Terra e... (TV)

After watching one of the greatest shows in the later years, and knowing how overlooked it was due various reasons: the simultaneous arrival of new potentially more appealing series like Claymore or Lucky Star, the possibly not so appealing genre, and the unique art style; I felt compelled to right a review on Terra e.... A show that consistently climbed the ladder of my top shows the season, and that finally ended up in my top 3 of all time.
The review will be long, since the series deserve it, and since I'll try to look at it in detail (yet keeping it spoiler free).


Terra e... ... is a remake of an old 80's movie that was adapted from a manga from the same year. It fits on a very specific sub genre of Science Fiction, referred to as Space Opera. So expect an outer space futuristic setting, large scale space battles, a large cast of characters, supernatural abilities, and one or two typical 80's cliche. While this may seem like a not so viable mix, the reality is that it works quite well.
To be honest, the show is a slow starter. It will not sweep you off your feet from the beginning. Instead, it will grow on you as it grows in quality itself, and at some point you realize your initial skepticism is gone and all you want is to see what the story reserves next.
The Story tells the tale of two races, the Human and the Mu (who though joined by blood, have yet failed to have a peaceful coexistence), and the events that led to their inevitable conflict. It is quite the emotional rollercoaster, and it starts quite light themed, with emphasis to friendship and peace. Yet as the show progresses, it grows darker and darker and death, sorrow, fury, vengeance, guilt and war become an integral part of the storyline. Storyline that is spread out through a wide range of years and concentrates attention in the life of the two main characters.(since their coming of age to their adulthood). The pot shifts it's focus from one to another from time to time, and it does so in the form of two separate arcs for the first ~10 episodes. As the anime progresses however, the alternation becomes less spaced and finally inexistent, as number of events draw the main characters and their respective races to the inevitable clash.
The characters and their development are without a doubt the best part of the show. Looking at such an extensive cast, I would never have imagined they could suffer so many changes throughout the series. The two main protagonists, Keith and Jomy (who are first presented as young teenagers), are the best example of this as they both undergo major character development.
They seem to be the two sides of the same coin. Each of them faces a large amount of heavy responsibilities and hardships since their youth to their adulthood. And each choses a different path as they climb to the top. Where one is respected the other is feared, while one created friends the other spawned enemies. Both filled with sorrow and grief for their losses, and yet the bearers of great determination.
But not only of Jomy and Keith lives the story. The primary supporting cast constituted mainly by Shiroei, Soldier Blue, Physis, Tony, Matsuka, Swena and Sam also undergoes great development. And surprisingly enough, also does some of the secondary supporting cast like Karina, Artela, Murdock or Zel. There will be characters to like, characters to dislike, characters you wish you had seen more of, characters you wish you could beat the crap of... but all in all, they all have their space and role on the outline of the plot, and it's hard to stay indifferent to them. Specially after the amount of events/hardships they are forced to suffer.
A few words to the ending now. To be honest, I think it was a bit rushed. But even so, it was one of the best endings that crossed my eyes, and yet I have the feeling that one more episode would have made it the best ending of all.
There were a small amount of plot lines that were only explored superficially, like the origin of some characters, past conflicts etc. And there's also one or two of inconsistencies in the storyline. But they're not enough to taint it. The overall storyline, and specially the characters and their development are top-notch.

Although the Art is certainly the most unique aspect of show it is also a double edged knife.
As I mentioned before the show is a remake of an old 80's movie with the same name. And as so, the producers decided to preserve the 80's feel in the styling of the characters and environment. Yet now reviving the "antique" style with nowadays animation quality and computer generated imagery. While some people, like me, will find this a plus, there will be a relatively large amount of audience that will be thrown off by it.
Still, the animation starts at a high quality level. That quality does indeed decrease a bit around the middle of the series, but quite surprisingly, after less shinny period it takes a turn for the best. Not only does it improve significantly, but actually surpasses the overall animation quality of the earlier episodes. And the art style evolves quite a lot in that period. Movement becomes more fluid, characters more detailed, and the 80's feel more faded. It is also great to see the characters physical appearance change, as they age during the storyline.
As I mentioned before there's a large use of CGI, specially in spaceships and space warfare. The CGI's may not be as shinny as those seen in shows like Last Exile, but they are still rather good and quite well used throughout the entire series.

Sound and Music are one of the best things the show has to offer. Great sound effects, and solid voice acting as normal nowadays. The creators put together experienced voice actors like Takehito Koyasu, Tomokazu Sugita, Mitsuki Saiga with less experienced ones like Marina Inoue or Motoki Takagi, creating a balanced team that ended up fitting the needs of the show quite well. Each seiyuu performance is quite good, and fitting to the character. But even so, some performances exceeded the overall great voice acting quality. This is the case of Jomy, Keith and Tony's voice actors for example.
Still, neither voice acting nor sound effects are the shiniest aspect on this category. It is yet the Music. Terra e... put together some of the most epic, well devised themes and choral pieces I've heard. The music not only superbly supports the show, borrowing sorrow, cheerfulness or thrill to events, but at times even becomes the full back-bone of the scenes. The music made my skin crawl (in a good sense) a good amount of times. A truly outstanding work by Yashuharu Takanashi, who is also the author of the OST's of Gantz, Jigoku Showjo Series, Mononoke and Seto no Hanayome. Surely, the music genre may not appeal to all if listened outside the show, but it could not befit anime's identity more.
The music brilliance does not stop merely at the instrumental themes though. It is also present in the OP/ED themes. I had not seen a single series in which all of them appealed to me. Yet that fact changed after seeing Terra e.... All 4 are great on their own style. Granted, not everyone will enjoy the all four, but there will be at least one song that will appeal to you. And leaving appeals aside, the songs where clearly not left at random. They strategically mark a shift in the series. From the lighter and cheerful beginning, to the darker and more dramatic ending.

The Enjoyment is the most subjective rating not only in this but in any anime. Great storytelling, epic music, unique art and story line, and a large cast of interesting characters culminated to give me an outstanding amount of enjoyment. Outstanding enough to be in my top 3 overall.
Granted, it will not be the same for everyone else. And Terra e... is more likely to appeal to older audiences. But I'm sure that no matter the age, if you can defeat the initial skepticism towards the animation and maybe the story, you'll find things to like within the show, be it the characters, the storyline, the music or even the animation. I believe most people will be in for a solid enjoyment and I'm sure, if you ever come across a show of similar story or genre, you'll be reminded of Terra e...


So in Conclusion, it's after seeing series like this, I'm glad I watch anime. It's good to know that there are still series that can sweep me off my feet when I less expect them too, and take for a memorable ride.

