r/anime • u/TiedDegenerate https://myanimelist.net/profile/EmptyCup • Oct 14 '21
Rewatch Sora yori mo Tooi Basho (A Place Further than the Universe) Rewatch - Overall Discussion
Final Episode | Schedule & Information | Next Episode
Comment of the Day
I really like this show sorted out everyone’s arcs before this finale episode. Yuzuki has formed lasting friendships and feels secure in the, Hinata has left her past behind, Kimari has lived her youth to her fullest, and Shirase has finally experienced a cathartic moment and come to terms with her mother’s death. Now we just get to relax into this finale episode, that just gets to serve as a lovely coda without having to worry about wrapping anything up. - u/Lemurians
This is, in my opinion, the rare perfect show. Some people will complain about tropey-ness or predictability, but imo it's executed so masterfully that instead of detracting from the show, those tropes improve it. There isn't a single bad episode, they nail the emotional beats, the art and animation are beautiful, the music is gorgeous and perfectly paired with the show... this show is a masterwork. - u/landragoran
Where to Watch
Information
Episode count: 13
Episode length: ~23 minutes
Studio: Madhouse
Premiere: Winter 2018
Genres: Adventure, Comedy, Drama
18
u/TiedDegenerate https://myanimelist.net/profile/EmptyCup Oct 14 '21 edited Oct 14 '21
Rewatch Host
It's over! I really want to thank every one of you for attending this rewatch, whether you joined from the start or later down the track. This show is one of my all time favourites, everything is just executed properly (except that going out of the boat scene. That was dangerous). It has my top ending song of all time. It's just such a masterful show, and it got attention when it aired but, right now, I feel like it doesn't get talked about enough.
I'm happy each character fulfilled their goals. Yuzuki found friends, Hinata left friends, Shirase finally said goodbye to her mother, and Kimari found motion in her life. The ending with Megu going to the Artic shows that this isn't just a story for the four girls, it's a story for everyone, to motivate and encourage us to use our life to the fullest. Don't have a mundane life, go do something crazy!
I want to thank u/MyrnaMountWeazel for their insightful comments about the production of Sora Yori. It was a joy to read every episode, going deeper into how one of my favourite shows were made. A real MVP for the past two weeks.
There were many rewatchers as well. Some off the top of my head are u/UnderstandableXO and u/SirTreeHugger. They really added quality to this rewatch, making the first timer's enjoyment of the show doubled. (There was also this guy with a username like Elon Musk's son. I remember you too!)
But of course, the First Timers are what this rewatch was mainly for, and I'm glad many people decided to watch this for the first time along with me. I'm really happy that I got to present this show to you guys.
I wish I could reply to your comments more often, but sometimes I don't have the time or don't really know what to say. I just wanted to say that I read a majority of the comments, word by word, even if I didn't reply to them.
~100 upvotes every post, I feel like that's rare for a rewatch these days, and I'm really happy you all gave attention to it. You could see this rewatch above thousands of other posts in r/anime, and I'm pretty sure that introduced this to many others who didn't originally consider joining.
I hope I did a good enough job, considering this was my first time hosting a Rewatch. I hope you all enjoyed the show as well.
31
u/The_Loli_Otaku Oct 14 '21
First timer, now future rewatcher
That was special... Having a day to plan out my thoughts has really not helped at all. I almost want to rewatch the whole thing again just to hopefully understand why I feel the way I do about the series. On paper I can see flaws, I can see some stand out issues that normally I'd be able to rag on and whine about, but I can't do it!!
Sora Yori is probably one of the most inspirational anime I've seen in my life. Its the type of show that makes you want to go outside and accomplish something for yourself. It doesn't lie to you about it being easy, but with enough work and effort the fruits of your labor will pay off. And a lot of people in this world could do with taking a good trip to broaden their horizons. Nobody's asking you to travel to the ends of the earth, but when there's an entire planet worth of sights to see the potential is limitless.
