Sora yori mo Tooi Basho

It’s 2018 and slice of life series still tends to be overlooked these days when compared to bigger and more hyped titles by more famed studios. Series like Mitsuboshi Colors, Hakumei to Mikochi, and Sanrio Danshi probably slipped right past people’s radars. As one of the first series to debut this year, Sora yi no Toori Bashio (A Place Further than Universe) had to set the bar high. To my surprise and great pleasure, this show went right over the bar and became a beautiful coming age of story to tell.

Announced from Anime Expo 2017, this original anime is about a journey. It’s a journey ... of discovery and taking personal stakes with them. I’m honestly impressed by how such a simple show can be so inspirational and realistic. The essence of this show comes not from the destination but the journey. It’s a show with a strong circle of characters of diverse personalities that I can’t help but fall in love with by the time the show ended.

To make this clear, this series isn’t just about cute girls doing cute things. It may look like it on paper but it’s much more than that. The lighthearted drama combined with the realism makes this show stand out through its themes. From the beginning, we meet the core characters with their own personalities. We also realize their own personal motivations for going to Antarctica. The main attraction for this show is the characterization as we learn so much about the cast. The way the creators made these characters are really worth investing time. That’s no understatement as we meet Shirase Kobuchizawa. As a senior high school student, she isn’t very talkative but has a strong mind to make her goal come true: find her mother. Believing her to be alive, it’s her main motivation to making the trip. To me, Shirase is a complex character who isn’t easy to make friends with. Throughout the show, she does open up to others but not before they understand her to a personal level. One of the person she connects closest with is Mari Tamaki, a girl with a curiosity about the world. My impression of Mari is that she is very normal and someone just about anyone can get along with. Plus, Mari is a relatable character in that she like to help others. This leads her to join the trip to Antarctica along with Hinata Miyake and Yuzuki Shirashi. Compared to Mari, Hinata is similar to her in personality with a dream of ace her college exams. On the other hand, Yuzuki is a girl who keeps her head cool and similar to Shirase, she isn’t easy to make friends with. However, the show develops her character as she changes and realizes the value of friendship. All of these characters join together and discover so much about each other. The show values each of these characters without favoring any particular one. Background stories are meaningful, personalities are believable, and these characters are all honestly very relatable. For me, that’s a fantastic way of getting viewers hooked.

While the storytelling may not be as strong as its character cast, it’s definitely not one to overlook either. Some people will call out the series on its pacing issues and I tend to somewhat agree. It takes a while for the characters to actual reach Antarctica. However, this series is one of those examples of ‘the journey is more important than the destination’. Tourism is important too as the characters will discover new things in their life. If you really have a problem with the pacing, then it’s best to turn back. The series rewards viewers for patience and it’s one that I can’t help but emphasize. Also, be aware that there’s drama in the story. While the series is very lighthearted, some episodes does involve the character cast get into arguments with their own personal reasons. Shirase and Yuzuki are the culprits of drama so expect them to add moments that can leave a different impression for different viewers. That being said, I don’t think it’s a drawback of the show at all. It adds more flavor to the series and honesty makes the overall show flow better.

Madhouse making a slice of life adventure? This hit me in the head like a dodgeball intended for someone else. Thankfully, the studio is able to impress with their effort through realism. Characters look real without any ridiculous characteristics and fits very well for each of their personalities. Their expressions are also meaningful depending on the situation whether it’s part of a dramatic angle, humorous segment, or emotional moment. However, the main selling factor of the visual quality is the outdoor sceneries. It’s both simple and complex. The different places these girls visit are real life locations and incredibly accurate. The visual quality itself also looks impactful especially with the case of Antarctica. The icy lands looks like a painting when watching this show and made me appreciate it that much more.

For a good character cast, a good voice casting crew is a must. This show accomplishes that with excellency and I never doubted them from the start. During emotional angles, characters are able to express their emotions that amplifies their personalities. Some of these moments are extremely memorable once you get invested into the characters. The theme songs are also underrated as it’s lighthearted but also beautifully made.

Taking a trip to Antarctica sounds like a life experience and for these girls, it became a journey of personal discovery. While it may not be a show to remember for its storytelling, it’s definitely one to take at heart once you fall in love with the characters. That’s not hard once you understand them and I am god damn grateful the show is made that way.

[8.0/10]
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Banana’s as hammers, deadly bonding exercises, and enough tears to melt the polar icecaps, A Place Further Than the Universe has a lot to say. A girl’s trip across the globe to come to terms with a dead family member to lighthearted banter in a tent as the wind whips against the fabric. Smiles that drip emotion, and the concept of having friends. The reaction of leaving a friend behind, and the feeling of melancholy as you stare into the night sky. If life’s a bitch, you better do what you can to woo her.

Universe is a series about friendship. The writers make that ... clear almost immediately and that bus does not stop rolling until the credits do. Every episode focuses specifically on different kinds of relate-able problems a group of newly bonded people may go through. From clashing personalities to tepidness to forcing one another to evolve in some way. It is a friendship of good, as Aristotle would say. The friendships that bloom here are oriented around each person bringing out the best qualities from one another as well as teaching each other new ways of being good people. This stems from equal ethical grounds.

If you know anything about my reviews then you would probably know that stories about friendships are incredible near and dear to me. I relate to them more than just about any other narrative archetype, and thankfully this show does it very well, even if it does hit a few icebergs along the way. There are endearing characters mixed in with some genuinely subtle developments that occasionally get lapsed by hammy insert songs that do nothing but detract from the overall emotions that are trying to be presented. While subtlety in character expression is in spades, there is virtually no subtlety to be had in character emotion. Specifically, characters introducing their emotions to people. Tears flow like angry waves crashing against the shores of unsuspecting viewers. You either buy it or you don’t. Or, like me, you are in an awkward place in the middle fidgeting uncomfortably as one scene lasts just slightly long enough to become something I would call saccharine and melodramatic. Universe doesn’t hold back, and when the writers rev up the emotional ballistae get ready for the armoured defences of your heart to either crumble like sandcastles, or, in some cases, become calcified from the constant barrage.

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[Presentation, Art, and Music]

What can I say? It’s good. Actually, scratch that, it’s pretty damn great. Specifically, the animation. I was never a huge Madhouse fan as I felt like they lack a cohesive style I can attach myself to, but man-o-man are there moments here of solid presentation that stick with you. The animation is solid throughout with a distinct style that I slowly fell in love with as the series progressed. Now I wouldn’t call the directing exceptional, I will, however, call it solid. Atsuko Ishuzika gets two big thumbs up from me, especially since she as responsible for No Game No Life which I, well, hated. She rebounded like a warmed-up squash ball and hit me right in the pecker with some imaginative sequences that brought new life to my cynical, shrivelled soul.

