A sea gull arcs through the clouds and swoops over a house perched high on a clifftop. The sound of waves can be heard breaking far below as a young boy sits down for breakfast across from two robots who, it turns out, are doppelgangers of his parents. In the future, he later informs us, "you can get by without really coming into contact with anyone."

Welcome to the world of "Fractale," one of two new series that have kicked off the 2011 season on Noitamina, Fuji Television's late-night anime slot that in the six years since it was established has gained a reputation for producing some of the most inventive anime in Japan.

At the Noitamina 2011 season launch event, held recently in Tokyo, "Fractale" director Yutaka Yamamoto described his latest creation as "adventure, science-fiction, fantasy," before adding that he can't really speak for it. "You need to see it yourself," the 36-year-old said.