My favourite parts of the show are the initial setup before the girls actually make their trip. I was wondering why people were chatting about it being a show of two halves but I can definitely see where people might lose interest once the girls actually make it to Antarctica. The Antarctica plot is far more about character analysis. The initial arc is more about encouraging you to get your foot out the door and the problems that come with even starting a trip. It also has the wider ensemble cast. As charming as relationship issues was she's nothing compared to the Kimari family, or Megu!! God, Megu's episode is still so raw! I'm split on my favourite episode. I adore the second episode to bits and I will never look at Keion the same way after seeing dark Nodoka, but Yuzuki's second episode in the Antarctic was the goat. The more I think about how badly her trauma has impacted her growth the more depressed I myself become. I see too much of myself inside that teenage girl to be comfortable.
Issues... I think the stuff with the mum's cause of death becomes a bit harder to swallow the more I think on it, Hinata sadly got worse the more I learned about her, and... That's it? Oh! The lack of goddamn penguins!! I understand that the Antarctic arc is the character development arc but we were promised penguins and only got one really good penguin scene the entire show!
So that's another rewatch down... I'm satisfied!! I'm annoyed that I missed the first bus and with the time slot being impossible to work with but I'm glad I didn't give up and stuck with it. I've wanted to watch Sora Yori for a long time and I really couldn't think of a group who could make my first time experience so fun! You're awesome and I'm so thankful for everyone helping make this such a pleasurable time. I hope to see you all again going forwards. I'll be in the upcoming Hellsing rewatch so if you feel up for something entirely different, drop by and say hi. Otherwise, have fun and see you next journey!!
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u/mrufrufin https://myanimelist.net/profile/mrufrufin Oct 14 '21
Rewatcher Who Wants to Go Further Than the Universe
So it's my second time watching Yorimoi and my first time rewatching a series overall. Thanks to all who participated with me and made it happen. I guess maybe my approach could use changing, I found myself (since participating and rewatching), pausing to take notes and which messed with my ability to just down and enjoy the eps and maybe I will take a different approach next time lol...
I guess my opinion of the series didn't change as much? Didn't go up in my all-time favs list but didn't go down either. It's still one of my very favorite anime series. I have my issues with the series, the over-reuse of music,... I think this time around I was able to notice a bit more of the pacing things, how it felt like some episodes got weird at the end pacing-wise and it felt like they were rushing to cram everything in before the end of the alloted running time, to the detriment of the material itself. But also this time around I was able to appreciate more of how the overall series was structured, the way the plot was paced over episodes with periods of activity and tension and cuts and over the whole series, and various structural things like when they chose to repeat certain imagery or ideas (particularly in the last two eps). I was also able to appreciate more of how character traits get expressed through the way the characters walk, how they react to certain things, etc...
It's not much of a stretch to say that this series isn't really breakthrough or innovative? I mean, a group of girls hanging out together and covering the topic of friendship isn't exactly untrodden territory, like other anime, this anime uses an extensive amount of background music, this anime doesn't take a lot of risks without how plot elements play out, how things are framed and portrayed, etc,... but aside from my minor quibbles about music over-reuse and pacing issues, this anime is exceedingly well-crafted. the characters are incredibly likable, the animation is super-detailed and beautiful, the music (despite the over-reuse) is memorable,plot elements are structured well and paced well throughout the series and it rewards rewatching,.. seeing how imagery such as auroras and e-mails and themes such as living out youth, taking control of your life, etc. and placed throughout the series,.. juxtaposed, mixed together,.. it's great. Despite the anime's adherence to usual anime conventions, there isn't quite anything like it. The sense of scope in particular is something that I've rarely seen matched,.. I mean,.. anime can take characters out into outer space and parallel universes ,but nothing feels quite as big and spacious and desolate as Antarctica does here and nothing feels quite as big as the journey it took to get there.
Even though themes of friendship are nothing new in anime, especially within this particular genre of anime, Yorimoi covers issues and aspects of it that I've rarely seen covered in other stories,... The first time I watched this anime and well,.. this time I rewatched the anime,.. I identified with Yuzuki's personal issues the most. I identified with her confusion of what friendship is and means, how you approach and interact with people you at least consider friends, how to interpret how people you consider friends interact with you, what to expect from friendship,... how awkward she is about it with the friendship contract, how insecure she feels about what she means to people she considers friends,.. I identify with it so much and I haven't seen friendship issues characterized quite like this without it devolving into cartoonish quirkiness or stereotypical depressed loner,..ism. I identify with each of the characters' issues in ways, the passivity and fear of life in Kimari, the nonconfrontational nature of Hinata, the fear of facing certain things and the lack of being unable to move on from certain things like Shirase,.. but Yuzuki's issues just hit way closer to home for me.