Now don’t expect shot composition that you haven’t seen before because this anime is very much like the other dramas that you’ll see in that regard. We get the usual flair of profile shots with tears rolling down cheeks and the classic oh-so-lovely low-angles that these kinds of series seem to latch onto like a baby to a tit. While those dramatic elements aren’t shining, the editing for comedy does. To my surprise, this series is quite funny and not in the endearing “oh it’s cute” kind of funny, but rather the hearty belly-laugh-on-occasion kind of funny. That can be chocked up to solid animation, editing, and a clear care for comedic timing that is just impossible to find in some anime.

There is quite a bit of CG work here and I will gladly say that it isn’t bad at all. Some of the ship shots are pretty great and give me an immediate Titanic vibe. The cars can look a bit synthetic but thankfully they aren’t prevalent throughout the majority of the series. Some of the shots looking over the landscape look spectacular as well, and there is a very interesting realism to the close-up shots on objects.

The music is no slouch, either. It’s far from that lanky kid that wants so badly to play dodgeball with you but ends up getting his ribs shattered by a good throw from Rex, the muscular kid failing Algebra. The opening, which is animated spectacularly, also features a decent pop track, although I can’t help but feel as though it blends in with the other anime songs of its ilk. The background tracks during this series are strong, though. Universe seems to really love its insert songs because these few tracks are almost played on repeat from episode to episode, but more on that later. Overall, the music here is solid, especially the catchy ED which I found myself watching constantly because the series can’t help but include a post credit scene.

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[Story, Characters, and Cute Girls Doing Surprisingly Serious Things]

Want a way to get your stomach pumped? Take a few bottles of Smirnoff, grab a shot class, plop down at your desk and begin scrolling through the reviews of this series. For every sentence that reads vaguely like “I’m not usually a fan of Slice of Life/Cute girls doing cute things shows but…” take a shot. Don’t blame me if you can’t stand up after a few minutes.

A Place Further Than the Universe isn’t a slice of life show. More importantly, it’d be hard to even call it a “Cute girls doing cute things” … show. Which is a dumb label to begin with, but so be it. This is because it is very clearly a drama. These aren’t girls doing cute things. Well, sometimes they are, but the majority of the series we get a stream of drama mixed in with growing relationships which results in endearing character dialogue. Almost every single scene within this series is focused on building up conflict and eventually resolving that conflict. Even the scenes that feel somewhat pointless and only there to either be comedic or just cute, these cuts often end up becoming useful to understanding the characters. That’s kind of why the CGDCT label is so stupid. A good series knows how to implement every scene well enough that it grows your attachment to the characters involved and ultimately doesn’t just come off as a cynical cash grab to lonely boys who want to feel attached to cutesy female archetypes.

Let me break it down, though. Kimari, our protagonist, is a peppy girl who regrets not really doing anything with her life. Especially as she begins rounding out her years in high school. She wants to do something memorable. By crazy circumstance, she runs into Shirase, a taller, emotional, yet reserved girl who is saving money to go to the Antarctic because that is where her mother died three years ago. She clearly has some unresolved issues regarding her mother’s passing and I think that it is handled with care, nuance, and beyond all else, realism. Then we begin running into the other two girls that join them. The utterly impossible-not-to-love Hinata, who is energetic, short, and not attending school. For reasons I won’t spoil, she gets the most subtle and well-delivered arc in the series. Lastly, we have their “in” for Antarctica, Yuzuki, who is a child actress that has an unfortunately rigorous schedule preventing her from making friends or acclimating to high school life.

Through these circumstances they band together and decide to go to Antarctica. Every character’s motivation is exposited within the first four episodes. We understand why they are doing what they are doing. From then on, we get very specific looks at each character’s experiences. Not only on the trip, but on their journey as people. We learn more about those motivations and what drives them. This is good, blunt, and focused characterization that I don’t get to see enough of in anime. As I said, Hinata specifically gets an incredible subtle arc that culminates in immense satisfaction due to the subtlety of its introduction early on in the series. Universe is presented through the eyes of Kimari, however, she is not the main protagonist. That honor goes to Shirase, which is understandable since her arc is not only the most emotionally resonant as a concept, but it is ultimately why they are going to the Antarctic of all places.

There is also some clever subversion with archetypes going on within the series as well. The generic “cutesy” girl, Yuzuki, almost instantly reveals her hatred that kind of aesthetic. The reserved one has explosive emotions and attachments. The overly-excitable one, Hinata, is actually the wisest and, hilariously, dishes out some of the most memorable quotes in the entire series.

The first aspect you’ll notice, I think, about the characters is that the voice acting here is spectacular. It took me a bit to realize just how decked the voice cast is and this show uses them so well. Every voice actress seems attached to her role and it creates for engaging performances. This continues to the secondary’s that they meet along the way, especially Shirase’s mother’s friends who become big players later on in the series. Gin, the deceased mother’s best friend, is a highlight and her arc is not only devastating to people who have lost dear friends, but her subdued performance is a perfect contrast to the occasionally childish emotions experienced by the main four girls.

Universe, as I’ve mentioned, really loves its insert songs. This is where we run into the biggest issue with the series and something I could easily see turning people off. Every episode ends on an emotional stinger. Every. Episode. That means that even when it can feel somewhat unnecessary, we get blaring Japanese vocals shoved down our throats like hotdogs at a state fair. We gluttonously devour these inserts, whether we want to or not. Unfortunately, I’m one of those people who felt consistently turned off by just how cloying a lot of these moments felt and when the series actually did build up to a bombastic emotional eruption, my receptors, if you will, were already dulled from the previous episodes where those moments didn’t feel earned or even necessary.

We go from a scene of them running around and seeing waves getting this huge, saccharine insert song to that same damn song being used for a truly powerful stinger at the end of, let’s say, episode twelve which will leave many unprepared viewers utterly bawling their eyes out. I don’t get why they chose to do this. These emotional stingers need to be used sparingly. Not every episode. The writers seemed to have prioritized quantity over quality when it comes to emotional moments and it occasionally makes for a numbing experience when you watch these girls start crying in each other’s arms over the most random, senseless shit. I get that they are young and emotional, but damn, relax.

This show has some pulpy elements because of this infatuation with the saccharine. You either like it or you don’t. I could usually sit through these moments because I developed a frightening, almost immediate attachment to these characters, but if you don’t then these scenes might honestly break the series for you. I’m happy to say that not a single one them is weak as a character in any way. We get so many loveable and relate-able character moments from the cast. The melodrama can be obnoxious, but it is far from unbearable on most occasions.

The series ends on a decently high note. As in, it’s very saccharine and feel-good, even if there is some bitter-sweetness to the departure. We, as viewers, are assured these girls will stay in contact and there is even a fun little tease at the end for possibly more adventures. I know for sure that I’ll be on the lookout for more of these girls.

