Around a Hundred years down the line from now, we might have human colonies on habitable far away planets and space travel might be common place. It may seem farfetched right now, but then again, who could’ve imagined the progress in technology humankind has made in the last half a century? While learning about the different planets and galaxies, almost every kid might have had a fleeting dream about going into space and experience what it may be.
Kanata no Astra (Kanata: Lost in Space) is set in a time when the aforementioned things have become possible. Science has advanced so much that teenagers are
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going to other planets simply as a mundane school trip. A group of high-schoolers from such a futuristic world are visiting a nearby planet called McPa as a camp. Of course though, after arriving on planet McPa, things don’t go as planned for them as they’re sucked into a mysterious black orb that transports them into space but luckily for them, they somehow manage to find an abandoned spaceship in the middle of outer space. The spaceship would then become their means of travel as they jump from one planet to another in hopes of surviving and getting back to their home planet together.
What Kanata no Astra excels at is showing us the raw emotions of teenagers as they battle their way through the harsh conditions of the various planets that they stop by on their way. The feelings of hopelessness, betrayal, anger, joy and relief are portrayed extremely realistically amongst the characters. Add in a bit of drama around the circumstances surrounding their situation and you’ve got a highly entertaining anime that’s so underrated that it hurts.
The endless depths of space can be daunting and that’s exactly what Kanata no Astra tries to present to its viewers. As the characters begin to overcome this fear, new predicaments emerge. The mystery about the black orb that got them there, the lack of trust between them as well as the different problems that they face through their journey binds the characters and develops them into a team capable of surviving in space on their own.
One of the best things that Kanata no Astra has done is developed each and every one of the crew. They’ve all gotten mini-arcs of sorts where they’re faced with problems of their own and begin to realize what they truly are and their reason for existing. The execution of this is impressive because these arcs don't just start and end in an episode or two; they have their time to take shape. The face of the show is most certainly Kanata Hoshijima, the titular character however. He’s first introduced as a cheerful character who’ll do almost anything to help others even if they might not want it. This is a reason of annoyance for a few, but as they get to know him and his past better, they begin to support him for what he’s done for them. Then we have Aries Spring, the secondary protagonist and a girl whose stolen purse is retrieved by Kanata in the first episode. They instantly strike up as they’re both caring and cheerful as well as selfless.
Next we have Quitterie Raffaeli, the irritable blonde whose outspoken nature doesn’t allow her to make too many friends, and Zack Walker, one of Quitterie’s only friends at the beginning who’s a genius at almost everything he does. His calm demeanor in the face of hopelessness manages to save the crew more times than one. The rest of the cast includes Charce Lacroix, the charismatic and dependable guy, Ulgar Zweig, the quiet one who’s at odds with everyone else because of his ill-tempered nature, Yunhua Lu, an extremely shy girl who thinks she’s the source of everyone’s problems, Luca Esposito and Quitterie’s adopted younger sister, Funicia Raffaeli. The way all these youngsters deal with their personal problems and change in order to work together is the central narrative of the show.
Now, having spoken so positively about the show, there are a couple elements that do cause an issue. Firstly, the pacing in the second half of the show feels rushed. I wasn't aware that the source was completed so I didn't actually think that this series would reach its conclusion in just 12 episodes. Granted, it's more akin to 14 episodes since the first and the last episode both are an hour long. Still though, the part towards the end did feel slightly rushed as even until episode 9, I still felt that there could be a lot of content remaining. The second issue could be a sort of spoiler so I'll only say that this series won't make you "sad".
The art and animation of the show are both impressive. The characters have pretty distinctive designs and the scenes with outer space and the different planets are all drawn beautifully. The animation is fairly fluid, and I didn’t find myself complaining about it in any of the 12 episodes. The soundtrack is pretty unremarkable to be honest although the voice acting is on point. As I’ve mentioned a few times in this review, this show depends upon character emotions and their interactions, and the Voice Actors do a pretty good job in both of these aspects.
I’d certainly recommend this show and would encourage you to give it a try. It’s got an extended first episode of 48 minutes and that’d probably be enough for you to check if you’d like it or not. For me, I immensely enjoyed Kanata no Astra and certainly would’ve liked for it to have a few more episodes.
Alternative Titles
Synonyms: Astra Lost in Space
Japanese: 彼方のアストラ
More titlesInformation
Type:
TV
Episodes:
12
Status:
Finished Airing
Aired:
Jul 3, 2019 to Sep 18, 2019
Premiered:
Summer 2019
Broadcast:
Wednesdays at 21:00 (JST)
Licensors:
Funimation
Studios:
Lerche
Source:
Manga
Demographic:
Shounen
Duration:
28 min. per ep.
Rating:
PG-13 - Teens 13 or older
Statistics
Ranked:
#5112
2
based on the top anime page. Please note that 'Not yet aired' and 'R18+' titles are excluded.
