Ghibli filter is taking over the internet, and people can’t get enough of this art style. On the other hand , Hayao Miyazaki – Japanese animator, filmmaker, and manga artist who also co-founded Studio Ghibli found it “utterly disgusted” As per him, “Whoever creates this stuff has no idea what pain is whatsoever.” In our reality, it’s just a glimpse of what these advanced AI technologies can create and bring to reality for us. With the given pace of technological advancement, these can suppress our imagination for the future world and can explore new horizons of realities just like the PANTHEON series.
Pantheon (Animated TV Series) :
Pantheon is a 2022 American animated sci-fi drama series, created by Craig Silverstein and based on short stories by Ken Liu, with Juno Lee directing the animation. It explores a new realm of reality with the help of tech called UI (Uploaded Intelligence). In the Pantheon timeline, technology has become so advanced that it becomes possible to upload human consciousness into the cloud. Although in the sci-fi world, it’s not a new concept and has been superficially touched on in 2015 in Neill Blomkamp’s movie Chappie and more was explored in the 2020 Amazon series Upload. Although both provide us with what is possible with cloud upload, Pantheon just explore it far and beyond and packing this whole package in animation has served justice to the story. The emotions, depth of characters and the concept that went far beyond to the imagination of the audience make it the best cloud tech sci-fi.
Season 1 :
It follows along Maddison or Maddie – a high school girl, lost her dad, David, to illness, and is currently living with her mom. Despite her mom’s best attempt to help her move on from this loss, she still misses her dad terribly. On top of that, she’s being bullied in school, which makes high school life a bit difficult for her. But all these, get changed when her bullies get the taste of their own medicine. Someone behind the screen is helping her out, and this someone might be her Dad.
Her mom, Ellen, finds out about this mysterious ally, and she knows that this is indeed David!
Now, the series unfolds so many truths behind so-called secure servers and corporations that are leveraging the knowledge and technologies for their own profits and power. On the other hand, Maddie comes in contact with a boy named Caspian (ykyk), and another UI, Laurie, discover a completely new world that was beyond her imagination and makes her believe that it’s actually possible for Dad to come back. Pantheon doesn’t have a single boring episode, and if it does, it doesn’t give you time to notice with another brilliant concept that makes your mind think – this is what makes it special. It’s not brain rot but a brain supplement you should take at least once in life.
Season 2 :
S1 pretty much left on a cliffhanger, and so many questions left unanswered. S2 picks up from there and unfolds everything before the audience. It gives more light on UI of like David, Laurie, and Chanda, and others like them. UI tech now being shared with intelligence agencies becomes a security threat, and moreover, the expose of Stephen Holstrom and Logorythms bring the real chaos outside and inside of cloud. David and Caspian now have new relationship dynamics to explore.
The second season is more of a humans vs UI face-off on moral grounds. The confrontations and actions of cloud reality, and the chaos it caused in both worlds. Maddie is the center of S2 and also seems to be involved in politics, working to have ethical regulation on UI and their impact on the real world. Will she be able to convince the people to have a regular life with these UI or join them and become some sort of immortal beings?
Maddie has come a long way in her journey in the anime. She seems to be the only one to understand that this is not how such technologies are supposed to evolve – A reality where life and death don’t seem to matter, as everyone is available on the cloud. A moral dilemma for her, or a hope to just start from the fresh, without ever having to know all these?
Thoughts on Pantheon (Animated TV Series) :
Pantheon has a strong concept at its base, which is explored thoroughly in the light of technological misuses and their ethical and moral repercussions on the real world. It explores more than just UI tech; it dives deep into the human psyche and mind’s reaction to something limitless and never-ending cerebral realm. The animation is clever and tries to keep up with the pace of the concept. Maybe this is why the ending may feel rushed, but nevertheless, it’s a pioneer in this genre.
Where to Watch
Season 1 and Season 2 are both available to watch on Netflix.
Genre: Sci-Fi, Drama, Network: AMC+
Animexon 