Casshern Sins

Plot

Casshern Sins tells the story of a world where robots subjugated humanity after becoming self-aware. Their leader, Braiking Boss, ruled over the world with an iron fist. One day, a mysterious girl named Luna was summoned by the people in order to bring the salvation of mankind. Fearing her as a potential threat, Braiking Boss sent three of his most powerful cyborg warriors – Casshern, Dio, and Leda – to dispose of Luna. Casshern, the strongest warrior, managed to track down and kill Luna. However, this triggered "the ruin", a cataclysmic event which set into motion the end of the world. The robots lost their ability to live indefinitely, and began rusting and dying. Hundreds of years later, the world's atmosphere is filled with poison, and, due to the inability of most remaining humans to reproduce, as well as the constant threat posed by the robots, humanity is on the brink of extinction.

Robots fare only slightly better, fearing death as much as humans do: the poisonous environment quickly causes their mechanical bodies to rust and corrode, forcing them to regularly replace their damaged parts, if spare parts in good condition can even be found. In this wretched time and place, Casshern, who had disappeared following the assassination of Luna, returns with no memory of who he is or what he had done. A rumor is spread that any robot who kills and eats Casshern will obtain eternal life, forcing Casshern to fight for his own life. Throughout the story, he seeks the truth about the past and tries to find meaning in the fervent will to live he sees in those around him.

Characters

Main characters

Casshern (キャシャーン, Kyashān)

Voiced by: Tōru Furuya (Japanese); Eric Vale (English)

The protagonist of the series. He was originally a subordinate of Braiking Boss and the strongest warrior in his robot army. With an advanced cybernetic body and quick reflexes, he can destroy any opponent he comes across. Casshern was ordered by Braiking Boss to assassinate Luna. However, this act triggered a cataclysmic event and Casshern disappeared. Returning hundreds of years later with no memory of who he was, he somehow holds the ability to painfully regenerate from any injury and goes violently berserk when incited. While he travels to discover what has happened, and to redeem himself, he encounters people who have been affected by the cataclysm. He is also confronted by many others who attempt to kill him in the belief that devouring him will save them from ruination. Saddened by the deaths of Lyuze and Ohji, he returns to Luna once more and reminds her that she is salvation to those wishing to find her, and he is death. Before he leaves to wander the world, he warns her that if she and her followers ever forget death, he will return.

Lyuze (リューズ, Ryūzu)

Voiced by: Nami Miyahara (Japanese); Brina Palencia (English)

A female robot, she pursues Casshern out of revenge for her sister. Before the cataclysm, her sister Liza was injured by Casshern while trying to protect Luna, and eventually died a slow death from corrosion. However, she hesitates when Casshern willingly allows her the chance to kill him, and is unwilling to do so. Instead, she begins to follow and accompany Casshern on his journey, eventually developing feelings for him. She finally finds Luna with the help of Casshern and the others, but loses respect and interest for Luna as soon as she discovers the true meaning of Luna's "salvation". She decides to live with Casshern, Ringo, Ohji, and Friender, to spend her last days with them, dying from the ruination. As she dies, she tells Casshern that she is happy that she was able to find peace with him.

Ringo (リンゴ)

Voiced by: Yūko Minaguchi (Japanese); Monica Rial (English)

Recurring characters

Luna (ルナ, Runa)

Voiced by: Akiko Yajima (Japanese); Trina Nishimura (English)

A mysterious girl summoned by the human race for salvation, Luna was known as "the sun that was named moon," and has been dubbed the "Source of Life" – a living embodiment for the world. Deeming her a threat, Braiking Boss sent Casshern, Dio, and Leda to assassinate her. Casshern successfully does so, triggering the destruction of the world. Amid hints that she continues to exist in some form, Casshern searches for her to find the cause of the state of the world, and the reason behind his apparent immortality. However, when he finds her, she has changed and her dislike of death leads her to kill anyone who reeks of death.

