Story (30/35) A really nice heartwarming tale of a guy trying to fulfill his dreams of being an astronaut. Slower pacing and can be predictable and cheesy at times, but overall an entertaining watch.
Characters (35/35) I wouldn't change one person in this amazing (and large) cast. All of them bring something special to the table and none of them are annoying as they are given a lot of time to be fleshed out and properly developed. Special mentions go out the the main cast, especially Mutta.
Prodction Values: (25/30) It looks good when it needs too and the score is very nicely done. Great openings and endings too. It also has great characters designs that look different than your average 2012/13 anime (no moe).
Overall (90/100) A great show, that has only a few problems. Watch this is you want a show that'll make you feel good inside, has some great characters, and if you don't mind long stories. But if you are looking for a fast paced show with some action, and dislike watching long shows, this might not be the show for you.
Uchuu Kyoudai and GTO are my go to Feel Good Anime. If I finished watching something sad or bittersweet, I can put on one of these two shows and almost immediately feel better. The story of Uchuu Kyodai is a big part of why. Uchuu Kyodai is about a normal guy (Mutta) trying to reach his dream of becoming and Astronaut, and beat his little brother to Mars like he promised (Hibito, his little brother, is already an astronaut). That's pretty much it. We see everything through Mutta's eyes and we experience all his trials and tribulations. It really is a very heartwarming and touching story, but it isn't without its problems. The story can be very predictable at times, and only a few times did I question what would actually happen. Along with its predictability, the story can be a little too cheesy, but nothing major and the great dialogue more than makes up for it. The pacing is on the slow side, but that is made up for by the character development you get, as the show uses its extra time to flesh out its cast. The setting is also a bit weird for me. I'm a real geek when it comes to technology, so when a show like Uchuu Kyodai takes place 10 years in the future, I expect to see some technological breakthroughs. It is offsetting for me because it seems like the only things that has been making advances in the past 10 years is space travel. Many of those complaints are small though, so I feel obligated to give Uchuu Kyodai a very good score in the story department. (30/35)
Perhaps the only thing Uchuu Kyodai does better than telling a good story is its characters. Seriously, this show has probably the most charming cast of characters I have ever seen. Like I said earlier, the show sacrifices a faster pacing so it can flesh out the characters more, and I have to say they made a really smart move. By the end of every arc, all the characters become likable in some way, and you are never left with some really annoying character who gets no development and is just all around irritating. Are there characters you might not like at first? Yes, but through its time the show fleshes out every single one of them to the point where you can't help but feel for him/her. Seriously, there were like 3-4 characters that pissed me off when they were first introduced, but the more time you spend with them and come to understand them makes them more likable. And that is only talking about the side cast. The Main Cast (Mutta, Hibito, Kenji, Serika, etc.) are even more likable. Especially Mutta, who has quickly become one of my favorite characters in anime. Seeing everything from his eyes and hearing his thoughts makes him even more of a charming character than he already would have been. I love the main cast. (35/35)
The production values for this show are good when they need to be, and that's it. The characters are beautifully drawn and the show looks good when it needs to, but any other time it is obvious they are skimping a little. This isn't a big deal as the show is very dialogue heavy so not much movement is needed, but still. And for a show where a lot of the story takes place in America, they sure do mess up every English word in here. I do give it extra points for having very good characters designs, that do not seem moe influenced at all. It really is refreshing. The music in the show is above average. The Background Music (BGM) is reused many times throughout the show (I think it helps give the show some identity), but I'd be lying is I said the music wasn't good and that it didn't fit the show to a T. I will admit I'm not the biggest fan of ALL the BGM in this show, but overall I was pleased with it. Lastly, the openings and endings for this show are very good. There have been 5 openings and 5 endings as of the time of writing this, and only 2 or 3 were lackluster, and none of them were bad. The first opening, "Feel So Moon" is one of the catchiest opening songs I have ever heard, and would put an instant smile on my face. Overall I'd say the production values for this show are above average. (25/30)
If you hadn't already guessed, I really love Uchuu Kyodai. Everything from the story, to the amazing characters, to the music is just great. But I wouldn't recommend this show to everyone. If you want a fast paced show with some action, you won't find that here, and you'll possibly hate this show as it is the exact opposite of that. If you are someone who dislikes long running anime, this show might not be your cup of tea, as it has 65 episodes as of writing this and isn't even close to catching up with the manga (at least for another year). But if you are someone who is fine with long running shows with really good characters and a heartwarming story, look no further than Uchuu Kyodai. (90/100).