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[Finding the Sky]

Yeah, so the series is great. A Place Further Than the Universe is corny and saccharine but it gets you so latched onto these four girls that you just don’t want to let go. I was almost immediately with them on the journey, right there on the train, plane, boat, and snow. While the focus on cloying emotions can often feel forced or even pandering, when the series wants to nail the climax it really, really nails the climax. If you view yourself as someone who cries often over television then you should watch this series with some napkins. Later on, especially, there are some surprisingly powerful moments that pick-axed their way to even the coldest hearts such as my own.

If you’ve read my reviews then you’d know that I’m a huge sucker for friendship stories. They always seem to resonate with me more than romance or revenge or any other kind of narrative archetype. Friendships seem so close in the least artificial way possible. To create a true connection between people, especially one that doesn’t rely on a sexual attraction takes a kind of nuance in the writing that so many writers simply can’t produce. When it’s done well, like here, you feel a kindred connection with them because friendship is so notoriously vague and hard to define as a concept. It’s just a connection. Mutual benefits. Loving being together. Learning from one another. While Universe’s outlook is undoubtedly expressive, for some it may even be overly expressive to the point where it becomes unbelievable. For me, personally, who’s experienced and continues to experience these kinds of bonds grow, I became fully engrossed within the narrative.

Pair that together with writing that ranges from good to exceptional and presentation that I can only say surprised me in how engaging it was, I think we have a series that is worth remembering. I call it like I see it. This is easily one of the better anime I’ve seen and clearly had so much passion behind it. I can see myself thinking about the series and raising the grade simply due to missing having these characters on screen. It wasn’t just the dynamic elements of having four people bounce off one another that was solid, or the fact that there was some pretty great character animation, it was the depth to which these characters are written which is truly surprising. They aren’t just a summation of traits, but rather a summation of experiences we saw, which makes their growth so much more endearing than it has any right to be.

A Place Further Than the Universe delivers what I can only call good character drama. Something rare in anime. Sure, there are a bunch of cute girls doing cute things sometimes, and sometimes doing funny things, and sometimes doing sad things, and hell, sometimes even doing nothing. Ain’t that just life? None of it struck me as cynical or corporate. I’ll leave off this already long review with my favorite quote from my favorite character, Hinata. It encapsulates the tone and ideals of this series perfectly.

“If you can still turn back, it’s not really a journey. When you hit the point of no return, that’s the moment it becomes a journey.”

Rarely do I watch an anime and think to my self "This anime will set the bar too high for any other anime to make characters even remotely close to the perfection that is apparent here"

Sora Yori is a masterpiece and is perfect in almost every aspect in it, it's perfect from start to finish, Whether it be the characters, the story, how the plot progresses, the OST and the art, everything about this anime is perfect and I'll show you why.

First the characters: I have watched around 600+ anime and rarely do I see characters as perfect as these, the characters are ... probably the best thing about this anime.
Their development, the characteristics, the interactions and everything else is done extremely well.
while most anime uses 1 feature to describe a character, that doesn't happen here because every character has the unique characteristics that it feels like watching actual humans rather than some 2d characters with shallow personality and characteristics, there are also no repeated characters, each one is unique and has her own back story whether it be the MCs or the secondary characters you could feel how different they are from each other yet you still love ever single one of them for different reasons, You feel like you wanna cry and laugh with them and that is very rare to happen in anime, this may not have been the best way I could have expressed why the characters are great but that shows just how well-thought out and well-written they are.

The story is great, we start from one girl that wants to change her way of life to a big adventure with lots of characters each of them has his/her own reasons for going on the adventure, some are running from how unfulfilling their life is, some are driven by what little hope they have and some are just their for their friends and wanting to be a better persona and grow with them.
The plot progresses extremely well, it doesn't feel slow or fast just the perfect pace and the best thing is that you could feel in which episode the development of a characters sets in.

The art is great and the background is very pretty as well as the designs of the characters.
The soundtracks were very good as well and the sound directing was perfect.

The anime is perfect from start to end, I Enjoyed it so much and I really hope that other anime try to take risks like this one did and flourish out their characters and story well.

Overall: 10/10.

Would definitely recommend this to anyone that doesn't even watch anime, it's so sad watching this anime end, I guess all I can do now is wish for it to be successful and wait for a season 2.
IDK about the characters but I personally teared up when it ended, such a beautiful anime.

From the staff that were in charge of the No Game No Life project, comes a side project that is equally as entertaining.

Sora yori mo Tooi Basho, from here on it will be adressed as UchuuYori, isn't... exactly special in terms of plot. We have 4 highschool girls trying to live a life, trying to have a fulfilling youth by going on an adventure with also a little bit extra drama cream in it. Sure, the destination is Antartica, but... that's it. Apart from the destination, it's just your usual good coming-of-age x slice-of-life story we've seen and read. Even its drama element aren't exactly ... heavy. It's serious, but it's not the type to rub it over and over again.

Yet, 9 episodes in, a lot of people, including me, enjoy this one hell of a trip. To find out why, I decided that UchuuYori should be my very first review on MAL. So, here I go:

Characters:
As I already mentioned, we have a 4 teenage girls, in a setup you will be very familiar with once you've watch enough slice-of-life anime:
- Kimari, your usual energetic, lively, full of expression, and a little bit stupid at times, main character.
- Shirase, that typical character that may look calm and collected to people who don't know her, but is actually very shy, very clumsy, can be a bit tunnel-visioned, but is also brave in facing the challenges that appear in front of her.
- Hinata, is high-spirited, positive, but is also calculated on her approach to every situation.
- Yuzuki, a serious and rather aloof person with lack of experience in peer grouping, but is often shown to be pretty naive once she drops that serious mask.

This setup isn't really something new at slice-of-life genre, but it's how UchuuYori plays around the depth of each of the characters, to draw out a conversation that can be filled with all kinds of emotions as the plot requires, is what is amazing.
Like, if the story wants to meld the tense by giving us some light comedy, then the characters will put on their funny mask and deliver a twist with the amount of comedy it wanted.
Meanwhile, when the story wants to go dramatic, be it slice-of-life lite, coming-of-age, or simply pure drama, the characters have enough dimension in them to allow the right vibe to come in a natural way.
One of the problem of a lot of anime (especially slice-of-life x drama) is that; Sure a certain character can have a tragic background that can be used to turn the story dramatic if the writer wants it, but there are times when it doesn't work because you, as a viewer, can't compare the difference: between when the plot demands the character to put in the mask she usually uses in her life there (and this include stuff like tsundere, dandere, kuudere, all of those troupes we are all very familiar with,) and when the plot... just requires her to be herself, requires her to tell us what is really inside her head.
UchuuYori manages to solve that big problem with an excellent group of characters supported with top class voicework. Thus, we can enjoy a good show.