What awaits you in Terra e... is an epic, unique, dramatic storyline, telling the tale of two races and the events that led to their inevitable conflict. With a great and wide cast of characters that undergo the most dreadful events and suffer major character development. Outstanding music that supports the series superbly and shines on it's own. An Art style with an 80's feel to it, that can either hook you from the first moment or, more likely, throw you off at first... And yet, given the chance it will probably win you over in due time. With a good rewatch value, specially if like myself, you've seen the series as the episodes aired.
I recommend Terra e... to every fan of the Science Fiction and Fantasy genre, and to a general older audience as they are more likely to appreciate the brilliance this show holds... Defeat your initial skepticism and you'll be taken for a unique ride no other show has to offer

Title: Toward the Terra

Manga, Movie, Anime: Toward the Terra (known as Terra E in Japan) was originally a manga created by Keiko Takemiya (famous for her work on Andromeda Stories), and originally ran in Asahi Sonorama's Gekkan Manga Shoen from the January 1977 issue to the May 1980 issue. The manga was licensed Stateside by Vertical (who also licensed Tezuka's Ode to Kirihito and Buddha), and the third and final volume was released on June 26th, 2007. Toward the Terra won the Seiun Award (a Japanese sci-fi award) in 1978, and won the Kodansha Manga Award in 1979. Fumino Hayashi did a ... spinoff called Terra E... ~Aoki Kobo no Kiss~ that centers around one of the main characters, began running on September 27th, 2007, and is ongoing in Square-Enix's GFantasy magazine.

Toward the Terra was adapted into an animated movie in 1980 that was produced by Toei Animation (famous for their work on all seasons of Sailor Moon and Dragon Ball) and directed by Hideo Onchi. The Right Stuff International licensed it Statesdie, and released a subbed version in 1994. This will not be covered in this review.

Toward the Terra is a twenty-four episode anime that was produced by Minamimachi Bugyoushou (famous for their animation assistance on Jyu-Oh-Sei and Mushishi) and Tokyo Kids (famous for their work on the Sayuki OAV and Gakuen Heaven), and directed by Osamu Yamazaki (famous for... y'know, I can't really find anything). It ran on Japanese TV from April 7th to September 22nd of 2007. Bandai has licensed it Stateside, and has yet to announce a release date.

Story: Toward the Terra takes place a few thousand years or so from the present, in a time where humanity's screwed up Earth and has colonized other planets, and is more or less controlled by supercomputers. Psychics called the Mu are being born, and humanity, as is always the case with these sorts of series, fears them and attempts to destroy them at every turn, and the Mu attempt to rescue children when they awaken, at risk of their otherwise being destroyed. All the Mu want to do is go back to Earth. And into all of this steps Jomy Marquis Shin, a dormant Mu who is rescued by their leader, Soldier Blue.

This sounds like your standard sci-fi story, no? Well, here's the thing -- it's not. And the main reason for this lies in how they choose to tell the story.

The story is undeniably centered around young Jomy, and driven around his development and experiences. But at the same time, there's an extremely extensive cast that all gets some degree of development, and actually ends up playing a major role in how events play out. Characters who you think are only going to be involved in minor ways end up playing major roles in the show later on.

And the sheer range of the story can be best summed up as freaking EPIC. Not only does the story cover the happenings surrounding individual characters, it also focuses on the Mu and human races as a whole, AND the interactions between the two races. As if this wasn't enough, this entire series covers about two or three decades of all of this; you get to watch character from when they are kids up till they're adults, and watch them through the whole span of their life.

And the story itself starts out light, but steadily gets darker and darker throughout the series, with lots and lots of death and conspiracy and all sorts of lovely things.

All in all, several kinds of amazing.

Art: The animation for this series is pretty high-quality. The 2D animation is fairly smooth; however, the CG tends to stand out some when it's used (but, then again, it's only used on its own, and never blended, so that works out pretty well).

Music: There are two OPs and EDs each for this series, and none of them particularly stands out; the OPs and second ED are your standard upbeat pop numbers, and the first ED is the standard female ballad.

The background music for this series, though, is some of the first that I've actively noticed for a while. Ethnic instruments are thrown in with the standard Western orchestra, and the music is just awesome in general.

Seiyuu: This show has a lot of talent that I recognize and love -- Sanae Kobayashi (Lucy/Nyuu of Elfen Lied and Daedalus of Ergo Proxy), Tomokazu Sugita (Mayama in Honey and Clover) and Takehito Koyasu (Hotohori of Fushigi Yuugi and Touga of Revolutionary Girl Utena), most notably. All the other performances in this show are pretty good, as well.

Length: Perfect. There's no filler whatsoever, and the story moves along at a good pace. The only thing I would want would be an OVA to explain what happens between the end of the last episode and the bit that's shown after the credits, because it just begs for explanation, how things went from the way they were to that, to be vague at risk of spoilers.

Overall: An excellent, epic sci-fi story with an excellent focus on characters, beautiful background music, and good animation and seiyuu.

Another one of my top picks. Watch this. NOW.

Story: 10/10
Art: 9/10
Music: 9/10
Seiyuu: 9/10
Length: 9/10

Overall: 46/50; 92% (A)

As long as I live, I'll probably never understand those people who rave about Terra e as if it were a great piece of literature, or indeed, good enough to be considered a piece of literature at all. For something that whose source material won the Seiun Award, and whose manga won the Kodansha Award, Terra e manages to be.... I'll be honest here. It's really, really bad.

Setting
Terra e is a sci-fi piece. That is about all one can describe, because the setting is indeed quite plain. Although earlier episodes would have you believe that it takes place in some sort of... Orwellian nightmarish environment, ... for all intents and purposes, Terra e has a vanilla sci-fi setting.

Humanity has polluted the Earth to a state in which it is uninhabitable. Humanity has taken to the stars, colonizing and terraforming planets to live on, all the while trying to terraform the Earth back into a liveable state. As a result of the crisis situation, a fascist government has managed to seize power, and their administration seeks to cement their control over humanity, through, for example, destroying rogue elements such as the mutant "Mu", and engaging in a vaguely 1984-like system of population control.

Taking inspiration from 1984 would, generally, inform one that the show would have dystopian elements, but strangely enough, all effects of the fascist actions of the government be waived as convenient for the plot. The psychological effects of having a heavily controlled and totalitarian populace never strike the main characters, while the main characters will also never lose any information relevant to the plot, mind-wipes to ensure obedience be damned. As a result, any serious message the show tries to convey is simultaneously undermined and made into a laughing stock. I do not know if the director seeks to destroy his own show, but this is a disturbing trend that permeates this show in general.

Humanity is supposedly controlled by supercomputers, yet humans are still shown to make the relevant decisions when necessary. Everyone is brainwashed to follow the SD government, but there are characters who still elect to dislike the government, and rebel, and they are not dealt with until they commit serious crimes, and expose state secrets. People are raised like sheep, yet the cast seems to undergo a normal schooling environment, and even military academies bear more similarities to modern day education than differences.

I could go on, but I fear that I am belabouring the point. Other instances of this undermining (for it is far too common) will no doubt show up as I go on.

Plot
The main plot of Terra e concerns the "Mu", a race of psychically endowed mutants exiled from humanity, who seek to find, and recolonize Earth. They do this all the while evading attack from the dictatorian "SD" government, who seek to destroy rogue elements that threaten their control over humanity. The main character, Jomy, is one such (young) Mu.

