Made In Abyss recently won the AOTY in Crunchyroll awards and that further solidified that I had to watch this show but I was scared ,

Scared about Hype getting the better of me everywhere I was hearing “how amazing this series is” and generally going into a show with such ridiculous expectations means 9 times out of 10 leaving disappointed and yet here I am proudly declaring Made In Abyss as one of my favorites and why you should watch it.

World

Made In Abyss looks and feels like a video game a huge open world adventure game with beautifully crafted worlds and meticulous details scattered around the world and

Rarely in anime we get such a vast worlds despite most of the shows being of Isekai genre , rather than focusing on the world building and the world they focus more on the characters and how to move the plot forward often leaving half of the world unexplored , one great example is Sword Art Online – Where Kirito after the few episodes has already descended in further and more advanced levels resulting in the first levels being unexplored much to the dismay of the fans. Made In Abyss however does not only explore the world it celebrates it by slowing the pace down and as a result we are left in awe as if we are with Riko and Reg exploring the abyss , I cant say how many times watching the show I was just left in awe as the series continuously showed us things which are impossible to exist in the real world and left me terrified of its inhabitants

World Building

Made In Abyss has another thing which sets it apart , The immaculate world building the series presents us with from the various documented letters exploring the abyss , to the various plays celebrating the heroes who descend into the abyss to finally the legends of the abyss informing us about the inhabitants and how there is a very big chance of never returning once descended.

This helps the show immensely as in just a few episodes the show manages to hook the viewer in with the mysteries of the abyss making the viewer coming back from more.

No shows other long running shows can afford to spend so much time on their world building aspects but they have the luxury to do so as they have well over hundred episodes to do so and its frankly remarkable what Made In Abyss managed to do so in only 13 episodes not only managing to build a world so unique but making the world actually feel alive and one in which there is sense of dread as if something is quite not right.

Story/Characters

Looking at the art style of the world and the characters the show seems about a happy go lucky adventure series but that is far from the truth , yes the first few episodes are filled with joy but this quickly changes as the protagonists dive deeper into the abyss.

The Story of Made In Abyss while being simple has a remarkable draw to it be the Abyss or the fact that can Riko find her mother or can Reg remember his past each episode of Made In Abyss had me hooked and brought more questions than answers and kept me longing for more.

Many times Anime Adaptations give a incomplete ending and just tell indirectly if you want to experience the rest of the story read the manga and that is a major reason why great shows are often not given the praise they deserve as the likelihood of season 2 is very low and is highly dependent on external factors. Shirobako and Hunter X Hunter are prime examples of this happening both great shows but suffer from the fate of incomplete adaptions which leaves a sour tastes in our mouths. Made In Abyss however despite having a somewhat incomplete ending feels complete and great at the same time and while there is new content coming I was completely satisfied from these 13 episodes and it having a incomplete ending wont deter me from saying it was a masterpiece.

Music

Soundtracks often play a very important role in an anime and a show with a amazing soundtrack alleviates the show and makes it somewhat special and Made In Abyss has one of the greatest ever soundtracks in any anime and certainly the best in the recent years. There is something about the soundtrack that makes me listen to it everyday and I still tear up hearing the songs as i remember the context on which it was played.

Conclusion

I wasn’t watching much anime this past year as I used to due to time constraints and real life getting in the way but watching Made In Abyss made me realize why I fell in love with this medium in the first place and the ridiculous potential this medium possesses for telling unique and diverse stories.

Shows so rich as Made In Abyss are rare in our medium and are often forgotten as soon as the next season arrives , Sure Shounen action series or much awaited sequels of popular shows will occupy much of the seasons and discussions but once in a while shows like these will break through and will make us fall in love with the medium once again.