Review of Land of the Lustrous

I find it preposterous to see this series fall short in hype & success compared to 2017's few hit titles that shall not be named, not because of what they are like or have done on their own, but because of what they didn't manage to do compared to Houseki no Kuni, or Land of the Lustrous, however you will it. The imaginative setting of this title gives the viewer a chance to explore a universe that is shrouded by the mysterious factors that have surrounded it for ages through their own experience. You are tasked with uncovering the existence & truth of the gems, theLunarians (or Moon People) and what happened for that world to end up like this. That alone makes this an interesting experience from start to finish.

If that wasn't enough, you have a peculiar but intriguing cast of characters who bring that universe to life. The gems, they are androgynous humanoids that are named after & based on actual ores, tasked with either, bluntly, doing work on the side or being on the front lines, if you will, which depends on how tough they are. Phos, the protagonist, is good for neither due to their low toughness and clumsy personality. Though it is until later in the series that they become an interestingly developed character, making them a memorable one as well.

For so long, CGI has been the thorn in a nail for the casual viewer, but for a series which is based on CGI from start to finish, it was remarkably well done. I can very much see & appreciate the amount of care put into fleshing out the detail of the environment, just wonderful. Truly, if all future titles were to be animated like this one, I'd want all of it.

There is also a fantastic soundtrack that goes along with it. The opening and ending are rather great in terms of vocals & visuals, while the background music has been made with care to absolutely fit with the ambiance of this title and the events in it.

There is no complete ending in the story just yet, because the manga is still on-going, though the plot-line ending in this title is satisfying enough. Knowing that, Houseki no Kuni has a lot going for it and could become a monumental series due to the absolute joy of exploration it sets on the viewer & how intriguing the future of this setting is. Overall, I find this series to be a remarkable work and it is at least worth giving a chance, for I will certainly look into it more.