Quick Thoughts on Kanata no Astra (TV)

This little blurb almost feels redundant considering I read the manga source just a year ago. Going through this entire thing, it’s basically the same, only a little worse… I think. Let me elaborate on that.

This is an anime. Anime are different from manga in a variety of ways, though one sticks out to me. With manga, you can read at your own pace. You can have the dramatic outbursts of hysterical revelations take as quick or churn as slowly as you need. With anime, you do not have this control. You sit there and wait for the episode to finish, dictated by its own measurement of pace. For Kanata no Astra, this is to its detriment, as the relinquishing of information, lulled past by the minute, provides assurance of how forced the dialogue and the story tends to feel.

These qualities were my main complaints for its manga parent. Frankly, it would probably be better served to read that instead. Everything about the manga—strengths and weaknesses—apply here as well. The only minimal differences with the anime is the aforementioned issue of pacing, animation, and vocal performances; of the latter two I can say were both adequate. Story is still substantially dumb, with a lot of giant bombshells that are said and barely explained that takes itself way too seriously. With this being static animation, the viewer has more time to think of it while watching, ruining the emotional impact of the moment with thoughts of, “Wait, hold on, how does that make sense?” Being more noticeable this time around, it made me sneer more than the manga iteration.

Even still, the camaraderie and chemistry between characters remain. Comedy is still pretty bad, but the quirky personalities of these characters end up working well down the stretch, with more development having the bond between them hold firmer. Once again, by its end, the characters became all the more cherished to me, as a sort of rekindling of the story coming back to life. Its aspects of individualism and harsh truths over comfortable lies was also something it had going for it that’s, at the very least, different. Throw in a sci-fi setting and it’s guaranteed to at least look neat. I’d only suggest not taking it too seriously. With Kanata no Astra, I believe it’s more about the emotional message than a logical dissection.

Read the manga over the anime. Not a great improvement even so, Kanata no Astra is a likable story that is more for those with a resonating right-side brain. For all its faults with a super illogical story and forced dialogue (especially with drama), the characters are what make it work. After all, people are what make the story and make stories worth following. If not for them, this would be shipwrecked from the get-go. Instead, it reaches its destination with fiery determination—bumps and bruises included and severely notable.

The rating for this title and all others can be found on MyAnimeList.

If you’d like to see more reviews like this, feel free to look at my full list of anime reviews!

Thank you for your time. Have a great day.