Review of A Place Further Than The Universe

This review contains only minor spoilers for the beginning of the series. There are two different ways to drive forward a story: To have things happen to the protagonists, or to have the protagonists MAKE things happen. There's a writer's term for the latter: We call it Agency. It's a powerful thing, maybe the MOST powerful tool in a storyteller's kit. And Sora Yori is overflowing with agency, absolutely brimming with it, like water seeks release from any crack or opening in a vessel. Sora Yori is girl power done right, better than any superpowers gifted by coincidence or gods or fate, better byfar than any shepherding by an older male character. It's a story of four girls seizing their dreams, by themselves, and making them a reality. That's real strength, and it's the core of this series; finding courage, finding competence and independence, finding peace in grief, and finding friendship. A coming-of-age story at its very best, and packaged in enough honest charm to sugar-crash a whole damn colony of penguins.

And oh, baby, does Sora Yori have charm. The characters are so distinctive and so likeable, each in their own way, and every bit of the show's humor and drama comes from their personalities and tendencies. This is the kind of show you just sit and watch with a dumb, goofy grin on your face, in between bouts of laughter and tears.

That by itself would be enough, but there are story arcs here, too--especially for Shirase, who at first seems a supporting character, but rapidly emerges as Sora Yori's lead. Each of the four girls is looking for something, and by the end, each has found it, in one way or another. If there's a minor flaw in this near-perfect series, it's that none of the other characters have as powerful or emotional of an arc as Shirase; but then, even most shows featuring just ONE protagonist can't match the strength of her story.

And for all I've gushed about the writing, that's not Sora Yori's only strong suit. The animation is fantastic. There's little filler, and each of the show's several settings is captured perfectly. The character designs are instantly recognizable and appealing. Artistically, Sora Yori more than gets the job done, although it never quite elevates to soaring heights, except perhaps in the OP, one of the most magnetic and charming I've yet seen.

Speaking of which, the music is great, too--just like the art, it's excellent, though perhaps not masterpiece-level spectacular.

But again, you're here for the characters, and for their stories. Grab a cup of hot tea, crank down the thermostat, and enjoy.