Popularity:
#791
Members:
300,303
Favorites:
3,189
Available AtResourcesStreaming Platforms | Reviews
Filtered Results: 125 / 131
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Your Feelings Categories Sep 18, 2019
Around a Hundred years down the line from now, we might have human colonies on habitable far away planets and space travel might be common place. It may seem farfetched right now, but then again, who could’ve imagined the progress in technology humankind has made in the last half a century? While learning about the different planets and galaxies, almost every kid might have had a fleeting dream about going into space and experience what it may be.
Kanata no Astra (Kanata: Lost in Space) is set in a time when the aforementioned things have become possible. Science has advanced so much that teenagers are ... Sep 18, 2019
If you played an open world exploration game with survival themes, there’s a solid chance you’ll get a familiar vibe from this anime known as “Kanata no Astra”. (English title, Astra Lost in Space) Taking a page out of the sci-fi genre brings together a story of space travel. It takes place in the 2063, a time period where technology has evolved and is a revolution of growth.
It’s not too often these days when we get an anime adaptation based on a manga that have already been completed. Mangaka Kenta Shinohara (best known for his work with Sket Dance) began the series in 2016 ... Sep 18, 2019
Kanata no Astra could be an anime that surprised several viewers. In my case, I was bewitched by some episodes until I noticed that the show is mediocre science fiction with several plot flaws and unfinished ideas.
The scenario is good at the beginning; A group of students is drifting in the dark space with only one goal in mind, returning home. I was surprised to the point that I ignored the strange CGI moments when the characters looked like dead puppets in the first episode. I ignored the device created in a few hours that could diagnose if the food is good or bad with ... Jul 25, 2019
Okay, my first ever review. Simple yet effective introduction, Kanata no Astra throws you into the survival styled environment straight away. Art is consistent and the story's pacing varies, which is good as it helps important scenes stand out more. You could argue that some of the characters are very cliche such as the tanned girl or the girl with glasses, but it helps balance the cast as the other characters are very complex, mainly Aries as she is quite meticulous. Oh yeah, MC is also very likeable even though he looks like Yo Shindo (earthquake guy from MHA) with a scar on his nose.
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Jul 28, 2019
Now, This will be my first ever review so please bear with me here.
Kanata no Astra is anime that has been overshadowed by the typical cliche seasonal isekai anime that get churned out every season like butter. which, in turn, has made it go unnoticed by most viewers this term. But, I must admit, that isn't the only reason why it might go unnoticed. when I had originally seen the trailer for this anime I was slightly interested in it but had no strong desire to watch it. The concept seemed interesting but not enough for me to be pulled in. However, when I ... Sep 18, 2019
Kanata no Astra is something done damn right.
It is something that easily goes under the radar because of the dull poster, unattractive plot with generic shounen characters that has personalities that everyone can deduce. However, it exceeds bar of expectations and shoot to the top. It has a simple beginning. Everyone is lost in space, with only a deserted spaceship. Seeds are subtly planted throughout 10 episodes, waiting to be reaped and the studio excels in showing this. Blending shivering tracks and chocking atmosphere, a thriller sub-genre is slipped in that could send chills down your spine. The events unfold, the conflict rises, the twists emerge one ... Sep 18, 2019
Astra Lost in Space is the perfect example of a series with earnest intentions that cannot help but undermine itself at every turn. It claims to take its story seriously but plasters it with candy-coated visuals and drawn out comedy. It wants us to buy into the survival of these kids, but refuses to give them hardship. It wants to be cinematic, but never warrants it. It wants to have cliffhangers, but fails to generate tension. It wants to develop its characters, but instead fabricates their plots out of thin air only to still drop or homogenize their stories despite that. It works passably as
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Sep 18, 2019
I can't recall the last time I saw an anime with as inconsistent writing quality as Kanata no Astra. I swear, this anime flip-flops between being really cool and being downright stupid every five minutes. It makes for a very strange viewer experience but if nothing else it sure keeps you curious.
I'll put it this way: the actual premise and setting of Kanata no Astra is really intriguing. Space anime that aren't mecha are rare enough to begin with, but to on top of that make it a sort of survival story with a great deal of exploration of the unknown celestial bodies of space ... Sep 5, 2019
First of I want to say I haven’t been this invested and looking forward to every episode of a show since Death note and Steins Gate.
At first like most of you I looked at the cover art and was immediately put off by the bland suits of our protagonists and the idea of watching a sci-fi anime.(I dislike sci-fi in general). I kept ignoring it until one day I gave it a chance and boy was I blown away by the art, and most importantly the complex story. I was initially thinking this would be generic as most of the main characters follow a particular anime ... Aug 23, 2019
I have no idea how this anime got so many good reviews. Every episode is in your face telling you not showing you "Hey I'm an awesome anime. Hey, I'm dramatic. Hey, you should be sad." Simply put, it is obnoxious, but it doesn't know it's obnoxious or make fun of itself so it isn't trying to be funny. The plot isn't bad. It isn't great either, but that and the music are probably the best thing about it. The characters, however, are awful. Particularly the dialogue and interactions are so forced that they sound idiotic.
