Review for Steins; Gate Part Two

It was only after watching Steins; Gate (is it OK to call it SG from now on? Thanks) Part One on DVD that I realised that the series was based on a manga which itself was based on a computer game. That just didn’t compute because it’s far too good a series for that, surely? So my initial enthusiasm for Part 1 was slightly prejudiced for Part 2 though I’m happy to say that it didn’t matter a jot. Because even viewed through a warily cynical eye it still stands up as a very fine anime indeed. But really - whoulda thunk it?


Now I don’t proclaim any expertise in his area – (think of me as Amanda Holden on Britain's Got Talent; I have an opinion but it’s not based on any substantial knowledge or expertise or talent) – but as an occasional anime dabbler I may appeal to other dabblers . In common with reviewers the world over, I am a firm believer that everyone is entitled to my opinion. Having said that, the more serious anime-minded among you would probably be better advised to check out the Animeister, Jitendar Canth’s review of the Blu-Ray edition here. 



Cruelly, part one of the series left us hanging on an Eastenders style cliff-hanger where the seriousness of what was at stake became apparent. The notion that you can tinker with the past suddenly threw up huge implications for the future and so began a complex mind-game. So if you watched part one you’ll know that at the end of it Sern waged an attack on the Future Gadget Laboratory and one of Okabe’s assistants is shot and killed (I hold off mentioning who in case you haven’t got that far yet).


So Part 2 is all about travelling back in time trying to fix things so that the awful inevitable doesn’t happen after all. Which means a lot more deaths, often of the same individual, as it seems fated that they should not stay alive, a conundrum that sees Okabe almost driven insane in the attempt. 
Part 2 also throws up some lovely twists, like who is the father of whom (after all, we are straddling different timelines) and even more amusingly, who was their partner?


So things get really complex and much unraveling of knots takes place to make sense of it all. Particularly when it transpires that it was your tinkering with time travel that caused so many problems in the first place. By adjusting everything by a mere 1% differential and reversing many actions it may be possible to eradicate consequences and so-called fate after all. Or something like that. It’s a very cerebral experience and this is not an anime that you can have gently playing in the background whilst you clear your inbox. This will take all your concentration which will be rewarded in full. Quite extraordinary that an animated TV show should have such great depths – hard to imagine a US or UK cartoon of such complexity.


The end is not only worth the wait it is sublimely beautiful. The conclusion is that which many of the world’s greatest philosophers have arrived at too towards the end of their days and which William S. Burroughs wrote as his last words. I won’t spoil it suffice to say that it doesn’t move you then nothing will. 


The DVD looks great though I can only imagine that the Blu-Ray must look even better and is probably the way to go – and that way you’ll get the OVA episode too. I read about banding issues on the Blu-Ray though that doesn't seem to be much of an issue here – maybe less noticeable in lower res. Steins; Gate is not a particularly colourful anime, but rather very muted and often quite dark and low in contrast. This shows an incredible confidence in those producing the show that they are able to push the image to the limits of what is popularly acceptable.




I selected the English dub which, apart from the usual high pitched nasally ‘kiddy voice’ for some of the female parts, was good. Of course, purists can go for Japanese with English subs which is Jitander’s usual choice so check out his review of the Blu-Ray for that.


The DVD set, in common with the Blu-Ray, includes two audio commentaries by the US team used for the English dub (Episode 19 and 24) as well as textless openings and closings and a US trailer. The commentaries are OK as far as they go, though with so much great material available to view these days sometimes wonder at the wisdom of investing too much time in commentaries that don’t include either the original Director or writer or some expert / historian throwing some illuminating new light on proceedings.


However, make no mistake. The series itself is very much worth your time and hard earned money.