Writing and Plot
The writing of this series, well, it's magnificent. An excellent balance of narrative and dialogue is the main showcase here.
A narrative that actually tells us what is inside the character's head, instead of the stuff we can see with our own eyes (the stuff that should be told via the pictures and animation.)
The sort of thing you expect from an anime designed as a best-seller.
Something that, if you just look at how rough the character visual design are at first, and how they actually changed title a few week before airing (lol), you can tell that this anime wasn't meant to be.

As for plot.... plot is okay.
Each episode have potential. Each episode are decently-built, and thus each episode do hit pretty well. Thus at first sight you won't notice the effect a 13 episodes x 22 minutes time-limit has on the plot. But if you've just watch each episode again, you would be amazed in how UchuuYori can still deliver such a powerful mix of emotions in each episode with all the amount of bits about Antartica (and, later on, bits of characterization for the supporting cast and side cast) it has to tell. A lot of the parts are cut. A lot of the parts aren't shown, and we, as viewers, whether we realize it or not, have to use a lot of our assumptions in. Assumptions that are meant to fill in the holes (instead of the supposed "making us unaware thus when the twist comes, the emotion hits.")
Which, brings me to another praise on its writing: of how charming the story-telling and characters of UchuuYori are, that it manages to make us assume a lot without making us think that it's actually bad writing.

Art
is surprisingly decent. The character visual design seemed rough at first, but as the season goes, the animation proves to be fluid enough to be enjoyable.
The 3DCG is also great.

and oh yes, a lot of people don't realize this, I'm sure, but the background is sublime.

Sound
I already said it previously: top-class voicework, from best-in-the-business voice actresses (and actors.) Especially the main 4 (Minase Inori, Hanazawa Kana, Iguchi Yuka, and Hayami Saori.)
As for BGM and OST... there's one song that got repeated too often. (The saya (was it hers?) insert song from episode 1, 3, 7, 9.) Other than that it's great. BGM works mostly well. OP song okay. ED song (while isn't special as a song,) has done an excellent job in closing out every episode, so far.


Enjoyment
My AoTS <3

Overall: I always rate anime purely from my enjoyment.
(Who cares the technical stuff if you love it, heh?)

Winter 2018 started off with a clash of titans. In the red corner, the impossibly hyped-up Violet Evergarden. In the blue corner, that snazzy Studio Trigger mecha show. Everyone was taking wagers on who would be the next heavyweight champ. But as the rounds went on, whispers fluttered through the audience. Did either of these really deserve the title?

Eh, maybe. For the record, 10 episodes in I find Violet Evergarden to be exceptional. Darling in the Franxx has yet to conclusively prove itself, but it has a ton of potential and a long way to go. But I definitely think that A Place Further than ... the Universe (henceforth Sora Yori) deserves its share of time in the spotlight. While this is my first ‘cute girls’ anime, there are elements shared across all genres that Sora Yori executes really well on. The series primarily works around wholesome comedy and drama elements, and consistently sells it. The story manages to generate interest without holding a looming endpoint and effortlessly swings in the direction of some serious thematic drama when the time comes.

Most notably, Sora Yori just has great main characters. They are all hilarious, seamlessly pull off being close friends, and provide interesting dramatic interplay with each other to give the plot some shape. While comedy tops the list of reason I enjoyed the show, the opportunities each character can give the others to shine really cannot be understated. This is backed up by the strength of the shows presentation, which, while not stylistically inventive, is clean and consistent. Only rarely does the art feel like it needs a quality check, and the stylistic choice of highlighting hair in this series is actually notable and a great effect. Additionally, the sound design really has no weak points. The voice acting is absolutely godlike across the board. Several good tracks that are always used properly. Hell, the series can even sell a horror scene.

No series is perfect, and while Sora Yori really has no glaring weak points, it could still be improved in a few ways. (1) The big drama moments are pulling like a .700 batting average for me. Certainly good, but the worst thing about dramas is when the big moments don’t stick the landing. (2) Having a new point of drama every episode is a little exhausting, especially since it feels like the show is at its best when indexing into comedy. (3) The side characters are tough to keep track of and uninteresting, which is fine. I don’t even know if the series is worse off for that fact, since this is sort of how side characters are in real life. To me, the complaints don’t really mean a whole lot. The series just doesn’t need these attributes to be wildly successful, and as a result, I think Sora Yori makes a great contender for anime of the season.



[Pros & Cons]
[+++] The girls are great!
[+++] Voice acting is superb, especially on main characters.
[++] Comedy execution and writing hits the mark again and again.
[+] Standard but solid sound design.
[+] Strong visuals that rarely flub. Minor stylistic choices that pay off and create a unique presentation.
[+] Story does a great job highlighting the personality and background differences between the main characters.
[=] Side characters generally hard to balance and uninteresting.



[Rating]
Story: 8
Art: 8
Sound: 9
Character: 10
Enjoyment/Overall: 9

Introduction: (ABSOLUTE MUST WATCH OF THE SEASON!)
Out of everything in this season, yes even including Devilman: Crybaby, this is by an extreme margin the most 'ten out of ten' show that has aired so far this year. Even compared to amazing shows like Darling in The Franxx and Kokkoku, which I both absolutely adore and gave high ratings to, neither of them can, at this point in the season, even hold a candle to the absolute rush of emotions every episode of this show consistently causes to pour out of every orifice in my body. Beyond a shadow of a doubt, this is the best ... show currently airing in the Winter 2018 anime season. (As of episode 7 that is, so the conclusion is not taken into account in this review.)

Characters: 10/10 (if 11 was a score you bet I would put it down)
Every character, including smaller characters besides the main four, is layered and calling them loveable would be criminally understating it. Everyone on screen is always brimming with character and emotion, never making you bored or being uninteresting in the slightest. The absolutely gorgeous animation helps this even further, by making the characters move, react, and express emotion in very diverse and unique ways to reinforce all of their personalities. None of the characters feel like cop-outs or cliches, and none of them fall into any cookie cutter mold you try to place them in. The happy one isn't ALWAYS happy, the shy one isn't ALWAYS afraid to do outlandish things, etc. which causes them to feel more like real people with actual emotions and lives rather than animated pre-written characters.

Plot: 10/10
The plot progresses naturally and at a pace that doesn't bore you to death, but doesn't zip by everything or not let you just enjoy the moment. It flows completely logically and is not episodic, so it really gives you a sense of progress, unlike other cute girls shows that just take a decade for anything to change. You really feel like you are going along on this journey with the four girls and not either getting the cliff notes version while also not grueling along and doing mundane boring garbage either. It really feels refreshing to have a plot move so effectively and also at such a steady pace that it is impossible to get bored.

