Knights of Sidonia review: Epic space battles meet profound human drama

Knights of Sidonia: The hope and struggle of humanity at the edge of the universe

Knights of Sidonia is a TV anime series based on the manga of the same name by Tsutomu Nihei, which aired from April 11 to June 27, 2014. The CG animation by Polygon Pictures draws viewers in with its visual impact and realistic battle scenes, and successfully portrays depth of story and character growth. Set in a solar system destroyed by Gauna, an alien lifeform that cannot be communicated with, the series depicts the struggle and hope for humanity to survive on the giant spaceship Sidonia.

story

The story of Knights of Sidonia depicts a world after the solar system has been destroyed by the Kikoku. Humanity has chosen to board the giant spaceship Sidonia, built using an asteroid as its hull, and travel the universe while reproducing. In the year 1009 of the Sidonia Era, a boy named Tanikaze Nagate, who was raised quietly in the lowest level, leaves for the city after his grandfather's death. Nagate enrolls in a training school for pilots of the giant humanoid armored Guardians, and there he comes into contact with humans other than his grandfather for the first time.

Nagate's first friend is a human, Shinato Seizana, who is neither male nor female. He also meets various trainees, including Shizuka Hoshijiro, who is the first girl Nagate is aware of as a member of the opposite sex, and Norio Kunato, a boy who is irritated by Nagate's success. While he is at school with them, Nagate and his friends are given their first mission. However, during the mission, the Kikoku suddenly appear, and they encounter a threat for the first time in 100 years. What will humanity and Nagate choose? A battle for the survival of humanity begins.

character

The protagonist, Tanikaze Nagate, is the 628th trainee of the Guardian pilots and the personal pilot of the "Keigo". Having lived with his grandfather, Saito Hiroki, on the lowest floor of Sidonia, he is naive and doesn't say much, but after Hiroki's death, he sneaks into the upper level residential area to steal rice but is caught, and with the captain's help, he becomes a Guardian pilot trainee. Unlike the other Sidonia crew members, Nagate cannot photosynthesize and needs to eat every day.

Izana Shinozaki is the 628th trainee pilot of the Guardian, and is a gender-neutral character who is neither male nor female. She is the first friend that Nagate becomes after he goes out to Earth, and she is friendly towards him, but is often jealous of Hoshibira and Kaede.

Hoshishiro Kana is the 628th trainee of the Guardian pilot, and is the girl who encountered Nagate when he appeared in the residential area and stole rice. She is the first person Nagate becomes aware of as a member of the opposite sex.

Kishin Norio is the 628th trainee for the Guardian pilot, and his skills are impeccable, making him the top trainee. He is the 8th generation heir to the Kishin Development family, and is very proud. He discriminates against Nagate and Izana, calling them "demi-humans," and is not happy that Nagate is the pilot of the heroic robot, the Guardian.

The Hozuki sisters are the 628th trainees of the Guardian pilots, and are 11 clone sisters who were rapidly grown using artificial amniotic fluid and compressed education. They all have the same appearance, and although their appearance and intelligence are not significantly different from the other trainees, they are actually 5 years old.

Midorikawa Kaede is the younger sister of Midorikawa, a member of the Akai Squad, known as the strongest in Sidonia, who transferred into the 628th generation of Guardian pilot trainees midway through the training. Her hobby is building Guardian plastic models.

Yamano Eiko is the 628th trainee for the Eidolon pilot program. She is a studious person who became a trainee through hard work, which is why she holds resentment towards Nagate and Izana, who were selected under special conditions.

Samari Ittan is a regular Evas pilot, a female pilot who is a leader and is made the team leader every time they go out on missions. Her abilities and popularity are impeccable, and she is very popular with the male pilots. There are many who are hoping to have a fling with Samari, but she doesn't seem to mind.

Seiichiro is the assistant commander and takes command of the Guardian Corps under Captain Kobayashi. Captain Kobayashi is the 28th captain of Sidonia and the supreme commander of the Sidonia military. He wears a mask like a Noh mask in front of the general crew, and is calm and collected, sometimes taking ruthless measures for the sake of Sidonia. His hobby is blending in with the general public by wearing various clothes.

Ochiai is the captain's assistant, aide to Captain Kobayashi, and a young man who looks after Nagate. Hiyama Lalah is the dorm mother of the pilots' dormitory, a bear-like dorm mother who manages the dorm for pilots and trainees. She is usually gentle, but when someone calls her "Lalah," she gets angry and her wild side is exposed.

Akai Mochikuni, Momose Hinata, Aoki Kashiwade, and Midorikawa Izumo are regular Guardian pilots and members of the "Akai Squad," known as the strongest team in Sidonia. Akai Mochikuni is the leader, and Midorikawa Izumo is Kata's older brother.

Main Robot Items

The crew of Sidonia are genetically engineered to be capable of photosynthesis, so they only need to eat food once a week. In addition to male and female genders, there are also neutrals who do not belong to either gender, and there are also clones. When neutrals choose a mate, their bodies change to match that of the mate.

