In ‘Exception’, a crew of artificially created humans embark on a mission to find another planet suitable for survival. The anime series is now streaming on Netflix.
Story
Oscar, Nina, Mack and Patty are four members of the crew, created artificially through biological 3D printing, assigned the mission to terraform a planet called X-10 for humans to inhabit 100 years in the future after they awake from cryosleep.
However, their plans take a turn for the worse when the fifth member, Lewis, comes out misprinted with genetic mutations, causing havoc on the spaceship.
The crew is immediately divided on how to treat the misprint; whether to consider it a living being or kill it before their mission is ruined.
Additionally, things do not seem the way they are, and not all crew members are being completely honest. Will the mission be a success?
Positives
Right from the start, Exception begins raising important existential questions; whether it even matters what humanity does? Do you need a purpose for your existence?
Even though the whole season only includes the 5 crew members and their versions, it never gets stale at any point. The twists and turns will keep you guessing till the end.
Through the characters and narrative, it cleverly comments on the dark side of real humanity as well. When life is found on X-10, there is a striking dilemma; would it be genocide?
There’s also a veiled criticism of the human race’s tendency to wipe out living organisms on Earth to fulfil their own lucrative goals. And the conclusion is a jibe at this as well.
Additionally, it highlights the hubris of the human race. With technology, there is so much being achieved but the series touches upon what could happen if it all goes wrong.
Humanity in the show was forced to flee the planet because of ‘alternative intelligence’, referencing how many fear AI could potentially take over the planet.
Through the misprint of Lewis, the series also sheds light on how people tend to fear anything they cannot understand.
The music, created by Grammy and Academy Award winner Ryuichi Sakamoto, is scintillating and adds magic to the show
Negatives
A show with such a strong narrative and themes definitely deserved much superior animation. While 3D is fast becoming the norm, it just takes away from the end product.
Some moments from the show are borderline unwatchable and you would only sit through it because of how intriguing the storyline is. The animation is supposed to complement the story, but in this case, it holds the series back significantly.
Verdict
If you’re ready to sit through the forgettable 3D animation, ‘Exception’ is a groundbreaking series that asks important questions and highlights glaring issues through an engaging narrative.
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