For being such a "landmark" as the trailer claims, Spriggan is a series that is considerably more niche than other anime revivals of late. That being said, it follows in the footsteps of Berserk 2016, the new Ghost in the Shell, and Ultraman, and hopped on the 3D anime bandwagon.
Spriggan began as a manga in 1989 before a film adaptation by Studio 4°C in 1998 that often gets praise for its sakuga and action scenes. It follows Yu Ominae, who works for the Arcam corporation, on a mission as a "Spriggan" to protect ancient artifacts from world organizations whose aim is to use them for selfish gain. The original manga was heavily censored when first brought to the U.S., primarily for its anti-American sentiments, elements which are far less censored with this new adaptation. The series doesn't shy away from framing the American and Russian military as antagonists, and in America's case, it's refreshing to see. Apart from the anti-American sentiments, there aren't many more risks taken.
The Story and Characters
At only six-episodes, Spriggan could have easily felt rushed or too short, but instead, the show manages to get plenty of mileage out of its format. Each episode is longer than a typical TV runtime and tells a standalone story centered around a particular artifact or myth tied to cultures around the world. Legends throughout history are re-contextualized as advanced technology from those who came before or what appears as straight-up magic. In this way, this series has no long-form narrative in mind and its objective is only to tell a collection of complete stories that have extra room to breathe than they might in a TV anime.
Yu Ominae looks and acts exactly like what one can expect from a protagonist of late 80s/early 90s manga: a young man with spiky dark who keeps a cool head and a sense of humor in the heat of battle. He's also still in high-school, making him prime wish-fulfillment real estate in the most classic sense, leaving school for long periods of time to go on world-saving missions. The supporting cast is colorful and varied with each episode seemingly given a deuteragonist in the form of a new side-character, be they an outsider or another Spriggan. The first is an archeologist brought in to assist on a case, who has a past tied with Yu. next is Jean Jacquemond, a French Spriggan with his own superpowers.
These supporting characters toe the line between awesome (if somewhat one-note) and rather forgettable. Worse, they don't play a role outside their individual episodes, save for Yoshino who appears in two of them. Speaking of Yoshino, she is a self-reliant, headstrong treasure hunter who works solo but who collides with Yu on his assignments.
Think of Indiana Jones but actually as problematic as Twitter labels them: That's Yoshino. "Problematic" is being used more playfully than seriously - she's fine, if occasionally annoying, which makes Yu's aggravation towards her far more entertaining. All in all, the characters serve their purpose as sidekicks and then disappear. If one had to guess, the character introductions were done like this so that a sequel could bring the characters together in a longer-form narrative. The season ends with a post-credit cliffhanger implying new dangers on the horizon that could lead to a more connected narrative and returning characters in season 2.
The Message of Spriggan
It would be hard to imagine consuming the story of Spriggan in the censored capacity that it was back in the day, because the series is far more anti-government than just anti-American. The world governments are all trying to get their hands on ancient artifacts to strengthen themselves. It places the label of "antagonist" on human nature, rather than just something ancient or alien.
Yu is repeatedly challenged on whether Arcam, his organization, is in the right or not, and what he'd be willing to do if his mission turned out to be a lie. But despite that possibility, Yu stands strong and swears that if such a thing came to pass, he'd destroy Arcam himself.
Spriggan goes mask off and asserts that there is no world government that wouldn't act selfishly, then offers the conceit that the protagonists are the good people willing to protect humanity from itself. It challenges notions of the justice and integrity of organized groups and governments all in service of a message that people are what are truly worth protecting.
The Animation
The CGI of early trailers gave the impression that the entire show would be animated in such a style, whereas later trailers showcased more beautiful hand-drawn animation. In the end, the CGI sticks out the most, which is unfortunate given the progress made with CG anime. The style here has its own hurdles, both with stiffness of character models and coloring that clashes with the other art.
The bigger problem is the consistency and where it is used. Almost no other major character is made into CGI the same way Yu is, save for his final foe in episode 6. One would think that the CGI is saved for characters with advanced bodysuits, but it's also used for generic soldiers suited in standard military equipment.
If it's a stylistic choice, then the style pales in comparison to the hand-drawn animation for Yu and other characters. If it's a constraint, then such a thing is a shame, as what is hand-drawn far succeeds the 3D animation in storyboards alone. For viewers skeptical of CGI, this show won't do much to dissuade them of their skepticism.
The Aesthetic
Spriggan scratches a particular itch, in that it is a military otaku's dream, full of tactical military aesthetics that envelope the sometimes fantastical premise. This approach influences the action well and adds the occasional dialog that feels reminiscent of the gun porn in the works of Hideo Kojima, where weaponry is given glamour shots. The aesthetic is very likely what drew viewers to this series, much like the clips of the 1998 film that have circulated. In that regard, this series succeeds at delivering on slick, explosive action, but those elements are far stronger when the art and animation are consistent and the CGI is kept at a minimum.
Unfortunately, Spriggan's CGI isn't a boon, nor is it the hemlock that kills the beast. The 3D animation is at best something that is tolerated because the rest of it is so much better and fun. Episode 5 was fully 2D and apart from some inconsistency, that episode was one of the best-looking. Should Spriggan continue, serious consideration needs to be made about whether it will continue to blend 2D or 3D animation, or fully commit to one or the other. Either extreme has its own risks, but either would feel like it takes more risks and commits to a unified vision.
Spriggan is available for streaming on Netflix.