Hello from Japan! I’m slowly getting over my jet lag just as Japan is being pummelled by Typhoon Krosa. Hope everyone is having a great week so far!
I’m still working through the many new anime series being shown this season. Despite my observation that the current batch of shows might be the sexiest anime season ever, as usual, there are plenty of counter-examples, shows with solid characters and stories that aren’t built around constant sexy fanservice. One series I’ve been enjoying a lot is Kanata no Astra, aka Astra Lost in Space, which can best be described as a fun “traditional” sci-fi adventure story with great execution. Because it’s less flashy than some of the other currently airing shows, you might have missed it, but I’ll try to set that straight today!
The year is 2063, and humanity has colonized the stars and gotten comfortable with living in space. The story follows a group of nine students enjoying a week-long “planetary camp” on planet McPa, who suddenly encounter a mysterious globe that engulfs them. The next thing the students know, they’ve been teleported 5,012 light-years into empty space. Using a spaceship that’s been discarded nearby, they need to find a way to get home by hopping various alien worlds along the way, relying on the skills of each member to survive.
Here are six good things about Astra Lost in Space you should keep in mind…
- A great first episode which is 45 minutes long instead of the usual 23 minutes. This shows dedication to the project by the animators and is worthy of fans’ notice and support.
- Even better, the anime opens with the main heroine floating free in space with her bag drifting nearby, instantly creating a sense of confusion and drama that I enjoyed.
- A solid lineup of characters, including Kanata (an optimistic guy with a hero complex), Aries (an airheaded girl who wants to be friends with everyone), Quitterie (a headstrong girl who wants to keep to herself), plus a host of other supporting characters.
- Although it’s a space opera, it tackles some interesting “hard SF” topics, like how to save someone from drowning in zero gravity.
- There are mysteries that need solving! Why did Ulgar just happen to be in the same group as Luca, the adopted child of a powerful senator Ulgar blames for the death of his older brother? For that matter, why does every character have serious issues with their parents? Could they have been put in the same group so they could all be eliminated? And who is the “enemy” among the students that broke the radio?
- It’s not an isekai, moeblob, harem or idol show! Fans who complain loudly that certain genres tend to dominate the industry should make a conscientious effort to support shows that go in new directions.
One of the cool things about sci-fi has always been that it has the freedom to tell interesting stories without limitations, and like Knights of Sidonia, which explored gender-neutral characters, Astra Lost in Space features an intersex character who has both male and female parts but who identifies as male, making his backstory quite interesting. How will things unfold as the series progresses?
The original Astra Lost in Space manga is by Kenta Shinohara, creator of SKET DANCE, and the animation is done by Lerche, who brought us such wonderful works as Gakkou Gurashi, Asobi Asobase and a personal favorite of mine, Scum’s Wish. Which is another reason to tune in, as far as I’m concerned.
So, will you be taking Astra Lost in Space for a spin? Tell us on Twitter!
We’ve got some exciting news for everyone: the release of The Song of Saya Remastered, with new high-resolution artwork created from the original sketches and a new engine that’s fully compatible with modern Windows. One of the darkest and most amazing visual novels ever created, Saya no Uta was created by Urobuchi Gen, who went on to write some masterpieces as Puella Magi Madoka Magica, Psycho-Pass, Expelled from Paradise, Fate/Zero and Fate/Grand Order. Order the fully uncensored version of Song of Saya Remastered right now, or grab the Steam version!
