Story: 8
Houseki no Kuni (TV) has a very subtle and slow-moving plot. Throughout the 12 episodes, not much is really happening. The character development, except for one or two characters, are essentially nonexistent. For the most part, there isn’t enough information to advance the plot. However, for the sake of this review, I will differentiate between plot and story. While the plot has left me wanting, the story is extremely compelling. The mysterious aura of the anime keeps the watcher wanting to know more. Some nuggets are thrown around during the series, but none that are really that satisfying. But that is a good attribute, because these episodes do a superb job in setting up the premises of the story. By the end of the series, you are eagerly waiting for more information. As a non-manga reader, these episodes will entice you into reading the manga. The story does an excellent job in cultivating the watcher’s curiosity. Throughout the anime, there are some themes that are philosophically interesting. The immortality of the gems and their reactions to certain events are intriguing, as well as the relationships between them. Overall, if one looks at this season as setting up the plot and introducing the premises of the story, then this project has done an excellent job.
Art: 10
The art for this anime is simply amazing, and for me, one of the best part of this project. From episode one, I am thrown into this universe filled with vibrant colors and beautiful sceneries. This season is for the most part happening in one area, the island, but the watcher does not get bored with this. The island is beautiful, and the anime does a good job in illustrating the different areas of the island. The animation is fluid and sharp. Other anime should take note of this style and try to incorporate it. I never really understood the backlash towards the use of CGI. I think if the style is used correctly, it can be used to engage the watcher. This anime is a perfect example of how CGI can be used, and I felt many times that I was watching a movie style animation in a tv series. The great part is that most episodes were high quality. I never felt a huge quality drop throughout the episodes. The character design of the Gems were also well done. The Gems just seem to stick out whenever they are on the screen. They are beautiful. Overall, the art combined with sound makes this anime very aesthetically pleasing.
Sound: 9
It didn’t seem to me as if this anime had many tracks to work with, but I believe that quality overcomes quantity. The soundtrack used for most scenes were fitting. The ominous soundtrack that came on during the Lunarian attacks especially stood out to me. I am not well taught in the different instruments and their cultural origins, but the soundtrack seemed to be influenced by Buddhist sounds. I may be wrong about that, but that is the inclination that I got. Overall, very good ost that helps engross the watcher into particular scenes.
Characters: 7
I mentioned earlier in the review the lack of character development, this is not necessarily a bad thing. The lack of development is related to plot. Since not much has really happened, the character development has been lacking. Based on the premise that these Gems have been living for hundreds of years, it also makes sense that the character growth will be gradual and slow. There a few events that happen during the anime that does push some character development, and this affects the main characters. Besides these characters, the development is null. The anime has a large cast, there are apparently over 20 Gems. It would be very difficult to flesh out all of these Gems, and I am rather glad that the anime does not attempt to do so. The character that are introduced and fleshed out are done well. The main character, Phos, is energetic, amusing, and sometimes annoying. She’s a very likeable character. She does indeed develop throughout this project. Cinnabar, Bort, Diamond are also very unique and interesting characters. They have some development, though not as obvious as Phos. Since I am considering this season as an introduction, I believe that it has done a good job of introducing us to these characters.
Overall, I recommend this anime because it is unique and shows promise. This season has introduced the story and the characters. Hopefully, this gets a second season that will advance the plot. The animation is of high quality, as well as the soundtrack. This is an enjoyable anime to watch. A few philosophical questions emerge within the story, and I hope this is explored more in the following seasons. Overall, I rate this anime 9/10.
