Metallic Rouge

 Time for a new sci-fi series that aired during this winter season, and one with a Blade Runner feel to it.

Metallic Rouge is about Naomi and her partner, on a mission on Mars to take out 9 androids that are opposing humanity.

The world has evolved to the point androids and humans perfectly co-exist with each other, in such a way they form one society.  But as in every society, there are dissidents and as a result these are hunted down and taken offline.  Rouge is such an android that hunts enemies of the government, together with her partner Naomi.  

Rouge works undercover in the Canal Club for Sarah Fitgerald, a famous singer.  But one evening, a mysterious mechanoid suit assaults her mansion, as well as people downtown.  But there seems to be more to lady Sarah then thought, as she has a hitman as her personal protector.  Sarah  shares some of her past story with Rouge, as they get to confront each other.  But the mysterious armoured person, identified as Hell gallion, interferes.  He mimiced the red  suit, but soon after the "Red Gladiator" arrives on the scene engaging Gallion.  Sarah, whose real name is Viola, is one of the Immortal Nine, Purgatory Viola, and a duel with Metal Rouge begins.  And yes, that is actually Rouge.

Rouge defeats her (to an epic soundtrack btw), joining back up with Naomi for their next target.  As they travel together on a train, it gets attacked by soldiers looking for Rouge, her protecting the passengers.  An investigator, doctor Afdal, from Mars is send to look into the matter from the Bureau of Protection.  When she interferes with some armed guards harassing a Nean, Arfal intervenes bailing them both out trouble.  Joining him and his assistant into a Nean living facility, she learns how poorly Neans are treated, and how they hope to just live freely.

When a young Nean, Yuval, is killed, the other Neans decide to keep it a secret to prevent human interferance.  Naomi expects it is a set up by Altar, and it seems to point to Rouge, who is innocent.  Knowing she is being framed, she breaks out of her chains.  But not before saving the Neans that imprisoned her from a platoon of soldiers.  The assassin actually turns out to be Arfal, who believes freedom is nothing but an illusion, and is also one of the mechashifters like Rouge.

Rouge is taken into a sort of dreamworld build by their creators.  Here she gets insights on her past and what her purpose might be, as she is called the Betrayer of Neans and the Kingslayer.  It seems that they want to extract something called Code Eve from her memories, which could reform the world.  But when Naomi is threatened, she comes to her senses and saves her, and it is revealed Hell was mimicing Afdal.

A secret plan is devised around Naomi to try and lure the killer out.  But bigger things are at play, as it all resolves around the Venus project, to terraform that planet.  By using artificial black holes they move the planet to the orbit of Earth, Neans being used to do the labour.  Rouge, as a valuable species, is targetted for being investigated and see how her technology can be implemented.  She is freed from her captivity though by Altar, who want to make her see their ways: a free society for Neans, without the human curse.

 

As she discovers her Maker's diary, she learns what makes her so special.  But the facility is attacked, and Afdal's assistant is shot down as Rouge faces Viola, one of the Immortal Nine.   Pressed, as a second Immortal joins against her, a mysterious traveller that happens to be near her often steps in, turning out to be one of the strongest of the Immortal Nine, Noir.  But Aes also appears, turning against Rouge.  

The battle at a stalemate, Naomi intervenes telling Rouge to focus, as she discovered all the Nine are on the same frequency.  This allows them to escape, as we learn that Naomis far more then she initially seemed.  As they journey through the solar system, another one of the Nine, Cyan, has been stowed away.  Even though she told before she would be the one to kill Rouge, she embraces her older sister heartily.  They go to the base of their creator, where the system is already pulling information out of the other's ID's.

But their vessel is attacked by missiles on route to their destination, They manage to land, as the other's are discussing where the secret gift of their creator went.  The others decide to kill Rouge, sending Hell after her.  Rouge and Naomi discover a facility that produces Neans, and that Altar's leaders want to use as their loyal force.  As both sides face each other, lines are drawn and each must take a side depending on their believes and how they see humanity and Neans co-exist.

Rouge is impaled by Sylvia in battle, but when she asks Naomi for her hand the later runs.  Hell, grieveously hurt himself, lets her pass to reach the control room though.  But Naomi decides she is going to go with Rouge after all, giving her her own ID to restore her, as Noir reaches the Eve data.  The puppet master is revealed to be the creator, dr Junghart, himself.  

He reveals the whole truth, much to the shock of the Immortal Nine, who didn't expect their existence to have been created for these reasons.  Turning on their creator, this causes them to resort to more infighting and the demise of more of them.  This causes Rouge to have to stand up to her creator, who has taken over the body of Cyan.  Rouge eventually defeats him, even though it meant taking out Cyan, and averting the thread as she unlocks the source code.

So, the series clearly got it's inspiration from Blade Runner, which isn't a bad thing.  But at times, you really have this WTF is going on feeling during the episodes.  It won't become a cult classic like the mentioned movie, but it isn't rubbish either for sure.