Sidonia no Kishi

When certain premises in anime are overused without variation they're quickly labeled as "run of the mill".. Like dystopian with mecha. Because of that many anime try to change minute details regarding the setting or premise to stand apart. However, if something normally considered "run of the mill" is executed with proper care it can be seen as rather refreshing. Knights of Sidonia is a rare case, not quite falling towards being called mediocre nor does it fall towards refreshing. Rather it all depends on the individual to make the judgement call. Story: 6/10 Set in the distant future, the story takes place upon a spaceshipwhere the lone surviving civilization of humanity live in a stagnant state of unrest due to the attacks of giant ominous creatures known only as "Gauna". These creatures are rather interesting as they seem to have the ability to mimic the action and appearance of things they encounter, giving them an eerie presence as the series progresses. Due to these frequent attacks by the Gauna the story never feel bogged down to a slow paced narrative. This makes for good binge watching material as your curiosity pushes you to one episode after the next. Despite the pace being powered by propane the tone of the series is all over the place. The story goes from "Shingeki no Kyojin in space" to " let's build a harem" at a drop of a hat . This can be very off putting at times but it's slowly resolved back to an even tone towards the show's midpoint. Art: 6/10 it's hard to judge the art for this anime. It's a mixture of both CGI and cell shaded animation. The CGI is rather jarring upon 1st encounter but quickly becomes tolerable as you become immersed in the show's setting. On normal occasions if someone were to tell me to watch a show composed entirely of CGI, I would probably think "well this is gonna be some ugly shit" but in this case it works. In fact I think it's safe to say that the CGI gives Knights of Sidonia it's special signature. This is especially true for the fight sequences. However when the focus are on the characters, their movements feel artificial and stiff. It's also obvious that recycled footage were used during the launch sequences and team formation. The flaws are too noticeable to ignore and ultimately impedes on the score from being higher. Sound: 7/10 The music score is virtually nonexistent. It's all muddled together with very little difference separating them. Only standout were the ones played during Gauna encounters.. The opening song however is one worth noting. I has an orchestral tone while still being rather tranquil, making it one that you simply can't skip. Voice actors all perform their roles with no hiccups but there wasn't any standouts that come to mind. The only other standout being the sound affects pertaining to the lasers (heigus cannon), thrusters and other devices used. Character: 3/10 The characters are all a dismal mess. None of them receive any decent characterization. Our main character is basically another "self insert" protagonist with little personality to speak of and is good at everything he does. Basically he's the vanilla of most MCs coming out today and can easily be replaced by one of many other series with no difference noticed. the antagonist Kunato, upon 1st introduction seemed 1 note. Before he even muttered a word you already know he was going to be the 'arrogant, rich, short tempered douche '.. But surprisingly he becomes the only character with decent characterization. As the show progresses it also becomes easier to sympathize with him. And finally a plethora of females! Because what's a harem without some right? But seriously there's only two female characters worth mentioning and that's Izana & Hoshijiro (Izana being non gender but I digress). Both of which have no real characterization beyond being 1 dimensional archetypes but they do get a more screentime than the rest. OH YEAH! there's also a talking bear with a robot hand that we never get a proper explanation for but we'll ignore that lol enjoyment: 7/10 despite this show's numerous flaws it's an enjoyable watch for those looking for a sci-fi popcorn flick. The characters were nothing special but the story carried it. Overall: 6/10 This anime is made to be enjoyed by the casual viewing masses and is an easy watch. However seasonal anime fans will notice the overused tropes and archetypes in a heartbeat and that might be the deciding factor on whether they like it or think it's mediocre. Either way the series to the very least was entertaining with little down time to speak of and can be easily finished in one sitting. With that in mind I recommend giving this one a go.

