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REVIEW: Knights of Sidonia

As a more general response: Sorry, but anyone who thinks that there's anything original to the anime version of KoS beyond some of those specific details is either smoking something or is ignorant of the mecha/sci fi history of anime. One or two have questioned where the Macross parallels are? Try Macross Frontier. If you've seen that series than I can't imagine how you can't see a fair number of similarities.

Evangelion may, in retrospect, not be the best direct example, but numerous other story elements - the spoiler["I'll sabotage a mission to get back at the new hotshot who's unwittingly stealing my thunder"] ploy, or the spoiler[inscrutable aliens who take on vaguely human forms] gimmicks, have been done in numerous other mecha and sci fi titles. The relationship curves feel like something borrowed from a Gundam series, too, as is the revelation that spoiler[the MC is a specially genetically-engineered individual above and beyond normal genetic engineering (Kira Yamato, anyone?)]. I could probably point to numerous other details if I wanted to spend all night analyzing it, but I have other things to do.

So yeah, don't even think about trying to pitch to me about how wonderfully original a work this is. And don't give me crap about how I shouldn't be reviewing mecha just because I'm not a mecha uber-fan. I've seen and reviewed plenty of mecha series in my day, thank you very much.

I do hope we see confirmation that Knights of Sidonia will also still eventually get a proper BD release from Netflix/Partner here in the US too to go with it being on Netflix cause I'd like to own it.

BluExocet wrote:

However, if I were to have one or two complaints about the Knights of Sidonia anime, it would be that Izana hasn't inflicted bodily harm on Nagate yet with his prosthetics[...]

Did Izana have prosthetics in season one, or is this a spoiler?

Did Izana have prosthetics in season one, or is this a spoiler?

I'm really just curious whether or not Netflix is going to do a physical release for this. I have nothing against Netflix, but if they start getting into anime licensing, they better do some physical releases or I'll be sort of pissed. I like owning good anime on BD.

relyat08 wrote:

I'm really just curious whether or not Netflix is going to do a physical release for this. I have nothing against Netflix, but if they start getting into anime licensing, they better do some physical releases or I'll be sort of pissed. I like owning good anime on BD.

House of Cards and Orange is the New Black both have planned DVD/BD releases.

Key wrote:

As a more general response: Sorry, but anyone who thinks that there's anything original to the anime version of KoS beyond some of those specific details is either smoking something or is ignorant of the mecha/sci fi history of anime. One or two have questioned where the Macross parallels are? Try Macross Frontier. If you've seen that series than I can't imagine how you can't see a fair number of similarities.

Love it, the anime where people sing to aliens and everyone gets along. The movie versions are even better, imho. Also barely related to Sidonia.

and mecha traveling long distances in space unite in clusters to gain a collective speed and range boost.

EyeOfPain wrote:

relyat08 wrote: I'm really just curious whether or not Netflix is going to do a physical release for this. I have nothing against Netflix, but if they start getting into anime licensing, they better do some physical releases or I'll be sort of pissed. I like owning good anime on BD. House of Cards and Orange is the New Black both have planned DVD/BD releases.

House of Cards has been released, the first two seasons anyway.

That's why this is so exciting. It's one thing to release under FUNi, Sentai or *shudder* Aniplex. It's another to be released by the people showing House of Cards and Orange is the New Black. Although now I want Kevin Spacey to do a voice next season.

As for the show I tried reading the manga (I actually did multiple time) but could never get very far into it, between the random fan service that seems to dictate the plot ("Hum I need a reason to show a bunch of naked women. I know I'll have time photosynthesize even thought that makes absolutely no sense and would be an horrible way to feed humanity in deep space") and the main character being just another blank character who's somehow godly good at everything he do. Shame because the setting and everything seems to be really well built.

Quote:

and mecha traveling long distances in space unite in clusters to gain a collective speed and range boost.

What?

meiam wrote:

Quote: and mecha traveling long distances in space unite in clusters to gain a collective speed and range boost. What?

You know how the mechas would group up and all speed off together? This was because with the combined thrust they could travel farther distances faster than a single unit could by itself.

People are complaining like this because they feel the review is unfair. This wasn't a measuring contest for who watched or reviewed more. Not many people here are suggesting it is most original. . .

The review gave a C+ to the story, the thing people seem to be overall enjoying the most from the series.. In the review, amongst many in these comments, and myself, found the art to be a bit...lacking, but that got an A-.

See why there are complaints?

Barbobot wrote:

You know how the mechas would group up and all speed off together? This was because with the combined thrust they could travel farther distances faster than a single unit could by itself.

I'm not sure if it's the review or the show/manga, but that makes no sense (unless there's one unit with much higher trust power than the others). But if all the unit are the same, grouping up would not increase there trust since they all weight the same. If you apply a force on an object you'll get the same acceleration than applying twice the force on an object being twice as heavy, F=M*A and all (2*F=2*M*A, the 2 cancel and you're back to F=MA). They could get a range increase if there truster can only go at 0 or max speed, and by grouping up they only have one unit use it's booster at a time, but they'd accelerate way slower. I'm probably just reading it wrong thought.

I kind of hope the whole "let's delay this show by an entire season and release it all at once" doesn't catch on. It only means people will miss out on current discussion while the show actually airs – like it's the kind of model that only works if no one, including the Japanese, can see it until it's released by Netflix.

I marathoned this show about a week ago or so and I absolutely adored it. I watch quite a bit of mecha despite it not being one of my favorite genres and I have to say Knights of Sidonia pulls off the whole real robot genre the best if any I've ever seen. Sure the mecha elements weren't my favorite aspect of the show, but it made me like real robot and that's saying something.

The main draw for me is its hard science fiction elements. The details used to describe and define the world of Sidonia are fantastic and very in depth. It doesn't stray away from topics that would normally be avoided, like how do characters use the bathroom in the robots? It's a small and insignificant detail but it makes the world feel more realistic.