Island (TV)

On a remote island far from the mainland named Urashima, a man washes ashore, with no recollection of his name or homeland. What he does recall, however, is that he is a time traveler with a mission: to save a certain girl from harm. As nightfall arrives, he meets Rinne Ohara, a girl who sings a tune that reminds him of a specific name—Setsuna—and decides to use it as his own.

Knowing another "Setsuna" herself, Rinne takes him to her household as a servant, hoping that he is the same one she remembers. On the other hand, Setsuna continues to learn more about Urashima, desiring to identify his lost past. He comes to know about the island's folklore, its three great families, and the endemic disease that prevents anyone afflicted from stepping out into the daylight.

As the mysteries of his missing memories and Urashima itself unfold, Setsuna must remember his purpose and fulfill his mission as soon as possible. But, as he witnesses the myriad of troubles plaguing the island, Setsuna begins to question—is his temporal displacement merely an effort to change a single girl's fate?

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Edit

Background

No background information has been added to this title. Help improve our database by adding background information here.

Episode Videos

Edit

Related Anime

Adaptation:

Island

More characters

Characters & Voice Actors

Ohara, Rinne

Main

Tamura, Yukari
Japanese

Kurutsu, Karen

Main

Asumi, Kana
Japanese

Sanzenkai, Setsuna

Main

Suzuki, Tatsuhisa
Japanese

Garandou, Sara

Main

Yamamura, Hibiku
Japanese

Ohara, Kuon

Supporting

Satou, Rina
Japanese

Tandori, Mei

Supporting

Nakajima, Yui
Japanese

Hatoma, An

Supporting

Takayanagi, Tomoyo
Japanese

Sunada, Emiri

Supporting

Tanaka, Takako
Japanese

Kurutsu, Subaru

Supporting

Kawanishi, Kengo
Japanese

Kurutsu, Natsumi

Supporting

Kitamura, Eri
Japanese

More staff

Staff

Kurosu, Nobuhiko

Producer

Shimosato, Satoru

Producer

Ebato, Kenji

Producer

Uesaka, Youichirou

Producer

Edit

Opening Theme

	1: "Eien no Hitotsu (永遠のひとつ)" by Yukari Tamura (eps 2-7, 11-12)
	2: "Closing tears" by Yukari Tamura (eps 9-10)

Edit

Ending Theme

	1: "Eien no Hitotsu (永遠のひとつ)" by Yukari Tamura (eps 1)
	2: "Eternal Star" by Asaka (eps 2-8, 11-12)
	3: "Marine SNOW" by Asaka (eps 9-10)

Reviews

Sep 16, 2018

animesscythe

Recommended

The review contains spoilers

While waiting for someone to write a positive review about this, I thought I'd wake up because that won't happen, so I guess I should do it myself. I find 7 to be above average, not something I'd recommend, but it's good compared to the hate this show is getting, and I actually like it. So there may be spoilers because no one cares about a show with this low of a rating, right?

The story with its mysteries and use of time travel is stunning, it's all connected and covers up most of its plot-holes (not really all though). The way ...

Open

Gift

Sep 17, 2018

Mama_Mega

Mixed Feelings

My experience with this anime that is... ALLEGEDLY a VN adaptation can be summarized in one word: "...what?"

At least once, I found myself going back to the info page to make sure this was indeed the VN adaptation I was following this season, because it suffers from an issue I've never seen before in a VN adaptation (and I've seen plenty of subpar VN anime): every week, it felt like they were making it up as they went along. I'm not sure who's at fault for this, actually; whether the anime team didn't do a proper job explaining everything or the VN itself didn't do ...

Open

Gift

Sep 16, 2018

Stark700

Not Recommended

Ever wondered what would be like to wake up and have no memories about yourself? Island takes this traditional trope but instead of translating it into a survival tale, it turns it into a story about rediscovery. It’s a series based on a visual novel but I confess to say that it’s very questionable in terms of presentation. Looking at the show made me wonder how such a simple premise descended into an abomination.

The simple premise of Island honestly made me curious about the show at first. Taking place on this island known as “Urashima”, it gives the impression of a setting of isolation. It’s ... away from cities, civilizations, and the social problems that we have to deal in our everyday lives. In fact, the first few episodes really makes it clear that the islanders there live in a carefree way. However, it didn’t take long for me to realize that there’s more than meets the eye about the story’s mystery. A big part of the show is trying to sell its suspenseful plot by connecting the past with the present.

Before I actually get into the juicy part of the show, it’s noticeable that Island underwent some changes before the actual premiere. From my understanding, there was dispute over the script so what we see on TV may not be what was originally planned. I have not played the visual novel (even though it’s available now in both Japanese and English) so I came into the show as a fresh newbie. Still, a show like this felt more like a niche designed to target the specific audience. In this case, it’s aimed at people who enjoys the feeling of a dramatic adventure. And to be honest, that’s a tough pill to swallow. The first few episodes flirted with relationships between the main cast. Meanwhile, the story suffers pacing issues from the very start as each episode constantly bounces between cheesy comedy and dramatic sequences. Then, there’s the mystery that tries to carry the plot. What we get instead is more of a wish-fulfillment love story that doesn’t know what it’s trying to do. There’s a lot of pitfalls that hardly puts emphasis on the story. This is evidenced with the sex jokes, ineffective writing, and in general, lack of care in the characterization.

