Review of Astra Lost in Space

Personally, I'm one for watching an anime and then reading the reviews, so I would recommend you do that so you can form your own opinions first. Besides, the anime only has one season, so it shouldn't take too long to get through. However, if you do wish to get other people's opinions first or if you already have one but want to see where others stand, here's my review. [ Warning: May Contain Spoilers! ] Asta Lost in Space is a perfectly solid anime with a re-watchable quality. I would know, because I have, in fact, rewatched it. It is basically based around the same premiseas "Among Us", the game, however, added onto it is also the backstory of how all this came to be, it features characters with personalities and obviously the art and animation is better and there is some worldbuilding there. (It's not perfect, but... it's a good start.)

[ Story - 8 ]

Being that its main plot revolves around betrayal and a mystery surrounding who their attempted murderer is, it isn't that original... not so much that I would call what happened here a trope, but, I mean, it's based on a game and there are probably stories out there with similar premises. That doesn't mean that it isn't an interesting premise that has potential for different twists, suspense, etc.

On that note, suspense isn't that much of a thing here - occasionally it is, but because of the fast pacing and the fact that there isn't much foreshadowing -, or in the very least, I didn't feel much of it. I also say "fast pacing" but the first episode can come off as rather slow to start with. Some moments and pieces of dialogue could have perhaps been snappier, or livelier, or changed for something else to make it more interesting, but there are those who think it starts off slow, and those like me that think the pacing is perfectly fine to start off with.

The twists are still good, and I did enjoy hearing the reasons behind them, although... some might have been rushed or a little far-fetched. And then again, when I think how humans are even now, maybe it isn't so far-fetched.

Also, because it is an anime featuring young people and is a bit more lighthearted despite having the element of attempted murder in it, it doesn't really feel like the stakes are all that high when out with the planets. It doesn't feel like they're in danger around the murderer... not sure why. On the different planets though, there is that sense once the danger finally presents itself.

For four of the planets the characters have come across, the worldbuilding is solid. Not too in-depth, but then again, the characters are only there temporarily. Even so, how the ecosystems work there and what the greatest threats or allies to the main characters are is always interesting to discover or rediscover (if rewatching), and - if sometimes with a stretch - they do seem plausible? There is some genuine creativity there. However, that makes planets where this worldbuilding isn't really used much - the home planet and the planet where the kids were supposed to go on their trip - all the more disappointing.

The anime has a satisfying conclusion, although I do feel like the characters should have really gone to therapy after their ordeals or something.

[ Art - 9/10 ]

While I don't think it necessarily pops or is unique, it works, it is enjoyable, and it is consistent throughout the entire show. It also doesn't look weird at any moments, like with some anime, like AoT or JJK (in the former, the Titans actually look subpar and are animated like a game on 5 fps, not to mention the swinging off trees is hilariously bad in animation, and the latter's weird "camera movements" makes the watch more dizzying than interesting. Not that it's all terrible, but for me, personally, even this anime does those aspects better). There is nothing about it that pains the eyes, or makes me groan in frustration and the character designs are solid... if a little tropey. I don't really think there is much negative criticism that I can give the art, other than maybe it's not the boldest or bravest and the character designs are very safe, by the book and honestly... yeah. But they're also enjoyable, pretty, and work for the characters, so there is that.

Pink-haired girl is, like usual, special. The blonds are charismatic, popular, outgoing. The dark-haired people are introverts with baggage. The person wearing glasses is a giant nerd who can't communicate to save his life... or well, relationship. And the purple-haired one... well, purple is a gender-neutral colour, so actually, in hindsight, go figure, of course, that one would turn out the way he would. Likable designs, but again, predictable.

[ Sound - 8/10 ]

The sound services the anime pretty well. Again, nothing amazing, but it is good. The VAs do a solid job in both dub and sub, so I have no issue with voice acting. The opening is decent, I don't think I could point out to you an OST I liked, because while they served well in the moment, they aren't overly memorable, but they were still solid.

[ Characters - 8/10 ]

I've mentioned this before in bits, but a) the characters aren't glaringly obvious caricatures and most of them are interesting, however, b) they were still formed for tropes, and that's clear enough to see from moment one. Quitterie is kind of a "mean girl" "popular" with a sweeter side of her, tsundere-esque female. That being said, she does appear to warm up a little, and her interactions are interesting. Her younger sister is excitable, naive, basically just a "child". Aries is the happy-go-lucky, friendly pink-haired girl you've seen like ten times before, but exactly who and what she is nonetheless is interesting to discover. Luca is a mischief-maker who also has an interesting reveal, Charce has a decent twist to his character (but if you've read enough manga/watched enough anime you might have been able to see it from a mile away, what do I know?) and overall seems to me like the most interesting one, followed by Luca. Then we have our brooding emo boy in that hat, with the dark hair who in spite of being very tropey in design and personality still has an interesting reason for being the way he is and his motivations are good, but also, I enjoy his interactions with Luca. There is the all-round himbo/good guy (and let's be honest, to me, he and Aries are two of the weaker characters in the story because I find them quite dull, but at least he makes good decisions and I can respect that)... who... er... serves as the hero. Zack, with all his brains, is fairly interesting but hard to get into the mind of and is honestly quite a bit like Iida or Klaus but isn't as loud or really a tsundere. He's more of a kuudere, as per his hair colour. But his interactions with Quitterie are pretty good. Oh, yes and then there is the quiet and shy girl with the aptitude for singing. Also, I do like that together as a team the characters all have individual strengths that they can use to chip in - well, when I say all, I really just mean the nerd - as the pilot -, the emo - as a hunter -, himbo - as the captain -, Charce - as our cook - and after that... the purposes feel a bit vague. Aries and singing girl are mostly there for emotional support, neither of them really /do/ much, the younger sister also isn't very useful and Quitterie is the first-aid... however I did have to look that one up. This goes to show how relatively neglected the female characters were compared to the male ones. A slight disappointment to me, but it wasn't that bad... and I did still like Quitterie.

[ Enjoyment - 8/10 ]

Considering I rewatched it from start to finish and I wouldn't have done that unless I either hated myself, hated the anime and wanted to know what I hated about it specifically but didn't the first time around, or enjoyed it, it's safe to say that it is a perfectly enjoyable anime. It has fun moments, sweet moments, sad moments, some action-filled moments, and moments that make me love biology even more - given how interestingly plants and animals worked on different planets. I wouldn't say that it ever made me burst into tears, or that its comedy made me double over in laughter, but there was definitely an attempt and an effort there.

[ Overall - 8/10 ]

I'll probably rewatch it again in the near future.

Personally, I'd also be down to a sequel season, but it doesn't really need one.