Jan 7, 2018
Look at the premise, and you’ll be curious by its setting. Gems personified as genderless beings roamed this desolate, yet frighteningly beautiful world. These ‘gems’ fight against a common cause; that is, against these so-called creatures known as ‘lunarians’ - beings that came from the moon. Dressed in costumes reminiscence of Javanese culture, these lunarians hunt down the remaining gems – to be brought up to their home for reasons unknown.
When the anime was first broadcasted, the ratings were utterly disappointing. Many objected the use of CGI in the show, arguing that CGI brings in low frame rate and clunky animation. However, a
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quick look through the first few episodes clearly shows that houseki no kuni differs a lot on that matter. The animation was smooth and the fusion of both CGI and 2D complements the heavy needed element of world building and character design. An example for the former, the rooms allocated for the gems. Each are characterized by their character. From alexandrite’s room that is filled to the brim with books, to Cinnabar’s melancholic, poisoned filled room. An example for the latter, the character design for Diamond. Her hair sparkles under the feisty color of rainbow and light, which is quite a difficult process to replicate in 2D animation alone.
The brilliance of the show does not stem from the animation and the art alone, the music also plays a part in making the show intriguing and engaging. While most of the soundtrack were great, one piece of track that stood out for me the most was the soundtrack for the lunarians, ‘sunspot’. As indicative as the costume they are wearing, this soundtrack was heavily inspired by traditional Javanese music. Using the gamelan, a traditional Javanese musical instrument, this piece of soundtrack brought about a mixed sense of tranquility and dreadfulness, which often brought me to shivers every time this soundtrack is played when the lunarians appear.
While the art/animation and the music were outstanding on its own, the story that was being presented in this anime were enough to be on the same level, especially in terms of character development. Simply put, the anime never forgets most if not, all the characters in the show. It’s easy for the anime to ignore Diamond as a character. Normally, a character would be making an appearance in one or two episodes and then afterwards disappear entirely for the rest of the season until the last episode, which will somehow introduce the character as a cameo. However, that isn’t the case for the anime Houseki no kuni. The anime brings all the characters together on a journey of self-reflection and betterment of themselves. The characters will undergo different tribulation, and to see them going through the process with courage and determination is what makes the anime truly great to watch.
The interesting premise, the engaging art/animation, music and story blend cohesively to produce this beautiful gem of the season. This show definitely deserves a second season!
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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