Made in Abyss is beautiful and horrifying. Cute character designs explore environments that destroy bodies and minds. It’s not for children despite appearances—it’s for adults comfortable with darkness.
The Premise
A massive pit called the Abyss descends into the earth, filled with relics and monsters. Exploring it brings fame but also the Curse—ascent causes increasingly severe symptoms. Riko, an orphan, descends searching for her mother. She’s accompanied by Reg, a robot boy from the depths.
The Curse System
Each layer’s ascent causes different harm: nausea, bleeding, hallucinations, death, loss of humanity. This creates brilliant tension—every descent is one-way. Going deeper means never coming back.
The Horror
Made in Abyss doesn’t shy from depicting suffering. Children experience things no child should. The cute art style makes the horror more disturbing—these characters shouldn’t exist in this world.
Thematic Depth
Beyond horror, the series examines ambition’s cost, the lure of the unknown, and what people sacrifice for discovery. It’s philosophically substantial despite (or through) its genre elements.
Verdict
9/10 – Made in Abyss is essential viewing with massive content warnings. If you can handle its darkness, it offers unparalleled world-building and emotional impact. Not for everyone; unforgettable for those it’s for.