Animation: 10/10
Did I mention that the animation was amazing? Well, guess what, I goddamn meant it. This show is what every show about cute, expressive, and loveable girls going on an adventure dreams of looking like. Every frame oozes with character and in motion it makes all of the girls act expressive, unique, and beyond cute and loveable at the same time. The light effects are always on point and always give you the exact impression you are supposed to get in a scene. When the show wants to feel warm and cozy, it delivers. When it wants to be bright and cheery, aight boom they nail it. If a scene is supposed to be dark and depressing, easy they got it. This show is one of MADHOUSE's mastercrafts of animation.

Music: 9/10
The music in this show is pretty amazing, but it isn't the best part of the show. It can occasionally really increase the impact of emotional scenes that, I will admit, have almost driven me to only the manliest of tears of joy. However, it is unnoticeable most of the time and is, while not weak, is not as good as every other aspect in my opinion, but I could also be stupid and wrong, so don't trust me on this one because I'm not a music critic. However, one thing I can say without needing a degree in the musical arts is that the opening is goddamn amazing. The imagery is bright and makes you really get a grasp on the character of each girl and the accomponying tune is very cheery and really makes you FEEL the sense of adventure that the girls experience. It also really capitalizes on the cuteness of all the girls and uses that to its advantage to make the opening all the more enjoyable. Definitley one of the top 3 openings of the season, but the best has to go to Kokkoku.

Overall: 10/10 (MUST WATCH!)
If you are not watching any shows this season and just want one show to give you the best experience you possibly can out of any of the others so far, this is it. No matter how you look at it this show is almost unequivocally the best show this season. The only shows that even come within a mile are Darling in The Franxx and Kokkoku. This show is an absolute MUST WATCH for anyone who likes crying tears of joy and going on a journey with a group of extremely cute but also the extremely human group of high school girls to a place farther than the universe.

"I'll ride the train going the other way, and watch scenery I've never seen before. It's scary, I want to turn back, and it might be meaningless, but still!"

One girl wants to reach beyond her fear of regret.
One girl wants to see what her mother saw.
One girl wants to reconnect with her lost youth.
One girl wants to find out what friendship is.

Each of the central four characters (and for that matter, the expedition leader) carries a very believable flaw, whether it's trauma from a past event or a deep-seated fear. This is a story about healing through a grand adventure and a friendship that can ... withstand any trial or tribulation.

This show is a bit of a straight-ahead slice-of-life drama; I call it "straight-ahead" because there's a little bit of everything: tear-jerking moments, conflict, comedy, inspiring moments. You don't see this sort of drama in anime often, because it is not easy to balance those elements and at the same time deliver a solid story and character development. That the production crew did all this and more in an original series is quite the accomplishment.

The character designs, photorealistic scenes, and visual animation are fantastic, and along with the great casting, writing, and direction, effectively convey that these really are four young women embarking on an adventure. A significant part of the show is about their chemistry, from speaking up for their friends who are still hurting, all the way down to little details like the silly things they might do when taking selfies in Antarctica together.

More shows are tackling the very real problem of bullying, which in Japan is a team sport where teens and adults forget their humanity, inflict suffering on those who happen to come across them, then turn and feign innocence when called to account. Sora Yori is one of those shows that stands up and says "Enough!" to such malice, and the scene where it says GTFO to such abusers (and "Keep going, don't look back!" to the victims) is one the cast and crew should be proud of. Best of all, the scene develops organically, rather than the production hamfistedly forcing it into existence.

If that's not enough reason to watch, may I interest you in the music? While the opening and ending themes aren't Grammy quality, they fit the show perfectly, and the insert songs don't impose upon the show, but lift up the scenes they're played in.

This show was one of my highlights of the 2018 winter season, and I say it has more than earned the acclaim of many viewers.

Note: The rating on the right is wrong. It's meant to be 11/10, but silly MAL doesn't allow things like that.

First things first: In spite of what the cover looks like, this is not a 'Cute Girls Doing Cute Things' (CGDCT) show. The main cast happens to be made of cute girls, but the show quite deliberately takes common character tropes from the genre and casually tosses them out the window - creating living, breathing high school girls who practically jump out of the screen, all with their unique and lovable quirks.

This is an adventure drama, and the staff from Madhouse (starring Director Ishizuka Atsuko, ... who has directed No Game No Life, and Scriptwriter Hanada Jukki, who has a long and impressive list of writing credits, including K-On!!) came together to churn out one of the most inspiring, well-written and beautifully packaged stories the medium has to offer. No matter who you are, I whole-heartedly recommend this absolute masterpiece.

The show looks gorgeous from start to finish, with fluid character animation being complemented with some beautiful background art modeled after real life locations - yes, including Antarctica. The staff left no stone unturned in properly researching the locations of the story, doing everything they could to breathe an atmosphere of realism into the show - and they passed with flying colours. There's an an attention to detail and tendency to tie everything into the story that I feel is unprecedented. Not a single frame, or a single story beat is extraneous. Everything has a purpose in adding little by little to the main theme of the story: that people should always keep moving, always changing, experiencing new things. Life is meant to be a journey.

I could waste more of your time raving about the adept direction, stellar cinematography and wonderfully written characters who complement each other and the story perfectly - but I won't. Just go watch this already and be prepared to experience a whole gamut of emotions. This is an 11/10, a truly memorable experience, and one I'm glad I could catch week by week over the course of January to March 2018.

“It’s not a journey if you can go back.” - Hinata Miyake

🏆 10/10
Have you ever gone on a trip and it changed your life forever? This anime will take you to the journey to Antarctica of four high school girls who never knew each other before. Whether the answer is either yes or no, this anime is going to give you the inspiration of trying to accomplish something and a touching feeling in their friendship.

🎬 Story - 9/10
Despite the simplicity yet not bland, everything makes sense, and easy to understand. Although without complexity or twists, the story is pretty detailed composed. Their journey is surely ... going to be enjoyed by the audiences.

🎨 Animation - 9/10
The pastel-color-styled art is very well suited to the theme of the anime, creating the perfect mood and tone. The art style itself is pretty mild and tender, giving audiences a more relaxed feeling and being eye-friendly.

🔈 Sound - 10/10
Opening and ending theme songs are pretty well suited to the theme of the anime, as well as the insert songs, which truly have a big impact, brightening up the overall mood and tone of the anime and most of the scenes. Soundtracks are also done very well.

🕶 Characters - 10/10
Characters are designed just at the perfect level, not too fancy, and not too plain. The screentime of each character is weighted pretty balanced, resulting in no concept of useless character. Character development is well recognized, as well as their background, motivation, and emotions are being presented effectively.

