I don't know why I was putting off watching Un-Go for so long. I had begun watching it when it came on Hulu around February, but the plot of the first episode was rather weak and failed to rope me in. So it sat in my Queue, waiting patiently. Finally, after happening upon this video of some of Yutaka Nakamura's work, I got curious, so I gave it another shot. I love Fullmetal Alchemist, and once I learned Seiji Mizushima and Shou Aikawa were behind it, I knew it would be great.The mysteries get better and better as the show goes on, and by the time the main plot is introduced and the AI Kazamori joins the cast, I was hooked. But this doesn't happen until the end of episode 6, and in my opinion this Anime is much too short at 11 episodes. It should have been at least 13, if not 24. It has a very interesting, Matrix-esque quality, and the music is some of the best in Anime. Both the opening and ending themes still get stuck in my head constantly, and I had to download them as soon as I could just to fulfill my craving for hearing them.
If you're going to watch Un-Go, you must also find Episode 0, which is a 60-minute prequel "movie." It answers all of the questions that the series leaves the viewer with. Now, at the time I watched the series, I didn't know about the prequel's existence, so I didn't get to watch it until after I finished the 11-episode anime. It worked for me just fine. Actually, the mysteries about Shinjuurou's past and his connection to Inga made it very compelling. I didn't feel like I'd missed anything by not seeing the prequel first. It was not released first, but rather about a month after the anime began airing, so I suppose it's intended to be watched in tandem with the series a few episodes in. But I felt like my experience with the franchise was still rich for not knowing the history; although I don't have the other experience so I have nothing to compare it to. Though the main plot and villain would have made more sense if I had seen Episode 0 before they were introduced in the anime. If you're wondering whether to watch the anime or the movie first - I'd suggest watching the first 4-5 episodes and then Episode 0, as I suppose that's how it was intended to be viewed. The anime began airing mid-October, 2011, and Episode 0 was released November 19th.This is one that I'm extremely disappointed is only one season. Bones could easily produce another season from the way it ended - somewhat ambiguously - if there were a great enough following. From what I've read, it didn't receive such a warm reception in Japan, it is a tad off-beat compared to popular Anime - I loved the animation, but it isn't that interesting, the mysteries can be a little confusing, it doesn't make sense without the prequel - so there was never an offer to extend it into a second season. It's very unfortunate, as I really loved this anime; I find it really refreshing to watch an anime that is new and original, and not based on a Manga. It is loosely based on a novel by Ango Sakaguchi, Meiji Kaika Ango Torimono-chou, but it's nice to see something that hasn't been translated panel-for-panel already by a mangaka for a change.
I for one hope there will still be an Un-Go season 2, but I won't hold my breath. This unfortunate circumstance happens so often with good Anime shows - they just don't gain enough of a following in their home country to warrant a continuation, and when they spur a fan-base in the U.S., it's already too late.