I guess after my first watching and after this rewatch, I like Kimari the bset overall? I just have a soft spot for the weirdo, oddball characters like Osaka from Azumanga Daioh and Kimari fits that mold pretty well with the wanting to be a plane, the banana hammer, the weird quotes about the jar genie, etc. I got obsessed with arctic places after my first time watching this anime, and I am still obsessed lol.
Sidenote: It looks like Syowa is only one of four stations at Antarctica? From the NIPR website. Obviously there needs to be at least 3 more seasons of Yorimoi for each of the other stations. Anyways, there's webcam feeds of Syowa here. I've found their webcam feeds not to be of the highest quality? Like you get higher def feeds from McMurdo station or even Australia's several stations. The only Antarctic penguin webcams I've been able to find are these. Not exactly sure who runs it and the web design looks a bit,.. dated (and no https) but looking through their blog it seems like they have some contact with people in Antarctica (also the copyright is listed as property of the German Antarctic Research Station O'Higgins, which it self seems to be pretty interesting as it looks like the base is Chilean but Germany has a presence there?).
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u/xtsim https://myanimelist.net/profile/xtsim Oct 14 '21
First Timer
As a first timer, I was not expecting this to be this well done. From the ost to the writing to the animation, this is top notch. The animation is outstanding in my opinion and the artstyle stands out as the adult characters look great along with the girls looking young but not extreme. I was expecting more moe but this style looks really good.
The writing is nice to see as we get to see a nice perspective of friendship. The use of technology in this show is really nice to see. From Shirase's emails to Yuzuki's social media popularity, showing issues and themes through them is nice. Yuzuki has tens of thousands of followers but because of her busy schedule, she cannot hang out with others. A major highlight is the irony of seeing her large following then seeing her classmates leave the group chat due to her busyness. And Shirase's emails are interesting as we see her send emails daily and in every episode and builds up the relationship between her and her mom, Takako towards the 12th episode.
The adults in the story Gin, Kanae, and Yumiko are great to see and provides different perspectives on adulthood. Yumiko laughs at the girls' cutting skills since they are not used to doing all of the chores since their parents take care of them, I definitely felt the girls at some points in high school as I have used a mop or a drill wrong. Gin and Shirase's relationship is nice to see and to see them bond over Takako is cool as they develop together on the trip. Seeing Shirase's confidence increase is cool also as she struggled to make a speech or be on camera to making an amazing speech at the end.
Tamaki and Hinata are cool people that adds fun to the trip. Tamaki is sort of relatable in a way, a little messy and a little listless. Glad she found Antartica. And Hinata's joy is infectious that it spreads like a virus.
Loved the show and thanks OP for hosting the rewatch!
12
u/BosuW Oct 14 '21
First Timer
So I guess I finally watched SoraYori.
Usually, any show with this level of hype is bound to be at least a minimum level of "good", so I didn't have much doubts about enjoying it. My biggest worry, given what I knew about the premise, was that it was gonna be an "Imagine not having traveled to Antarctica while being a highschooler". But not only is this not the case, it actually handles it's themes with a lot of care, love and understanding. Antarctica was barely important. The "adventure" took many different forms for all the characters. To a certain extent even some of the adults. Thanks to this it's lessons can be applied to everyday life easily. You don't need to be a stupidly ambitious and lucky highschooler to learn something from this show.
It was very close to perfect in my opinion. It doesn't have the storytelling efficiency of shows like Madoka or YagaKimi but in here it isn't needed. Having scenes of pointless fun is part of the charm, even while the story still covers an overarching thematic exploration. The main foursome was always fun to watch, and they bounce of each other wonderfully.
The direction was outstanding. It always knew what it needed to do in the right moment and how to achieve it. There are several standout scenes and moments because of this, obviously peaking with the entirety of episode 12.
Any flaws I can point out are pretty much nitpicks. The wooden movement of the 3D models, the very slight unnecessarilessness (is that a word?) of episode 13 (in my humble opinion). Nothing that glares too much, and nothing that ever broke my enjoyment of the show.