Speaking of characters, Setsuna Sanzenkai is what I like to describe as a blank piece of paper. You try to write down facts about him and there’s really nothing. That’s because the guy has a mysterious past but in reality, his personality is just as empty. Through his interactions with the main cast, he doesn’t stand out any more than they do. It doesn't help that his dialogues sounds robotic and often lacks enthuaism. The main cast consists of three girls – Rinne, Karen, and Sara. Each of them seems to have some sort of connection with Setsuna as evidenced through various flashbacks. The show also dedicates a decent amount of screen time by using montages to enhance their relationships. Unfortunately, it fails to cook up any meaningful relationship between Setsuna and these girls. There’s too much generalization on the girls’ personalities and much less on their development. Even Rinne, the girl that Setsuna spends the most time with suffers from this. Sure, there is background storytelling that makes it clear he and Rinne knows more about each other than meets the eye. However, it’s the type of relationship that adheres to wish-fulfillment. These characters are not larger than life and in fact, you can find them in just about any eroge visual novel. It’s a shame really since they look charming on the surface.

So is there anything worth watching about the show? To be honest, it’s really comes down to the decision on what you’ll find attractive or not. The comedy is blatantly inauthentic with poor timing between the characters’ dialogues. While the show had potential for its mystery elements, it really doesn’t get the ride going until quite later on. In other words, this anime will test your patience. I’ve honestly struggled to stay awake when watching Island and this show felt like it would be better if you played the game.

Perhaps there’s some redeeming quality about the show when it comes to the technical quality. I have to admit, Island does look well designed in terms of its setting. It’s able to convince me of the cultural differences between itself and the outside world. The idea of isolationism also looks credible with the relaxing atmosphere and being away from urban cities. Characters all look like they live the carefree life with their simple clothing and moderate technology. There’s also quite an abundance of fanservice that may sometimes feel uncomfortable. Because let’s face it, some of the girls in the show looks like kids. You be the judge but it’s hard to deny their physical appearances.

On the other hand, Front Wing was able to create this series with a very relaxing and atmospheric music. While the montage songs can sound a bit generic, they are also appealing by itself if you just listen to them. Unfortunately, the show definitely takes a step back when it comes to voice acting. I already mentioned Setsuna but his voice really sounds like a cog in a machine when he opens his mouth. The female characters’ voices doesn’t sound any better and often too high pitched to take to heart.

I’m glad this show is only 1 cour because any more than that would feel like a chore. To be able to attract an audience towards this show takes more than just a creative setting. The premise had some potential but it’s weathered down by its ineffective plot and one dimensional characters. Perhaps if I watch this without thinking too much, it would’ve been a better experience. The fact is, Island is just another example of a poor story with a budget that it doesn’t deserve.

Open

Gift

More stacks

Interest Stacks

Fav time travel anime picks...

by gakuendo

23 Entries · 70 Restacks

Sexual activity is implied [part 1]

by dantenebris

50 Entries · 159 Restacks

No Sequels Required.

by FalseRaven

29 Entries · 36 Restacks

More recommendations

Recommendations

More news

Recent News

North American Anime & Manga Releases for August

Here are the North American anime & manga releases for August Week 1: August 4 - 10 Anime Releases Dungeon ni Deai wo Motomeru no wa Machigatteiru Darou ka II (I...read more

Aug 2, 2020 10:29 PM by ImperfectBlue | Discuss (3 comments)

North American Anime & Manga Releases for July

Here are the North American anime & manga releases for July Week 1: July 2 - 8 Anime Releases Basilisk: Kouga Ninpou Chou Complete Collection Blu-ray (Anime Clas...read more

Jul 1, 2019 2:44 PM by Sakana-san | Discuss (2 comments)

More discussions

Recent Forum Discussion

Poll: Island Episode 12 Discussion ( 1 2 3 4 ) Stark700 - Sep 16, 2018	183 replies	by Cyanwasserstoff »» Jan 15, 11:22 AM
Poll: Island Episode 11 Discussion ( 1 2 ) Stark700 - Sep 9, 2018	81 replies	by Miki42 »» Dec 3, 2023 9:14 AM
Poll: Island Episode 10 Discussion ( 1 2 ) Stark700 - Sep 2, 2018	67 replies	by Miki42 »» Dec 3, 2023 9:13 AM
Poll: Island Episode 9 Discussion ( 1 2 ) Stark700 - Aug 26, 2018	85 replies	by Miki42 »» Dec 3, 2023 9:12 AM
Poll: Island Episode 8 Discussion ( 1 2 ) Stark700 - Aug 19, 2018	51 replies	by Miki42 »» Dec 1, 2023 1:27 PM

Island (TV)

Alternative Titles

Information

Statistics

Available At

Resources

Streaming Platforms

Synopsis

Background

Episode Videos

Visit MALxJapan
MALxJapan -More than just anime-

Related Anime

Characters & Voice Actors

Ohara, Rinne

Kurutsu, Karen

Sanzenkai, Setsuna

Garandou, Sara

Ohara, Kuon

Tandori, Mei

Hatoma, An

Sunada, Emiri

Kurutsu, Subaru

Kurutsu, Natsumi

Staff

Opening Theme

Ending Theme

Reviews

Interest Stacks

Recommendations

Recent News

Recent Forum Discussion

MoreTop Anime

MoreTop Airing Anime

MoreMost Popular Characters

Island (TV)

Alternative Titles

Information

Statistics

Available At

Resources

Streaming Platforms

Synopsis

Background

Episode Videos

Visit MALxJapan MALxJapan -More than just anime-

Related Anime

Characters & Voice Actors

Staff

Opening Theme

Ending Theme

Reviews

Interest Stacks

Recommendations

Recent News

Recent Forum Discussion

MoreTop Anime

MoreTop Airing Anime

MoreMost Popular Characters

Visit MALxJapan
MALxJapan -More than just anime-