While the Mu are initially peaceable, after some time, the frustration of the new generation of Mu born in exile boils over, and under the leadership of Jomy, they elect to wage a war against the SD government and the humans under its jurisdiction, to claim Earth as a homeland for themselves. They do so by obliterating SD ships with overwhelming firepower, taking entire planets hostage, and being every bit as cruel as the humans which they supposedly despise.

If I didn't sound very sympathetic to the cause of the Mu, I do not apologize. While the director undoubtedly wants us to side with the Mu, I must find that his message often works in reverse. Terra e shows us the cruel side of humanity, espoused in its finest agent Keith Anyan, a cold, callous man captured by the Mu who has no qualms taking hostages to ensure his escape, and killing them when he has no further use for them. The Mu call him a monster, but yet just days later they indulge in monstrous behaviour on a much larger scale, destroying entire fleets while accepting no surrenders, and taking an entire planet of civilians hostage. The new generation of Mu, especially Jomy, do this without batting an eyelid, and indeed, they even revel in the bloodshed. The new generation are revealed, in the end, to be power-crazed, psychotic, and ruthless to those who they perceive to be beneath them, even other Mu who are less powerful psionically. Yet, the viewpoint is constantly with the Mu; we see how the Mu struggle to survive and build a homeland for themselves in an abandoned colony in deep space, we see the conflicts and disputes between different Mulian factions firsthand, we are shown how humanity tries to destroy the adopted homeland of the Mu through orbital bombardment, all the while in a sympathetic light to the Mu. We are left in doubt just what the director wants us to feel. Are we to pity the Mu for their depraved state of affairs, brought about by persecution? Are we to hate the Mu, for their cruelty and inhumanity? Niehter interpretation can be supported, due to the conflicting messages that the director sends us, that undermine either intepretation.

Aesthetics
The most striking artistic decision about this show, I would think, would be the decision not to tell a chronologically smooth story, but rather to have the plot move in a series of jerky timeskips. While novel, this idea is nonetheless again undermined (yes, again) by the scriptwriter and art director. Little indication is given as to the length of time that has elapsed, leaving the viewer to pick up the pieces. As a result, many episodes, especially early on, feel rushed and disjointed, and a nagging feeling surfaces that there should have been additional episodes to fill in the gap, or at least, changes in the way characters and the backgrounds are drawn to reflect the time gap. When a 14-year old looks exactly the same as he does when 26, the audience is left pondering just what the art director was thinking.

Nonetheless, the rest of the art is drawn surprisingly well, from the beautiful clips of deep space, to still shots of nebulae and celestial objects, to wonderfully detailed and realistic spacecraft. The character designs may be dated somewhat, which may be quite jarring at first, but after a few episodes they grow on the viewer. Sound is nondescript. It's used when appropriate, but is nothing to rave about.


Characters
...

Just, ...

Half the cast are idiots, the other half of the cast are assholes, and all of them, in all honesty, had much room for improvement. While many characters do develop as the story progresses, it is usually to their moral detriment, and attracts the audience's disgust.

You have cold cruel hypocrites like Jomy and Physis, power-crazed berserkers like Tony, arrogant and beastly snots like Shiroe, disgusting psychopaths like Karina, naive and temperamental youths like Kim and Sam, and old men rooted in the past like Zel and Harley.

To be fair, some of these characters aren't as bad as I make out, Sam and Harley notably, but by and large, most of them are. Blue, Keith and Matsuka, the only main characters worth a damn, are not able to carry the show due to the amount of screentime they are given.The amount of sympathy the rest of the cast attracts is basically 0. When main characters die, complete with a death montage, flashbacks, and insert songs, I don't shed tears out of joy. I shed tears out of happiness, because I do not have to see that idiot again.

The voice acting is a mixed bag. While the main characters, especially Keith and Blue are voiced pretty competently, many side characters, Physis being a prime example, have horribly grating voices. But at the very least, they do not get enough screentime to get the viewer overly annoyed. It's still nothing to rave about, of course.

Overview
To be succint, Terra e is what I would term: wasted potential. Given its unique setting and novel storytelling method, if handled competently, it could have been a deep and cutting look into the human psyche. As it is, it is merely a glaring example of how not to do it: make a contradictory, meaningless, unenjoyable trainwreck of a show, with no coherent message.

I've heard some people describe it as en epic anime, and must respectfully disagree. While Terra e strives to be an epic anime, the total lack of sympathy that the audience feels for any character, as well as the lack of a coherent message gives it an extremely different, in fact almost entirely opposite kind of mood - Nihilistic.

This anime shocked me in many ways. Firstly, it's a freaking 1977 manga story which already leaves a big generation gap between us. Secondly, it's omg science fiction which I have never liked before. Thirdly, what's with that weird drawing.

Little did I know that all the above factors matter not at all. The superbly crafted storyline coupled with that awesome character development easily let this anime to be one of my top favourites.

Gotta mention too that the opening and ending songs for this series were well-chosen and fitted the story nicely. It's therefore very hard not to let your emotions be tugged along. ... Before I knew it, I was hooked onto the fast pace of the story and it ended in a blink of an eye. The after thought lingered for quite some time because the ending, or rather, the story itself keeps you thinking.

In particular, the development of the main protagonist enticed me so. He was such a wimp to begin with but during the course of the story, he developed such a notable charisma that you can't help but feel for him and the Mu. I'm very sure that everyone who have watched this is equally drawn to him as I am.

To cut it short, I've only got one word to say about this series - Awesome!!

Watching nowadays' anime, many tends to forget, what sci-fis really are. It's not just something about future, about robots or mechas, about time travel or the twin paradox. Terra e is a real sci-fi - I can assure you - it's the anime this genre should be proud of. Indisputably Terra e is one of the best science fictions ever made. What makes this anime good or bad, will be discussed in this review and I would like to warn you, that the review contains a good amount of spoilers, so try not to read it, if you haven't finished the series yet.

Story:
The story ... starts off with a dystopia. Humanity is ruled by a programmed computer system, children are brainwashed at their age of 14. Since the adults are all brainwashed and the bad children are to be disposed of, there is noone to resists, but the Mu. The Mu, the only rebels, they, who wield telekinetic powers and want to get to the mother planet, Terra. Our protagonist is Jomy Marquis Shin, a boy, who suddenly awakens his powers and becomes the leader of the Mu with the help of Soldier Blue. The antagonist is Keith Anyan is the artificial human, created by Grand Mother with genetic engineering. This story is about the the fight between these two, and between the Mu and Humans.

In the Seki Ray Shiroe arc, the story reveals the significance of the past, the memories. It explains why the system is wrong. It also introduces the real personality of Keith Anyan. The arc contains lots of Peter Pan references, symbolizing the importance of childhood memories.

In the Nazca arc, a harmony is tried to be created. This arc shows us the dispute between two generations. It tries to settle an ideal society, and then reveals its errors. The feud between the elders and the young, the newborn babies, the terrible accidents, all forces Jomy to make his own decision to whether continue the journey to Terra or not. In this case we could say it was lucky to be attacked by Keith and the megido. The death of the comrades creates a resolution inside Jomy which completely changes his personality.