🎉 Enjoyment - 10/10
All the elements combined resulted in the perfect mood and tone of the anime. It was quite difficult to say what I enjoyed the most since I enjoyed literally everything, or saying that I enjoyed every second of it. In addition to the sections above, I personally enjoyed the voice acting performance, which is pretty remarkable, consisting of such famous and top-tier voice actors and actresses together in a single anime. Overall, Sora yori mo Tooi Basho is one impressive, inspiring, and magnificent anime.

📌 Recommendations
If you are looking for a feel-good story that involves drama and friendship, an inspiration, or even just wanting to watch cute girls, then I recommend this anime. This anime might boost your enjoyment even more if you love traveling abroad. Enjoy!

I love this show and I want everyone to go and see it. There is my short recommendation. Cause yeah.... it is going to be a long one.

I came seeking a CGDCT slice-of-life and I found an energetic, friendship and duty focused, dramedy filled with adventure and youthful wonder. So how did a show about a group of girls wanting to go to Antarctica get all these tens? let me try to briefly run through it.

The story can be simply explained. Four high school girls want to go to Antarctica. However, as the the early story unfolds, we learn that each has their ... own completely different reasons for going. There's the girl that wants to do something before she graduates high school. The idol girl that wants to escape from her cocoon in the entertainment biz. One whose reason is explained a little later in the show. And the girl whose mother was an Antarctic explorer. Through the show we get to see these girls grow and overcome their comfort zones as well as rise up to the challenge of going to Antarctica.

The art direction and animation in this show is very well done and has a nice polish. The art team had their work cut out for them due to all the locations that these girls go to throughout the show. It is not just a couple houses, bedrooms and a school. There are also several scenes, like one in ep. 2 where there is extremely well animate motion and running. So much so that the MC herself says how the "motion" was fun.

The sound in this was so good that I went out and tried to find the music after a few eps. Which does not happen often. The way music is used in this show is almost like a action anime. It slowly builds up and by the end of the scene you are either pumping your fist in air or you are on you couch crying.

The 4 main characters, like I said, are pretty well fleshed out. The title of "best girl" can defiantly shift from episode to episode, hell even scene to scene. And it is not just these four. As the show goes on, a huge cast is introduced and we get to learn varying amounts about them. A few get almost as much character development as the main girls.

This is the first anime that I have ever cried during. I have had tears weld up and my eyes get watery before, but there was one ep. here where I was full on crying. There is a tonal shift around 7 or 8 where the show stops being a comedy, with a few dramatic elements, and shifts to mostly drama, with a little comedy sprinkled throughout. It is is a little hard to adjust as the viewer but luckily, I think, the show sticks the landing.

Overall, I would highly recommend this show. I think it is the first none action or already legendary shows that I have given a 10. Any fault I had with the show was usually dismissed by several 11/10 eps. that the show had to offer. I hope that it will get noticed more and receive the praise it deserves. Now, if you will excuse me, I kinda want to go back and rewatch it.

Sora yori mo Tooi Basho may very well be one of those seasonal gems that goes under the majority's radar. On the surface, it might give off the impression as another 'cute girls doing cute things' anime. The ones we get every season without fail. Ill be honest, I myself overlooked this show at the beginning of the season for that very reason.

Upon giving it a go, I was pleasantly surprised at how wrong I was.

The art is great, managing to balance cuteness with realism and is a style that holds up well throughout the series.

Sound is on par as well, tying ... in the atmosphere and mood very well whenever used.

The biggest draw for me at least, was how well fleshed out the characters and their development were done. If you enjoy seeing how characters grow through a series, this show will not disappoint you on that aspect. The emotions each character goes through, their reactions and decisions, and how it impacts the people around them are portrayed extremely well. This applies to the supporting cast as well. Humor is an aspect not lacking in this show, and it is well executed. The same can be said on the emotional front, with many unexpected tear-inducing moments. The superb voice acting among the cast is just icing on the cake.

Definitely give this show a chance, you probably don't even have to follow the 3 episode rule, I was hooked by the 2nd.

Of Yuru Camp, comfyness and the beautiful landscape seem to be the two universal focal points of the show. The brilliant depiction of food seems to be the selling point of Shokugeki. But yorimoi is something special: this show has provoked so many different thoughts from different viewers on different levels.

For those who love this show, they seemed to get hit by it differently. I guess that it all depends on our personal experience so far. Lots of people felt the strongest in ep. 12. Some viewers revealed how this episode was related to them personally in life. Also episode 5 & 6 got ... people who had similar episodes themselves previously. And the sea sickness part might seem funny to most people but wrecked havoc on certain viewers who are not good on ship.

For me, it was ep. 1 that clicked the most personally. It just reminded me of my own journeys so much, especially my travels to Japan. I felt really first hand what Kimari felt, the whole time: the frustration after we gave ourselves excuses not to make a journey, and the bursty excitement when the mental block was removed and then first time to set foot onto the place that we have dreamed of day and night. And finally at the end of good journey, the gratefulness "I'm so glad that I took the trip" and the sweet memory.

I have then repeated about ten times the following sequence: Kimari in front of the ticket gates, she took one step back and then bit her teeth to go through it, surprised Shirase while Shirase rewarded her the most beautiful smile, and then the Shikansen Nozomi drove through the tunnel, passed Mt. Fuji while they fell asleep leaning against each other. All accompanied by one of the most beautiful Ed "ここから、ここから".

Kimari was prepared to break out from her own shell, and she was lucky to meet Shirase. When Shirase unexpectedly invited her with that "じゃ、一緒に行く?" (Jya, let's go together?), I was electrified. When was the last time that someone you barely knew invited you to take on an improbable journey? And that someone seemingly has nothing concrete at the moment but a strong resolution and an optimistic belief that everything will work out eventually. From this show we learn, when we get invited like this next time, say "yes!".

After all 13 episodes we learned the friendship that the four have developed and how far Shirase would go for her friends, manifested twice on two episodes related to Hinata. We may wish that we all need a friend like Shirase sometime in our lives. Or perhaps, how to become a friend like Shirase ourselves?

From the numerous discussion threads on Reddit, I learned that many things in life, just like the fruit durian in episode 6, are tasted differently from people to people. Since "yorimoi" is also a thing in life, it, too, is subjected to different opinions. Having said that, the show is overwhelmingly positively liked in Twitter, Reddit, Crunchyroll, Niconico, Bilibili, Baidu, Youtube and so on. Every aspects, from story, directing, drawing, camera, music, background, and the all stars VAs have been reviewed and praised. A show that truly touched people around the world.

Now this one is quick to capture your attention! As early as episode 3, I was already finding myself holding back tears. This is how a slice of life adventure show should feel like!

The premise is simple, four young girls embark on an adventure to Antarctica. Each one with different motivations. The writing is what makes it is so enjoyable though. Each episode feels fresh and the dialogue is great.

