Review of Land of the Lustrous

I dont usually rewatch anime. I dont have a problem rewatching movies I saw a few years back and you would be shocked seeing just how many times I have played through mount and blade warband or underrail, but when it comes to anime I only very rarely rewatch some action packed shonen or isekai. Yet a few weeks ago I felt an insatiable craving to rewatch land of the lustrous. So what is it about this now mostly forgotten show that brough me back in? Presentation: Nowadays, the only time land of the lustrous gets brough up is when people discuss CGI in anime. As youmight have noticed this anime uses a ton of CGI and surprisingly, it actually works out really well. There is something mesmerizing about the way Phos and the other gems look with the light reflecting from their hair. I would even say that this may be the most impressive use of CGI I have ever seen in an anime. I know thats not exactly a high bar, when big studios (looking at you MAPPA) still struggle with CGI to this day but I think I got my point across.

Story:
The story is about a young gem named Phos looking for her place in the world. She is brittle, weak and mostly useless. Even so she wants to be a fighter like the rest of her peers. Sadly just like with most things in life, progress comes through suffering and so suffer she does. Its honestly impressive just huch much suffering can one character endure. I am pretty sure that she would make an excelent cenobyte. Either way she slowly becomes stronger only to find out that her strenght hasnt brough her anything good and in her pursuit she lost her old self. Its a great story, filled with action, tension, mystery and mysery. Sadly the show is just 12 episodes long and a sequel failed to materialize so it just kind of ends with little fanfare just as we were getting sowhere. Its frustrating just how much I want a second season to continue a story but I doubt it will ever come out. You have to be realistic about these things.

So this is it. Was it a good show? No, it was one of the greats. Is it still worth watching now, years after it came out? Yes, it hasnt aged a day. Do I feel a little bit hollow, knowing that the story will probably never get finished? You can bet.