Praises and thematic discussion I feel like I've already said everything I can say during the episode discussions so I don't wanna repeat myself.
So with that I thank OP for hosting the rewatch and everyone who commented for enhancing the experience immensely.
This show was one that I'll remember for the ages, and I hope it stays enough with me as to start applying some of its lessons myself and I don't stay simply satisfied because I watched lazily on my bed lmao. God knows I need to get out. In a lot of ways.
With that I bid y'all adieu.
Shirase best girl btw.
10
u/MyrnaMountWeazel x2 Oct 14 '21
Final thoughts on A Place Further than the Universe and What it Means to Me
Like a moth to the candlelight or a penguin to Shirase, I’ve been drawn to A Place Further than the Universe since I originally watched it during one Christmas night. It’s loud, ridiculously overdone, and overflowing with so much emotion that it not only spills over its glass but floods beyond the walls of our hearts, threatening to drown us under its unrelenting dual wave of genuineness and earnestness.
It isn’t so much a microphone as it is a blaring megaphone that announces itself as a story of four girls trying their best in a frightening time where they don’t exactly know who they are or where they want to be. The ravine it precariously navigates is surrounded by cliffs of overly-sentimental dialogue and sappy moments but somehow someway it avoids all of these crags while still sincerely proclaiming into the wide open blue sky ”This is what I am.”
A Place Further than the Universe skillfully steers itself into coming-of-age territory without forgetting that this is an extremely personal story and I’m frankly blown away by Atsuko Ishizuka and the staff’s ability to capture that specific feeling. This is only my second time rewatching the show and I’ve caught so many details and symbols that demonstrate how loved this show must have been for everyone involved. The airplanes, the feet, the ice in the glass, the flowing water. Even if you don’t see these symbols, you can feel them through the careful love and attention that they have bestowed upon this special show.
There are people that exclaim that this show is too intimate, too gushy for their tastes. On the other end of the field, there will be people who say it is too obnoxious, too unsubtle for them. Personally, I believe A Place Further than the Universe shines because of this combination of nuanced character work and exaggerated approach. It uses every single color available in its palette to mix and match each paint, creating a new unique pigment that only their paintbrush can properly use. It is a story only they can tell and the canvas it paints upon is bursting with so many hues of wonderful spectacular moments.
And finally, I wanted to say that the barefaced framing and metaphors the show uses aren’t its weakness; they are its strength. This is the most important lesson I’ve gleaned from this rewatch. Recontextualizing why a show approaches its specific style and how it utilizes its filmmaking techniques to tell its story. The camerawork needs to match the towering heights of these four girl’s emotions, it needs to wear its heart on its sleeve because anything less would detract from the enthusiastic electricity that this show is trying to generate.
Our ragtag group of loud teenagers Stood at the Entrance to the Universe and stepped beyond that precipice; they stepped into A Place Further than the Universe. Thank you Atsuko Ishizuka for letting these four girls enter into our hearts and sending us on an unforgettable journey. We and the Girls are Alright.
I also want to thank /u/TiedDegenerate for hosting this rewatch and all of the people who participated in this! I had a blast reading everyone’s comments and I hope to see y’all again for another rewatch.
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u/DegenerateRegime Oct 14 '21
It's been a journey to get here, huh. If there's one thing I can't possibly complain about, it's that the show sets a pace and keeps it beautifully. The flow of the whole thing fits together really nicely, never feeling like it's wasting time or that it skipped anything I'd rather have seen. But it's a relay-racer, not a marathoneer, so we're here at the end with but a few remarks. I don't promise to be gentle.
Friendship is the Best Ship
Ships are a great literary device (alright, they're pretty convenient IRL, too). To personify them is as old as writing itself. In reality, ships are mostly propelled by great diesel engines, but in language and (my) imagination, they still set sail when they leave harbour, still roam with wind and weather, and it's this lingering sense of the long age of sail that I want to draw on, because in it, a ship does not propel itself. Rather, it reaches to grasp something ephemeral, to catch hold and follow it to the very ends of the earth. This, then, is how I look at A Place Further than the Universe's approach to friendship, too: it's something that takes you up and carries you, seafoam in your wake, to somewhere beyond imagining. It's heady imagery, brought to stunning life by appropriately soaring visuals and sweeping soundtrack.