The art is great and the music is nothing short of exceptional! Madhouse has done a phenomenal job on the show. Environmental backgrounds are rendered with so much quality. The soundtrack hits you precisely when ... it is needed to be.

Aside from our four main girls, the show also introduces us to a team of adult adventurers that have great characterization as well. Most of our main and supporting characters are well developed and are likable in their own way.

I keep finding myself holding back tears throughout the show. Fortunately, they don't force you to cry. The writing doesn't trap you in extended sobbing scenes. But when it hits you, man it hits hard. And the moment our characters finally saw the Aurora, was amazingly done. And the fact that we don't even need a second season to answer our questions, is by far the best thing about this one. This is a complete show, start to finish. Grade A writing all around. 10/10

Antartic..
That would be a little unusual theme for an adventure, slice of life anime. I've seen tons of slice of life anime, mostly related to ordinary school or social activities with some comedy and little to none actual main plot. But this one is something new, though I must admit.. what appeal me the most at first would be that list of big shot, popular seiyuu-tachi on this anime. All the four main characters seiyuu are my all-time favorite, so it's worth a shot, right? that's what I told myself back then. But after watching few episodes, that's hardly matters anymore, because Yorimoi itself ... is amazing and never got me bored at all.

Let's start with the plot, with that kind of synopsis, though it's interesting in some ways, some of us (including me) would have this weird feeling. Antartic.. why would any high school girls want to go there, and how they even plan to go there? those thoughts still feels unreal on first episode, but the real plot start kicking on 2nd episode. Everything will become interesting from there, how those four girls meet and join feels natural, with cute comedy here and there. Then.. you'll follow their journey and experience feels train with them.

Characters:
Strong, that's the simple word that can describe the characters here. Every single girl of four is unique: awkward, silly, noisy, shy.. you'll find all kind of amusement and chemistry in them. And I would say the seiyuu did great job portraying their characters, as expected from my faves. Also, the expedition team seems fun as well, though they're not the main focus here.

Sound/music and Art:
No complain here, the soundtracks are fit with most of the scenes, including the sad and melancholic ones. The OP/ED songs are not bad too. The animations are fluid and eye-pleasing, though I'm no expert here so I'll leave it as that.

I would recommend this to anyone who enjoy good slice of life with a lot of interesting characters. It is fun to watch them bonding and support each others, it will give you pleasant feeling and some courage, well at least that's what I experienced. If by any chance you expect a lot of comical comedy with cute girls, I suggest to look for another. Yorimoi is fun, but it has some melancholic and dramatic sides as well, which is why I really like it. This will be my favorite SoL for a while, solid 10/10.

I usually dont write reviews on MAL unless it's absolutely a unique gem on its own right. The first and last time I wrote one was after Your Lie in April. It's a strangely difficult show to describe. The plot's not very strong nor unique. There isn't a grand quest with the world at stake. It's not a comfy, happy go lucky SoL either. Yet it hit you emotionally when you least expect and turns your sorrow frown upside down in an instant like all good paced shows do. You are genuinely invested into each of the 4 main characters as they develop and grow ... throughout the 13 episodes. A good story masters the element of tragedy and comedy and this is a refreshing revitalization of that concept.

I guess I can call this MadHouse's K-On as Kyo-ani's masterpiece embodies the same energy and spirit as A Place Futher than the Universe. Or rather MadHouse is channeling Kyo-ani. Nothing happens, yet it's endlessly entertaining. Every bit of drama and experience the characters go through are relatable to that of our own lives. It draws you in and addicting.

This show is contender for AotS as well as AotY in my books. Appropriate for all ages. Might not be a cup of tea for those yearning for more plot driven shows. But if you're constantly reflecting or re-envisioning your past youth, sense for spontaneous adventure, blossoming of friendships, breaking shackles, this is one of the most immersively fluffy show I can recommend to anyone looking for pure enjoyment.

This is probably the best Adventure, Slice of Life anime that I have seen in the last few years.

The characters are deep and endearing. The attention to detail in production and realism is high. The animation itself is well above par. The audio effects are great. Much of the original soundtracks so far are wonderful. Two great songs Open and End each episode (both which I have ordered from Japan).

As to the story, the underlying issue that the seems to be guiding the plot, binding the girls and everyone on the expedition but keeps them from connecting, is slowly revealed over time. This perfectly ... creates an addictive sense of anticipation of what's to come. The viewer can easily wonder if it's coming to terms with life or simply a coming of age for the girls. With every episode I find myself commenting aloud, giggling and getting teary eyed. I avoid watery eyes and this one is very easy to move me there.

Madhouse has really created something special here. This is an absolute must see series for 2018.

I'd say without a doubt that this show is one of the two best shows of the Winter season. Both this and Violet Garden are both amazing shows with great art work and emotional stories.

This now being the 4th show of the winter season i am finishing. It's also the only show of the winter season that features snow in the show and in a season with lots of snow for some reason.

At first i believed the story was just gonna be about the girls preparing and getting to Antartica. Cause i believe it takes 9 episodes for us to get there. It's ... a nice slow build up. Normally i'd complain about this but the story manages to portray it really nicely.

All the characters are interesting and nice and aren't just there for the plot's convenience . Every character has a purpose and feels like they belong with each other. I was half expecting that at least two of the girls would just be mostly forgotten. Thankfully i was wrong.

Really in my honest opinion. If i had to say one thing i found that bugs me. It's that the mother isn't alive. Yes, I know that the chances of someone surviving for three years in the Winter Wasteland of Antartica is so unlikely that it's not worth even entertaining the thought.

I was more hoping that it turn out that she has somehow found an abandon base. The Soviet Union had abandoned a ton of bases there before so it wouldn't be to unbelievable.

The story even tricked the audience into thinking she might be alive ( Douche move and bugs me so i guess this is a second problem with the show) Back in Episode 9 i believe. They had just arrived at Antartica and at the ending we saw a computer or something get a message from the mother in this. But they never resolve why and just leaves it.

I wish they had at least found the body. Honestly i was thinking they would and it'd be quite an emotional scene.

We also later find out that the reason why the mother went missing was because of some computer back in the base. Kind of bugs me that this is the reason why she went missing.

Hell, For some reason the Laptop still works even though it's been in the Antartic for over three years without any weather protection. But i guess that's just nitpicking at this point.

I got to give props though for the 12th episode. Never has a show actually made have to force my self not to start crying. It was such an emotional and great episode. I think the story may have been better if it had ended there instead of another episode.

The art is awesome. At first it seems kind of weird but as you get used to it, It will grow on you.

Overall this is an amazing show. Besides the fact i wish the mother was still alive, This really didn't have anything that bugged me all that much.

