During the start of the summer season, I wasn’t immediately sold on with Astra Lost in Space. A few episodes in, it was still among the new anime shows which I was contemplating of whether to continue or drop. But it really got better and better down the line. Eventually, it turned out being only next to the “Big 3” (i.e. Dr. Stone, Fire Force, and Vinland Saga) as my favorite new anime of the season.
Astra Lost in Space is set in the future, in which mankind has advanced far enough to achieve faster-than-light space travel, and it centers on eight students of Caird High School plus the younger sister of one of them – so, nine kids in all – who are left on their own in the planet McPa for a 5-day planetary camp. Almost all of them are strangers to each other, but before they can really start knowing one another better, a mysterious ball of energy pops out of nowhere and starts sucking them in. Apparently, it’s a mini-wormhole of sorts, and it sends them to space, floating above an unknown, barren planet.
Fortunately, before the sphere can swallow them, they have activated their space suits, and so, they aren’t killed by the vacuum of space. They also discover that an abandoned spaceship is nearby, and they all gather toward it. There, they learn that they have been sent 5,012 light-years away from home, which would require months’ worth of travel in that ship – a difficult undertaking that their insufficient supplies won’t be able to sustain. But before despair can totally consume them, they realize that there are planets along the way wherein they can forage for food and water. With renewed hope, they name their ship “Astra”, and boldly set out on a long, perilous journey home.
With that synopsis, one is left with the impression that Astra Lost in Space has all the makings of your run-of-the-mill space adventure story. But while it’s indeed essentially that, the 12-episode series is also peppered with lots of intrigue and mystery. Right off the bat, there’s the question of what’s the deal with that ball-shaped wormhole. Soon, they also learn that there’s probably a traitor among themselves. As the series progresses, the plot only further thickens as not only do each one’s darkest secrets are revealed, but from every new information they come across, they begin piecing together what set off their current predicament – leading them to uncover a shocking conspiracy.
Astra Lost in Space can get really stimulating with its twists and turns (although, it can be exposition-heavy at times when it comes to this), but the biggest reason it’s such a great show is it has heart. Its premise is not necessarily an original concept: strangers are forced by circumstance to band together. Their differing personalities initially clash. Gradually, they begin to become comfortable with and respect one another. Over time, friendships are forged. They grow closer and closer. The hurdles and battles they share strengthen their bonds. They become a tight-knit group. At the end of the day, they are a family. When it’s finally time to go on their separate ways, it’s simply heartbreaking. Such stories are a dime a dozen. Yet, even the most derivative ones, as long as they’re well-told, they do not fail to get me invested thoroughly and care completely. They ultimately hit me right in the feels. And Astra Lost in Space is the best to do this in recent memory.
It takes a while to warm up to the characters, but once you do, you will love each one dearly. Every one of them is well-realized. You will really get to empathize with their individual struggles and root for their growth and redemption.
My favorite of the nine is the lead character, Kanata Hoshijima. He’s the captain of the Astra – a title I wasn’t particularly convinced the narrative earned for him, at first. At that time, I thought Zack Walker was the more logical choice. But soon enough, it becomes more obvious that Kanata is James T. Kirk and Zack is Spock, and thus, it’s only fitting for the former to be the captain. Time and time again, he proves to be the glue that holds the group together through thick and thin. Regardless of whatever risk to himself, he will jump into action without second thought to save his friends. He may not be the smartest of the group (though he did have several smart moments in the show), but his optimism, formidable will, selflessness, and take-charge attitude would win anyone over, eventually.
My favorite couple, however – because, of course, there’s romance here, duh – is not Kanata and his love interest Aries Spring (though they do have cute, hilarious moments), but Zack and Quitterie Raffaëlli. They have this fantastic scene in episode 8 that impeccably shifts from comedy to drama to comedy gold. It’s so good that I want to share it here (although, it’s probably more hilarious if you’ve seen the rest of the show up to that point. Also, SPOILER warning):
To sum it up, I love Astra Lost in Space. I’m sure it has flaws, but I never really bothered with finding them since I was too busy enjoying and adoring it. It’s such a wonderfully well-presented, feel-good show.
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