A thorough analysis of the deep story and character appeal of STEINS;GATE 0

Steins;Gate 0 -Steins;Gate Zero- Comprehensive Review and Recommendation

■Overview of the work

"STEINS;GATE 0" is a TV anime series that aired in 2018, based on a game by Shikura Chiyomaru and MAGES. The series aired from April 12 to September 27, 2018, with a total of 23 episodes broadcast on AbemaTV and TOKYO MX. Each episode is 30 minutes long, directed by Kawamura Kenichi, and animated by WHITE FOX. Copyright ©2018 MAGES./KADOKAWA/Future Gadget Laboratory.

■ Story

The story of "STEINS;GATE 0" begins with Okabe Rintaro's journey through countless world lines. He gives up on rescuing his beloved Kurisu from her fate of death and begins attending college again. However, his emotional wounds do not heal, and he continues to visit a mental clinic every day. He was once active as "Hououin Kyouma," but now he has sealed away the mask and is immersed in an ordinary daily life. This work tells the story of Okabe's journey through new encounters and farewells until he stands on his feet again.

■Cast

The main characters are voiced by:

• Okabe Rintaro: Miyano Mamoru
• Mayuri Shiina: Kana Hanazawa
• Itaru Hashida: Tomokazu Seki
• Makise Kurisu: Asami Imai
• Moeka Kiryu: Saori Goto
• Ruka Urushibara: Yu Kobayashi
• Faris Nyannyan: Haruko Momoi
• Amane Suzuha: Yukari Tamura
• Maho Hiyajo: Sayuri Yahagi
• Kagari Shiina: Megumi Han
• Yuki Amane: Yukari Tamura
• Tennoji Nae: Ayano Yamamoto
• Katsumi Nakase: Mariko Honda
• Kaede Kurushima: Hina Kino
• Alexis Leskinen: Yoji Ueda
• Judy Reyes: Maya Nishimura

■ Main staff

The production team is as follows:

• Original author: Shikura Chiyomaru, MAGES.
• Director: Kenichi Kawamura
• Series Composition: Touki Hanada
• Scenario Supervision: Naotaka Hayashi, Tatsuya Matsubara, Takuya Nishimura, Satoru Yasumoto
• Character design: huke
• Future Gadgets Original Concept: SH＠RP
• Character design: Tomoe Inayoshi
• Prop design: Asako Inayoshi, Shigeyuki Koresawa, Tomu
• Art setting: Toumu, Koresawa Shigeyuki
• Art Director: Takeshi Odaka
• Color design: Sato Miyuki
• Special effects supervision: Kumiko Taniguchi
• Director of photography: Tomoyuki Shiokawa
• 3D Director: Miki Yoshida
• Modeling: Hiroshi Souma
• Edited by: Hitomi Sudo
• Sound Director: Takayuki Yamaguchi
• Music: Tsuyoshi Abo, Nobuaki Shinzawa, Moe Hinata
• Music producer: Yufumi Kanaya
• Music production: MAGES.
• Animation Production: WHITE FOX
• Produced by: Future Gadget Laboratory

■Main Characters

Details of the main characters are as follows:

• Okabe Rintaro: The future leader of the Gadget Laboratory. He is aware of his own shortcomings and strives to make a comeback despite his emotional scars.
• Shiina Mayuri: Okabe's childhood friend and lab member. She is a good friend and supporter of Okabe.
• Hashida Itaru: Nicknamed Daru. A skilled hacker and lab member who is also well versed in Akihabara culture.
• Makise Kurisu: The brain behind the lab that Okabe tried to save. She died in Akihabara on July 28th. Deceased.
• Moeka Kiryu: A quiet girl with a poker face, but she becomes very talkative when texting on her cell phone. She is seriously addicted to her cell phone.
• Urushibara Ruka: Nicknamed Rukako. A boy who is sometimes mistaken for a girl because of his appearance and behavior.
• Faris Nyannyan: A laid-back girl who works at a maid cafe in Akihabara. She ends her sentences with "nyan."
• Suzuha Amane: A time traveler from the future. She is known for her slightly airheaded behavior.
• Hiyajo Maho: Kurisu's senior at university and a researcher. She is often mistaken for a child due to her young appearance.
• Shiina Kagari: A girl adopted by Mayuri in the future of 2036. She lost her parents in the war and traveled back in time with Suzuha, but they were separated along the way.
• Amane Yuki: Suzuha's mother and Daru's future wife. She has a positive attitude and doesn't worry about small things.
• Tennoji Nae: Daughter of the owner of the CRT workshop below the lab. She has a quiet personality but is very curious.
• Katsumi Nakase: Mayuri's cosplay friend. Her cosplay name is Fubuki. She is popular for her boyish appearance.
• Kaede Kurushima: Mayuri's cosplay friend. She often appears at events wearing costumes made by Mayuri.
• Alexis Leskinen: Professor at Victoria Kondria University and Chief Researcher at the Brain Science Institute. He is the professor who supervises Kurisu and Maho.
• Judy Reyes: Professor at the Psychophysiology Institute of Victoria Condor University. She has a frank personality and interacts easily with researchers.

