 https://myanimelist.net/anime/50864/ Plot Summary A world blanketed in an endless and ever-growing ocean of snow. The people eke out a living, either huddled around the roots of enormous trees dotting the surface, or high in the canopy, which spreads over the planet's atmosphere. A chance meeting between Kaina, a youth from the canopy, and Liliha, a young woman from the surface, sets off a chain of events that will change the fate of the world. Other Information Type: TV Episodes: Unknown Status: Currently Airing Aired: Jan 12, 2023 to ? Premiered: Winter 2023 Broadcast: Thursdays at 00:55 (JST) Producers: None found, add some Licensors: None found, add some Studios: Polygon Pictures Source: Mixed media Genre: Fantasy Duration: Unknown Rating: None |
| I watched the first four episodes during the sneak peak at Crunchyroll Expo, and here are some of my first thoughts about this show. First of all, whether or not you will like this show will depend largely on two things: your mindset about CGI and your patience. This show is in CG, but Polygon Pictures specializes in it and it looks fine seeing that the color palate matches up well with the snowy world. And second of all, this show takes awhile to get established as there's quite a lot of info dumping at the beginning, albeit following some intense action. By the end of episode 4, things will get settled in. Here's what happens in the show, though I'm not exactly sure where the episodes end seeing that it was just shown continuously at the sneak peak. Here's what to expect to see in episode 1: And for episodes 2-4: |
GridironOtakuJan 11, 2023 12:03 PM
| No real info dumping in the first episode. Just a lot of WTFery in my book. I was actually looking for some info to give context to the show. |
 |
| Not bad. Could be good. |
| Cursive is the future. - Nate Bargatze |
| In a sea of generic fantasy settings, it's refreshing to get a unique world like this. I like the music too. Hopefully the story will be good. |
| Oh, it's that generic Netflix anime cg studio again. |
| I thought it was boring...and CGI...icky. Reminds me too much of Deep Onsanity: The Lost Child |
HOOfan_1 said: Icky CGI is kind of their thing. This is the same studio that did Knights of Sidonia, Ajin and Godzilla for Netflix.I thought it was boring...and CGI...icky. Reminds me too much of Deep Onsanity: The Lost Child There's just something awkward and grubby about their cgi. |
| After seeing the garbage CG in Nier this is what you complain about? This is practically a masterpiece compared to that. I prefer shows that go all in on the CG instead of switching back and forth too. **oops, I meant to hit quote and accidently hit edit...I didn't actually change anything you wrote** |
HOOfan_1Jan 12, 2023 5:31 AM
| Cursive is the future. - Nate Bargatze |
zkeleton said: After seeing the garbage CG in Nier this is what you complain about? This is practically a masterpiece compared to that. I prefer shows that go all in on the CG instead of switching back and forth too. The CG in Nier didn't bother me, because it was used fairly sparingly. CGI machines are a lot less distracting to me than CGI character faces and the uncanny valley movement of character models. That's why I would rather they NOT go all in. But I can live with mediocre CGI if the story is interesting. Because the CGI in this is mostly medicore, not horrible and certainly not even Pixar quality of 20 years ago. However, this first episode was BORING and gave us so little information. |
| Episode 2 Lots of chatter here as while Ririha was saved by Kaina and had the opportunity to stay put and live out her life as a villager, but of course being that the fate of the surface depends on her that she decides to go back down. More info dumping here as now Kaina and Ririha are informed about how things are in each other's worlds. The show continues to build, but having already seen the next two episodes that I know that things are going to really pick up. |
| How in the world do they have a water shortage on a snow sea? |
| Dropped. I can't take the CGI anymore. |
| |
curr0001 said: runec said: How in the world do they have a water shortage on a snow sea? Might be like dry ice or the salt content might be too high. Or maybe not swow at all. I decided last night this is basically Kevin Costner's Water World, except the water is snow...I am pretty sure fresh water was in short supply in Water World too. |
curr0001 said: runec said: How in the world do they have a water shortage on a snow sea? Might be like dry ice or the salt content might be too high. Or maybe not swow at all. The trees bring fresh water up through their roots so it has to be a liquid fresh water source. I assume like Europa or Enceladus with an ice crust and a liquid ocean underneath. In order for dry ice/snow to naturally form in an Earth like atmosphere this place would have to reach around -140C/-220F and these people would all be dead anyway. >.> |
