Review of Land of the Lustrous

Animation The 3D animation was well done. It captured the essence of the characters’ gem-like qualities. The way their hair was animated was amazing. It conveyed both the hardness and malleability of their bodies. In the second half of the first season, Phos acquired new arms made of gold. The way the alloy melts and takes on many forms reflects the underlying theme of transformation. An interesting concept was that gold can be soft like play-doh yet hard like a shield. There was one episode where the “dog” was animated like fog, conveying its ephemeral existence. I also liked how well they illustrated Diamond. She isa walking vessel of rainbows. The sparkles and opaque luminescence remind me of how gems dazzle when hit by light at different angles. The fight scenes were a little lame, but it got interesting when the main character became stronger.

Plot
The story line moves at a fast pace, and it could have benefited from spending more time exploring Phos' relationship with other characters. For example, when they promise Cinnabar that they’ll find new jobs together, this moment didn't feel heartwarming because they barely spent time together. I also wanted more screen time for Antarctictite, who was cold on the outside but warm on the inside. Antarctictite played a large role in influencing Phos’ character development, from teaching them how to skillfully wield a sword to overcoming their limits.
The first few episodes were boring because it followed this template:
1.See Lunarians
2.Fight them
It didn’t appear that the side characters had any purpose besides making their master happy, fighting Lunarians, and being annoyed by/tolerant of Phos. In the second half, the characters got more interesting because they had more screen time.

Soundtrack
The opening and ending songs were mediocre. If you didn’t know this anime was dark, you would think this was a happy and carefree anime.

Character Development
I really liked the 180-degree change of character for Phos. I was going to quit watching after the first episode because I despised their annoying and selfish personality. Hands down, they win the award for the most annoying character. However, I came to understand and sympathize with them after they lost their friend to the Lunarians. The tragedy led to a dead and empty look in Phos' eyes. However, they learn to move on and make important decisions, even reluctantly working with a character that they don’t get along with just to become stronger in combat. I liked how Phos questioned the truth about the Lunarians at the end. It shows how much she changed from a simple-minded jellyfish to a critical thinker. Since this series primarily focuses on Phos, we don’t see much development in other characters, but at the end of the first season, when Phos keeps her promise to find Cinnabar a new job, we may see some development in more characters.

Symbolism
The story somewhat follows the hero’s journey archetype. Phos has a strong call to adventure and a strong will to fight the Lunarians. Several mentors help them along the way to become stronger and wiser. It’s not clear what the abyss/underbelly of the whale is, but it might be when they lost their dear friend. Phos is “reborn” with a different personality, and when encountered by the other gems, they treat Phos with wary and surprise. Eventually, they become accustomed to Phos’ new appearance.
There are references to Buddhist principles such as death and rebirth. These two concepts are conveyed like yin and yang; when they lose a part of themselves, they lose some of their memories and change a little.