Now that was an ending. Here I was, worried the show was going to disappoint in the end, but instead, it provides a better ending than I could have ever hoped for. I should've known better.
Anyway, there's no lack of resolution, with practically the entire cast making at least a brief appearance in the end. There's even a touch of new drama thrown in to keep you on your toes. Thankfully, it doesn't amount to much, but my heart skipped a beat nonetheless.
In the end, there's a feeling that, despite the resolution, life goes on. Yet, whatever may come to pass, the characters are all connected to each other in some way - through good or bad, fortune or misfortune - and even as they embark on new journeys, those connections continue to have lasting impact on each and every one of their lives. Such seems to be the show's primary theme, and it's unique in that it's not presented in a particularly rosy fashion. That is, along the way, bad things have happened to people: they've been hurt, killed, or forced to watch the ones they care for most suffer. The journey was difficult.
What a wonderful show - one of the best of recent years! There were times it wandered and times the story seemed unfocused, but it always found a way to tie everything together. What seemed a simple slice-of-life show in the beginning became so much more with each episode, building to an incredible finale, somehow telling the connected stories of so many people along the way.
It may sound cliché, but I'll say it anyway: we need more shows like Planetes.
It's like the bottom just fell out of the show. After all the drama of the past several episodes, it's like someone hit the reset button and killed all the suspense.
I'm not buying the new character transformations, either. For one, even though Hachi learns to be human once again, he still seems indifferent about all that's happened both to him and the people he cares for. And Ai, having survived - but not without suffering serious injury - suddenly seems like an afterthought as far as the story is concerned. She shows up at just the right moment, but only to open Hachi's eyes to the world around him. Surely she's more valuable to the story than that? Surely she's more than just a plot device?
Perhaps the final episode will offer the sort of emotional resolve the story deserves - for all of the characters.
Planetes has reached that point near the end now where the cliffhangers are painful, the story just one inch away from slipping over the edge into the great unknown. Anime has a love affair with the "happy" ending - even when it's not fitting - so I'm left to expect the story will find a way to make everything work out in the end. But some shows surprise, and I would consider Planetes to be of such breed.
And, in all honesty, I'm not quite sure yet which way I'd rather see things go. Intriguing...
Someone's been reading the Al Qaeda playbook...
I'm amazed with the direction the show has taken here near the end. I never would have expected any of this. What's next?
It's interesting how much certain characters' personalities have changed dramatically over the course of the series. I guess we're seeing everyone's true nature now.
And it's pretty obvious something big is about to happen. The show is headed for an explosive finale.
Time for another evening catching up with Planetes...
Remember what I said about the show bringing back long forgotten supporting characters? Well, I never would have expected Colin to return. He seems a little more likable this time around, smug as he may be.
Otherwise, the story is getting very political once again - and everything's getting awfully complicated. The surprises keep coming.
A year has passed, and the Debris Section finds itself with a "new" employee.
Meanwhile, Hachi and Hakim are paired up for an isolation adaptability test. At least they didn't have to line up a bunch of dominoes.
Oh, and Nono once again makes an appearance. Hooray for working in supporting characters at just the right moments!
The tension builds.
Hachi's going to Jupiter, but at what cost? I'm not sure if we're supposed to take his new attitude as a sign of raw devotion or unchecked ego. Or perhaps a little bit of both.
Get ready for a Planetes flood, because I have several episodes to catch up with this evening.
The show has really turned into a first-rate drama, and with so many things happening with so many characters, there's always another surprise waiting to be sprung. This time around, it was nice seeing Lavi and the Section Chief grow backbones and finally take on roles other than comic relief. And, of course, it was even nicer seeing Edelle kick some ass...
Wow. So much going on, but it all works perfectly. That's quality storytelling.
It's obvious the show is now heading in a new direction, with more emphasis on continuing plots and character development than before. Granted, it was the episodic, slice-of-life nature of the show that grabbed me when it first began airing, but I have no complaints for how everything has developed. I'm loving it more and more with each episode.
