Uchū Kyōdai is a Seinen, Slice of Life. That being said, it is almost suitable for all ages. In the beginning, the story itself is not so much original, but it is how the events play out with a wonderfully charming cast of characters, that makes this anime unique. I have a huge interest for astronomy, and I obviously love anime and manga. So when I discovered Uchū Kyōdai, it seemed too good to be true. It was my two main interests in one package, so I felt inclined to give it a try. During the first episode I immediately liked it, and then only a couple of episodes later, I loved it. Now instead of talking about myself, I will go into the specifics of why I feel every anime and manga fan should give Uchū Kyōdai a chance. Whether you have a strong, mild or even a zero interest in astronomy, this is a very enjoyable anime. There is no need to feel overwhelmed, as this anime does not attempt to drill astronomy facts into your brain. For the most part, this anime is very character driven, but I’ll get to that in the next paragraph. I don’t want to waste your time with a summary of the story plot as that can be easily seen above on the anime’s page, so I’ll just get straight to the analysis. I can guarantee that you will laugh while watching this anime. The main character, Nanba Mutta is hilarious. It’s always a joy watching the new situations he finds himself in. In terms of comedy, the anime is written very cleverly. Better more is the fact that the show is very unpredictable. From what I thought would continue to be an easy going, funny series, at one particular point had me at the very edge of my seat in suspense. A bunch of very suspenseful episodes, out of nowhere, had just been thrown at me and I was in awe. And that is the beauty of Uchū Kyōdai’s storytelling. It successfully transcends from easy going comedy, to pure suspense, adding in some beautifully written touching scenes. I won’t lie; Uchū Kyōdai has made me shed a fair amount of man tears from time to time. Some of the scenes are so beautifully written, and I can’t stress this point enough, as this is one of the story’s biggest strengths. It becomes obvious I’ve stumbled across an amazing series when I am presented with storytelling that makes me feel all kinds of different emotions. This is what I believe makes an anime, what I would consider a masterpiece. The simple fact that I know that Uchū Kyōdai has what it takes to; make me smile, make me laugh, make me thrilled and make me cry.
I will now move on to the characters. I absolutely love the main character, Nanba Mutta. In my opinion, he is the perfect main protagonist. He has quite a goofy appearance, which helps immensely in his ability to make you laugh. A very funny character, but also a very true character. I love when we hear his sarcastic or pessimistic thoughts because they are easily relatable, as he innocently reveals his many annoyances. Mutta also somehow knows the right thing to say to those around him, which helps him, and many of the side characters that he meets along his journey. When Mutta does this though, it doesn’t feel forced but instead very natural. His voice actor, Hirata, Hiroaki, who has been in many different anime, fits the role perfectly and does an exceptional job. Mutta will certainly make you laugh many times, but most importantly, he’ll make you fond of him within a heartbeat. Mutta’s brother, Hibito, is more of a serious character. This suits the series well however, because when there are a bunch of episodes that mostly focus on him, the show itself shifts to a more serious nature. I find this to be clever because as an audience, we are more concerned with the events and struggles of what is happening, instead of relying on Hibito to say something funny. Both brothers are easy to love, though Mutta is more charming and entertaining as a whole. I won’t go through the other characters in detail, as that would take up too much time; however I will say that there is very sufficient variety of characters and side characters to keep the show in order. Examples include; a very cute and innocent, but smart, love interest for Mutta. A very sincere, likable and hard working man. (Mutta’s best friend.) A witty, confident and tough, but down to earth guy. (One of Mutta’s colleagues.) And a couple of smartasses (I mean this in a positive way, as it adds great comedy to the series), who may seem annoying at first, but you easily, grow to love. There are many more, but I’ll leave that for you to discover after hopefully viewing this show. Something which is very well done in Uchū Kyōdai is the depth that is explored in each character. There have been many times in which a character is introduced and due to the very detailed exploration of said character’s past, a new feeling of care is now added to the audience. Uchū Kyōdai is great with flashbacks because they aren’t too long, they’re informative, and most importantly, enjoyable. A great feature of Uchū Kyōdai is the continuous flashbacks of Hibito and Mutta as children, which will then resume to the present and connect brilliantly to the story.
When it comes to the quality of the art, Uchū Kyōdai is quite impressive. I feel that A-1 Pictures have done a very nice job with the series, and the art is always beautifully presented. The art style of the series itself is very realistic, and I find this to be a nice breath of fresh air. Serika, one of the female main characters looks very life like, and this is a nice change as we all know that females in anime can very often look quite unnatural. One of the very few flaws of the series is the soundtrack. Don’t get me wrong, I think the soundtrack is great, and fits the mood of the series wonderfully. However, the problem I have is the limitation of the soundtrack. There are not very many themes at all; in fact, two of the most commonly played pieces of music can be heard in every episode. The soundtrack can become a little too repetitive and over played unfortunately. However, this is basically the only gripe I have with Uchū Kyōdai. And this alone, is not nearly bad enough for me to feel obliged to deduct a point from the overall rating.
I definitely feel like I could go on for much longer, though I don’t want this review to seem too overwhelming in its length. Overall, I have made it obvious that I adore this series and will continue to watch until its finale. As of now, I have shown this anime to my sister, my cousin, and my best friend, all of whom find the series very enjoyable. Unfortunately not many of my friends are into anime and manga like I am. However, there’s one thing that I will continue to do with anyone I meet in the future, with the same passion for anime and manga. I will certainly, without a moment’s doubt or hesitation, recommend this gem that is Uchū Kyōdai.
