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| Overall | Art | Animation | Character Design | Music | Series Story | Episode Story | Reviewer | |
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| Rent | 8 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
 Ggultra2764
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[series:1587#1552] |
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This was a decent space opera title. Toward the Terra explores a future where man is ruled over by supercomputers giving up their free will and individuality to ensure social stability and order after Earth's destruction whereas the psychic-powered Mu believe in thinking for themselves where they are seen as a threat by the established human social order. The best thing this series has going for it is the grey morality that is present in developing this title's plot and characters. No character in the series is right or wrong in the justifications and actions they make in trying to protect what they believe in as each action and belief within the show has its pros and cons. For example during the middle of the series, the Mu decide to settle down on a planet and give up their quest to search for Terra. While this allows them to start a peaceful future away from human society, it comes at the cost of being too adjusted to this new peace when it later gets shattered from human combatants. In addition, the major characters in the series find themselves with their own complex developments where they question and/or adjust to their present predicaments such as Jomy coming to grips with the fact he isn't human and has to lead the Mu and Keith doubting his own emotions because of being hardened and raised to being an influential figure for humanity yet he clings to others to retain some sense of humanity. The artwork to the series is decent despite lacking in detail and insert music fits well with the show's mood despite the OP and ED musical choices not doing so. If there's a big issue to be found with the series, then it would have to be the ending episodes. It seemed rather too convenient that the Mu kids literally grew up quickly and gained the massive amount of power that they gained to reflect on the Mu's increased aggression, even with the increased aggression of the Mu against human forces being justified after the losses they endured. Plus as Silence had discussed, the number of character deaths later in the series seemed a wee bit forced to try giving the series an epic feel yet this comes across as unconvincing. In addition, the way Keith's actions are directed in the final episodes seem sloppily put together as at one point, he tells humanity to think for itself over the issue of the Mu's existence yet at another, he's trying to kill Jomy and insists that the Mu are a threat to humanity's purity. If the ending episodes weren't this sloppy in their conveyance, I would definitely be giving it a Buy right now thanks to the complex characterization and grey morality in its storytelling. Yet with the sloppy ending, I'm forced to only give a Rent. Last updated Saturday, July 24 2010. Created Saturday, July 24 2010. | ||||||||
| Rent | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 9 |
 Silence
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[series:1587#2939] |
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Ambition is a good thing when you have the substance to back it. At times, trying to swallow too much will just make food drop unglamourously out of your mouth, but taking a step back will open up options that can lead to an unforgetable series, in a different way. Terra e is one that started well, marched forth strongly, but tried to inflate the situation too much in the end, resulting in a unconvincing and predictable conclusion. It tried to make itself into an epic story without its premises and developments fully backing it up. From the start, we are introduced to a bright and lively boy called Jomy Marquis Shin. His character shines through very quickly through the first few episodes. His behaviour does not go beyond the logical, be it when he is first introduced to the Mu, or when his powers awaken. He carries us through the layer of seemingly blind persecution of the Mu. A few episodes in, we see Keith Anyan. His character is also quickly established and strong. His machine like rational thinking and lack of feelings is very evident, and this becomes significant later on. He brings us through the human side, with the command chain topped by supercomputers. Although he is Jomy's primary opponent, he is more of an anti-hero. I like the depth these two main characters are explored and how they bring us the story from two different views. In the middle, the going was very strong. The efforts the Mu made to settle down on a planet is wonderful and touching. They have a right to be pleased with their new home, but this unfortunately made them complacent. The tragedies that befall them are even more painful because of this. Here, the human spirit shone brightly, and is, IMO, the best section of the series. Towards the end, they march to Terra, pretty much obliterating all resistence. While it is true that they have "obtained" superweapons of their own, their might is a little too overwhelming considering their size. Though it is reflected earlier on, that Type Blue Mus are very strong, this overhelming might is a little convinient. The takeover of planets after planets against the entire human race is slightly hard to believe. The ending is overblown, as I have let on earlier. While I liked how Keith finally began to think for himself, his actions are very contradictory. On one hand he explains how the Mu came to be, asking the humans to decide how to connect with the Mu by themselves. On the other, he still wishes that the Mu be exterminated and fights it out with Jomy. The mistake he made is a little too much of a plot device to force the series into an "epic" ending that did not really fit the situation. I would have been much more impressed with a realistic ending with Keith being a little less contradictory. The ending could have been more wonderful without the forced sacrifices that does not seem as touching as those who died before. The animation is smooth, but details are not really very well done for a sci-fi series (see Planetes). The art is ok, the music is ok. This is a series with a good idea, and good character development, and is a buy until the end. There, it tries to bite off way more than it can chew, and forced the drama through death when it is not necessary. This downgrades it to a Rent. Last updated Monday, November 30 2009. Created Saturday, November 21 2009. | ||||||||
Other Sites
| Name | URL |
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| Japanese Language Series Web Site | http://www.terra-e.com/ |
