2356 A.D. Almost 200 years have passed since a phenomena
from space devastated the Earth, wiping out over 10% of t’s population. Shima Katase, born in the aftermath, longs to
see the stars and sets off for the one place where her dreams can come true:
the Foundation Space Station Stellvia.
But she’s arriving at a time when tensions are high as the chance of
another interstellar calamity is nigh.
It soon falls to Shima and the next generation of young space fairing
pilots to ensure the Earth survives into the future.
Stellvia is an interesting and rare case for a First
Impression candidate.
I’d heard neither
hide nor hair of this one though maybe I’d seen a visual in a magazine back in
the day and just never paid any attention to it.
No this one is getting an episode today
because a friend of mine used the opening theme in a random post and HOLY CRAP
it sounds amazing.
It’s not the first
time I’ve taken a chance on a show based on a banger of an opening and we’ll
likely be looking at another in the same vein next week.
For right now, does Stellvia set itself up as
a show worthy of such masterful vocal work from Angela (the group behind the
theme song)?
So if I’m gathering what Stellvia is supposed to be about
based on the first episode and opening visuals alone (and even then in this
case, they were mostly clips from the first episode), this is supposed to be Top
Gun in Space with cute Moe Girls.
Not
sure why there’s a market for that but hey if Girls Und Panzer can get away
with it, why not this?
Well for Girls
Und Panzer, the premise is just bonkers enough to warrant further exploration,
especially when the explosions happen.
Stellvia’s first episode, by comparison, is a much more dull slow burn
as we watch Shima virtually inch her way to the titular space base. Why is she
leaving?
Just what do you do at
Stellvia?
None of this is
explained.
Shima just wants to get out
into space and…idk make a name for herself?
There’s even a bit of friction between Shima and her…mother or mother in
law, that seems to be for show on their part, which makes no sense either.
It practically begs you to jump right into
Episode 2 to find out more but the trouble with that is, I was so bored by the
first episode I’m not sure I want to.
It doesn’t help that Stellvia feels like it’s from the
same ilk as one of my least favorite Mecha Anime, Candidate for Goddess, or
Pilot Candidate as it was called when aired on Adult Swim.
I don’t know if it’s the artstyle or the
rookie pilots/school days aesthetic but I just got very uncertain similar vibes
and I cant shake them.
Unlike Pilot
Candidate, there doesn’t seem to be any kind of ticking clock or major threat
against the Earth akin to the calamity that befell it almost 200 years
prior.
Seriously, not that I need
urgency in my first episode but a little more reason to be invested besides
watching a one look moe girl sit in a chair for fifteen minutes staring at her
jar of confetti candy.
I guess to answer my original question: No, Stellvia does
not deserve such an epic and amazing opening theme and I’m not certain I’ll
carry on with any more episodes.
It’s
not the best introduction with a dull lead, a lackluster world and a greater
lack of reason to be invested in the plot besides cute Anime girls going into
space.
As pilot episodes go, it’s pretty
boring and devoid of energy.
Is this a
super deep, missed gem I’m just not seeing the glimmer from?
It’s a big Anime universe, I’m sure I’ll find
out one day.
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