Originally posted at The Anime Complexium

Urbance is a dystopian animated series — complete with sex, drugs, and violence — against a gritty environment. This show has some stunning animation, coupled with its Japanese anime influences and trip-hop music, and comes together to create one trippy ride during the eight-minute Urbance pilot. Written and directed by Joel Dos Reis Viegas and Sebastian Larroude, with Studio Ghibli animator Hiroshi Shimizu, these three create a project that is all-inclusive.

In this dystopian city, all types of sex are outlawed. If you dare to have sex, you’ll most likely meet an untimely death right on the spot. Women and Men are divided and not allowed to interact per city ordinance. COEVO is the omniscient company trying to “cure” the public and keep things in order. But they can’t keep Kenzell and Lesya away from one another. These two provide the conflict that sets off a chain of dangerous event that further the story. Urbance is leaves you with one question: Will love and sex conquer all?

The pilot sets the tone for the show. The slums are ripe with angst and sexual tension. There are underground parties where men and women interact, and dance (no sex) but only for two hours. This is where Kenzell and Lesy meet, and the rest is history. I don’t want to give too much away, but trust me you should watch to see what happens.

Directors Viegas and Larroude have given us something extremely unique. There is a very diverse cast, and members of the LGBTQ community are also included. The animation is top-notch. It’s a surreal, visual feast of lush, vibrant colors that bring this bleak existence to life. Again, the pilot is eight minutes, which is just enough to entice the audience to come back for more.

Urbance is set to usher in a new era of animation and story telling. You’ll want to be on the front end of this revolution!

Watch the Urbance pilot here.