Knights of Sidonia

Knights of Sidonia on the surface looks like just another generic mecha anime. 'Farmboy' destined to pilot super mecha and save the world which in this case is a giant ship carrying earth's survivors? Check. Surrounded by his own harem including a hermaphrodite/boy who looks like a girl? Check. (Gotta satisfy your fujoshis) Jealous rival who is royalty? Yup. Every pilot is a teenager. Yup. Hive mind baddies with a weak core? Check.

As I kept watching, I realised something. Knights of Sidonia didn't feel like a teenager's unreal fantasy anime. The world of Knights of Sidonia felt real and had weight and I'm not saying this because lots of people die. Ok, its part of the reason cause no one dies in kids anime. Knights of Sidonia is sending kids to die in war.

This anime deals with a lot of issues like anti-war protests, sacrificing the few for the many without idealistic characters giving nonsensical speeches and magical things happening to prove them right. Its like why are the pilots all teenagers? Cause the life expectancy of a pilot is low. That I can buy. Plus the mechas aren't design to sell toys.

There's no time to mourn the dead in Knights of Sidonia. Sidonia has to be protected no matter the cost and this anime is not afraid to show it in gory detail. The one thing I don't like is that the faces all look the same and I had trouble distinguishing who was who.

Knights of Sidonia is proof Japan can take all the anime cliches but if they ground it and make it gritty, they can make me care. Not must watch but I thoroughly enjoyed it and am looking forward to season 2. Very watchable for me. If anyone is after another interesting sci-fi anime, I recommend Planates.

On an unrelated note, The Snow White Murder Case has been English subbed so I highly recommend everyone check it out.