Sidonia no Kishi (Knights of Sidonia)

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Alternative Titles

Synonyms: Sidonia no Kishi

Japanese: シドニアの騎士

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Information

Type: TV

Episodes: 12

Status: Finished Airing

Aired: Apr 11, 2014 to Jun 27, 2014

Premiered: Spring 2014

Broadcast: Unknown

Producers: Starchild Records, Mainichi Broadcasting System, Kodansha, KlockWorx

Licensors: Funimation, Sentai Filmworks

Studios: Polygon Pictures

Source: Manga

Genres: Action, Sci-Fi

Themes: Mecha, Space

Demographic: Seinen

Duration: 24 min. per ep.

Rating: R - 17+ (violence & profanity)

Statistics

Score: 7.65¹ (scored by 104,685 users)

¹ indicates a weighted score.

Ranked: #1210²

² based on the top anime page. Please note that 'Not yet aired' and 'R18+' titles are excluded.

Popularity: #919

Members: 215,577

Favorites: 1,398

External Links

Official Site, AnimeDB, AnimeNewsNetwork, Wikipedia

Streaming Platforms

Funimation

7.65

Ranked #1210Popularity #919Members 215,577

Spring 2014TVPolygon Pictures

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Episodes: /12

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Synopsis

After destroying Earth many years ago, the alien race Gauna has been pursuing the remnants of humanity—which, having narrowly escaped, fled across the galaxy in a number of giant seed ships. In the year 3394, Nagate Tanikaze surfaces from his lifelong seclusion deep beneath the seed ship Sidonia in search of food on the upper levels, only to find himself dragged into events unfolding without his knowledge.

When the Gauna begin their assault on Sidonia, it's up to Tanikaze—with the help of his fellow soldiers and friends Shizuka Hoshijiro, Izana Shinatose, and Yuhata Midorikawa—to defend humanity's last hope for survival, and defeat their alien foes. Sidonia no Kishi follows Tanikaze as he discovers the world that has been above him his entire life, and becomes the hero Sidonia needs.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

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Background

Sidonia no Kishi was nominated for the Animation of the Year Award in the Television category at the 2015 Tokyo Anime Award Festival. The anime's opening song, "Sidonia" by Angela, won the 19th Animation Kobe Theme Song Award in 2014.

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Related Anime

Adaptation:	Sidonia no Kishi
Sequel:	Sidonia no Kishi: Daikyuu Wakusei Seneki
Summary:	Sidonia no Kishi Movie

More characters

Characters & Voice Actors

Shinatose, Izana

Main

Toyosaki, Aki
Japanese

Hoshijiro, Shizuka

Main

Suzaki, Aya
Japanese

Tanikaze, Nagate

Main

Oosaka, Ryouta
Japanese

Benisuzume

Supporting

Suzaki, Aya
Japanese

Kobayashi

Supporting

Ohara, Sayaka
Japanese

Hiyama, Lala

Supporting

Arai, Satomi
Japanese

Placenta Hoshijiro

Supporting

Suzaki, Aya
Japanese

Midorikawa, Yuhata

Supporting

Kanemoto, Hisako
Japanese

Ittan, Samari

Supporting

Tanaka, Atsuko
Japanese

Honoka, Ren

Supporting

Kitamura, Eri
Japanese

More staff

Staff

Shizuno, Koubun

Director

Iwanami, Yoshikazu

Sound Director

Andou, Hiroaki

Episode Director, Storyboard

Murai, Sadayuki

Script, Series Composition

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Opening Theme

"Sidonia (シドニア)" by angela

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Ending Theme

"show (掌 -show-)" by Eri Kitamura

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Reviews

Jun 27, 2014

12 of 12 episodes seen

Overall Rating: 9

Ragix (All reviews)

300 people found this review helpful

Sidonia no Kishi is truly a marvel. When I began the first episode and laid my eyes on the CGI, I felt a bit underwhelmed and my opinion began to waver on the show; However, SnK soon made me realize that I could have never been so wrong and I'm glad for that. Sidonia no Kishi is a post-apocalyptic sci-fi anime where everyday mankind lives in fear of being decimated, but continues to survive on an enormous ship known as Sidonia. There struggle is against an alien-species known as the Gauna which have brought humanity to its knees before and the only thing between them and Sidonia are the pilots of the Gardes(mechs) whom protect Sidonia. This setting is not necessarily new, but the way it is handled and presented can only be said to be top-notch.

