Review of A Place Further Than The Universe
(Written March 2018) This anime right here really hit home for me. It moved me and made me rethink the way I was living my life. People might consider A Place Further Than the Universe to be a MOE or slice of life anime but it’s not. It is bigger than that. It is an emotional drama full of adventure and excitement. The story an interesting and emotional story, filled with excitement and charm. While the end goal is Antarctica, they don’t arrive there easily. They struggle to reach their destination. The problems that the girls and the rest of the expedition crew face are realistic.Every episode is filled with a sense of adventure and it makes you feel as if you’re on the journey with them. The beautiful visuals and soundtrack add to the story, making it even more endearing. The characters are great as well. The girls meet each other in the first 3 episodes, yet it seems as if they have been together for a long time. The chemistry between Kimari, Shirase, Hinata, and Yuzuki is great and feels authentic. They come off as actual high school girls. Each girl gets their own important story arc, developing them further and making them memorable characters which I loved. So many scenes stood out and impacted me. Some scenes had me near tears, and I did end up crying once which is rare for me.
Similar to Kimari, I want to be adventurous and try new things. But I have also had doubts and fear of experiencing new things. That and I’m also a procrastinating lazy piece of shit. This anime came at the right time for me. As a senior in high school, I realized that I only have a few months left before my life changes completely. Soon I won’t have the spare time I have now. Soon I won’t be able to hang out with friends as I do now. Soon my youth will be over. Seeing the determination that Shirase has and Kimari taking initiative into making her dream come true encouraged me to take similar steps.
A Place Further Than the Universe is not only a story about Antarctica, but also a story about the journey, struggles, and bonds that the girls make on their way to their destination. It’s a story about youth and making the most of it. These things resonated with so many people including me. Antarctica is the conclusion and reaching the destination is like being freed from a cage you’ve been trapped in your entire life. I’m glad I found the anime when it first aired because I feel like watching it weekly is what made me enjoy it even more. This anime is one of my favorites of all time I definitely do believe it deserves the spot of anime of the year. I recommend this anime to everyone, as it might open you to experience new things. It will stick with me for years to come.
Full review on Anilist @Spratty