runec said: Whatever that stuff is, it falls from those trees, so I don't think it's actually snow. You could see in the first episode when it was getting kicked up it looked more like styrofoam balls than snow. At first I just thought it was bad/weird animation, but not anymore. Maybe whatever it is acts like an insulator to keep the water below from freezing.How in the world do they have a water shortage on a snow sea? Anyway, there's now way I could walk around up in those trees without freaking out. |
zkeletonJan 19, 2023 6:57 PM
| Cursive is the future. - Nate Bargatze |
zkeleton said: runec said: Whatever that stuff is, it falls from those trees, so I don't think it's actually snow. You could see in the first episode when it was getting kicked up it looked more like styrofoam balls than snow. At first I just thought it was bad/weird animation, but not anymore. Maybe whatever it is acts like an insulator to keep the water below from freezing.How in the world do they have a water shortage on a snow sea? Anyway, there's now way I could walk around up in those trees without freaking out. Kaina of the Great Pollen Sea? |
| Episode 3 Now that Kaina and Ririha have decided to make the trip of no return to the surface, they make the long trek down to the Snow Sea. They pick up the pace knowing just how little time they have with the war going on at the surface, and right away, they are in the sight of Valgian forces. So after three episodes with a lot of info dumping and buildup, things are about to change in a big way now that those two are now on the battlefield. |
| Well, I guess it did answer What The Hell Are They Doing About Food? and "How The Hell Are They Using The Bathroom? |
| Episode 4 Quite a lot happens here as now Kaina has been taken hostage by Valgia after she allowed herself to get captured in order for Kaina and everybody else to escape. Afterwards, Kaina is taken to Ririha's homeland where he is introduced to her brother Yaona and needs to prove that he's not a Valgian spy. Ririha knew what she was getting herself into seeing that she's too important to the Valgians to kill. And thus, it's onto the next phase as this was the final episode watched at the CRX sneak peak. While this show took awhile to get itself established, it's now onto what I hope is the more interesting part of this show. There will be a movie after this, so the story will not come to an end by the time the TV series concludes. |
| This is starting to remind me of John Carter. |
| Cursive is the future. - Nate Bargatze |
| The kid is kind of annoying. So far he's not a welcome addition. I really hope he doesn't become the 'kid that they have to go and rescue solely because he does something dumb' character. That kind of thing is bottom tier writing. |
| Cursive is the future. - Nate Bargatze |
| So it is an actual ocean it just has a foam layer? |
| Episode 5 With Ririha in enemy hands, the rescue mission is on as Kaina and Yaona take the secret passageway to the place where negotiations are going to happen. Of course, there was just no way the king was ever going to agree on anything in exchange for her daughter seeing that she has been prepared to die for the sake of the world. What she didn't realize is just how much of a creep Captain Hook is as Handagil sure was enjoying himself with all this. Kaina and Yaona ended up taking quite a long time to reemerge and when they did, it was at a spot that was in sight of the Valghian ship, but still quite far away. Luckily, they have those snow sea dolphins to help them get there. Anyway, things are about to get really tense now that Valghia is getting ready to go to war with Atland. |
| The redhead general lady seems like she may be finna betray the admiral dude. Someone needs to chop off his other arm and both legs and throw him overboard. |
| Episode 6 And just like that, they managed to rescue Ririha, but now they are all stranded on Valghia. That was quite a clever tactic there to cut the life boat and make it look like they escaped when in reality they were hiding inside the crate. But that only buys them some time as now they must somehow navigate their way off Valghia and back to Atland, which is quite a tall task. |
