Beyond Expectations- A Place Further than the Universe

 

Now, for those who don’t know me very well, I do like to travel, and it’s especially good when I am able to do so in luxury or to meet friends.  I don’t do it very often, but some of the things travel enthusiasts do are quite ludicrous and their destinations can either be exciting, bizarre, or downright awful.  Even places that for some folks seem far out of reach such as Australia, Japan, Thailand, and Africa are less unobtainable and unreachable than one would think.  However, it was quite surprising when I was informed of the anime “A Place Further than the Universe,” where a group of high-school-aged girls decide to make a trip out to of all places, Antarctica.  Now, this is a quite bizarre destination, considering that tourism is not the continent’s main calling card, and one of the few reasons why one would go to Antarctica is scientific research.  Oh, there are some tourist flights and cruises there, but to have several individuals enthusiastically want to go to Antarctica for non-scientific reasons is quite different than say, wanting to fulfill your anime dreams of going to Japan.

 

The show itself started off as very easy-going and approachable, with a simplistic plot and agreeable characters.  The main character is the calm and level-headed Mari Tamaki, who one day with her good friend Hinata Miyake run into a large sum of money (1 million yen) which the ambitious but shy Shirase Kobuchizawa had misplaced.  Upon hearing that Kobuchizawa had intended to use this money to pay for an expedition to Antarctica, the two other girls quickly start a ragtag group with high-school superstar Yuzuki Shiraishi with the ultimate goal of reaching Antarctica.  Of course, being high-school aged girls, one could probably laugh this off as an unobtainable dream, an unrealistic trip born out of ambition and desire, but dwell too heavily on these questions and specifics of the trip and you might as well just stop watching the show and reading this review right now.  Of course, Kobuchizawa has done her research, and one soon finds out that the quartet intend on joining a civilian-led expedition team, one way or another, so it’s not as reckless upon first glance as one would think, despite what the childrens’ parents believe.

 

 

Partway into the show itself, one begins to see what its focuses are- the unhindered ambition of youth, breaking down obstacles and restraints holding you back, and the belief that even if one gets put down and discouraged, with enough hard work, one can achieve his or her dreams.  It is surprising to see just how quickly and stably this friendship developed, as these four girls have completely opposite personalities from each other, and they are united just through the single desire to reach Antarctica.  The situations these girls run into can partly be laughed off as young naivety (a personal favorite is the lost passport episode in Singapore), but the fact that the story is able to utilize these hilarious situations to organically develop the personalities of the quartet and enhance their friendship deserves praise indeed.  Also slowly being developed is the real reason behind Kobuchizawa’s insatiable desire to reach Antarctica, and her character, through dialogue and interactions with the expedition team, shine a new light and dimension on her as an individual and are a fantastic method of character development.  The dialogue itself can be divided up into several types:  learning and discovering, relationship development, and reflection.  All of these are fantastically done, despite the sharp contrasts in the character personalities themselves, the style of dialogue, and the mostly plain-jane treatment of the expedition team.  The character designs are quite reminiscent of the anime “Kimi ni Todoke,” with a matte, though vibrant color palate and excellent scenery, and it is so refreshing to see such a cohesive set of elements all come together so nicely.  It’s no wonder the main quartet are so enamored by Antarctica’s immense beauty.  The animation itself is smooth and consistent, but then again this is a show centered on character development rather than action itself.  Despite large portions of the show devoted to traveling to Antarctica and planning the trip itself, the plotline itself is steady and balanced, since well, having a final goal in mind is pretty useless if one does not try and figure out how to achieve said goal.  The series is also the proper length, paced perfectly so the story accomplishes what it sets out to accomplish and does so without rushing or chopping things short to squeeze everything in.  The series does not need a second season whatsoever, and one can only wonder what these girls do with their lives at the end of the story.

 

 

All in all, “A Place Further than the Universe” hits all the right marks.  It is a simple story yet there is more depth than what meets the eye.  Things develop and progress quickly but organically and cohesively.  All of the elements balance out and one does not feel as if one element is improved at the expense of another.  The plotline progresses steadily and conclusively ties up all the loose ends that began.  The characters are likable, have excellent chemistry, and each is relatable through both her ambition and private life.  Do give this series a try- it is very enjoyable and will provide a good uplift to your day.