Astra Lost in Space

HKBattosai Aug 12, 2019

8.3

DISCLAIMER:  I wrote the majority of this review during the season as episodes aired weekly. Therefore, any significant details were left out in order to avoid spoilers. If the review seems vague then that is why, but trust me, the anime is worth a viewing, especially if you like Outer Space Sci-Fi anime with some unexpected developments. STORY:  8/10 Set in the future, a group of nine teenage students set out on an outer space "camping" adventure to planet McPa. However, they suddenly find themselves transported far away by some mysterious sphere. Thus begins the journey of finding their way back home, but only through a series of trials and tribulations, adversity, and some unexpected surprises. There are a couple of interesting plot twists that develop midway into the series and beyond. The surprises in episode six, damn! Overall, it's fun, humorous, and engaging enough to look its audience looking forward to the newest episode every week. ANIMATION:  6/10 The art and animation are not top quality, but they aren't at the bottom either. Artistically, Lerche did a decent job if adding in some pleasant colors to what are more simple character and background designs. In terms of animation, it is fluent and smooth looking. However, the most annoying thing is the fluctuations between aspect ratios that happen throughout each episode at various times. It does add some additional dramatic elements, but it's an overall annoyance more than anything. SOUND:  7/10 OP and ED are fine. The music and sound effects during the episodes are above average. CHARACTERS:  8/10 The individual character developments nicely without anything feeling rushed. The crew is a diverse cast from all different backgrounds and fields of study. The relationships that they are building with each other grows stronger and more intertwined through each new episode. As the series progresses, a few elements of surprise come about with some characters that go in-hand with the surprises in the story development. Lastly, here's a quick mentioning of just a few characters show the ability to stand out: Kanata - Although he can be a bit of a bumbling idiot, he's an excellent leader when it comes to the safety and well-being of the crew Charce - A smart botanist who proves himself to be more than just that Ulgar - A standoffish person who brings about much of the concern of the remainder of the crew, but is it truly warranted? OVERALL:  42/50 A solid offering of anime especially for any one who likes the previously mentioned outer space, science fiction themed anime. It reminds me a little bit of the older live-action TV series Lost in Space. I enjoyed the show as a kid and that's a positive comparison for this series. ENTERTAINMENT SCORE:  9/10 ACHIEVEMENT SCORE (thus far):  +4 TO OVERALL My expectations were Moderate, and it delivered Above those expectations. 2️⃣Weighted Average System Score: (24 + 6 + 7 + 24 + 18 + 4 = 83/100 points) Age Rating:  TV-14+ (serious and mature undertone throughout, some graphical scenes) Additional Information: Video Format:  1080p HD Streaming Audio Format:  Japanese Audio (with English subtitles) Publisher:  FUNimation Equipment Used:  Acer AN515-53-55G9 Nitro 5 Laptop

P3NM4N Sep 22, 2019

9

A coming-of-age story set in a science fiction setting. This is the true identity of the show. Few anime possess the charm like Astra Lost In Space has, and even fewer possess a much rewarding conclusion like this show has. This show is not perfect. Like all pieces of art, it has flaws, but it is a goddamn delicious treat. With a solid story from start to finish, the episodes do not feel boring at all. Although, this show cheats me into looking forward to the next episode due to its constant cliffhangers. Nevertheless, the series becomes better as it goes on, unraveling many deep twists and touching a bunch of subjects you'd never thought they will. The flaws of this show is that it gives a "sci-fi lite" vibe. The science fiction aspects were never discussed deeply, but it never feels lacking either thus you can pretty much fill in the gaps using inference. Overall, this show is among the most unique in the massive pool of anime series that have released over the years. With consistently good art, soundtrack and a cinematic-like experience, this will entertain you.

enb Sep 21, 2019

9

Beautiful artwork, great soundtrack, and deeply touching character backstories and relations. An excellent balance of comedy, drama, and excitement. It never gets boring. The conspiracy bit seems like it's shoehorned in to add extra motivation for the crew to return home and while it feels entirely unnecessary throughout most of the story, ultimately serves that purpose. I think that it could have been handled better, though. I recommend this to anyone even if you aren't into the whole space exploration thing. That's just the setting for this anime that has so much more to offer in every other regard. The ending is satisfying and leaves little for want. Not an easy feat. Overall 9/10. Will watch again.