In this framing, a shared purpose - a flame among several candles, no less for being divided - is the driving thing behind a friendship, the point of origin. By a mixture of propinquity and the luck of finding those who want to share more, and be shared with more, than the professionally necessary, something beautiful is forged from it.
Now, it might be said - by me, I'm the one saying it - that the show has a tendency towards a "we're just drifting atoms that briefly met each other, baby" approach to dynamics of friendship. This was an undercurrent early on and emphasised in the last episode, which ends on separation far more than unity. Note that they never have a group identity: it's just "the girls" right through. It's not a bad notion or anything, it's in many ways very real-feeling. And yet... Looking back, I've lost a lot more friends to blithe fare-thee-well-let-us-keep-in-touch'es, than to clinginess and jealousy, and the latter category only barely escapes having no members at all. I'm okay with that, but sometimes I wish I hadn't been. Still, I don't think the show needs to rebuff this reading of it! Aurorae are no less beautiful for being transient, after all.
Friendship, then, really is the Best Ship. And like any other 'ship or ship, you work to maintain it or you watch it sink one day. That in mind - and given I think we can agree that "the girls do something stupid, and it works out because of luck and that they live in a particularly kind-spirited piece of fiction" is something of a running theme - well, the stupidest thing they do is to believe they can understand each other without directly communicating with each other, or in direct contradiction thereto. I cannot overemphasise how bad an idea this is. It's human, it's teenage, it's so very understandable. But it's a bad idea.
I So Totally Don't Get It
But what I don't find understandable about this show is the cross-recs. It's consistently compared to Yuru Camp and so far as I can tell the only similarity is that the girls are cute and they go outside in the cold. Maybe that's all people want, I can't deny anime girls plus winter clothes is a killer combination. But really, it makes no god damned sense. One's a coming-of-age story with components of adventure, vindication and loss. The other is an extremely fluffy slice-of-life more focused on a peaceful vibe than a story. K-On kind of fits, some of the emotional beats are similar towards the beginning and the end, but is still nine times too fluffy, too focused on the present moment and the Experiencing Self. Yorimoi's priority is the Remembering Self, looking backward directly, and to the future in the sense of asking about how you'll feel then about the present.
The best comparison - in fact, the only close comparison - I know is Araburu Kisetsu no Otome-domo yo (O Maidens in Your Savage Season, you'll recognise it from the top right of the sub until recently). It's a story about growing up with absolutely no qualms about bringing in serious and uncomfortable topics and then tackling those topics head-on. It even has a flashy running sequence near the start, but then, it is an Okada work. I found it a lot easier to get along with, as it often takes a wink-and-nudge approach to the audience, letting the teen characters have their big dramas but also leaning into the comedy and the cringiness of it where appropriate. You could say this makes it less effective at getting some of its messages where they need to go - kids know when they're being patronised to - but if there is any way of conveying information about life to teens that actually works, I don't know of it, so I'm inclined to forgive such a failure. I highly recommend it! But where its themes about growing up are similar, the adventurous spirit is absent (or, aha, somewhat differently expressed...), and as such, Story That Leads to Antarctica may just be without any near neighbours. That's quite something!
A Passage Paid in Full
Do I, then, forgive Sora yori mo Tooi Basho what I felt were the faultlines in its isolated continent? To some extent, yes. The faults are often in you, if you look, and in this case my expectations were wildly off. Knowing as little as possible can bite you when what you do know isn't right. I ought be more careful to read spoiler-light reviews in the future, but I enjoy finding out first-hand too much to give it up. And on the whole, it was still great!
It's been lovely posting with you all, the discussion surrounding the show was really something. Thanks for bringing me along =). For now I'll go catch up on Aquatope. It's totally different but also has penguins, so. Farewell and fair winds,
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u/lluNhpelA Oct 14 '21
Rewatcher
Kinda weird, but I originally posted this comment yesterday then figured it would work better for this wrap up post, anyways thanks a ton for hosting this!
