The good:
* Hardcore SciFi.
* The excellent plot.
* Script takes no prisoners, literally.
* Cinematography, especially for the many non-action parts, is sometimes average, but often brilliant.
* Drama and romance.
* Whether it concerns sex or violence, this is adult content, and not ashamed about it. The sexual aspects though, are in good taste, for the sake of the plot.
* No silly humour or fan-service.
* No fillers - a smooth ride from start to finish.
* Many of the non-moving visuals are incredible.
* Great and appropriate use of colours.
* The soundtrack is absolutely amazing, and matches the plot and visuals quite well.
The bad:
* The action sequence are alright, but many parts fall short of the standards of today. Even in the 1990s, there was better (see: Neon Genesis Evangelion).
* Some typical cliches of the Sci-Fi post-apocalyptic genre.
* The animated is dated, sadly.
* Too many Japanese cultural mannerisms for an anime of this type.
* Becomes a bit environmentalist-preachy towards the end.
* A tad overuse of the soundtrack sometimes.
* Main character (Yuji) who could have been less annoying.
Overall, an enjoyable show. Should absolutely receive a remake, a live-action version (series and not a film!), and a video game. Truly excellent material that can be worked with further.
With superior animation, slightly better-orchestrated action-scenes, and less cliche, this could have easily been a 9/10. But as it is, a 7/10. I would still recommend it to SciFi lovers who also like anime.
