Genre: Sci-fi, Action, Seinen
Season: 1
Episodes: 12
Director: Kamei Kanta
Studio: Studio 3hz
Original Airtime: Jan 10, 2016-March 27, 2016

Plot

Dimension W is set in the not-so-distant future when humans have done the impossible and found a seemingly infinite source of energy. By tapping into the newly discovered fourth plane, Dimension W, they are able to harness that energy using “coils.” By 2071, manufacture of coils have come to be monopolized by the New Tesla Energy company, which led to the appearance of unofficial, non-Tesla coils manufactured by private companies. Collectors are hired to confiscate these illegal coils for a bounty.

Kyouma is one such Collector. He dislikes all coils to the degree where he doesn’t even use them in his daily life. On one coil-collecting mission, he bumps into a robot girl powered entirely by coils, and they enter into a uniquely dynamic partnership in order to achieve their goals.

Story: 7/10

Dimension W starts off real fast. They don’t mess around and got to the point on the very first episode. The show is based on a futuristic setup where people have invented an alternative source of energy. This source of energy is later discovered to be highly connected with human memory which is an uncharted territory. Thus the use of Dimension W energy comes with certain risks if not used properly. The anime sets off with that notion. Not very common but not a unique concept either. What makes this show special is the execution of the story, the unique leading characters and the unorthodox animation. The pacing of Dimension W is excellent. There were one or two dull episodes at the middle which is the only drawback of the story. I personally felt the story was really well executed. They did not waste time in needless bantering and transition episodes. From the get go Dimension W gets in to the story and sticks to it. The finishing was top notch. This is a sci-fi action anime yet the ending was extremely heartwarming.

Character: 7/10

One of the limitations of a 12 episode anime is that there is just not enough time to explore all the characters. Something that happened to Dimension W. The characters were fantastic. Kyouma is a no bullshit protagonist. He does what he feels like. Someone who is extremely rash and works on impulse but at the same time extremely caring towards his comrades. Mira is the primary female lead of the show. She acts cutesy and all but she can really kick some ass. Unlike a lot of show piece female characters Mira is actually an extremely important character on the context of the story. These two were the primary focus. But like I said in 12 episode anime a lot of characters remain unexplored and so is the case here. The other characters were hardly touched and most of them are actually there to make up the numbers.

The only character to show ‘development’ in Dimension W was Mabuchi Kyouma, the main male lead. At first he really didn’t seem to care about anyone and absolutely hated the new ‘Coil’ culture. But that is because he has a past. A past that was locked away into his memories by the effects of Dimension W. His dynamic with Mira, the female lead, was that of master and servant in the beginning. But as the show progresses and he learns about his own past he also grows as a character and begins to come back to his former self and understand the value of Mira as a partner. Another reason why I loved Kyouma is his choice of cars!

Mira on the other hand is a very interesting characters. She’s a robot made by inventor of Dimension W coils and decades more advanced than the contemporary robots. She experiences all the human emotions such as sadness, fear, anger and even love. She respects Kyouma even though he is rude to her. As the story progresses she too discovers her own purpose and how she came to be.

Another character that shined was Loser. The coil hunter who is greatly tied with the mysteries of Kyouma’s past and the incident that catalyzed the story of Dimension W.

Besides these there are many more interesting characters in the show that given the opportunity would shine greatly. Such as Kyouma’s former colleague Albert, Prince Salva and Luwai etc.

Here are some notable characters from the anime:

Animation and Art: 8/10

The artwork in Dimension W is unique to the contemporary animation. At first I thought it wasn’t that good but as I kept watching the show I fell in love with it. It was fantastic. The drawings were sharp and a mixture of bright and dark colors were used. Studio 3Hz really pulled out all the stops on Dimension W.

Here are some screenshots from the anime:

Music: 7.5/10

Let me just tell you that the opening of Dimension W not only just blew but also the very reason I started the show. I later fell in love with story and characters but the primary reason for my falling in love with the show was this epic opening. The song “Genesis” by Stereo Drive Foundation accompanied with those amazing cut scenes and Kyouma’s dance moves made it my top favorite opening of the season. The ending theme “Contrast” by Fo’x Tail was just as good. The background scores were pretty awesome too.

Ending Theme: Contrast by Fo’x Tail

Final Thoughts

Dimension W has been one of the pleasant surprises of Winter 2016. It is an extremely good anime and has a great entertainment value. Give this anime a shot. You’ll love it if you’re into action and sci-fi.