| Episode 7 Valghia is quite a desolate place as to be expected. Most of the citizens are refugees whose homelands ran out of water. Chiru and Noze and their clique are such people. So after sneaking in, Chiru steals Ririha's necklace that gets herself into trouble seeing that most of the guards haven't seen Ririha's face and mistakes Chiru for the princess. Not wanting to let somebody be killed over a case of mistaken identity, Ririha steps forward, then takes the leap of faith where Kaina saves her. While the three blew their cover due to their carelessness in letting the necklace get stolen, they made some friends, which is going to be quite critical if they are going to make it out alive. And it looks like Amelothee is going to defect over to Ririha's side at some point seeing that she became a soldier only to survive and while Ririha was given the same offer, she refused. Looks like the big bad is that creature that the admiral is somehow controlling, and I have to think that it will be the final boss of this show with the fight taking place in the movie that follows this series. |
HOOfan_1 said: The redhead general lady seems like she may be finna betray the admiral dude. Someone needs to chop off his other arm and both legs and throw him overboard. She definitely wants too...I guess it's his monster and her trying to protect whatever other people their city is holding hostage is what is keeping her from doing it. Yeah, this show is definitely an anime Waterworld. Now this giant spire tree is "dry land" |
| Hate it when episodes end before I'm ready. Wonder when Kaina's sign-reading skills will be useful. Maybe there's an instruction panel on this monster, lol. |
⭑･ﾟﾟ･*:༅｡.｡༅:*ﾟ:*:✼✿ Umehara is my daily dopamine ✿✼:*ﾟ:༅｡.｡༅:*･ﾟﾟ･⭑ |
| Episode 8 And after going on that treacherous rescue mission, everybody has made it back to Atland. Chiru and Noze had a raft that the three used to escape Valghia. Navigating through the snow sea in the dark of night was quite a challenge, but they were lucky that they drifted towards a place that Kaina and Yaona have been to so that they can get their bearings straight and get back to Atland. So the princess has been rescued and returned, but now Valghia is coming after them, and while Kaina knows about the Great Spire Tree that's the solution to everybody's water problems, getting others to believe that such a legendary thing exists is another thing entirely. So with Ririha rescued, the next order of business is to figure out how to get the king that starts out with those signs with letters on them that somehow made their way to the surface. And of course, there's the matter of Valghia while the solution to all their problems is out there, the Admiral just won't back down from war, and even more so after his pride took a hit. But for now, it's rest and relaxation time as in a world where water is scarce, everybody bathes in steam, and Kaina got the royal spa treatment. |
| Episode 9 The secret about the great orbital spire tree is discovered as it does exist, but getting there is another matter entirely as there's a giant trench that stands in the way, and no ship known to surface dwellers can transverse it. But Ririha just so happens to stumble upon the thing that is needed to get there. Now, they just need a ship powerful enough to use it, and Valghia's fortress is what they need. Only problem is that now Valghia has declared war on Atland, and it seems that their admiral enjoys the thrill of conquest that even with this news he will still go forward with his war. And then there's Amelothee who is just being his obedient lapdog. And there's Orinoga who is trying to seize the fortress, and Amelothee caught onto his trick. As if things weren't already dire, the admiral unleashes his secret weapon, the Architect. With the way things are going, it looks like the TV series will end with Atland putting a stop to Valghia's invasion, and the movie will be about the journey to the tree that will save all of humanity. So what I can see next is that Kaina reports back to the king about the tree, the information gets relayed to Valghia, and the fighting stops between everybody except for the admiral, and then a truce is formed and they work together to take down the Architect. After that, they go on their journey across the dangerous trench that will take place in the movie that follows. |
| Episode 10 While the Atlandans were able to keep the Valghian forces at bay, the tide of war changes when the Admiral unleashes the Builder to toss logs and other heavy objects to wreck Atland. And he has his sights set on taking Ririha down just as she is being trusted to get the banner to the king, who is stationed at one of the lookout posts. And not to mention, Kaina is needed to read that ancient text. But just when things were looking bleak, the Ascender arrives to put a stop to the attack as urban legend has it that pissing off that thing will bring nothing but doom. While the other soldiers are stopped in their tracks, the Admiral pushes forward, and even tossing one of his own ships at Atland. After seeing him pulling that stunt there ought to be no more reason to follow that bastard. One more episode left to go in which this battle is decided, and then the sequel movie where it should be about that journey to the great orbital spire tree that will require Valghia's mobile fortress combined with that specialized snowfoil stick to make it happen. |
