Review of A Place Further Than The Universe

STORY - 10 ART - 10 SOUND - 9 CHARACTER - 10 ENJOYMENT - 9 Adventure—a chance to break out of the uneventful cycle of monotony and really get to experience the wonders of the outside world. It's when the vast imagination of your mind syncs in unison with the body and spirit that'll take you to your destination, and when you have that, you'll get the motivation needed to place your first step forward. Your first step forward towards A Place Further Than The Universe. Humans have always had that inherent drive to explore beyond our current limits. We hear these remarkable stories of the times we set our eyes onthe most extreme places on Earth to the void of outer space, and after countless numbers of struggles and challenges, we reach those places. We reach them. And this time around, we're going to reach it again—a place located directly south on the polar continent we call Antarctica.

In a sense, this show is a tribute to all of our greatest endeavors in exploration. Every step the story undertakes is one grand build-up to an expedition that's just as remarkable as those other stories we left behind; a story that wonderfully captures our ubiquitous desire to explore beyond the horizon, fostering fun and inspiration amidst the many obstacles along the way. The full realization of what an escapade can offer to you is what makes this show so breathtaking. It will give you an intimate perspective on a brilliant tale of adventure, friendship, and independence. It will provoke a strong sense of wanderlust inside you. There is an exciting journey ahead of us, and you bet it will convey to you just how beautiful that journey is.

Taking place during the youthful stages of life, the initial episodes first introduce us to four high school girls, all of whom differ in their motives, but are united under a sole purpose to reach the Frozen Continent. Soon, that unity will prove to be crucial on their long journey ahead. They realize that there are difficulties abound: doubters who make fun of them, rejected requests to go on the expedition, and other mishaps that challenge their success. But these are all part of the obstacles they've to overcome together in order to grow; the things that come with what they've chosen to embark on. To discover the potential within themselves. To find out what else lies outside of a tired lifestyle. To understand the warm closeness of a true friendship. In essence, this show isn't really about Antarctica. It's more about the life experiences one can gain from a potent adventure, and how they can grow up from there on.

So, off they go on this coming-of-age voyage, with their youth in motion.

And they did grow up along the way. These four goofballs, who are also lighthearted as they keep getting tangled up in all kinds of smile-inducing antics, grow up in such an authentic and fulfilling manner. They learn from the guidance of the adults in the expedition team, who have experienced just how harsh this expedition can be, and the reveal of their past—both for the girls and the adults—beautifully segues into their current self who continues to move forward. They experience many emotional hardships together, but stayed strong over the course of the journey as their friendship for each other deepens, all so they can finish what they've started and reach Antarctica—A Place Further Than The Universe.

All so they can utter the words "Thanks for taking me" when they reach the end of this unforgettable adventure.

An adventure that's painted through the use of incredible visual directing. The story and characters would've been amazing in their own rights if they were just words alone, but the art gives off that invigorating energy that really gets us engaged with this journey. It seamlessly fuses between their fiction and our reality, as the prominent lighting illuminates their facial expressions and the stunning sceneries, and as the dynamic animation brings life into their world that will always go on. As if it's saying to these girls to keep running forward, so it can continue to highlight their progress towards the final frontier with its aesthetic beauty.

Day after day, the sounds of their footsteps persist in a periodic tune; never fading out and always moving onwards. The noises of their travel, from the jolly amusements to the poignant emotions, are backed up wonderfully by a musical composition filled with larger-than-life qualities. It's the power that any spectacular music has in overwhelming our feelings; and the great voice-acting along with the swelling scores this show has, they also have the power to overwhelm our feelings, making it an adventure that's truly touching to experience.

Yes, it truly is an adventure, and it's one that wholeheartedly embraces the juvenile rawness of our youth: the time between childhood and adulthood, the time when the world still feels unknown, and the time of growth through the experiencing of new things in life, like meeting those people who you can call your friends. Simply profound and captivating, this is the adventure we call A Place Further Than The Universe.

Let's embark on it.