The pledge: We, the knights of Sidonia. Pledge ourselves as one united galaxy protectors. Regardless of gender, race or religion. To protect the outer space from destruction. That is caused by Gauna floating in outer space. So as to achieve peace, happiness and progress for our universe.I came up with the pledge which describes best of the Knights of Sidonia. This anime is directed by Kobun Shizuno from Polygon Pictures and it is an adaptation from Nihei's manga "Knights of Sidonia". As you may know, Nihei Tsutomu specializes in cyperpunk genre manga like for example, BLAME & Biomega. This anime reminds me of Gravity the movie. STORY (9): The story takes place in the future where Earth is destroyed by monsters called Gauna, and mankind has to flee from Earth. Each Gauna has a core that is protected by the placenta, and once the placenta and core are destroyed, the Gauna's body disintegrate. In order to stop the Gauna, The story follows a similar idea of Attack on Titan where human is on the verge of extinction. "Attack on Titan" villains are the Titans while "Sidonia no Kishi" villains are the Gauna. Space is big and beautiful but it can be frightening. This anime also shows that not all tactics can work. Just like in any action anime, some tactics can have benefits and problems. Just like gravity can sometimes affect the performance in the final episode. I did like the way how the story handles the characters. Imagine surviving in outer space with no oxygen or air or water like in episode 5, where Tanikaze & Hoshijiro are stuck in outer space. In order to survive in outer space, you need oxygen tank and lots of food and drinks supply. I also liked how the robots form in circles to show union. ART (10): A lot of people are annoyed by the usage of CGs. However, this anime managed to handle the CG well, making the animation look stellar. This anime uses 3D animation. SOUND (10): Seriously, I loved the opening song "Sidonia" by Angela. This song plays a tone that displays courage and bravery. I also liked the ending song "Show" by Eri Kitamura. The ending song plays in a rock and roll tune. Angela also sang some songs like the opening of Coppelion "Angel". Eri Kitamura is also a voice actresses in some roles she has done like Eve from NEEDLESS. CHARACTER (9): I liked the way how they handle the characters. At least they never show me any annoying traits. Tanikaze Nagate was the type of character who always try to do his best no matter what happens. I thought at first he was like a wimp, but surprisingly he really develops as a character from there on. Izana Shinatose is also a decent character who also tries to help Nagate as possible as she can. Lala Hiyama was the type who also supports Nagate just like a real mother. Shizuka Hoshijiro was pointless as a character. All she does was just have a bond with Nagate that I didn't feel attached to. Kunato was the character I despised the most because he treated Nagate like crap in episode 7. However, he didn't affect me in the slightest. I wished that some characters have more screen time and back story so that at least they can stand out in my opinion. CONCLUSION (9): Apocalyptic anime always highlight tragedies in real life events. One of the example is Sidonia no Kishi. I also wished that some characters have more screen time. In fact, I wanted to know more about how Gauna existed. I also heard that season 2 would be announced. At least season 2 would give enough time to develop the characters. Sidonia no Kishi has great morale like surviving in space is never easy because in space, there's no oxygen and low gravity. Gravity can affect people's movement. Overall, this anime is non-stop fun, the soundtrack is amazing, stellar animation, great character development. That's why I give it a 9/10. If you are into sci-fi action, you will love this anime. I will never feel bored after watching this anime.

