Preview

15 years in the future, Lacryma, a planet very much like earth is under attack (and on the verge of destruction) by another dimension - Shangrilla - which wants to merge all space-time in only one, destroying all others. To fight this menace, the Dragon Knights were created - people changed with quantum physics, able to change the mater and energy of their bodies at will. Even so, things don't look good. During a battle, Karasu, one of the best Dragon Knights, is thrown into another dimension: our present-day Earth. What he did not expect was to find an important object that can save Lacryma: 'Dragon's Torque' - except this 'object' is at the form of a young 12-year girl, Haruka.

Pacing

The first important characteristic we must point about Noein is it's incredible art style instability. While one episode can have a pretty art, another might be just awful. To make things worst, the first episode boasts the worst art in the series, which can easily scare viewers from this title. But don't loose heart and keep going, episode 2 makes it up being one of the best. This instability follows the whole title, though no other episode is as ugly as the first episode. The battle sequences have some tendencies to look like sketches, though it might be to give some 'action' feeling to it, but actually, it really looks more like lack of budget.

Aside this art issue and back to what is important. Noein have a fascinating plot, extremely likable and well-developed characters, and a lot of physics jargon to leave everyone without a clue to what is going on - to an extent. From the first episode until the end we are faced with complex quantum physics issues that end up touching on the subject of existentialism: According to modern quantum physics, we cannot determine the position/attitude of a quark because any attempt to 'see' it will influence it and, thus, change it's position/attitude. For that, we cannot predict it's current position and thus it's future position. Theory says that an infinite number of possible exists simultaneously, the one being real whichever we perceive (that being the famous uncertainty theory). Noein hugely explores this idea and, as we soon find out, Lacryma is one of such 'possible' futures for our very own Earth.

The main focus of the title is Haruka and her childhood friend Yuu, that chare more than only some affection, but eventually we realize they love each other. However, since we are talking about 12 year olds, they still can't handle most of their emotions and frustrations, and the title does a nice job showing this - and their maturing. Add a universal proportion adventure (with multiple dimensions and time-travel), and you have pretty messed up characters, but yet, realistically made and humane.

We also have lots of oriental philosophy underneath Noein's front: Death and loss inevitability, the search for an ideal world where we can control - not destroy - problems, etc... It's quite interesting to see that other titles from 2005/2006 have very similar themes. Ergo Proxy gets the same line but is focused in pure philosophy, while 2005's Amaenaide comic anime touches a lot on Buddhist philosophies. Noein does not get into philosophy nor religion, but actually uses modern physics to ask us the same question: do we really exist?

George Berkeley's statement 'Esse est percibi' - To be is to be perceived - is pretty much one of the basics of Noein, though it's never quoted.

Conclusion

Noein is a big romantic adventure. Among most characters there is some romance. And in the mist of these romantic relationships, we have a huge breath-taking sci-fi adventure.

Unfortunately Noein's art style - or better put, it's instability - can annoy a little. It's just like quantum physics: you just can't predict what next episode will have: good or bad art styles. Yet, the key episodes seam to be quite often the ones with good art style. But aside that, Noein is above average in everything else: excellent character development (all grow, learn, and evolve in face of the circumstances), an intriguing plot, and a nice closure.

A nice call for all fans and tastes, a title that might not be the top of it's genre, but it certainly belongs to the top list.