Made in Abyss Review | The Deeper You Go, The Less You Can Return — A Masterpiece of Beauty and Despair

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"The deeper you descend, the less you can return." — That single sentence is enough to make your heart clench.

Made in Abyss is a dark fantasy from Japan that, despite its adorable art style, tears into viewers' hearts with unrelenting cruelty. If you loved Puella Magi Madoka Magica's deceptive cuteness hiding despair, this series will hit you just as hard. A storybook-beautiful world, lovable characters, and underneath it all — devastation. This anime shares Madoka's DNA while delivering something even more profound through the universal theme of adventure.

🎬 Trailer

📌 This Series in 3 Lines

📖 Don't Be Fooled by the Art Style — Story

The "Abyss" — humanity's last unexplored frontier, a massive vertical pit of unknown depth. Riko, an orphan girl living in the town surrounding the Abyss, dreams of following in the footsteps of her legendary mother, the White Whistle cave raider Lyza.

One day, Riko discovers Reg, a robot boy with no memories, deep within the Abyss. When a message arrives from her mother saying "I'll be waiting at the bottom of the netherworld", Riko and Reg embark on a journey from which there may be no return. The Abyss has a curse called the "Strain of Ascent" — the deeper you go, the more devastating the toll on your body when you try to return. Yet Riko chooses to descend, driven by one simple wish: "I want to see my mother."

✨ What Makes This Series Hit So Hard

The "Strain of Ascent" — A Cruel System of No Return

The Abyss has a curse that intensifies with each layer. In the shallow layers, you might experience dizziness or nausea. But as you descend deeper, the consequences become horrific: bleeding from every orifice, loss of humanity, and certain death. The deeper you go, the more impossible it becomes to return alive.

This mechanism transforms what could be a simple adventure story into a "one-way journey." For Riko to meet her mother means she can never return to the surface. Yet she still chooses to descend — and that resolve gives the narrative its devastating weight.

Storybook Beauty and Brutal Darkness in Perfect Contrast

The visual quality of this anime from Japan rivals theatrical films. "The scenery alone is enough to fall in love with" — viewers often say this about the mystical, beautifully rendered layers of the Abyss. The soft, Ghibli-esque art style and Kevin Penkin's majestic soundtrack create an atmosphere of wonder.

But within that beauty unfolds relentless cruelty. Adorable characters bleed, vomit, suffer. Bones break. Arms are severed. There's no mercy, even for children. This contrast between beauty and brutality — the same structure that made Madoka Magica so effective — is precisely what makes Made in Abyss cut so deep.

Nanachi and Mitty — A Friendship That Will Traumatize You

The series' greatest emotional devastation comes in the second half, with the introduction of Nanachi — a fluffy, bunny-like creature with a distinctive "Nnaaa~" speech pattern. Despite that cute exterior, the past Nanachi carries is unspeakably cruel.

The story of Nanachi's former friend Mitty, the human experimentation they endured, and the monster Mitty became — viewers worldwide have described these episodes as "traumatizing" and "I couldn't stop crying." This is the series' emotional climax, and simultaneously its most psychologically devastating sequence.

When Nanachi whispers, "God, please help me. I've finally found it... my treasure—" and what follows... nothing can prepare you.

🎭 Memorable Scenes

"I want to see my mother."

Riko's reason for descending into the abyss is stunningly simple. Even knowing she can never return, even knowing she might die, she goes down — driven purely by the desire to "see her." That purity, contrasted against the Abyss's cruelty, is what propels the story forward.

"How irredeemable."

The catchphrase of Ozen, the imposing White Whistle cave raider. At first she seems like an enemy, radiating menace and overwhelming presence. But in truth, she's a twisted mentor guiding Riko and Reg forward. In her words "how irredeemable" lies both a cave raider's pride and something like affection.

💭 Feelings After Viewing

This is the kind of anime that leaves you unable to move for a while after finishing. Especially from the Nanachi arc onward, emotions of "this is too painful," "this hurts," and "but I can't look away" crash into you in waves. Watching adorable characters be tossed about by cruel fate evokes the same shock as Madoka Magica.

Yet at the same time, Riko's determination to "keep moving forward despite everything" somehow gives you courage. Hope within despair, beauty within cruelty — this is why the series has captured so many hearts around the world.

🤔 Points of Concern

The cruelty in this series is definitely not for everyone. Cute characters bleed, break bones, and have limbs severed. There's no mercy for children. For those without tolerance for such content, this will be an extremely difficult watch.

Additionally, multiple reviews have noted concerning elements involving the young characters in ways that feel unnecessary to the story. This aspect makes it difficult to recommend without reservations.

Furthermore, the series doesn't truly bare its fangs until the latter half. The early episodes feel like a relatively gentle adventure, causing some viewers to drop it around episodes 3-4 thinking "this is pretty standard." Missing the accelerating brilliance of the second half would be a real shame.

🎬 3 Must-Watch Anime If You Loved "Made in Abyss"

Puella Magi Madoka Magica

The gold standard of "cute art style × devastating developments." If Made in Abyss resonated with you, Madoka Magica is required viewing. Watch the magical girl genre's dreamlike premise get systematically betrayed with maximum cruelty. The episode 3 reveal remains one of anime's most legendary shocks — a landmark moment in animation from Japan.

Streaming: Crunchyroll / Funimation / Netflix (region-dependent)

Ranking of Kings

A dark fantasy wrapped in picture-book-soft visuals. Prince Bojji, who can neither hear nor speak and lacks physical strength, still wishes to "become stronger" and faces his harsh destiny. Behind the adorable art lies betrayal, conspiracy, and cruel truths revealed one after another. If you loved Made in Abyss's contrast between beauty and brutality, this will definitely resonate.

Streaming: Crunchyroll / Funimation

To Your Eternity

A dark fantasy exploring themes of "life," "death," and "transformation." An immortal being called "Fushi" learns what it means to be human through repeated encounters and farewells. If the Nanachi arc made you cry, episode 1 of this series alone might destroy you. From the creator of A Silent Voice, its emotional power is guaranteed — another masterpiece from Japan.

Streaming: Crunchyroll / Netflix (region-dependent)

📺 Where to Watch Made in Abyss

📊 Streaming Service Comparison

Service	Availability
HIDIVE	Streaming (Exclusive)
Amazon (HIDIVE Channel)	Streaming
Crunchyroll	Limited availability
Netflix	Not Available
Hulu	Not Available

📝 Summary

Made in Abyss is a one-of-a-kind dark fantasy from Japan that tears into your heart through the gap between adorable art and brutal developments. The "Strain of Ascent" — the deeper you go, the less you can return — confronts viewers with the true nature of adventure: the longing for the unknown and its terrible cost.

The slow-burn opening, certain uncomfortable creative choices — this isn't a series we can recommend without reservations. But when you reach the Nanachi arc, you'll understand this isn't just "another dark anime." Beauty within cruelty, hope within despair — this series has earned its place alongside Madoka Magica and Hunter x Hunter as a masterwork etched into countless hearts.

⭐ Title Highlights

Category	Rating
Story	★★★★☆
Visuals	★★★★★
Music	★★★★★
Characters	★★★★☆
Worldbuilding	★★★★★
Accessibility	★★★☆☆