It is discovered that humans had learned the secret of eternal life when their medical technology advanced. Braiking Boss was repulsed by this and began the extermination of humans. Mankind barely managed to survive through Luna. She granted humans normal lifespans because she believed that without death, humans could not live. Braiking Boss sensed that a number of robots began to worship her as well, so he ordered her assassination which unknowingly set into motion the Ruin. After Casshern killed her, she mysteriously became disgusted and terrified of death and dying. She instead granted immortality to both humans and robots that she deemed to not be "reeking of death" or to those not too far into the suffering of the Ruin, as discovered when she refused to heal Dune. Luna sought to create a world free of death until all those dying of the Ruin would perish, leaving those who are immortal.

Braiking Boss (ブライキング・ボス, Buraikingu Bosu)

Voiced by: Kenji Utsumi (Japanese); J. Paul Slavens (English)

Braiking Boss was the leader and commander of the robot army. Having dominated humanity for ages, Luna was summoned to stop him. As the one who ordered Luna's assassination, he was the true cause of the world's destruction. Dismissing the rumors of the effects of devouring Casshern, he spends his time following him from afar, watching his actions. At the end of the anime, he and his army find salvation from Luna. As Casshern returns, destroying his army, Braiking Boss fights hopelessly against Casshern. His last words are an order to kill Luna to atone for his sin of causing the ruination of the world. As he dies, he feels content that he is finally receiving justice for causing the destruction of the world. Braiking Boss believed his death at the hands of his former subordinate was a form of divine retribution.

Media

Manga

A manga adaptation was announced in the September 26, 2008, issue of Jive's Comic Rush Magazine. It began serialization in the December issue, which was published on October 25, 2008.

Anime

Casshern Sins was first announced at the Tokyo International Anime Fair 2008, where it was confirmed that Madhouse would be in charge of the animation. It aired from October 1, 2008, to March 15, 2009. Soon after, an official trailer was posted online on its official Japanese website. It was announced at Otakon 2009 that Funimation Entertainment would produce and distribute the series for release in 2010, following a subtitled-only release on their video service in late 2009. Casshern Sins is distributed in Oceania by Siren Entertainment with an Australian distribution by Gryphon Entertainment, and New Zealand distribution is by Vendetta Films. Manga Entertainment distributes Casshern Sins in the United Kingdom. The series made its North American television debut on December 14, 2010, on Funimation Channel. Adult Swim aired the series as part of the newly revived Toonami programming block from May 27 until November 4, 2012.

The show had previously aired on Japan's Chiba TV, TV Aichi, MBS, TV Kanagawa & TV Saitama stations. Casshern Sins had also aired on Singapore's Arts Central channel. According to The Straits Times, the show aired simultaneously with Japan in order to cut down on illegal downloading in Singapore. TV5 airs Casshern Sins in the Philippines.

Reception

Theron Martin of Anime News Network praised the series and gave it an overall ranking of "B+", commending the show's style and excellent sound design, while detracting that the show's "overstretched plot" and grim tone. Another contributor from the same website, Mark Sombillo gave the series a review, writing that "Let's go through what was good. The soundtrack is fantastic. The word "epic" is far too often thrown around today with total disregard to its real meaning and applicability but I'm left with not many other words in order to describe the background music. Essentially it's the kind of orchestral performance that would be at home in a movie about the gods of Mt. Olympus fighting it out with the Titans. The ending credits song is also a first in a while that has struck a chord in me. K∧N∧'s soulful singing perhaps doing more to remind me of how lonely Casshern's world is turning into rather than the story itself. Character design also has a bit of nostalgic feel to it, a light nod to the original series and the era it was re-envisioned from; you can be forgiven for thinking you were watching Battle of the Planets all over again. The fight sequences are also cumbersome to watch where you're more likely to just see swipes of light to represent that an action has occurred before it skips to the scene where the bad guy is falling apart. And just back to the background music, or rather the bits where it doesn't play, there were just too many elongated silent moments often accompanied by cheap zoom-in shots of the characters with nothing happening".