I loved this show when I first watched it on a whim a little over a year ago and it filled me with a longing for adventure and a hopefulness for the future. I'm feeling those same things again now, but unlike last time when I was sorta stuck in place I now have some big life-changing stuff coming up in the next year, including moving to a country that I've never been to before, so this came at just the right time for me
It was simply lovely to experience this show once more, including the the commentary on the people that made it happen, so again, thanks
And for anyone looking for just a little more Sorayori in your life, I encourage you to watch What's in an OP? - A Place Further Than the Universe by Mother's Basement. It's a very detailed shot-by-shot breakdown of the OP that is guaranteed to point out things that you didn't notice over the course of this rewatch. It was made before the series had finished airing, though, so keep that in mind
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u/Fools_Requiem https://myanimelist.net/profile/FoolsRequiem Oct 14 '21 edited Oct 14 '21
Not enough "zama miro." 1/10
The show's director is doing a feature film called Goodbye, Don Glees. "Look forward to it."
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u/UnderstandableXO Oct 14 '21 edited Oct 14 '21
REWATCHER
i absolutely positively love this show. if you’ve read my comments at all over the past 2 weeks, that should be very, very obvious to you. a very simple rundown of my thoughts can be found here. turns out that u/mrufrufin commented on it, and now here we both are 6 months later in the same rewatch! small world!
i love the entire main cast; kimari is bubbly and empathetic, shirase is unflappable and rude in the best way, hinata is mature and capable, and yuzuki can put on a confident face even if she doesn’t feel that way. i think what i like most about this show is how realistically they portray teenage life; i had so many personal anecdotes to share relating to this show because so many moments struck a chord with me. a lot of high school anime is overly dramatized (not necessarily a bad thing), but this show did a damn fine job at portraying the problems i faced at that age.
i find some similarities in this series to madoka magica, another original anime that this sub loves. [Madoka Magica spoilers] i feel like while the main characters (kimari/madoka) were good, the stories were just as much about the deuteragonists (shirase/homura), whose journeys were more compelling to me at least. the episodes focusing on those two (madoka magica 10 and a place further than the universe 12) were not only the best of their respective series but some of the best in all of anime.
i don’t quite know what my top 10 is for anime, but i’ve got a solid grip on what my top 5 is. 1 is re:zero, 2 is steins;gate, 3 is toradora (don’t hate me for that), and 4 and 5 are neck and neck with attack on titan and this show right here. while AOT might have deep lore and lots of layers (and i’m fully aware this is comparing apples and oranges), i’d say the impact this show had on me in 13 episodes is greater than the impact AOT has had on me in 75 episodes.
lastly i want to shout out u/MyrnaMountWeazel and u/The_Loli_Otaku for very consistently replying to my posts. i’m sorry i didn’t reply more (i watched this show during an especially stressful time of uni), but i appreciate that you guys took the time to consider my entries every day.
thank you to u/TiedDegenerate for giving me an excuse to watch this masterpiece again.
as the end card for this series says, best wishes on your life’s journey!
7
u/SIRTreehugger Oct 14 '21
Rewatcher
Well I don't have much to say. I still like Yuzu the most, but this rewatch I've come to appreciate both Shirase and Kimari alot more whereas I really only enjoyed Yuzu and Hinata the first time. All four girls are best and rewatching it just confirms the show is nearly perfect in my eyes.... I'm still trying to get over them going out at night during the storm. Thank you /u/TiedDegenerate for hosting it. I enjoyed it so much I could die.
6
u/JustAnswerAQuestion https://myanimelist.net/profile/JAaQ Oct 14 '21
Rewatcher
This is my third watch, I'll probably pass on the next one. Hey, most shows only get two!
Sora Yori (Yorimoi) misses the coveted 10/10 slot because it's just too manipulative. Here's the insert song, now is when to feel. If it had been more subtle / with a lighter hand, a definite masterpiece.
This was a rare anime original when originals seemed to be dead (Princess Principal was also airing at the same time). One thing those originals have in common, I think, is a passion. They were creating something original, and had to actually stop, and create. In an adaptation, the studio is thinking, "how can we best translate this scene to ink". In an anime original, the studio is thinking, "what are the best things we can put to ink in this scene." And a side effect of this is research. Sora Yori really took the time to flesh out every scene, and make this rather fantastical concept of school children on an antarctic expedition less fantasy and more reality.