The last part of the anime picks up a rather fast pace. This is the most dramatic and intense part. This is the last chance for the Mu's survival. Most of the standpoints are seemed to be disproved. People start to realize that Humanity and Mu has the possibility to live together. The last decision should be Keith's decision. But the supercomputer system, Grand Mother misinterprets Keith and starts to rage. People start an uprising against the system by destroying it, and this way, saving the Mu. This shows that destiny is not formed by a single person, but by all the people.

Music:
The first OP and ED were brilliant, and tolerable, however I cannot say the same to the 2nd ones. The first ED was much more dramatic compared to the second one, which had a rather calming effect I think. The soundtrack was fascinating. They perfectly fitted the given scenes and they are also decent on their own. Whenever I just hear them, they send chills down my spine. Just listening to the OST equals to rewatching the series.

Animation & Art
The creators perfectly revived the art of the 1970s. I think this is a fitting style for a space opera. It is unique, but might not be appealing to everyone. However one can accustom to it and later might like it as well. The animation was also tolerable. It superbly mixes 2D and 3D graphics, but the minor problems might not be liked by demanding people.

Characters:
I think this is one of the most interesting parts of the whole anime. Most of the philosophies' standpoints are represented by a character each. In this anime it is typical for a character to have 2 or more personalities. A surface, an outer side, and an inner self, which sometimes is completely different, or even contradicting. Sometimes these contradictions lead to illogical results.
Jomy has the strangest character in the story. His rapid change of opinions are sometimes not quite well explained and I think it's practically impossible for someone to do this so quickly. He is a very naive child in the first part of the story, but somehow he changes his mind for the second half, although he can't fully erase his naivety.
Keith is a person who always stays even-tempered. He is often cold-blooded and indifferent to feelings. He is described as a machine by Shiroe. But this is the surface only. Shiroe, Sam, Matsuka and later Physis too are the ones who affect Keith's inner part. His other half is much more sensitive. These two feelings of his have the main role later in his final decision.

Enjoyment:
The series does not lack on the entertaining part either. Although it does not contain much comedy, the show is full of feelings and emotions. The harmonic and disharmonious parts are well-proportioned and take turns in a perfect pace. The huge amount of deaths gives us much drama and the ending gives you a cathartic feel.

Overall
Although the Mu win at the very ending of the anime, Keith does not completely deny the old system. Also the anime reminds us to care for our mother planet, the Earth.
Terra e is a profound anime with lots of entertainment. I don't think the actual story is unique at all, although there are not many animes with similar settings. In my opinion this lovely anime is something that everyone should watch. And not just for the fun itself, but it is also for its philosophical thoughts. I tried not to give a perfect score to the anime (it's really hard, believe me!) so I wouldn't look so narrow-minded. I hope you found my review helpful and informative. ^^

Terra e... (Toward the Terra in English) is one of those anime's that are great but never got attention they deserved. So what does this hidden gem of Spring-Summer 2007 have to offer?

STORY: the unique setting is interesting and intriguing while the plot, with many timeskips, is interesting and easy to follow. In short, we have a conflict between humans who's society is controlled by computers on one side and the Mu, evolved humans with telepathic and other powers on the other side. However, unlike most series, the humans are the antagonists here, more because of their ideals and opinions then because of computers who ... actually just do what humans want them to do. The humans seek to destroy the Mu whom they are afraid of.
On other side, the Mu are peaceful and the only thing they want is to live on their own, without fear of being persecuted by their brethren species. But as the story goes, the leader realizes that just wishing to live in peace won't fulfill their dreams and that different methods will need to be used.
However, the story is actually about the humanity itself: what makes us humans? Is there such a thing as perfect society? Just how foolish is the human kind? Towards the Terra handles these topics well without annoying its viewer by annoying him with philosophical debates and such.

ART: in most cases, the art is pleasant and the concepts are often unique. However, there is one bad thing in this section: 3D art of space vessels often looks horrible, especially in earlier episodes. Still, later on it is less prominent and you will usually look at characters and not space vessels so this ain't really too much of a problem.

CHARACTERS: the best thing about Towards the Terra are no doubt its characters. Both the human side and the Mu side have interesting and likable characters. The main antagonist you will both hate because of his actions but also love because of certain personality traits and his depth. Characters you think you will hate (the main protagonist in the beginning, the antagonist later on and others) end being characters you like and watching their developments is both pleasant and exciting. And comparing them is the best thing of all!

ENJOYMENT: while it probably won't make you say "Hey, time to watch some Terra e... :D" when you wake up as it ain't so attractive all the time, once you start watching just one episode it will be hard to stop watching until you complete few more.
There is very little action (most of it is in the beginning) and later battles are one sided, but that is not to say that there is no excitement here: character development, developments of relationships between characters, excitement of when the main antagonist ends up on ship of Mu... excitement is not something this series lacks, even if is not filler with action.

OVERALL: as said in beginning, this is one of hidden gems in anime world. It is unique, it is deep, it is pleasant to watch, it is interesting and it is a damn memorable ride.

I finished this wonderful anime hours ago.. now i'm to share my terra e.. experience to you guys. XDD

Story : The story is well done, although there arent that many twists in this anime, one strong plot holds this anime at a wonderful pace. There are many flashbacks and the time really flies away in this anime. Terra e is a story of two opposed races thrown into one universe, the humans hunt the Mu's down but the Mu's wanted to co-exist with them.

Animation : The animation is wonderful, it is refreshing because for example, the character design stands out of this era, ... for it is decipted from an old anime movie. It is definitely refreshing to see the art from the 70's, for the animation of today is kinda generic, i've noticed that most animes of today actually looks the same. The background is drawn very well although I kinda disliked the 3D animation because it doesn't stand out that much and it's like your usual generic 3D animation... well maybe i'm expecting too much from it. XDD

Sound : The BGM's did not really stood out to me. Maybe it's pretty generic, however there are times or should I say "a lot of times" that the BGM matched a certain scene very well. I liked all the OP and ED themes of this anime, well who can dislike UVERWORLD ne? 8D

Character : Each and every character of this anime is interesting. The anime tells the story of each character with every single detail ingeniously. The characters of this anime would match that of Baccano's.

Enjoyment : At first I did not, for the story did not stood out to me, but later I understood and enjoyed the whole show. Each and every episode tells a slice of a certain character's story. I enjoyed Terra e halfway through. The ending was superb and it would grow on you, and maybe you would think of rewatching it again XDDD

This anime really is underrated, for it is good while it lasted. Watching an anime from the 70's isn't a bad thing after all.. I hope other works from that era would be revived just like what happened to Terra e, and I'm looking forward to it.

It would seem I’m not the only one who has been compelled to write a review for this series after having just watched it, and who can blame me? It’s the type of series that you feel compelled to tell someone else about even if it doesn’t do everything flawlessly. It’s not necessarily the best show out there in either the sci-fi, shojo, or sci-fi shojo drama, but it’s such a good watch with nothing else quite like it that you rather want everyone to experience it once.