Imagine a world, waking up every day, and realizing that you could be exterminated any moment. In the world of Sidonia no Kishi, that’s a common trend for every single human who are still alive. The primary cause of this are the Gauna, alien extraterrestrials that have devastated humanity into near distinction. As the show takes place in an apocalyptic future, a journey with Sidonia no Kishi will be one of the dark ages. The brainchild of the series and idea is Tsutomu Nihei, known for his other manga works such as Blame and Biomega. In Sidonia no Kishi, he spawns the idea of sci-fiand packages it with war themes. For instance, humanity is at war against the mysterious Gauna. Their means of survival depends on a generation skip known as the Sidonia. Since Earth have been annihilated, there’s little hope besides working together in unity for survival. We get the very sense of despair with our characters as they live in near hopelessness. One particular character named Nagate Tanikaze stands out as a top ace in the series as result of simulator training from underground. But one day, he comes out from the layers of Sidonia and witness reality. From the first opening moments of the show, it’s easy to tell that humanity is in a path of despair. The fact that their previous home planet Earth no longer exists serves a testament for their solitude. But for what’s worth, the show still depicts humanity as a fighting group, resilient and with articulate sense for payback. The show illustrates this with Sidonia being the most prominent ship, perhaps because the others have been gone for over eight centuries. With Sidonia though, the show portrays them as the sole resistance. Calling them knights is probably a better term that fits with the title of the show by translation – Knights of Sidonia. It’s important to realize the show reveals secrets and plot twists relating to Sidonia and the population itself. Startling twists tells stories and controversies gets people talking. Reality bites Nagate as he realizes how grim it is. Throughout the show, Nagate is shown as a normal young man despite being isolated. He is selfless, compassionate, caring, courageous, and has tons of potential to become a savior as result of his training with his grandfather’s Guardian simulator. What he possesses though is more than just his raw skills but his instinct and will to fight for what he believe in. He believes in hope and strives to survive with the people he built connections with. And from that, he also puts others’ well-being before himself. One of those characters is Izana Shinatose, a transgender human. Among others he befriends includes Shizuka Hoshijiro and Yuhata Midorikawa, both who shares a relationship with him among all the chaos. It’s from these relationships that expands on Nagate’s character as we get to know him more. The show cleverly balances the atmosphere of despair and humor with their interactions. More so though, we see more of Nagate’s personality as well and can appreciate him more as a person. But as a Guardian Pilot, he also possess a sense of pride. This is clearly seen through his rivalry with Norio Kunato, another top trainee. However, Kunato is a cold man and looks down others for their inferiority. His idealism and ego often defines his character as the complete opposite of Nagate. It’s clear that the show has its mysteries relating to almost everything whether it’s the Gauna, humanity, or just reality itself. It invites questions with twists, some more startling than others. For example, the captain of the Immortal Ship Committee is seen throughout the show as a mysterious individual with a mask that hides her face and possible intentions. Some of her missions and abilities to command the crew has led to death and sorrow. Other mysteries recalled in the series includes the methods that humanity uses to survive. Science has broken boundaries like never before with concepts such as human cloning, photosynthesis, and asexual reproduction. And throughout the show, these concepts are explored in small yet fine details. Despite the pessimism, the show does have space for some heartwarming moments and even comedic scenarios. The show isn’t designed for comedy but its humorous moments can unintentionally spawn laughter with its gimmicks. The more heartwarming moments include Nagate’s relationship development with certain characters. Unfortunately at the same time, it also raises death flags for certain characters as no one is immortal. For Nagate, he must overcome the struggles of loss and deal with reality. Thankfully, he has friends and they create memories that serves as his motivation to annihilate the Gauna. Some of these friends even develop a seemingly romantic interest towards Nagate, which seems to be depicted as an innocent story. On the other hand, the show also crafts tragedy from such connections with devastating executions completed with aftermath sorrow. Needless to say but it’s a tough world they are part of now if Gauna co-exists with humanity. As a show of the sci-fi and mecha theme, expect abnormal attributes to be inserted in. For the Gauna, they are epitome of abnormality. They are the executioners of humanity and are designed to as such. But besides their outer appearance, secrets and their fighting methods can raise eyebrows especially after seeing the results of their powers. Meanwhile, we have the way humanity fights back through the usage of Guardian, powerful mechanized weapons of war. It’s explained that Hyggs particles are the power source for these weapons. There are also various typed of these weapons as we see them in action. In fact, Nagate becomes a pilot for one such prototype where he demonstrates why he is an ace pilot. And by presenting itself with both sides with these themes, the show becomes like a professor for science fiction along with the previously mentioned concepts. The show looks