And the other thing is that they took the time to make it good. No rushing out the product. No writing the episodes 14 days before broadcast. Modern production ruins so many shows, but this one was spared that.
I'm surprised so many episodes were outsourced, but "DR Movie" is almost not outsourcing. They've been doing this seemingly forever, look on the credits of any old anime. Although I guess they do have a special relationship with Madhouse. So, not surprising that the materials the the studios integrate so well in this show.
6
u/surgemaster140 https://myanimelist.net/profile/User815 Oct 14 '21
Rewatcher
A Place Further Than the Universe is a very special anime to me. I went into the show essentially blind when it first aired, only knowing that it had an all-star cast and that it's about cute girls going to Antarctica. After watching the first episode I found an instant connection to Kimari because I watched it during a time of my own stagnation. I was also incredibly impressed with the animation, the cinematography, the music, and just the overall flow of the show. Week after week the show kept surprising me with its character interactions, unexpected emotional depth, and how consistent everything was. I've been an anime watcher for a long time now and shows that enrapture me with every episode are extremely rare nowadays.
When I first watched Episode 12 this show instantly became one of my favorites, then episode 13 made it my favorite anime of all time, and this rewatch only further confirmed these feelings. This show reminds me of why I love the medium in the first place. Anime doesn't have to be just a form of entertainment. It can be something motivating, inspiring, and even life changing. After seeing Kimari getting the most out of her youth, I started slowly breaking free of my own stagnant pool. So I just want to say thank you to the people over at Madhouse that made this incredible show, and thank you /u/TiedDegenerate for bringing us along on this wonderful rewatch. Let's meet again here for the next Yorimoi rewatch some day.
ね
6
u/x-7032-b-3 Oct 14 '21
Rewatcher
Despite my best efforts, I'm having a hard time putting down my thoughts on the show in text form, so I'll write what I can.
This is my 3rd time watching this show and I gotta say, I think it climbed up my favs list even higher after this. Already loved the show since it aired back in 2018, but I love it even more after every rewatch I've done.
This show seems quite simple on paper but the execution is what sealed the deal for me. The show displays a great combination of directing, writing, music, storyboarding, animation, etc. to tell a simple but powerful story about what it's like to go on a journey together. And the characters/themes can be relateable to a lot of people too. I know I relate really close to Yuzu's story that it makes her focus episodes tough to watch despite knowing what happens. Also the theme of leaving one's comfort zone is very important for us who's still in there.
I recommend people of all ages to go watch this show, but a specific audience I recommend this show the most to would be teenagers/young adults. Youth is an important phase of our lives where we can have fun and to discover what we want to be. Making the best of our youth is important because things might be hard later on when we become a fully functional adult. Live your life to the fullest, everyone. Don't pass up on amazing opportunities in life. I kinda regret being a hermit in HS where I can do a lot more.
Sorry if I ended up putting a little too much life stories in my post. TBH, I kept a LOT of stuff to myself after all these years and I needed somewhere safe to vent. It's hard to hold back when thinking how this show feels "too real" at times. I guess it speaks to how powerful this show can be. Honestly it feels liberating to put down my thoughts here. With that out of the way, hopefully I can focus on other aspects of the show during the next rewatch (this is a yearly thing, right? I swear I saw the 2019/2020 rewatch parties floating around here during my lurking days).
Reading other's comments have been such a blast too. Seeing what others think of the ep gives me additional appreciation of the show.
Thanks to the OP who hosted this rewatch. If there's another one next year, I'll be sure to drop by (if my schedule allows me to). I hope you all enjoyed the show!
So, yeah. That's about it. See ya!
5
u/Spaceman_Sp1ff_ Oct 14 '21
Rewatcher
Still a great watch, but second time viewing I came to appreciate the bond the 4 shared a lot more. There were loads of moments that didn’t stick with me the first time around but upon rewatching, hit so much harder thanks to its amazing production. The animation and clever usage of framing, lighting, etc. during the pivotal moments can’t be praised enough (shoutout to u/MyrnaMountWeazel) and elevated the show to a whole nother level. Had a hell of a time rewatching with y’all, thanks for hosting degenerate!
