange events begins to occur in an untimely manner, leading to these two unlikely allies to band together to uncover the mysteries of Dimension W.

The Fourth dimension contains all of the possibilities in the real world. This interesting theory provides the basis for this entire anime. But unfortunately, the series does not properly explain the mechanics and working principles of Dimension W too well.

Still, it explores the dimension enough to give viewers an understanding of what needs to be conveyed. They portray what happens when the coils go haywire when Dimension W manifests in the real world when the characters can enter and leave Dimension W and all the associated possibilities.

Regardless, the actual use of Dimension W is relatively superficial outside of these. Everything tends to revolve around coils, and the endless possibilities end up getting shoved to the back as something just nominal. The actual usage and exploration of these possibilities are minimal, reduced to simply one of the themes of a battle story with some cute and intriguing moments.

The action manifests mainly in combat and fights, which seem a little off at times. Protagonist Mabuchi can just freely throw out countless darts as he pleases, attaching wires to them to perform numerous swings and climb as needed.

Additionally, they are capable of trapping targets with a form of snare. He never seems to run out of these darts, or is he ever placed in a seriously dire situation due to his choice of weaponry, which somehow makes him invincible overall.

The characters of Dimension W are a really strong point of the series. All of them are well done, but there always tends to be that one exception, and in this case, it's the main antagonist, Haruka Seameyer. He is a typical cliche anime villain, with insanity and cruelty being the most prominent character traits. Alongside the other creative characters, he just doesn’t feel unique at all for the role of the main antagonist.

He isn’t the type of villain viewers would be attracted to either, but he succeeds in making them hate him just for existing. Looking at the other characters, protagonist Mabuchi Kyouma is a very likable character that viewers can enjoy the ride with. He is strong, independent, possesses a relaxed attitude, and comes with a trademark sad history.

He has no “friendship is everything” principles stuck to him like leeches, either. The Android Yurizaki Mira is a very likable female protagonist who displays a ton of human personality than normal humans despite being a robot. She has no qualms about crying, blushing, and expressing pain whenever she feels them. She is also a funny, cute, and consistent character.

When it comes to the Art and Animation of Dimension W, it is both very well done, especially regarding the characters. They stand out well from the backgrounds and have unique designs. Mira never fails to be adorable, Mabuchi never loses his trademark gruffness, Loser manages to maintain his enigmatic aura, and Lasithi stylishly provides ample fanservice. The color palette was used very appropriately to suit the moment, but sometimes the backgrounds tend to look bland.

The Sounds and Music of Dimension W are also well done. The Voice Acting, in particular, was done exceptionally well. Mabuchi’s personality oozes from his voice; it’s cool, deep, and slightly apathetic, suiting him perfectly.

It also helps to set him apart from everyone else. Meanwhile, Mira has a very likable, feminine, and has a cute voice which greatly complements her personality. The Opening theme is "Genesis" by STEREO DIVE FOUNDATION, and the Ending themes are "Contrast" by Fo'xTails and "Genesis" by STEREO DIVE FOUNDATION.

Overall, Dimension W is a really great series. Mira is a massive factor in the show’s appeal, as she is consistently cute, isn't annoying in the least, and doesn't feel out of place. She is no damsel in distress; instead, she is a proper partner to Mabuchi, becoming a well-written female anime character, which is honestly rare in this day and age.

Dimension W leaves its viewers with something to talk about towards the end: world-building, storytelling, characterization, art, music, style, or how enjoyable a watch it is. It lives up to what it tries to do well while not being entirely original and borrowing some ideas from other sci-fi works.

Regardless, the series embraces the sci-fi genre magnificently and proves how unique it is to those who give it a chance—a highly recommended show for Sci-Fi fans, which is both entertaining and intriguing.

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