Planetes is a rare gem in my mind. Like many rare gems its real name is seldom known, few people have acctually seen it, and even less have held it in their hands. They have however heard of it in some form. This gems value is hard to determine because of that. Many people hear of its beauty but still they really can't understand something they have not experienced. Only the few savy collectors and connoisseurs really understand its value.
I've never considered myself to be the cream of the otaku's. I refuse to accept cultural concepts other then my own; I do use my language in spite of the trade existing solely in another; And I never forsake my own sanity and enjoyment in hopes of broadening my scope. I find whats good, renounce all others, and call out the people responsible for the state of the medium.I'm no jeweler i'm just docbrown...(cue theme song)...
Lately I consider Planetes as my downfall from anime. Since watching it my standards have raised so much that only one anime passed the test afterwards. For me it was a revolutionary anime. It changed the way stories could be told. It continuously flows from beginning to end without a bump in the road. It ignores the common methods of engagement and focuses on giving real content to keep the viewers attention. The bulk of the show contains very few sudden plot twists, character reversals, and cliffhangers. Not to say hat Planetes is simple in any way. The actual events that unfold are far beyond what you may predict. It's just the pace in which change is presented.
Most anime focus on sudden changes in order to blow the viewers mind. When done well this can be a great plus. But it also means I end up sitting through moments where every writer try's to one up death note. Planetes instead lets everything happen right in front of you. Over the length of the series we see character develop rather then in sudden Cambrian bursts of characterization. Too often we see characters suddenly switch sides of some conflict explaining it with some drawn out back story we had no previous allusion to. The writers might as well admit they dropped in a betrayal for the effect and used a simple cutaway to cover their ass. Instead Planetes offers all the back story, development, and explanation right to your face.
This gives light to a new form of suspense--at least for anime that i've seen, again im not majoring in this stuff-- one where the facts are laid out in front of you but your mind refuses to believe it. People build up there inner sense of understanding and then they like to cling to it. When evidence contradicts their beliefs the deny it for as long as possible. So while the character twists aren't surprising by any means, the suspense comes from our constant hopes for change not to come. It doesn't matter if I know a if a man will jump off a bridge or not the fact that I have a vested hope for a certain outcome causes suspense far beyond the whats in the closet variety.
To go along with this in the open approach Planetes also offers a vastly new world thats close enough to home that todays issues are still relevant, but far enough away that we can explore new and undiscussed concepts that humanity has yet to face. And all of this is meshed together with a beautiful pace that sets it apart.
Unlike the ADD focus of todays world, where frames need to change at fixed rates to keep attention, and things must always be happening, not allowing time for the important but less exciting aspects, Planetes invokes a pacing style where things happen all around continuously in a non predictable order. It feels like real life. Life Changing events almost always happen in the middle of something else. Rather then a continuous build to one climax we receive a detour of a more important kind. If "life is what happens when your busy making other plans," Planetes is a perfect view of what life is...When your living in space collecting debris at thousands of miles an hour while getting paid shit all and occasionally fending off multiple terrorist attacks while training for the most important part of your life.
Planetes i the top of my list for a good reason and it should be on yours for one to. Romance buffs will enjoy the worlds greatest proposal of all time. Action nuts will love fee Carmichael. Political enthusiasts will enjoy the implications of space exploration and resource management in this future universe. Sci-fi nerds can't miss this. And drama queens get to see an anime with real drama centered around shit thats worth stirring a fit over. Planetes is the best series yet and is only likely to be beaten by its authors latest piece, Vinland saga. Vikings, anime, come on someone make this soon. Seriously the first scene involves a 100 man army carrying there cross ocean boats over a mountain in one night to storm a castle via garrisoned riverbank. If you see it, check it out.
I've never considered myself to be the cream of the otaku's. I refuse to accept cultural concepts other then my own; I do use my language in spite of the trade existing solely in another; And I never forsake my own sanity and enjoyment in hopes of broadening my scope. I find whats good, renounce all others, and call out the people responsible for the state of the medium.I'm no jeweler i'm just docbrown...(cue theme song)...
Lately I consider Planetes as my downfall from anime. Since watching it my standards have raised so much that only one anime passed the test afterwards. For me it was a revolutionary anime. It changed the way stories could be told. It continuously flows from beginning to end without a bump in the road. It ignores the common methods of engagement and focuses on giving real content to keep the viewers attention. The bulk of the show contains very few sudden plot twists, character reversals, and cliffhangers. Not to say hat Planetes is simple in any way. The actual events that unfold are far beyond what you may predict. It's just the pace in which change is presented.
Most anime focus on sudden changes in order to blow the viewers mind. When done well this can be a great plus. But it also means I end up sitting through moments where every writer try's to one up death note. Planetes instead lets everything happen right in front of you. Over the length of the series we see character develop rather then in sudden Cambrian bursts of characterization. Too often we see characters suddenly switch sides of some conflict explaining it with some drawn out back story we had no previous allusion to. The writers might as well admit they dropped in a betrayal for the effect and used a simple cutaway to cover their ass. Instead Planetes offers all the back story, development, and explanation right to your face.
This gives light to a new form of suspense--at least for anime that i've seen, again im not majoring in this stuff-- one where the facts are laid out in front of you but your mind refuses to believe it. People build up there inner sense of understanding and then they like to cling to it. When evidence contradicts their beliefs the deny it for as long as possible. So while the character twists aren't surprising by any means, the suspense comes from our constant hopes for change not to come. It doesn't matter if I know a if a man will jump off a bridge or not the fact that I have a vested hope for a certain outcome causes suspense far beyond the whats in the closet variety.
To go along with this in the open approach Planetes also offers a vastly new world thats close enough to home that todays issues are still relevant, but far enough away that we can explore new and undiscussed concepts that humanity has yet to face. And all of this is meshed together with a beautiful pace that sets it apart.
Unlike the ADD focus of todays world, where frames need to change at fixed rates to keep attention, and things must always be happening, not allowing time for the important but less exciting aspects, Planetes invokes a pacing style where things happen all around continuously in a non predictable order. It feels like real life. Life Changing events almost always happen in the middle of something else. Rather then a continuous build to one climax we receive a detour of a more important kind. If "life is what happens when your busy making other plans," Planetes is a perfect view of what life is...When your living in space collecting debris at thousands of miles an hour while getting paid shit all and occasionally fending off multiple terrorist attacks while training for the most important part of your life.
Planetes i the top of my list for a good reason and it should be on yours for one to. Romance buffs will enjoy the worlds greatest proposal of all time. Action nuts will love fee Carmichael. Political enthusiasts will enjoy the implications of space exploration and resource management in this future universe. Sci-fi nerds can't miss this. And drama queens get to see an anime with real drama centered around shit thats worth stirring a fit over. Planetes is the best series yet and is only likely to be beaten by its authors latest piece, Vinland saga. Vikings, anime, come on someone make this soon. Seriously the first scene involves a 100 man army carrying there cross ocean boats over a mountain in one night to storm a castle via garrisoned riverbank. If you see it, check it out.