Story (9/10):
The story sets itself for excitement, thrills and edge of your seat action which is all done masterfully in SnK. Considering humanity could be on the brink of being destroyed on a daily basis there should really never be a dull moment and there never was. Even at times when the scene was supposed to ease the tension or be a bit more heart-warming not once did it lose my interest. The sci-fi played a huge role when showing off technological advancements and it's thanks to this and the anime's emphasis on it which made it only that much more interesting. Every single moment had its intensity, the plot would constantly mesmerize you with excitement, but evens it out superbly with some comedy and scenes to ease the tension before throwing you back in the action again. The story has been done many times over, but not a lot could match up with what Sidonia no Kishi brought to the table.

Art (9/10):
The world is brought to life using CGI which is what gave me the first impression that it would be underwhelming. In-fact, I felt rather unsettled seeing the CGI, but moving forward giving the anime a chance I realized there would be no Sidonia no Kishi without it. The CGI is used masterfully for every scene and whenever it was time to buckle up and fly into the heat of battle the action was on a completely different level from anything else thanks to it. While it did take some getting used to for when we were simply watching our characters walking around, it became no problem soon enough and well worth it to just see the Gardes in action.

Sound (10/10):
The sound completely exceeded my expectations. I highly recommend if you have a pair of fantastic headphones, use them. The quality of the sound during the encounters versus the Gauna were some of the best I have ever heard. Once I put on my headset and listened, I was completely immersed. The engines roaring, weapons firing and so-on, you could tell the studio payed especially close attention to the details and it was phenomenal.

Character(8/10):
The characters in SnK were very interesting. While I cannot say they were completely original they each had unique characteristics to separate themselves from most other characters. Each character evolved in his or her own way and it was fantastic to see some of the interactions between them after the course of some events had taken place. It's really thanks to the sci-fi setting that allows for such diversity among them and while you may not appreciate every character; Each character we're introduced to have their own role in the story and I cannot deny that it's thanks to what can be created within the sci-fi setting which makes each of them only that more intriguing.

Enjoyment (10/10):
Sidonia no Kishi had done everything completely right in my eyes when it came to entertainment. Every episode had a huge significance and would leave you with an aching appetite for more. Every time the Gardes had flown off into battle I was completely overjoyed with excitement and even in the more relaxing scenes I was still just taken aback by all the twists the plot had taken along with the progression. For an anime to be able to succeed in capturing the audiences attention every single episode is a grand feat.

Overall (9/10):
Sidonia no Kishi is an amazing anime that should not simply be overlooked. The CGI, while may take some getting used to for some, is an integral part of the anime and those whom give it a chance will see why. Even for those with a dislike of mecha I'd recommend this to as the major focus on character interactions, fantastic sound and breath-taking action all put into one package makes this one of the greater Sci-fi mecha anime out there to look out for. Out of all 12 episodes there was not one that was uneventful and it continued strong from start to finish.

So what are you waiting for pilot? Suit up, it's time for the Knights of Sidonia to move out.

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Jan 3, 2015

12 of 12 episodes seen

Overall Rating: 6

ZephSilver (All reviews)

135 people found this review helpful

When certain premises in anime are overused without variation they're quickly labeled as "run of the mill".. Like dystopian with mecha. Because of that many anime try to change minute details regarding the setting or premise to stand apart. However, if something normally considered "run of the mill" is executed with proper care it can be seen as rather refreshing. Knights of Sidonia is a rare case, not quite falling towards being called mediocre nor does it fall towards refreshing. Rather it all depends on the individual to make the judgement call.

Story: 6/10

Set in the distant future, the story takes place upon a spaceship read more

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Jun 27, 2014

12 of 12 episodes seen

Overall Rating: 9

mercury1980 (All reviews)

81 people found this review helpful

The pledge:

We, the knights of Sidonia.
Pledge ourselves as one united galaxy protectors.
Regardless of gender, race or religion.
To protect the outer space from destruction.
That is caused by Gauna floating in outer space.
So as to achieve peace, happiness and progress for
our universe.