The character development in this episode is obviously integral to the story, but I can't help but feel a little disappointed in how it was presented. Even with so much ground to cover, half of the episode was wasted on snippets of subplot and what basically amounts to recap. I appreciate the subtle manner in which the recap material was worked in, but the pacing was pretty screwy otherwise.
Oh well. At least we got to see Nono again.
Each episode begins with the same narrated introductory sequence concerning space debris and the problem it poses. At one point, the narrator makes mention of the year the story takes place, 2075. As we enter into the second half of the show, however, it seems a year has passed. Thus, the narrator now says "2076". The thing is, rather than record the whole introduction sequence again, they just recorded "It is the year 2076" and punched it in - even though it sounds like it was recorded in a completely different room. Listen for yourself. Does the guy doing the voice-over charge ¥ 5,000 per second or something?
Anyway, I'm amazed at how well the show continues to take so many disparate plot threads and tie them together each episode. Eventually, however, everything's going to have to be resolved somehow. Or, at least, I should hope.
Oh, and it's nice to finally learn more about Edelle. She was little more than a caricature before.
Allow me to enjoy that final scene a moment longer...
There, that was nice. I guess you can say this episode provides the payoff we've been waiting for - the question is, where does it go from here? With half the show left to go, a lot could happen. You just know there's going to be drama...
And on a more technical note, I've noticed a lot of new background music in recent episodes. I've had the first soundtrack in heavy rotation for awhile now, so you can bet I'm excited about the second soundtrack, set for release late March.
Wow, that's a lot of character development. Yuri, Ai, Hachi...everyone gets in on the act.
And yet another great episode. I hope the series can maintain its current momentum heading into its second half. With so many significant developments in recent episodes both in story and in each character's life, I'm falling in love with the show all over again. Simply put, this is anime the way I like it.
And yeah, I know there's a big spoiler in my screenshot choices. I just couldn't help it.
Who would've thought Fee's smoking habit would ever become a significant plot point?
The show is really firing on all cylinders now, and this episode had much to offer on all fronts: drama in the terrorism plot, comedy in Fee's quest for a smoke, and further development of the budding Ai-Hachi romance.
Oh, and goofy Engrish. Not Gravion level, fortunately (or unfortuantely?).
I like how the show continues to work in little bits and pieces of character development and backstory in what, at first glance, are relatively stand-alone episodes. You would think it might not work very well, but it does.
And now it looks like we might even have some sort of love triangle developing - and a believable one, at that.
It seems they have otaku on the Moon as well...
This episode was pretty wacky - and I'd say excessively so if it weren't for the fact I was busting up laughing the whole time. Planetes remains, if anything, a very entertaining show.
Next episode, however, looks to be a little more serious.
This felt like some sort of '70s action/drama. You know, Hawaii Five-O in space. And why did the ship look like a flying cell phone?
Not exactly a memorable episode, but not bad. And from the preview, it looks like the lunar vacation is going to be an actual story arc.
I can't get enough of this show! It's definitely shaping up to be my favorite of the season. The characters, the writing, the atmosphere, the animation...perfect.
I want the OP and ED singles now.
This show rocks! The characters have depth, the writing is good, and the drama, action, and comedy are all nicely balanced. This is quality anime.
OP is kind of weird, but I like it. It fits the mood of the show.
Wow, this looks very, very cool. I loved the realistic - almost mundane - vision of the future and life in space. I have a hard time labeling it science fiction, as everything - the world, the technology, and the premise - is very much believable.
The characters are a bizarre bunch, but that just makes them all the more interesting. It makes for a fun group dynamic, kind of like Patlabor in space.
Animation is pretty nice, with great mechanical designs and character designs suitable to the material. Music was pretty impressive, too - lots of atmospheric orchestral stuff punctuated by some cool jazz pieces.
Anyway, I've heard good things about the original manga, and this first episode was a real treat, so I'll definitely be keeping up with this series.