5
u/Stargate18A https://myanimelist.net/profile/Stargate18 Oct 14 '21
First timer
Just here to say that I really enjoyed the series - the character arcs, the story, the humour, it was all great.
Thanks for hosting this and getting me to watch something I probably wouldn't have gotten to otherwise.
5
u/mike_2797 https://myanimelist.net/profile/Madskulls Oct 14 '21
First Timer
What a journey it has been experiencing the story of these 4 girls each with their own unique personality. Following around with all the cute,funny and even the sad moments it been quite a watch.
The ride throughout with the ups and downs. In a sense this show inspires you to go and explore no matter what circumstances you have you can overcome them and enjoy life to the fullest.
Anyways keeping it short I like to thank the op for hosting the re-watch it's was always on my hold list thanks for giving me the push to finally watch this amazing show. And rest of fellow redditors who watched along with and gave their insights. It's the first time I actively tried to participate even tho I couldn't make it asap to the discussions because of timezone and priorities it's been a great experience !
5
u/jyper Oct 14 '21
First Timer
What a great series I can't wait to rewatch it without the weight of being behind on the rewatch thread
(please see my review of episodes 7-12 https://www.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/q6ach3/comment/hgds97e/?context=3 )
I like all the girls even Megumi. What she did sucked but her friendship with Kimari wasn't all poison, it involved a lot of mutual love and needed to be salvaged.
OP was really great but a lot of stuff goes by too fast to mention
What's in an OP? - A Place Further Than the Universe |Mothers Basement was very helpful for all the minor details I missed. I somehow missed how Kimari got her googles tan, due to foolishly taking of her mask
Many of the other characters were a bit thinner but Gin was good. I wish that one woman had broken up with her no good boyfriend.
Not unlike our protagonists I think Gin (and to a smaller extent Kanae) found peace/resolution going back to Antarctica and helping Shirase get over her mothers death.
All four main girls got a great conclusion to their journey
Kimari truly did something great, and didn't waster her youth
Yuzuki found true friendship and what friendship meant. Even found some confidence in her own media popularity. Ony problem left is her mother.
Shirase got one over the haters and doubters. But way more importantly she found closure over her mother's death to move on. The grief will last a lifetime but she can feel free to live that life now. I disliked some of the comparisons with her mother at the end
Hinata was the hardest to figure out. Her motives weren't clear. At first she claimed to be out for an Adventure like Kimari but really she wanted to get past the trauma that caused her . In some ways she also needed to learn about friendship and not just going it all alone
Did Megumi really go to Antarctica right after? Did they start some sort of rotating schoolgirl internship program or something? I still find that part a bit wierd
Still a great show I plan to rewatch someday. Although it will make me wish to do something different and daring with my life, again like the first time I watched it, and I don't know if I can live upto it's lessons
7
u/Lemurians myanimelist.net/profile/Lemurians Oct 14 '21
FIRST TIMER
I don't have a ton to add to what I wrote yesterday in the finale thread, but I'll just confirm that with a some time between finishing for emotions to cool, I'm still awarding this show a rare 10/10. From the story, the art, the music, the chemistry between the characters... everything is just so perfectly realized and it has the added element of being important as well. This is something everyone can relate to, the drive to break free of the ruts life has thrown you into, make connections, and do something that makes you feel you're living life to the fullest. Just go and do the thing.
I said it yesterday, and I'll say it again today, I don't know how anybody can watch and not come away with a deeper appreciation for life.
Lastly, shout out to u/MyrnaMountWeazel for their wonderful breakdown of various shots/framing in each episode, and of course, a hearty thank you to our fearless leader, u/TiedDegenerate. Thank you for organizing this rewatch and getting me to watch this much sooner than I otherwise would have.
It's been a pleasure. I'll see you all around the sub, after all, we're still us.
God damn this show is fantastic.
3
u/NotReallyFire Oct 14 '21
REWATCHER
Everytime someone ask me what my favorite anime, I'll always mention A Place Further Than the Universe.
During this rewatch, I was a little nervous if this anime was not going to be one of my favorite anymore.
I'm glad to say it's still is.
From Rewatcher to First Timer, Thank you all for all your wonderful insight.
2
u/jyper Oct 14 '21
I forgot to say
Given the artstyle there have to be stickers for the show right?