“Fragile Gem Phos seeks purpose in war-torn world, befriending outcast Cinnabar to find meaningful roles together.”
Land of the Lustrous
宝石の国
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AI-powered analysis tailored to your taste
Based on your preference for character-driven stories with layered emotional arcs, this title's exploration of identity and belonging would deeply resonate. The pacing mirrors series you've rated highly, and its thematic depth aligns with your appreciation for nuanced storytelling...
However, the slow initial episodes might test your patience given your history of dropping shows that don't hook you early. The art style shift in the middle arc could also be a concern...
Synopsis
Fragile Gem Phos seeks purpose in war-torn world, befriending outcast Cinnabar to find meaningful roles together.
In the mysterious future, crystalline organisms called Gems inhabit a world that has been destroyed by six meteors. Each Gem is assigned a role in order to fight against the Lunarians, a species who attacks them in order to shatter their bodies and use them as decorations. Phosphophyllite, also known as Phos, is a young and fragile Gem who dreams of helping their friends in the war effort. Instead, they are told to compile an encyclopedia because of their delicate condition. After begrudgingly embarking on this task, Phos meets Cinnabar, an intelligent gem who has been relegated to patrolling the isolated island at night because of the corrosive poison their body creates. After seeing how unhappy Cinnabar is, Phos decides to find a role that both of the rejected Gems can enjoy. Houseki no Kuni follows Phos' efforts to be useful and protect their fellow Gems.
What people say
Community consensus
Derived from 184 sampled reviews
What 184 viewers settled on.
Mostly aligned
σ 1.69 · some divergence
6.0 pts
Recommenders 8.9 · others 2.9
↑ 0.39
Running avg · Oct 2017 → Sep 2025
- 9 “This unique masterpiece was thoroughly enjoyable from start to finish, with Kurosawa Tomoyo's exceptional voice acting being a particular highlight. However, the story remains frustratingly...”
- 8 “Houseki no Kuni is a genuine gem featuring a compelling story, likable characters, and surprisingly high-quality 3D animation that defies expectations. I have no criticisms to offer, as the...”
- 8 “This series is one of the best I have watched, featuring a unique, unpredictable story, perfect music, and a well-balanced art style. While the first episode may not be interesting for many...”
Watch Order & Related
A self-contained story.
No sequels, spin-offs or alternate tellings — Land of the Lustrous begins and ends here.
Cast
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- Format 12 × 24′ eps × min
- Total runtime 4h 48m all episodes
- Aired Oct 2017 – Dec 2017 Fall 2017
- Source Tv media type
- Rated PG 13 - Teens 13 or older
- Ref. BS-12736 catalog
Produced by
- Mainichi Broadcasting System Producer
- Kodansha Producer
- Movic Producer
- AT-X Producer
- TOHO animation Producer
- Tokyo MX Producer
- Q-Tec Producer
- Kyoraku Industrial Holdings Producer
- BS11 Producer
Licensed by
- Sentai Filmworks Licensor