As applies to anything, I decided to save the best of the season for last, following up Full Metal Panic with a sequel to one of my favorite shows of all time: Steins;Gate. Ever since I first saw Steins;Gate, it’s been almost a yearly ritual for me to go back and rewatch the show, and to recommend it to anyone who hasn’t seen it yet. Unlike a certain lovely other blogger and good friend of mine, I haven’t played the games, but I plan to remedy that very, very soon.
Steins;Gate is one of the most well-written, gripping, and beautifully told stories i’ve ever experienced in my life. With vibrant characters that very quickly become dear friends, and the absolute best depiction of time travel i’ve ever seen in… well, anything, basically, it’s a series that will twist your mind and heart, warping the boundaries of what you ever thought possible.
Steins;Gate 0, then, is a separate worldline. A worldline that helps explain the events near the end of the original show, tossing us right back into the mix with our beloved cast of characters, and the dark, brutal world they live in.
As i’ve said before, I adore Steins;Gate. I resonate with Okabe on a very deep, personal level, as I share a lot of similarities with him, the lovable dork that he is. I went into Steins;Gate 0 with the highest of expectations… and was definitely not disappointed. With new resources, the show looks better than ever, the unique visuals making the settings and characters stand out even more. The music is just as good as you’d expect it to be, the soundtrack and the ED all blending perfectly with the vibe of the show to create absolute perfection.
I’ve already mentioned how much I adore these characters, and it truly pains me to know that they have only misery ahead of them, as things already start to look grim in the first episode. However, as I mentioned before, loose threads from the original show will be tied up here… it’s a necessary sacrifice for the completion of the story.
All that said, this isn’t a show you can just jump right into. If you’re thinking of picking this show up, I highly recommend watching the original show first, as if you haven’t seen it, many of the events mentioned in 0 won’t make sense to you. It’s also a bit full of code words and technobabble, in true Steins;Gate form, so there’s a bit of an entry barrier for those who get turned off by that sort of thing. However, I still maintain that this could well Anime of the Season, and a strong contender for Anime of the Year.
The Zodiac Room 
you know what really got to me – the divergence meter in the opening credits….
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Yeah. seeing that and noting (here comes the gibberish) that we’re already on a beta worldline, but knowing that the divergence is subtly different than the divergence for the “good end” of the main show. And understanding that because we’re being shown the divergence ratio, we know exactly how much crap Okabe has already had to go through to get to this point.
You probably have more insight into it than I do though, considering your history with the franchise!
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well I got more info but you know it’s the type of story that’s up for interpretation. You love the franchise possibly as much as I do so I figure your insight on it is precious
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aww thanks Irina š
i’m super excited to play the game, too.
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