Kananase Yuu is just an ordinary high school student. Inexplicably possessing the knowledge to pilot mecha craft, Yuu is recruited by the International Military Organization (IMO) as a potential test pilot for the new class of mobile armour, the Ordian. However, Yuu is not the only one who has been selected with the potential to pilot the Ordian. Other young recruits, including one of his classmates, have also been recruited, meaning Yuu must now strive to prove that he is the best.
But the IMO is not as transparent as what it first seems. The secrets it holds are many. And then there is the shadowy organisation that is currently locked in open combat with the IMO. Just what is the Ragnarok system and what is the secret behind Ordian?
Platinumhugen Ordian is another mecha show following in the vein of Neon Genesis Evangelion. Lots of mecha, lots of fighting, and lots of confused grandiose writing which leaves viewers more confused than enlightened. It’s a pity, because the mecha and character designs are pretty nice and the show starts off well for the first half of the series. It is the second half of the series where the plot goes slightly awry and begins to get so existential that in the end no one can understand what the show is trying to say.
The animation for the show is good, with the characters and mecha having a lot of design and detail put into them. The colours are a bit dull though, detracting rather than adding to the show’s overall look. However, some of the imagery and visual sequences are simply breathtaking.
The characters are well designed and developed through the series and the voice acting and musical score is of a good standard as well.
If you are a fan of confused anime such as Neon Genesis Evangelion, then you will probably enjoy Platinumhugen Ordian. However, this is a mecha anime aimed at hardcore fans of the genre, meaning that the casual anime watcher probably won’t get as much out of the series as was intended.
(Historical Note: This was written back in August 2004. Thankfully my writing has improved greatly since then.)
Related Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Platinumhugen_Ordian