■Subtitle

The subtitles of each episode are as follows:

• #1: The missing link in the zeroing zone
• #2: Epigraph of the closed curve
• #3: The Protocol of the Double Gospel
• #4: Lost and Wandering Solitude
• #5: Astigmatism Solitude
• #6: Eclipse of Orbital Order
• #7: Eclipse of Vibronic Transition
• #8: Dualism
• #9: Pandora of Eternal Return
• #10: Proof of Existence Pandora
• #11: Pandora of Oblivion
• #12: Mutually Recursive Mother Goose
• #13: Mother Goose in Diffractive Recitation
• #14: Recognize Elastic Limits
• #15: Recognizing Asymptote
• #16: Altair at Infinity
• #17: Altair of the Hyperbolic Plane
• #18: Altair with translational symmetry
• #19: Altair in Circular Coordinates
• #20: Rinascimento of the Oath
• #21: Rinascimento of Image Formation
• #22: Rinascimento of Investment
• #23: Arclight at infinity
• #SP: Crystal polymorph Valentinus

■ Related works

"STEINS;GATE 0" is the sequel to "STEINS;GATE", an anime series based on the original game also by Shikura Chiyomaru and MAGES., which explores the concept of time travel and world lines.

■ Theme songs and music

The theme songs and insert songs are as follows:

• OP1: "Fatima"
• Arrangement: Yocke
• Sung by: Kanako Ito
• ED1: "LAST GAME"
• Arrangement: Shinichi Yuki
• Sung by: Zwei
• ED2: "World-Line"
• Arrangement: Shinichi Yuki
• Vocals: Asami Imai

■ Evaluation and recommendation

"STEINS;GATE 0" faithfully reproduces the deep story of the original game while adding some unique developments for the anime. In particular, the portrayal of Okabe Rintaro's psychology and the growth of the characters surrounding him are carefully depicted, leaving a strong impression on viewers. In addition, the method of conveying a complex story in an easy-to-understand manner by skillfully handling the concepts of time travel and world lines has also been praised.

WHITE FOX, the animation studio, has paid particular attention to character design and background art, making the film visually stunning. In particular, the design of the futuristic gadgets and the time travel scenes are stunning, stimulating the viewer's imagination.

The voice actors are also excellent, especially Miyano Mamoru's performance as Okabe Rintaro, who realistically portrays his inner conflict and growth. Hanazawa Kana's performance as Shiina Mayuri and Imai Asami's performance as Makise Kurisu are also impressive, bringing out the charm of their characters.

Music is also an important element in enhancing the atmosphere of the work, and the opening theme "Fatima" and the ending themes "LAST GAME" and "World-Line" stir the emotions of the viewer as the story unfolds. In particular, the opening theme "Fatima" has impressive lyrics and melody that seem to symbolize Okabe's anguish and hope.

"STEINS;GATE 0" is a work that can be recommended not only to fans of the original work, but also to viewers who are experiencing this series for the first time. It is especially recommended for those who like time travel and science fiction, and those who want to enjoy deep stories and character development. Also, those who have played the original game will be able to enjoy the anime's unique development and direction.

Furthermore, this work is expected to generate a lot of thought and discussion even after viewing. Thinking deeply about the concept of world lines and the meaning of the characters' actions will enrich your viewing experience even more. Another way to enjoy it is to exchange opinions on social media and fan communities.

Finally, "STEINS;GATE 0" is a work that will provide viewers with many moving moments and surprises. By empathizing with Okabe Rintaro's journey and watching him grow, you will be forced to think about your own life. Through this work, viewers will surely gain new perspectives and values. Please give it a watch.