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Sep 7, 2019
Remember when Ergo Proxy aired and it instantly became a cult classic as the go to anime for the sci-fi genre? Well this show does the exact opposite. Not only does it shit on every fan of the sci fi genre but it gives the community a reason to hate sci-fi animes. Anyways, let's get on to my review/rant.
*minor spoilers ahead (not that it matters)* Oh boy where do I even start? This anime definitely doesn't take itself seriously. Imagine if you're stranded in space and running out of food and water, surely you'd be panicking and desperately looking for a way to survive or get ... Sep 18, 2019
Kanata no Astra was one of the few anime that caught my interest this season, I thought it would be an exciting space survival anime with Mass Effect and Mission to Mars vibes, unfortunately, it ends up turning into something way worse.
It had such a strong start, how on Earth did it end up being so terrible? (There are some spoilers ahead that addresses certain issues, but nothing really major that would spoil this masterpiece for you) Lets start by addressing the main issue, there is barely ANY danger in this anime. Sure, there are some situations where our main characters go through several dangerous situations, ... Sep 1, 2019
First of all I am 27 years old. THIS ANIME IS UNDERRATED
I fell in love with this anime, I have seen a lot of different anime. It is easy to expect that most of anime will be mediocore. I signed up to just give my review for this anime. I think that story is truly amazing, it is heartwarming with cliffhangers and keeps suspense. Story suprises with its extent of authors imagination, which is truly exceptional. Characters are developed really well. There is no cliche. There is almost no fanservice, no obsession with big boobs. I consider talk to be witty and truly reminding of fun ... Aug 28, 2019
I had to drop this, the story line is more or less a cluster of random plots with very little tying them together with the rest of the over arcing story or lack there of. Every plot is predictable, every twist is mute and the mystery is null as the characters themselves are going off of a hunch off of what someone misheard.
The art is it's only saving grace, it has great art direction, much like AoT, but like AoT the story and overall plot falls flat. I can't say I enjoyed this. It's one of the poorest attempts I've seen with a decently high ... Aug 8, 2019
Until the most recent episode (#5) I felt like the show was picking up the pace at a very organic pace, character's were developing in a organic way and the plot was thickening. However my low score (that would have been a high by the end of the show had things kept on the track they were) comes from the most recent episode that has caused me to have serious doubt for the rest of the show.
All of the characters for the show had interesting back stories that we learned about. These stories helped shape each and every one of them and their behavior up ... Feb 3, 2024
I'd like to start by saying that this anime gave me an existential crisis. Demonstrating my unparalleled creativity, my username here on MAL, RyanSpring, is literally just my real life first and last name. So, going into this completely blind, in a world where every female character in anime is Mai, Sakura or Mikasa, I really had a moment when it was revealed that the lead in this anime is named Aries Spring. Do I... have a daughter somewhere? Is this a sign from the anime deities above that I SHOULD have a daughter and that I should name her Aries? Is Aries Spring in
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Sep 18, 2019
Anime is often criticized for how underwritten their stories can feel. Unfortunately for Kanata no Astra, it has the exact opposite problem.
Kanata no Astra is now the sophomore effort of SKET Dance mangaka and Gintama alum, Kenta Shinohara. I remember when Kanata no Astra first began publishing, it didn’t cause as many heads to turn as it has now, nearly 2 years after it's finished its run in Shonen Jump+. At the time, it didn’t really seem like anything other than an attempt to fulfill shonen manga’s need to reinvent itself with different settings and concepts. To my surprise, when I finally decided to ... Sep 19, 2019
First time I write a review, but this has to happen.
I had a day off today and saw this anime somewhere in MAL. It was Sci-Fi and the Rating was really nice. So I thought "Why not"? Started with an 48 min Episode. And oh boy, that 48 min hooked me really. I don't get this feeeling very often. And as I proceed, episode for episode I get more hyped. I wasn't prepared for that. What i really love, are Plot-Twists. And I don't get them very often in Anime. But this great Anime presented me like 5 of them! And the music! The music is the ... Sep 18, 2019
There's this episode in an anime from 2012 titled Humanity has Declined where the characters are trapped inside a manga, and they have to act out the panels in order to progress through the pages, rise in the ranks full of other people in the same situation and hopefully finally break free from their predicament. Why am I telling you this? Well a certain character gets the genius idea to keep adding twist after twist at the end of each panel so the readers keep interested in what's happening. It does work for a while, but eventually people get sick of it once they realize
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Sep 18, 2019
A generic shounen clasped into the survival genre, and tagging along with the ride is the space adventure styled with ALL that sci-fi realism put into it, plus hints of momentous comedy, like why so? Mash that all together, and you'll get the (damn near close) masterpiece that is the newest creation of SKET Dance mangaka Kenta Shinohara's latest project, Kanata no Astra (or Astra Lost in Space for pure English weeaboos). For the majority who are fans of Shinohara-sensei, the similarities in the generic space from SKET Dance copies directly over to this series, and I wouldn't be surprised if it divided the people
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