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Jun 28, 2014

12 of 12 episodes seen

Overall Rating: 8

Stark700 (All reviews)

42 people found this review helpful

Imagine a world, waking up every day, and realizing that you could be exterminated any moment. In the world of Sidonia no Kishi, that’s a common trend for every single human who are still alive. The primary cause of this are the Gauna, alien extraterrestrials that have devastated humanity into near distinction. As the show takes place in an apocalyptic future, a journey with Sidonia no Kishi will be one of the dark ages.

The brainchild of the series and idea is Tsutomu Nihei, known for his other manga works such as Blame and Biomega. In Sidonia no Kishi, he spawns the idea of sci-fi and packages it with war themes. For instance, humanity is at war against the mysterious Gauna. Their means of survival depends on a generation skip known as the Sidonia. Since Earth have been annihilated, there’s little hope besides working together in unity for survival. We get the very sense of despair with our characters as they live in near hopelessness. One particular character named Nagate Tanikaze stands out as a top ace in the series as result of simulator training from underground. But one day, he comes out from the layers of Sidonia and witness reality.

From the first opening moments of the show, it’s easy to tell that humanity is in a path of despair. The fact that their previous home planet Earth no longer exists serves a testament for their solitude. But for what’s worth, the show still depicts humanity as a fighting group, resilient and with articulate sense for payback. The show illustrates this with Sidonia being the most prominent ship, perhaps because the others have been gone for over eight centuries. With Sidonia though, the show portrays them as the sole resistance. Calling them knights is probably a better term that fits with the title of the show by translation – Knights of Sidonia. It’s important to realize the show reveals secrets and plot twists relating to Sidonia and the population itself. Startling twists tells stories and controversies gets people talking.

Reality bites Nagate as he realizes how grim it is. Throughout the show, Nagate is shown as a normal young man despite being isolated. He is selfless, compassionate, caring, courageous, and has tons of potential to become a savior as result of his training with his grandfather’s Guardian simulator. What he possesses though is more than just his raw skills but his instinct and will to fight for what he believe in. He believes in hope and strives to survive with the people he built connections with. And from that, he also puts others’ well-being before himself. One of those characters is Izana Shinatose, a transgender human. Among others he befriends includes Shizuka Hoshijiro and Yuhata Midorikawa, both who shares a relationship with him among all the chaos. It’s from these relationships that expands on Nagate’s character as we get to know him more. The show cleverly balances the atmosphere of despair and humor with their interactions. More so though, we see more of Nagate’s personality as well and can appreciate him more as a person. But as a Guardian Pilot, he also possess a sense of pride. This is clearly seen through his rivalry with Norio Kunato, another top trainee. However, Kunato is a cold man and looks down others for their inferiority. His idealism and ego often defines his character as the complete opposite of Nagate.

It’s clear that the show has its mysteries relating to almost everything whether it’s the Gauna, humanity, or just reality itself. It invites questions with twists, some more startling than others. For example, the captain of the Immortal Ship Committee is seen throughout the show as a mysterious individual with a mask that hides her face and possible intentions. Some of her missions and abilities to command the crew has led to death and sorrow. Other mysteries recalled in the series includes the methods that humanity uses to survive. Science has broken boundaries like never before with concepts such as human cloning, photosynthesis, and asexual reproduction. And throughout the show, these concepts are explored in small yet fine details.

Despite the pessimism, the show does have space for some heartwarming moments and even comedic scenarios. The show isn’t designed for comedy but its humorous moments can unintentionally spawn laughter with its gimmicks. The more heartwarming moments include Nagate’s relationship development with certain characters. Unfortunately at the same time, it also raises death flags for certain characters as no one is immortal. For Nagate, he must overcome the struggles of loss and deal with reality. Thankfully, he has friends and they create memories that serves as his motivation to annihilate the Gauna. Some of these friends even develop a seemingly romantic interest towards Nagate, which seems to be depicted as an innocent story. On the other hand, the show also crafts tragedy from such connections with devastating executions completed with aftermath sorrow. Needless to say but it’s a tough world they are part of now if Gauna co-exists with humanity.