strong overall on paper but does suffer a few bits when it comes to overall execution. Some bits of the story (while adapted well) is still predictable. The comedy and drama sometimes seems forceful and inappropriate, sometimes executed at the wrong moments. Some concepts and ideas of the show also feels static when it comes to originality. The way it adapts itself often sees humanity as the underdog. It becomes sometimes aching to see just how much humanity can take with hopelessness. The Gauna themselves lacks characterization because of their mindless depiction. For all we know, the show only throws hints about their true origins but still leaves its true visage in the dark. The artwork could be a hit or miss for viewers. Polygon Production studio crafts the unusual structure of the series with CGI. The artwork in fact defines the way Sidonia should be like with its starships, character designs, and Gauna. It would take some hard time to get used to but overall fitting for a post-apocalyptic era. The starships doesn’t just look technological but also innovatively crafted with solid details. Character designs shows most characters with albino features but this is because of the photosynthesis, a concept that is honest to the show. When it comes to horrific, the Gauna species speaks for itself with their design. Their fetus-like structures with tentacle, size, and eldritch behavior all paints the grim image of death; a common theme that is present throughout the show serving as a heart breaker. But overall, the action is fluid with intensity and delivers solid coordination when it comes to its warfare. The various mecha designs shows how advanced technology has come with a high-key consistency. Soundtrack is no pushover either when it comes to delivery. The OP and ED songs aren’t just for show but also illustrates creativity. The eerie-like tones is like an echo for the overall thoughtful concepts. And to get the job done, it also goes to lengths to heighten interest with its OST. Indeed, the background music and soundtrack is vigorous with energy. On the other hand, character voice mannerisms is moderate. There’s nothing too special about any of the character tones. Perhaps the Honoka sisters are worth mentioning since their voice contradicts their age. But that’s not really a big drawback considering its stellar voice mannerisms overall when it comes to duty to action. During climatic and emotional scenes, characters’ voices goes full throttle to demonstrate empowerment and credibility to this show’s reality. Nihei transcends his thoughts and formulates them into this show, one that I find to be captivating. The characters are dynamic, the story is thought-provoking, and the overall premise has high class style. As a sci-fi adventure mixed with all sorts of little ideas and concepts, it’s something to take in all at once. But the show cleverly divides and conquers with these ideas as if it’s all planned. The result is a success and thrilling piece of work, one that is memorable not for its deaths and tragedies, but for its fascinating journey with appreciable thoughts.

Sidonia no Kishi, I heard a lot about this series and how it's similar to Attack on titan. So me as a big fan of attack on titan came in to see what all the hype and talk about this series was about. Story 6/10. The story is about Gauna a alien race that has destroyed the solar system and now humans are on the brink of extinction and are now forced to live in giant seed ships. Nagate Tanikaze is the main character of this series, he's entrusted to pilot the legendary unit known as Tsugumori. So basically this series is a survival serieswith some Gundam themes in it. The only similarity between this series and attack on titan is that humans are on the brink of extinction just like the other thousands of anime that has this theme. But I guess people reference attack on titan since it's a very popular series and that's a easier way to make more people become a ware of this series by mentioning its similarities between them. Art 6.5/10. At first I was very turn off by the art, but I gradually got use to it and it wasn't as bad as I initially thought. The cgi looks good when it comes to space battles. I'm still not a big fan of using cgi in anime period, but this wasn't too bad imo. Sound 8/10. Now the sound this was one of the things I like in the series, the soundtracks are really good and memorable and it made the fight scenes even more intense. Characters 5/10. Now for me the characters were very flat and bland, so when a character died I didn't care at all, the main characters and most of the supporting characters are cut out cardboard boxes, the cgi also made the characters have a robotic like movement which made the characters look even more bland, "beep beep I am a robot" What's worst is that everyone looks identical and I know that it's because of the cloning machine, but that still doesn't change the fact that I mix up characters sometimes because they all have similar facial expression, the only thing that makes everyone looks different is the hair style/colour of hair, and I'm talking both male and female it doesn't matter give the main character a female hairy style and he will look like a girl. Enjoyment 7/10. With all the negatives, I still enjoyed this series a lot and it was really good, I enjoyed the action and the harem romance as well. ;) Overall 7/10. Overall it was the good soundtrack and enjoyment is what made this series a 7/10 for me. This series doesn't bring anything new to the table, but the series did a fairly good job in what it was aiming at, and that's to be a good survival series. So my final thoughts give this series a shot even if you don't like the cgi still give a shot, the cgi isn't as bad as you will initially thought. Thnx for reading my review if you have made it this far.

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