16 May 2007
Posted by Martin [Tags: First Impressions and Retrospectives, Huerrgh!]
Here's a show that seems to have slipped under the radar. Drawn in by a rocking end theme from the Pillows (okay, I admit that was my main reason) and the unusual premise, I made a start on
Moonligh Mile: an unusual tale of discovering a new source of energy on the Moon. The opening ep doesn't explain much but goes to great lengths to set things up and introduce the main characters.
The first scene shows an astronaut stranded on the Moon's surface and paying the ultimate price for doing something she shouldn't. Cut to...a pair of mountaineers who rescue a hapless climber and eventually decide, after taking on Everest, to set their sights on the only point that is higher. It's all a bit muddled and doesn't seem to know what it wants to be just yet - the episode throws in news reports about the new Helium-3 energy source, as well as the lives of who I'm guessing are our two heroes. Gorou and Lostman are far from perfect - as their laddish antics show on several occasions - but they are tough and determined, and are not afraid to show acts of kindness in the face of adversity. After their adventure on Everest one becomes a jet pilot and the other a construction worker; I can already see how their exploits will take them away from planet earth.
Moonlight Mile is clearly intended for mature audiences, which is a relief to a guy like me who has a strong loli aversion! The opening scene gives a chillingly realistic view of life in space, as does the hard-hitting portrayal of Himalayan mountaineering, and the trials and tribulations of our twenty-something protagonists that will strike a chord with more mature viewers. A short (and quite frankly unecessary) sex scene supports this impression, as do the character designs and true-to-life art style. So far so good in that department.
I'm always on the lookout for the unusual, especially something that takes an over-used them (in this case, space travel) and puts a new spin on it. I suppose I was hoping for a spiritual descendent of
Planetes (which is sadly still on my 'to watch' list) or
Wings of Honneamise (ditto) but for all its attempts at being intelligent, believable sci-fi, I'll still have to watch another instalment of
Moonlight Mile to get a proper impression as to whether I'll enjoy it or not. Either way, at least I have the forthcoming
Planetes DVD box sets to look forward to! :)
[Filed under Anime Reviews] [Tags: First Impressions and Retrospectives, Huerrgh!]
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Posted on May 16th, 2007 @ 9:38 am
When I saw this compared to Planetes I decided I should check it out sometime, but I still haven’t got around to watching it (maybe now should be the time to start).
If you enjoy more realistic portrayals of space travel, I’d recommend trying Twin Spica sometime- it’s an enjoyable series that most people have overlooked.
Posted on May 16th, 2007 @ 11:23 pm
I’m still undecided as to whether to follow this series or not. What little reaction it’s had has been lukewarm but I might blog it purely because nobody else is bothering! :p
Point taken with Twin Spica though - I’ll look into it after my exams have finished.