This anime is actually... fun. There's probably no other way to express how I felt while watching it. The message it conveys is taking the idea of a change of pace to the extreme. Simply getting out of the usual routine in order to try something new to make the most of your youth. That's what Kimarin is determined to do and that's what the story revolves around.

Story
As Kimarin constantly has these thoughts of doing something spontaneous while she's still a high schooler, whenever she actually tries to go through with it, in the end she cowers from her anxious thoughts and calls the whole ... thing off in the last moment. That's probably the typical thing you'd expect from an ordinary person in modern society. However, after Kimarin meets Shirase, she's provided with just the right push she needed to do what she's always wanted. Furthermore, Shirase is even more strong-willed to go through with a plan even more outrageous than Kimarin's and that's going to Antarctica.

Now this covers what the story is about. Let me tell you this, I started watching this anime having no high expectations. I didn't even expect to give it a 7 in the first place, but I got more interested in it progressively and finally decided to give it a shot after some time. To my shock, it's absolutely immersive. I had no idea it took all this effort and preparation to go to Antarctica in the first place. I also had no idea about how amazing of an experience going there can be. I mean, at first glance the whole idea is just about snow, penguins and that's it. Not many amusing thoughts come to mind when you imagine going to Antarctica. Yet, this anime proves just how unique such an experience can be.

Art
This was the main reason of my disinterest in this anime. Don't get me wrong, it's not bad in itself and the scenery look gorgeous. However, the characters, especially Shirase, give certain unintentional vibes because of their art style. An example of that is that smug of Shirase in the trailer which is supposed, in this case, to be an ambitious, passionate type of smile. Anyway, you'll get used to something like this in no time so that's no reason to lose interest in this anime. In fact, it somehow makes it unique that despite something like that it still conveys its message beautifully.

Character Development
I didn't expect any character development from the way the few first episodes were progressing. However, the anime plot's progress is basically
The problems of going to Antarctica > The difficulties along the trip to Antarctica > How the life in Antarctica looks > An episode of development for each character > The Epilogue
If you ask me, it's actually really impressive how much they've fit in there within such a short span of time. Moreover, it didn't feel the slightest bit of rushed and continued to maintain a relaxed atmosphere to it.

Entertainment
It's a very amazing anime. If you're interested in seeing a journey to somewhere new with plenty of comedy, sincere friendship and heartfelt emotions, then look no further for this anime might just be what you're looking for.
If you feel revolted somehow by the animation style or fear that the story might end up uninteresting or boring, fear not. I can tell you that in terms of consistency in development and story-progress this anime is very balanced.

"A land protected by great waves and terrible storms... The greatest treasure chest of this world. Crossing the equator, overcoming storms, breaking the ice... 14000 kilometers away from Japan. An inaccessible place that rejects those who approach it... A place further than the Universe. "

Further than the Universe and further than the feels. BECAUSE THIS SERIES, PEOPLE, IS WONDERFULLY EMOTIONAL. My favorite of the 2018 winter season, one of my favorites of the year and possibly always, one of those series I would never get tired of watching.

At first I thought it would be a rather light slice of life show, but soon it became ... much more than I expected at the beginning: A very humane story that connects with common feelings such as the desire for adventure, friendship, loss and overcoming.

Mari Tamaki (Kimari, as she calls herself) is a high school girl who lives with the desire to do something memorable to enjoy her youth, but at the last moment she feels too insecure to take the step... that is until she meets Shirase, a schoolmate who has her own memorable goal: Going to Antarctica! In her case, the reason is quite different: Shirase's mother disappeared three years ago on the frozen continent while taking part in an expedition. Inspired by Shirase, Kimari decides to join her along with two other girls of their age: the lively Hinata and Yuzuki, an adolescent idol. Together they embark on a journey to one of the most isolated and implacable places on the planet. Overcoming the circumstances of an adventure of such magnitude and the incomprehension and mockery of those who think they can not achieve it, they will discover the truth of the saying "it is the journey that matters, not the destination".

Because this is, mainly, a story about feelings, not about a place. The subtitle "A story that leads to Antarctica" refers to the journey itself, to the fact that the core lies in everything that happens to get there and how does it change the protagonists. It is, in essence, a coming of age story that connects with a desire that many of us have experienced, that of living an adventure full of discoveries in a distant and different place to those we know. Within its short duration, "A place further than the Universe" manages to makes us connect with its protagonists and share the emotion of an incredible journey of discovery and overcoming, full of laughter and tears, difficulties and rewards.

I've always enjoyed a adventure story where friendship and complete determination to achieve a supposedly impossible play well in hand. This anime so far are portrayed that perfectly and it leads to a promising delivery when the girls finally arrive in Antarctica.

WHAT WE'VE SEEN SO FAR
The four main girls of this show remind me a lot of the four girls in K-ON! In fact, you could say that some are more eccentric while others are the opposites of the K-ON girls. Mari and Hinata are practically an upgraded version of Yui and Ritsu while Shirase and Yuzuki are more or less brooding versions Mio ... and Tsumugi. Then of course we have Mari's sister Rin who's pretty much her own version of Yui's younger sister Ui and then there's the glasses-wearing Nodoko version of Mari's classmate Megumi.

What I like about these characters is that each girl has their own reasons for going on this journey to Antarctica. Mari wants to do something memorable in her high school life before it's too late. Hinata wants to go because why not? Yuzuki is going partly because of her celebrity status but mainly because this is a perfect opportunity to make real friends, something she's never had before. And lastly we have Shirase, who's going to Antarctica in hopes of finding her mother who was lost there in the last expedition. The series shows a lot promise in what will happen when and if Shirase's mother is found.

The art is also something to take into account. The studio so far has done an outstanding job in the art department with both the character designs and the backgrounds. I will go as far as saying that it's almost enough to rival some of Studio Ghibli's films. It's quite amazing especially when you consider that Madhouse is also producing new seasons for both Cardcaptor Sakura and Overlord.

WHAT I HOPE TO SEE FROM HERE
Pretty much more of what we've seen already but with the girls going and having their adventure in Antarctica. I think we can all agree that there's no hope that Shirase's mother survived but if she somehow has, it will be a really amazing plot twist. I'm also curious to see what Shirase's and Gin Toudou interactions will be. It's very clear that Shirase shares some animosity towards Toudou seeing how she was the one to return and not her mother.

WHAT I DON'T WANT TO SEE
The closing shot of the post credits last episode showed Megumi having a difficult moment. This more often than not puts up a red flag for me. While I can understand the character's feeling stuff like this has a tendency not just to create unnecessary drama but ends up slowing the story down significantly. Hopefully we won't see that happen. I also don't want to see the girls forgetting the reason why they came to Antarctica and the series descending into a filler filled slice of life type of show.

As of now, A Place Further Than The Universe has the potential to be one of the best anime of the season and perhaps one of the best of the year.