Ranked #2051

Starship Operators

I must admit that I started this show because one of my favorite singers performed in it (Mami Kawada). Though I do enjoy the science fiction genre so Starship Operators seemed to be a perfect match. So let’s get on with the review!

The story is mixed for me. This is a serious story that for the most part is pretty good. It does a good job of giving you an overview of the universe in which the plot takes place in and moves along pretty steadily. The story revolves around a group of cadets for the military of Kibi on their last training cruise, when their home planet is attacked by a rival known as the Kingdom, the cadets are left to fend for themselves when their instructors all abandon ship and surrender. (Ja I thought that was silly too). They decide to fight and their struggle is documented by a news network. I did find myself drawn into the story however it has a number of flaws that really hurt it. One, this series is really too short and there just isn’t enough time to develop a complex storyline. Because of this most of the tragedy and drama that occur really garner very little emotional reaction. Also the plot felt rushed at the end, almost like the director found out he only had 1 episode left to finish the story. The ending was ok but it left things open that I really expected to be resolved by the end of the show.

The characters are where Starship Operators really suffers. They are interesting for the most part but we get almost no back story or development on any of them. Several romances spring up, one in particular you expect a resolution from in the end but it seems to be forgotten about. There is also a lot of tragedy and drama that it supposed to effect the viewer emotionally, however because we don’t have anything invested in any of the characters when a death occurs you don’t really feel anything. I kind of relate it to the old Star Trek series, when the "red shirts" would meet their deaths. I find this to be a problem with a lot of series that have so many characters. The show is too short to develop any of them and because there are so many everyone suffers.

Visually the show is great. The battles are exciting and there is a lot of action. The character animation is also very well done. The OP and ED music are good too, since this was one of the things that drew me to the show in the first place.

Starship Operators is a decent space opera. It has serious themes that will appeal to older viewers and enough action that younger viewers would be entertained. In the end this show is just average. It does some things really well so it’s difficult for me to recommend. If you like space battles or sci-fi then you probably would enjoy it.
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Ok, to start off, I would like to point out I am not fond of writing reviews, but I just felt like it for this one, mainly because I sat through whole show with only a few short breaks.


STORY:

When I first read description for this show, I thought to myself: "Just like Infinite Ryvius", and I was partially correct. But only partially. Story about young kids fighting whole kingdom on their own, being rejected again and again is nothing new, but it's the way story was told that made it enjoyable. It may not be the best story ever, but I find it to my liking.


ART:

Another show I noticed similarities with is one of my favorite shows "Crest of the stars". Now, what I expected from this show was something similar in terms of graphics and style. What I got pleasantly surprised me. From the first shots of Amaterasu to nicely done space battles, this show had it done really good. However, biggest flaw was when there were people on screen. As fan of GBA games, I couldn't help but notice how some characters act like they're from video games, moving only image, but no visible movement of arms, legs or anything else. It just felt funny :) Other than that, it was good.


SOUND:

Whereas I prefer a little "faster" music, I must admit, I was once again surprised how well music was composed into all the action and emotions. However, I did get slightly annoyed by music sometimes, when it was playing, and there was no need for music whatsoever. But, putting that aside, great soundtrack.


CHARACTER:

Well, I don't really know how to describe characters in this show. They are consistent, but than again, they are so hard to understand sometimes. Not that that's bad, but it's just silly. One moment a person is doing something one way, other moment that same person is doing the same thing completely different way without any explanation whatsoever. Where this show did shine was love/romance part. There is enough of that in this show for emotional ones, and still not too much for those of us who like to see some emotions and love, but not to get annoyed by those things.


ENJOYMENT:

Well, I did say I watched it with almost no pause at all. However, that doesn't mean I enjoyed in it as much as I wanted to see how it ends. It's a good show, quite enjoyable, with quite a few flaws here and there, but not a bad not nevertheless. If you like space drama, something where you get to see both emotions and action, but not too much of either, look no further, you will find both here. If you look for one or other, look somewhere else. This isn't a show for you.


So OVERALL:

Yeah, even though grades for this show vary in my opinion, I felt like a 6 would be fair. As I said before, this is clearly not for everyone. Some will find it boring, some will find it lacking action. I find it to be rather good while it lasts. And don't take it wrong, me giving 6 to a show is in no way telling this is a bad show. It just didn't have THAT something other shows had, that have greater marks in my book.

But, if you're asking yourself should I watch this or not, my answer would be simple. Give it a shot, you won't feel sorry for that. read more