Plot: 9
The plot is the strongest point in the show, it has a few time skips as important ... characters grow up to become more important to the plot and situations will change over the course of many years. It’s a distopian type future, not the worst place to necesasrily live, until you find out that the Big Brother Is Watching trope is in effect. Everyone is trying to get back to the original planet Earth for reasons that become a tad more evil as the series goes on. I wouldn’t dare spoil it though, it’s a sci-fi series to the core with emphasis on character relations more often found in shojo series, giving a good flavor when it mixes with sci-fi.

Characters: 6
Now, remember those time skips? Sadly, this is where the bad part of the time skips gets pushed off onto: the characters. My complaint is that while some characters are developed perfectly well (in part because they might not be in more than one time chunk), the time skips seems to have developed characters while we weren’t looking, which makes for some rather annoying character development plot holes so to say. The character this will affect the most is, unfortunately, the designated main himself, Jomy. I say designated because as the series goes on he feels less and less like he’s supposed to be the main main. He seems to go from being freaked out to being perfectly fine with the situation and while It’d be expected after 4 or 5 years for this to be the case, I’m just upset that I didn’t get to see what happened in particular, did he just get used to the place or what? None of this will stop you from enjoying the fantastic story though and the story more than makes up for a few shortcomings with the characters.

Presentation: 9
The visuals here are good, spectacular in most cases with some key scenes animated just beautifully. The character model update from the 1980 movie is massively appreciated too. It’s overall good, just not the most memorable thing ever. The music on the other hand is one of the best soundtracks I’ve heard in a while, save for my not caring much for the 1st ED, but the battle theme just plays in my head over and over again and both OP are great. I don’t think it’s the best voice acting I’ve ever heard, but it’s still pretty good.

Overall: 8
The characters really do bring this series down a bit, but don’t let it stop you from getting into the addicting well paced story that remains interesting the whole way through. There’s not many big plot twists, but it’s still some of sci-fi at its best, be sure to check it out.

Toward the Terra is an emotionally charged science fiction drama about the conflicts within a technologically advanced society that's somewhat reminiscent of 1984.

The characters are all beautifully designed, there's no question about that. If there's one thing this series isn't lacking in, it's the art. The models are all animated quite skillfully. The visual style is a call-back to the original manga, which was written and drawn (around) 30 years previous. These magnificently drawn characters retain their charm, but are also updated to appeal to the modern generation of viewers, the ones used to the flash and sparkle of ... modern anime. Distant from the bland and forgettable character designs which so many anime seem to be fond of nowadays, these characters look GOOD.

As for the characters themselves, they are all (mostly) exceptionally fleshed out characters who the audience can sympathize with. The writing in this series is excellent, giving flesh to 2d characters and their relationships. Even Keith Anyan, this series' antagonist, could be considered a sympathetic character and if not sympathetic, then at least human.

Another aspect of this series that stuck out at me was the music -- but that's a good thing! The score is the driving force behind the series and is responsible for some of the most emotionally charged scenes. It could not be questioned that this show excels in its musical choice.

As for the setting -- as previously mentioned -- is somewhat reminiscent of Orwell's dystopian society in 1984, where the humans subjugated to the will of the 'Grand Mother.' Rogue humans, born with the psychic abilities, are known as the 'Mu' and are eliminated by the system since they are deemed as a threat to the stability of society. This series follows the journey of the Mu toward Terra, 'Earth' -- which the original humans were forced to flee due the cataclysmic destruction of the planet brought forth by their own hands.

While the setting is a bit stale after 31 (or so) years of the manga's initial publication, this adaption is by no means a common-place vanilla sci-fi story. Its real strength lies in its first-rate script and writing, which left me breathless and close to tears (actually, I cried) in several scenes. The writing is so overwhelming that the end almost came in a blink of the eye.

Toward the Terra is NOT an anime series to be passed up anytime soon. I heartily recommend this series to anyone who's interested in a compelling story filled with powerful character dynamics and emotionally driven scenes.

If one looks just beyond the CG encrusted exterior, just beyond the now-hackneyed dystopian setting, one will find a beautifully shining diamond in the rough, glistening and polished with intuitive writing, an excellent score, and a handsome cast of well-developed characters.

In the end, I could only describe Toward the Terra as a nine hour catharsis that will remain unforgettable.

I ended up marathoning Terra E in one day, and I never really intended to but it had me hook line and sinker by the end of the first few episodes. Now don't get me wrong, Terra E has definitely won a place in my heart not least because of how well it addresses social constructivism v technological determinism BUT it suffers from clichés that I can't find it within me to forgive, especially considering the show is very recent (Yes I know the manga is much older).

The show begins by introducing us to Jomi who appears to be just another whiny reluctant protagonist ... (cliche1) but in a few episodes and a lot of drama later he comes around and turns into a great character.

We're then introduced to Keith the antihero who is very well developed, to the point where one can palpably feel his internal conflicts.

The climax of the show for me was actually half way, tensions are rife, people's motives are very rational and one can empathise with almost anybody on either side of the conflict (always a sign of good writing).

The show begins to unravel by the end where things sort of derail and they don't derail for any good reason, it feels like the wonderful storytelling of the past 20 episodes is suddenly thrown away to encompass this emotionally rigged ending that I've frankly seen WAAY too many times now, it feels like unnecessary things are constantly being done simply for the sake of INCORPORATING these clichés. It's like the writers are saying "this is an anime and we're doing this because we can!"

I can only guess that this is where the show split from the manga, or the writers decided to turn it into a cathartic clusterfuck and indeed if after writing this review I find that the manga is substantially different I will read it right away.

I'd advise ANY fan of sci-fi/space -opera to watch this show immediately, aside from the flaws I've pointed out this show was potential 10/10 material for me and I enjoyed it thoroughly, I do hope I haven't sounded overly critical but I am writing this directly after finishing the last episode and so my sentiments are as pure as possible.

Toward the Terra is a 24-episode anime series by Wellthink-Aniplex. It’s a spectacular space adventure (based on the hit 1980 movie) that’ll thrill, enthrall and charm you into continuing to watch it.


The story of Toward the Terra is the strongest point of the show. Coming as it does from the Wellthink-Aniplex stable (another gem of which is Jigoku Shoujo), this anime is spectacularly designed and conceptualised. I don’t know if it’s based on a manga or not, but if it is, it’s going on to my must-read list.

What a delightful story! The creators weave an intricate tale and tell it with gusto-as is ... evidenced by the lavish explanatory speeches and indepth rationalizations engaged in by the characters. But what is even more attractive is that they have also apparently introduced several doctorates’ worth of mythological allusions: The grand planet-killer ship is called Megiddo, Earth’s central government convenes in a building known as the Yggdrasil, and the great super-computers are called Terras. What more do you need?