As a show of the sci-fi and mecha theme, expect abnormal attributes to be inserted in. For the Gauna, they are epitome of abnormality. They are the executioners of humanity and are designed to as such. But besides their outer appearance, secrets and their fighting methods can raise eyebrows especially after seeing the results of their powers. Meanwhile, we have the way humanity fights back through the usage of Guardian, powerful mechanized weapons of war. It’s explained that Hyggs particles are the power source for these weapons. There are also various typed of these weapons as we see them in action. In fact, Nagate becomes a pilot for one such prototype where he demonstrates why he is an ace pilot. And by presenting itself with both sides with these themes, the show becomes like a professor for science fiction along with the previously mentioned concepts.

The show looks strong overall on paper but does suffer a few bits when it comes to overall execution. Some bits of the story (while adapted well) is still predictable. The comedy and drama sometimes seems forceful and inappropriate, sometimes executed at the wrong moments. Some concepts and ideas of the show also feels static when it comes to originality. The way it adapts itself often sees humanity as the underdog. It becomes sometimes aching to see just how much humanity can take with hopelessness. The Gauna themselves lacks characterization because of their mindless depiction. For all we know, the show only throws hints about their true origins but still leaves its true visage in the dark.

The artwork could be a hit or miss for viewers. Polygon Production studio crafts the unusual structure of the series with CGI. The artwork in fact defines the way Sidonia should be like with its starships, character designs, and Gauna. It would take some hard time to get used to but overall fitting for a post-apocalyptic era. The starships doesn’t just look technological but also innovatively crafted with solid details. Character designs shows most characters with albino features but this is because of the photosynthesis, a concept that is honest to the show. When it comes to horrific, the Gauna species speaks for itself with their design. Their fetus-like structures with tentacle, size, and eldritch behavior all paints the grim image of death; a common theme that is present throughout the show serving as a heart breaker. But overall, the action is fluid with intensity and delivers solid coordination when it comes to its warfare. The various mecha designs shows how advanced technology has come with a high-key consistency.

Soundtrack is no pushover either when it comes to delivery. The OP and ED songs aren’t just for show but also illustrates creativity. The eerie-like tones is like an echo for the overall thoughtful concepts. And to get the job done, it also goes to lengths to heighten interest with its OST. Indeed, the background music and soundtrack is vigorous with energy. On the other hand, character voice mannerisms is moderate. There’s nothing too special about any of the character tones. Perhaps the Honoka sisters are worth mentioning since their voice contradicts their age. But that’s not really a big drawback considering its stellar voice mannerisms overall when it comes to duty to action. During climatic and emotional scenes, characters’ voices goes full throttle to demonstrate empowerment and credibility to this show’s reality.

Nihei transcends his thoughts and formulates them into this show, one that I find to be captivating. The characters are dynamic, the story is thought-provoking, and the overall premise has high class style. As a sci-fi adventure mixed with all sorts of little ideas and concepts, it’s something to take in all at once. But the show cleverly divides and conquers with these ideas as if it’s all planned. The result is a success and thrilling piece of work, one that is memorable not for its deaths and tragedies, but for its fascinating journey with appreciable thoughts.

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Poll: Sidonia no Kishi Episode 6 Discussion ( 1 2 3 4 5 ... Last Page ) Stark700 - May 15, 2014	255 replies	by PrOxAnto »» Jun 8, 2:04 PM
Poll: Sidonia no Kishi Episode 1 Discussion ( 1 2 3 4 5 ... Last Page ) Stark700 - Apr 10, 2014	300 replies	by PrOxAnto »» Jun 8, 8:00 AM
Probably a stupid question but I'm curious Tomi3b - May 29	1 replies	by Ten »» May 29, 2:26 PM
Poll: Sidonia no Kishi Episode 7 Discussion ( 1 2 3 4 5 ... Last Page ) Stark700 - May 22, 2014	264 replies	by astralkill00 »» May 28, 9:52 PM
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Sidonia no Kishi

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Shinatose, Izana

Hoshijiro, Shizuka

Tanikaze, Nagate

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Hiyama, Lala

Placenta Hoshijiro

Midorikawa, Yuhata

Ittan, Samari

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Sidonia no Kishi

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Ending Theme

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