Review of A Place Further Than The Universe

I first really got into anime off the back of Clannad: Afterstory and Toradora. No anime since had ever really given me the same level of gut punches until Sora Yori mo Tooi Basho (which I'll shorten to Sorayori for the rest of this review). I might even go as far as to say that no anime series had ever left me pondering about life as much as this series did. Sorayori deals with many themes that speaks directly to the heart - making the most out of life, dealing with loss, and the meaning of friendships. This series quickly make us sympathize with the maingirls, and drags us through the ups and downs on their quest to reach Antarctica and realize their dreams. It will undoubtedly leave you pondering whether you had really made the most out of life, or whether you should grab your friends and go on a trip with them together.

The story telling is undoubtedly the star of this series. There is very few unnecessary moments in this series. Every episode has a purpose, every moment has something to contribute to the story or to flesh out the characters, and every trial and success you will feel too. There are many hints alluding to larger story arcs which warrants multiple watches. I had seen this series about 5 times now, and I am still spotting new things on each rewatch. The characters are also very well written and complement each other well. Even side characters get some fleshing out.

The sound is also amazing, with several great insert songs. My only gripe is that sometimes the voice recording sounds too loud its almost like yelling in my ear. But for the most part all voice actors gave amazing performances.

Art is perhaps the only aspect which could have been better, and even then it is already pretty good. The background is beautiful and detailed, and the color palette of the main characters is pleasing to look at. However, the character animation can sometimes be very jerky, and the facial expressions or character composition feels off at times. It is not a major issue, but it occurred frequently enough to be noticeable.

Overall, this is an amazing series, and if you haven't already watched it, you should.