Oh yeah, a pace. And this Terra he…has in plenty. You’ll find it an enjoyable challenge just to keep up with what is going on on your screens. The story never lags, but keeps up its lightining pace all through its runtime. Very few parts seem to be fillers, a fact which every Naruto viewer (like me) will enjoy. Also, the story is very realistic in the sense that it inflicts changes upon its characters. Life aboard a Generation Starship has never been so flesh-and-blood; telling as it does the tale of three generations of the two Races of Earth, it acquits itself wonderfully, IMO.

Of course, the most important part of the story is its substance; Terra he… builds on very real human tendencies and proclivities, and succeeds remarkably. In the series, you’ll find a lot of philosophical debates going on. It would be impossible for me to identify all of them for you without missing out many more, but some of those you can look out for are the Schopenhauerian views on life and the will to death, the collectivist argument for united decision, the monarchist/socialist/welfare idea of ‘father-like’ (in this case, mother-like) government, the Platonic idea of education, and the determinist idea of free will. My only grouch in the whole story is that the collectivist view isn’t really battled. But this isn’t a problem; there hasn’t yet been any decisive answer to the collectivist question.

The art-that is, the character design-is attractive without being superlative. You won’t fall in love with any of the characters, the way you would with Production I.G.’s creations. But as itself, the characters are well-designed and well-animated. The villainous guys reflect their badness, while the good guys are made true to their nature. Even the natural truths of life haven’t been ignored; the characters show very real signs of aging such as worry lines and baggy eyes. Over all, the anime being a Wellthink-Aniplex creation, the character design is well enough to justify watching.

One mentionable thing about the art is the design of the ships. A great effort has been put into them, and it shows. The giant Megiddo vessels resemble crosses, while the Mutant ship looks very much like the Moby Dick it is named after. Conventional designs have clearly been shelved here; not many sharp-nosed ships will be seen here. Even the space stations have deviated from the norm; many are top-like structures with bags of some light gases supporting them. Many have no power of their own, and are either tethered to the planet, or float using these aforementioned bags.

The music is good without being great. Unlike Jigoku Shoujo’s haunting soundtrack, Terra he… has a space opera-like soundtrack prepared for it; unfortunately, this isn’t anything to write home about. The only great tracks are the OP/EDs, of which there are 4. The OPs are superlative with a capital S; I’m still jiving to Endscape’s rocking guitar intro.

UVERworld’s Endscape comes up tops and stays in your mind, long after you’re done watching the show. Its upbeat tempo and TAKUYA’s excellent vocals are winning points for this one. Yet the pinnacle of greatness is reached by the ever-delightful Hitomi Takahashi. Jet Boy Jet Girl is a song for all moods; it’s a veritable answer to Avril Lavigne’s Sk8er Boi. The guitar gets you right at the outset, and by the time Hitomi’s soft vocals cease at last with the soft ‘Jet Boy…’ you’re already charmed. These two deserve a definite download.

The EDs are not so remarkable, IMO. The first one, Miliyah’s This Love, seemed just plain soppy to me (though the line “Ikiru imi,/Shiritai” is still stuck in my head 13 episodes down), but “This Night” by Chemistry is a good love ballad. “This night, I’ll be over you,” goes the refrain, and you’ll find it very hard not to (at least) tap your foot and (at most) jive to it. So if you poked me with a zanpakutou, then I’d say download Chemistry but leave This Love well enough alone. Unless you’re Sasuke’s half-brother, in which case I have nothing more to do with you.


SUMMARY: So. Who will I recommend it to? I’ll say the Trekkies (for educational purposes), myth-freaks (for lots of cool names), eco-freaks (the most scathing condemnation of humanity’s Great Error is here in episode 23), philosophers (for lots of fodder), and lovers of anime in general, because here stands an anime that exemplifies John Oppinger’s great statement of anime’s uniqueness: the hero dies, many people die without the hero saving them, the hero’s people willingly kill other people and even enjoy it. Heck, even the kids from both sides fight each other as lustily as Vikings.

But after all this droning and moaning, I’d like to issue a warning: Those of you who thought Ghost in the Shell was really deep, please don’t watch this show. You’ll only make a mess of yourself, because this show is as philosophical-if not more-than I.G.’s great production.

Towards the Terra, released among the hoard of other April animes, was probably one of the most overlooked and underrated in comparison due to the 'old school' look it gave plus character designs that appealed more to the shoujo genre (which in fact had little to do with it), thus unable to target the specific audience most likely to appreciate it. In fact, this anime is one of the best space opera sci-fi gems to be released in recent years and should not be missed for fans of this genre.

Animation:
Yes it may appear old school but at closer observation, you'll realize that it is very ... fluid and remains consistent throughout. The CG animations do appear a bit out of place but since it is a 2007 anime, it is only natural that space battles are animated that way, nevertheless, this should not affect the viewer's perception on how solid it is. In fact, I find the overall art soothing to the eyes with the soft colors and occasional 'zoom in' on their faces to show the subtle changes in expressions. As mentioned before, the designs appeal more to the 'shoujo' fans but do not be turned off by this.

Sound:
As an OST nut, I found this simply magnificent. It was full of rich orchestral music, melancholic piano pieces plus some modern electric guitar tracks specifically used during combat. Takanashi Yasuharu had created some pretty good works before this like Jigoku Shoujo and Gantz but none stood out that much compared to this. He does have the knack of composing very sad tracks that will definitely make you reminisce back to the scene. As for the opening and ending themes, personal preference wise, I loved the catchy 1st opening, liked the melodramatic 1st ending and was amused by the R&B type 2nd ending. They each stood out in their own way.
The voice acting was excellent, Mitsuki Saiga usually voices impatient and rash young boys so her calm tone used during Jomy's adult years was impressive. Takehito Koyasu was wonderful as the antagonist Keith, Tomokazu Sugita pretty much charming as Soldier Blue and Kobayashi Sanae also startled me with an extremely gentle voice. Overall, definitely nothing to nit-pick about for sound.

Story/Plot:
The strong point of this anime, the pacing and plot were top notch. There were never any fillers, every minute was important and I was left most of the time wondering and guessing what would happen next. It was full of twists, plus as expected from older mangas....the author is brutal enough to kill off just about anybody. The pacing actually starts out a bit slow due to introducing the characters and the world they are in, but right after a few episodes, it hooks you thoroughly.
The story is set in the future, where humans are controlled by a system/mother computer, and since birth is controlled, humans with psychic abilities, otherwise known as Mu emerge. Thus the whole story is basically about the war between Mu and humans and how they try and eventually seek to reach an understanding. It is full of drama, tension, conflict and of course... war, if you are looking for such elements, to terra will not fail your expectations.

Character:
Great character development for both Jomy and Keith. Jomy especially, started out as a whiny kid who was constantly in self-denial and threw tantrums, however, watch till the last episode and you'll see how much he has developed into a strong-willed leader, with only one resolve---to get all Mu people back to the terra. Keith on the other hand, is raised as a 'perfect human', totally in contrast of Jomy's character, and as the story progresses, he is faced with questions about how 'human' he is supposed to be, that something is wrong with the current world; although his development is more subdued and inward compared to Jomy. Other supporting characters like Blue, Physis, Tony, Shiroe, Sam, Karina are equally memorable and endearing even though some do not have much screentime. To Terra manages to make every character stand out and grow on you, something that many others fail to do.

