The pilot episode was amazing. No doubt about that. It effectively set up the rest of the series while concurrently being artistically intriguing and spectacular. However as the show goes on, it goes from being an inspirational adventure to a generic cute-girls-doing-cute-things reality show.
I will certainly not deny that I enjoyed this show; however, there were several times this show put me in an apathetic gaze. And I get it, sometimes it’s impossible for a series to manage to maintain a plateau at its peak, but A Place Further than the Universe, unfortunately, experiences a detrimental distance from its peak to its lowest point. From several disposable characters to just random, cliche, episodic drama, this series has many flaws. For instance, there is no foundation for strong character development(except for maybe one of the protagonists).
What are we left with then? Well, we have four hilarious, innocent girls living their best life. While this by itself is the major substance of many other series out there, this alone can’t bring about greatness and differentiate the series from the variety of great titles out there. A Place Further than the Universe, unfortunately, ends up in this category.
Near the end of this series, A Place Further than the Universe genuinely attempts to return to its initial finesse. As, not only the characters’, but also the viewers’ journey comes to a close, the show displays the satisfaction of accomplishing the initial hopes and dreams of the characters. It finally builds upon the character’s previous ambitions and troubles that was crucial to the pilot’s success.
There are parts of this show that I constantly enjoyed. To begin with, the melodious soundtrack was extremely proficient in relaying the emotions of certain scenes (bangers, I tell you, bangers). Artwork and voice acting was a pleasure as well (I enjoyed the No Game No Life easter eggs). In the end, these high points of the series are not significant enough to truly distinguish A Place Further from the Universe from many other enjoyable shows.
As I conclude this review, I would like to note that this is certainly a subjective review. Hopefully, my unprofessional critiques don’t repel anyone from experiencing a potential wonder of his or her own world. I’m just here to say that, in my opinion, this series could have done much better, but was still a journey I had fun with. I conclude by admitting A Place Further than the Universe is currently a gem to the anime community. In my perspective, however, this series is simply in a place of convenience and comfort.
