Ergo Proxy: The Complete Series

This futuristic anime series takes place in the city of Romdo, which is protected beneath a massive dome from the effects of an ecological catastrophe that occurred thousands of years earlier. But all is not well in Romdo: the careful social balance between humans, androids, and robots is disrupted when its mechanical residents become infected with the Cogito virus, which causes them to turn homicidal. The Civilian Intelligence Office sends detective Re-l Mayer and her android partner, Iggy, to investigate, but Re-l is attacked by humanoid monsters called Proxy. After Re-l reports the attack, she's removed from the case while her superiors erase Iggy's memory of the crime. Re-l then becomes involved with a Russian illegal immigrant and his female android, and the investigator's further inquiries uncover secrets about life within and outside of Romdo. Much of Ergo Proxy feels borrowed from a half-dozen sci-fi classics, ranging from Metropolis to A.I., with pieces of Battleship Earth thrown in (all that's missing is a Soylent Green dinner). But despite the lack of originality, this nicely paced series is stylish and entertaining. Compiling all 23 episodes from this 2006 series in a dual-language set, rated TV-MA, extras include behind-the-scenes featurettes. Recommended. (P. Hall)