Overall:
An extremely well done anime, definitely worth collecting and rewatching if you are into epic space operas. The only down side is that it is lacking a bit in the romance department but that is only nit-picking. It is about perfect in every other aspects and missing such a good piece of work would be a definite loss.

Story (8.9) - Its a great story. Strong plot, fast pace, with action and sci-fi. Really solid from start to end, always keeping the anime interesting.
The story tells us about 2 races: Humans And Mu (those who have special powers and can read others minds). Those 2 races are oposed to each other, Humans want to exterminate the mu at all costs, while the Mu want to find planet Earth and co-exist with the humans. The story goes around this fight, with some flashbacks telling us some aspects of the characters past and scenes that make the whole plot much easier to understand. A ... 9 here.

Art (8.3) - I thought the art was a little weird at start...well is based on an old anime movie...but after getting used i didnt really dislike it. Its different from most of the recent ones, right, but is fine. I end up liking the drawing and the background, and the animations were not bad. I cant give less than an 8 here.


Sound (8.0) - Well, this anime didnt call my attetion for this aspect. I would say its just a normal one. Neither bad, neither too good. Just enough to keep me watching without getting annoyed with it. The OP and Ed are just fine, voices are fine also.
An 8 here.

Character (9.0) - Characters is maybe the best aspect of this anime. Well develloped, with flashbacks telling us about their past, many of them taking important roles in the story. Their unique characteristics, are also an aspect that i liked and that made me follow this anime more closely to see the ending of it.
A 9 here.

Enjoyment (8.8)- This anime was enjoyable to watch. Moments of action, suspense,some pauses to give us the situation of the whole story, well, its a well organized show with a bit of everything, it got my attention and i liked to watch it.

Overall - (8.6) - Different, but great. Solid in all aspects, enjoyable to watch, and some moments really make us think on the mistakes we are doing.
A well deserved 9.

I don't usually watch outer-space sci-fi animes. To me, most of them are geared toward a male audience, and are filled with space ship battles, cheesy dialog with forced emotions, and scantily-clad female officers. Or they are very dark, dystopian, and have a cyberpunk theme and maybe some mechas.

"Toward the Terra" defies the mold. It's a surprisingly sensitive sci-fi that focuses on the human factor. I'd classify it as an adventure drama. It deals with discrimination and genocide, defying a "big brother system," and ethics in war. And I HIGHLY enjoyed it. I've added it to my top ... 5 favorites.

It's hard to say what series I can compare this to, because it has such a unique feel to it. Perhaps it's most similar to Star Trek in its tone. I was so drawn into the story and events, I was tempted to watch the series straight through all at once. I had to limit myself to one DVD disk a day, because I knew I wanted to savor it over a longer time. And it was sure worth it. (I just finished watching it this evening, and I want to watch it through again starting tomorrow!)

Synopsis:
**************
Humanity was forced to flee earth due to over-pollution, and now lives on various distant planets. To regulate human society, a great computer system manages every aspect of life. Even children's experiences are tailored to form them into meek and unquestioning citizens ("tailored" as in "deleting socially undesirable memories"). However, some are able to resist the deletions. These are called "Mu" (mutants); those born with telepathic abilities and other superpowers. Since resisting the system is undesirable, there is a campaign underway to wipe out all Mu. Those who manage to escape and survive have banded together in a spaceship, with the hope of a life of peace, and a dream to travel through the stars, and return to earth.

For the most part, the story follows Jomy, who seems like a normal kid. But during his adult examination (when memory deletion mostly occurs), his dormant mu powers awaken, and his journey begins.
**************

As I said, this is mostly a drama. And that's why I liked it. We get to know characters, and solve some mysteries along the way. Characters have to make decisions: Will they unquestioningly follow the autocratic computer system? How far will people bury their humanity in order to obey it? Are Mu really monsters deserving extermination? Should the Mu push on to earth to fulfill the dreams of their forefathers, or begin a new life on a nearby planet of promise? Who should make decisions: the elders, or the younger generation? Does war justify every kind of violence?

And despite there being few space battles, there is a noticeable amount of violence. Mostly it's from close-quarters combat (shootings, stabbings). Many instances are bloody (with blood spattering around); one character is killed when half his body is blown away. But most wounds are not shown in too explicit detail. There are also psychologically and mentally painful procedures inflicted on people.

I will warn you, that there is quite a bit of tragedy. I was surprised at just how much death there was. Even I got some tears yanked out of me on more than one occasion. But this is not meant to be just a feel-good show. At times it's more like a war drama. Loss is part of the equation. Despite the Mus' superpowers, they have many vulnerabilities. And some of these sad moments were done very beautifully, and were made that much more powerful.

Although the art and animation doesn't blow me away, it's still very good quality, and very well done. The music is more unusual. I'm no music expert, but it doesn't sound like normal anime music. It's more...cinematic. Actually, if I ever have the chance to get my hands on this soundtrack, I will jump at it.

And oddly...this goes with a comment from before, but there were several sound effects that sounded like they were ripped right out of Star Trek...

Yes, there are some flaws. That's why I gave it a 9 instead of 10 (though it was a close call). There are a few moments that I thought came across as a bit cheesy, but I forgave them in light of the whole.

This anime is NOT for action-lovers. Or for people who hate drama and tragedy. But for everyone else, I think you might enjoy this.

*****
Final note:
So far as I know, this anime has NOT been dubbed into English, so you may have to make do with subtitles.
*****

Well, this is my first review, and I'm not a native english speaker, so sorry for eventual mistakes... I choose to write it in english because I thought the review could reach a higher number of users.
I've watched anime a lot, and there are pretty much anime that I really enjoyed, but I never wanted to write a review.
Terra e is awesome, in the deepest way of the word. The Story is great, there are few plot holes, the universe created is amazing. I really liked how each character's story was built: all of them were somehow bonded. I love this way of developing ... a story.
About the art... I was quite surprised! Vivid colors and lighter than I thought when I decided to watch it. The CG is not that good, but Terra e is a 2007 anime, so I can understand.
The characters' developing is fantastic. 10 is not enough to describe it. Childs grow up, adults change as years pass. This show deserves more than 10.
The OST is always exciting, beautiful sometimes and brings some despair other times...
Of course the anime is enjoyable: you will watch all episodes really fast...
Terra e can teach us a lot of things, but the most important one is hope.

Toward the terra is a must see sci-fi action anime. The plot sets in a distant future where humanity is dominated under a supercomputer. Prior to this, humanity concluded that earth aka Terra is no longer uninhabitable and so had to migrate to colonized stars. To survive this journey and guide the next generation they created a supercomputer and installed it with laws designed to prevent human kind from destroying themselves. So everytime a child turns 14 he or she has to go to an “adult exam” where the supercomputer inspects the child’s genes and brainwashes them to conform into society. This system following strictly ... the rules refuse to acknowledge an advance human race called Mu having psionic abilites. Instead, treats it as a virus and terminates it. Jomy our main character turns 14 and fails the “adult exam” and finds out he is a type-blue the strongest and rarest Mu. Before the supercomputer eliminates him, he is save by a fellow Mu. Jomy then is thrust into a war between the Mu and the humans and is his race last hope for survival. Will the Mu ever find they’re own home?