| I hope there is more to that Ascender thing...or whatever it was called, because so far I have to wonder why it was even included at all. Seems like all of Valghria's problems could be solved if someone would just assassinate the Admiral...I wonder if they don't know it is him controlling the monster |
HOOfan_1 said: I hope there is more to that Ascender thing...or whatever it was called, because so far I have to wonder why it was even included at all. Wondered about that myself. But then, it did generate water. No one had ever seen rain before? The princess's necklace seemed to trigger its appearance. Perhaps it can trigger many all at once and create a rainstorm to solve everyone's water problem. |
⭑･ﾟﾟ･*:༅｡.｡༅:*ﾟ:*:✼✿ Umehara is my daily dopamine ✿✼:*ﾟ:༅｡.｡༅:*･ﾟﾟ･⭑ |
| Episode 11 (Finale) The moment the admiral chucked his own ship at Atland, he completely lost the trust of his army. As such, Orinoga and Amelothee end their fight with his soldiers entrusted to her. Things looked bleak when the admiral had Ririha cornered after she lost the banner to save Yuim, but Kaina saves the day destroying that monstrosity with an ancient relic. That blaster was so powerful that Valghia had no choice but to surrender, though from the look of things that was designed to be used only once. And thus, the war ends and with Orinoga taking out the admiral, Atland and Valghia are now allies. So with the war ending, it's onto the movie that will be about the journey to the Great Orbital Spire Tree that has what humanity needs to survive, but requires crossing a dangerous trench. Save for Kaina's secret weapon, it was a predictable way to end things, but nevertheless it ended the only way it possibly could. Final Thoughts The show has an interesting story and plot that's full of intrigue, which is what Tsutomu Nihei is known for. And while the show does have its story writing issues seeing that the show takes awhile to get going, it stays true to its intention and doesn't do anything forceful. While CG animation is not for everybody, it does a nice job in capturing the atmosphere of the show. That said, it's clear that this show is not meant to appeal to everybody, and it's one that requires a lot of patience because of the slow buildup and the inconsistent pacing. But in the grand scheme of things, it's a show that does a solid job with its objectives and hopefully, the sequel movie can take advantage of all the momentum it has built towards the end of the series. Grade: C+ (7/10) |
| Okay, so the whole ascender thing was never even explained... this was a pretty decent show, although I am still calling it an anime remix of Waterworld. 7/10 |
| I hope Crunchyroll gets the movie, because I'd like to see how things end up. I think series had a great setting, but there are important things left unanswered, and the CG animation wasn't all that good. |
MatTheShark said: Oh, nice!RMikami said: I hope Crunchyroll gets the movie, because I'd like to see how things end up. I think series had a great setting, but there are important things left unanswered, and the CG animation wasn't all that good. They already announced it. https://youtu.be/iFITlWBSly4 |
| The movie was pretty good, put a nice bow on the series. I think the background of why the world needed to be protected by the canopy would have been nice though |
| I must say that the movie does an excellent job in putting a wrap on this show. The TV series was all about getting everybody to cooperate because humanity has no future without it. The Admiral was just mentally insane and had no business running this empire. And now, this season is all about two different approaches to saving this planet in the Ice Age. The giant trench between on the journey to the great spire tree turns out to be a giant climb, and the tree itself is the foundation for terraforming the planet that required Ririha and Kaina to give the command. But Byozan got there first and saw it as a nuisance, going as far as to take prisoners and make them slave away. After a tough battle, Kaina defeats Byozan and together Kaina and Ririha terraform the planet, and get married at the end. The movie certainly is better than the TV series and Nihei sure made his presence felt. |
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