Forget Man versus Machine. This is Man as Machine. Sort of.

Id-0 is a sci-fi anime adventure directed by Gero Taniguchi, best known for Code Geass. Expect a complex plot, unexpected twists, and a bit of philosophy on what makes one human.

There are two important things to remember about the future. First, there is a new mineral of great value out in space called orichalt. It is so dangerous to mine, that it is impossible to do so and survive. Second, there are now I-Machines, into which you can put your consciousness. Your body remains safe, while your mind controls and exists in a giant robot. Fun, huh?

Maya is a third year college student majoring in astrogeology. Her talent is impressive enough to get an internship on an Alliance mining vessel. But when her I-Machine is stranded in space, Maya is rescued by a group of outlaw miners. After her professor frames her for illegally dealing in trade secrets, Maya must stay aboard the outlaw ship.

Except for the captain’s daughter, Maya’s new companions are all Evertrancers, those whose consciousness are permanently in the I-Machines because they have no body. This includes Id-0, who has no memory of the past.

So inside a cluster of orichalt, they find a young girl. The Rajeev want to control orichalt so they can destroy humanity. Id-0 gets a flashback of his lost memories. And things get confusing. Yes, the storyline is complex and really needs more than 12 episodes to explain what is going on. More than that would be spoilers because there are so many twists and turns.

Yet despite the occasional lack of clarity, I did enjoy the series. The characters are well defined. The animation is excellent. And it does keep you guessing.

At the end, the survival of humanity is at stake. There is no chance to save it. But Id-0 still puts himself on the line. What will happen? Watch and find out.