This is an awesome anime and the plot is so interesting that you're either on edge on whats about to happen or deeply in thought as the anime laments on different themes of humanity. As well as great character development on not only the protagonist Jomy but also most of the supporting characters back story. This anime really is greatly in-depth on the characters and is beautifully animated while not even missing out on the action/drama. The opening and the ending song is one of the best and the music is well-matched and extremely memorable.

Toward the Terra is a short 20+ anime bt thats whats great about it. Its overly complicated plot doesn't drag on too long. Many popular anime loves to add filler episodes which annoys me to no end. This is a heartwenching anime and its frustrating how underrated this is. This anime deserves to be on my top anime list.

This is my all time favourite anime. It is is ONLY anime (or book, manga, movie, ect) to EVER make me cry. I found such a connection to the story and the characters, and few animes can do that to me. Even though this story is futuristic, it still sends out deep messages concerning things that matter today. I reccomend watching this anime for anyone and everyone: it is good for both genders, and all ages. It has everything; drama, sci-fi, romance, action. I admit that I was skeptical of this anime at first because of the art style, but I came to like the ... art style a lot by the end of the anime. Just be warned: this anime might make you cry.

Story: 5
Animation: 7
Sound: 8
Characters: 7
Enjoyment: 7

Total: 7

Terra e has some interesting bits here and there, which is especially extraordinary given the source materials time of 1974, a few years before the very first Star Wars. I mention it, because it is often mentioned as a prime example of how to write a hero's journey. And the first 4 episodes are very clearly that outline. However after that the basic story structure divulges as another main character becomes the focus. And with that modern conventions do no longer apply here.

But to row back a bit. Terra e (2007) is a serialized version of the Terra e ... (1980) film. I haven't watched that film so it is hard for me to say how well it was translated, but since it is more extensive, it probably improves upon many things. But that is mainly on how the story is structured. Where we instantly come to my biggest gripe with this anime: time skips. The story is told about many years in various intervals and time frames. Additionally not all characters are evolved equally after a single skip and the focus flip-flops between both protagonists. This has minor and major consequences. Most notably: character deaths. While some characters grow up to become characters of shifting importance, some do not survive certain episodes, mostly to encourage the grow of other characters or to have lasting impacts on decisions.

This is a central concept as the general story is about the relationship between the generic humans and the psychic Mu, who are mostly born from Humans. All the while being observed by a dystopian Big Brother system which is encouraged by the generic public. And while in all this, a central theme pops up, which I have trouble to wrap my head around. This is something I observed in many Japanese media by now: "Those damned adults."
This is a phrase the early part of Terra e is full of. Mostly because of the dystopian system behind it. But it has also come to my attention via Persona 5, which I played a few months ago. It is a weird phrase to throw around since most adults where kids once. And it becomes even more weird when the non-adults who throw around this phrase get, or even actively seek, help from other adults. Especially when they still live with their parents.
This is mostly notable through the central theme of the first episodes: the adult examination; a process to determine the place of young adults and where to send them. This is obviously part of the dystopia and quickly escalates into a full-blown war against the system.

Speaking of war, the last third of the anime basically revolves around the escalation between the Mu and the Humans. And this is where the time skips most notably hurts the story. As the war escalates more and more, war crimes of various scales are the daily norm. Sadly, most of this stuff gets easily cleared under the rug by the fanatic stoicism and zeal of the two faction leaders. But I would attribute that decision to the runtime as those happen fairly late.

Terra e is a weird and unique experience in terms of story structure and characterization. New characters are introduced constantly, ripped away or reintroduced as new important characters after time skips, after being unimportant side characters beforehand. And while the story features a very predictable outcome, it sadly still is full of plot holes. But the story isn't the focus of this anime but the characters and how they fulfill their roles. The solid animation and very nice soundtrack underline this a good way. This anime can be remembered by its decision for story progress alone. Multiple time skips within a single season alone is a bold move. But it is necessary for this kind of story and I'm glad it stuck with it.

*not native english speaker

ok, i got introduced to this series searching in this site as it was recommended from other serie but well at fist sight it seem like a pretty un popular old style-new anime. however i was very curious to one of the phrases in the reviews which said something like this was a real sci fi or something like that. so well i decided i wanted to try it as the very few reviews there was at that time told me was good.

by the way yeah its GOOD xD

Story: 10/10

This is were the serie shines its not only focused on one character ... but it tells the story of a whole civilization and the fight for their dreams very inspirational and very unique plot.

here i understanded what the reviewers told me. you really get transported to that time and feel identified with the Mu. the series touches very large range of conflicts like the fear of change and the fear for what is unussual and the real meaning of the utopia. very nice.

Art 9/10
well nothing specially is like an old style art made with new style animation and coloring it fits pretty well nothing to complain here actually it was good to see something diferent that seem good.

Sound 8/8
Nothing to complain, nothing oustanding ^^

Characters 8/10
Characters is also a strong point of the serie. The character develope well and you get to understand the characters when is needed.

i would have easily gave it a 10 but i see a flow here and well at my point of view is the major fault in the series. The matter here is that the time goes on too fast you dont have enough time to digest it and you feel that important characters are not that important. you feel nostalic seeing that from one episode to other it have pass 30 years or something like that. also i think they could have gave emotion to some scenes that ended like if they were not important when you feel it should have been a more dramatic moment.

enjoyment 10/10
even with this flaws i got hooked and its amazing i loved the unexpected twists the story has. you cant really predict how it will end. oh and by the way it has nearly the most aswome ending i have ever seen xD

overall 9/10
great series recomended for everyone exept for the ones who are seeking comedy as is the only thing which it lacks of.

Whenever i went to half priced books on Martin Luther King Jr. Day 2019, i did not expect to get an anime that would prove to shatter my expectations.

you could say that i had less then stellar expectations of an anime like this. I thought. Oh this anime has not much popularity, and it isn't even ranked that high, how could it possibly be better then some of my favorite anime. well let me tell you how.

i dont want to spoil anything about the story. which is wired for me, because i personally love spoilers, but let me tell you there are a ... lot of narrative punches in this anime. This is a story about love, friendship, and forgiveness.

The characters are extremely good in this story. The story takes place over an extremely long time period. because of this the character progression feels natural and not forced, and it makes the setting and story more realistic and grounded in realty. Unlike many anime the main protagonist isn't some schoolboy protagonist. The characters have depth and have reasons for what they are doing.

the sound is possibly the most weakest part. there isn't much music in this anime, but the ending 2 theme is absolutely outstanding. in some ways the music reminds me of xenogears because of its gauthic feel.

the art is nice. especially for an animation studio that i never heard of.


tl;dr

This anime is amazing. if you like slower paced shows with amazing characters and a gripping story and setting, then this is the show for you