The Kikoku are mysterious extraterrestrial lifeforms that threaten humanity, and are made up of a body and a placenta. As long as the body is not destroyed, Ena can regenerate as many times as necessary, and there is no effective way to counter them other than piercing the body with a Kabizashi.

The Guardians are the main humanoid weapons possessed by Sidonia, and their basic fixed armaments are only effective against Ena, and since Ena regenerates faster than the attack power, the use of Kabizashi is essential to destroy the main body. A development race was held between Toa Heavy Industries and Kishin Development, and currently the mass-produced Guardian, the Type 18 manufactured by Kishin Development, is the main weapon in use.

The Type 17 Guardian Hakugetsu Kai Kei-ei is a generation older Guardian that was piloted by a hero known as an ace pilot about 100 years ago, and is manufactured by Toa Heavy Industries. The current pilot is Tanikaze Nagamichi, and compared to the Type 18, which has more automated controls, the pilot's skill is more clearly displayed. Although the form is similar to the Type 18, it is equipped with high-cost equipment such as anti-Haigs beam coating, and its performance is higher than that of its successor, the Type 18.

The Kabizashi is the only weapon capable of destroying the body of the Kikoku, and is shaped like a spear. There are only 28 of them in Sidonia, so only a limited number are in operation. If the equipped Guardian is defeated, retrieving it becomes an essential mission, even if you are in a dangerous situation.

The safety belt is a personal piece of equipment consisting of a belt, a lifeline, and a carabiner, and can be hooked onto safety railings located throughout the ship to ensure personal safety in the event of an emergency acceleration or gravity stop. Because many people lost their lives when gravity stopped 100 years ago, all Sidonia crew members are required to wear one.

The heavy mass cannon is a weapon stored on the side of the Sidonia hull that fires large-mass bullets, but it does not have the power to defeat the Kikoku themselves, and even if it hits directly, it can only knock the Kikoku far away.

In the palm position, multiple guards hold hands and move, and the acceleration power increases with the number of palm positions. There is a superstition that an accident will occur if you join hands with someone you have never touched before, so it is a custom for pilots to shake hands in a palm position before going out on a mission.

Broadcast information

"Knights of Sidonia" was broadcast on MBS, TBS, CBC, BS-TBS, and AT-X. The specific broadcast dates and times are as follows:

• MBS: April 10, 2014, every Thursday from 25:49
• TBS: April 11, 2014, every Friday from 25:55
• CBC: April 11, 2014, Every Friday from 26:37
• BS-TBS: April 12, 2014, every Saturday from 24:00
• AT-X: April 22, 2014, every Tuesday from 23:00

Repeat broadcasts were also made, and the show was available to watch every Thursday from 11:00, every Saturday from 29:00, and every Monday from 17:00. It was also streamed online, and could be viewed on Bandai Channel, GyaO, Rakuten Showtime, Video Market, Docomo Anime Store, and Niconico Live Broadcast.

staff

The original work was written by Nihei Tsutomu and was serialized in Kodansha's Monthly Afternoon magazine. It was directed by Shizuno Kobun, with assistant director Seshita Hiroyuki, series composition and scriptwriting by Murai Sadayuki, production designer Tanaka Naoya, modeling director Katayama Mitsunori, CG supervisor Uemoto Masayuki, battle animatics by Ogushi Eiji, character design by Moriyama Yuki, production direction by Ando Hiroaki, storyboard work by Morita Hiroyuki, sound direction by Iwanami Yoshikazu, and music by Asakura Noriyuki. It was produced by Toa Heavy Industries Animation Production Department and animation by Polygon Pictures. Copyright © Nihei Tsutomu, Kodansha/Toa Heavy Industries Animation Production Department.

cast

The cast includes Osaka Ryota as Tanikaze Nagamichi, Suzaki Aya as Hoshibira Kana, Toyosaki Aki as Shinatose Izana, Sakurai Takahiro as Kigami Norio, Kanemoto Hisako as Midorikawa Kata, Kitamura Eri as the Hozuki sisters, Ohara Sayaka as Captain Kobayashi, Tsuboi Tomohiro as Seiichiro, Koyasu Takehito as Ochiai, Arai Satomi as Hiyama Lalah, Tanaka Atsuko as Samari Ittan, Mori Nanako as Yamano Eiko, Honda Takako as Sasaki, Toriumi Kosuke as Genuchi, Sakura Ayane as Kigami Kaiun, Saka Osamu as Tamba Shinsuke and Koyama Rikiya as Saito Hiroki.

Theme songs and music

The opening theme is "Sidonia" by Angela, and the ending theme is "Show" by Eri Kitamura. These songs are important elements that enhance the atmosphere of the story.

subtitle

The subtitles for each episode are as follows:

• Episode 1: First Battle
• Episode 2: Starry Sky
• Episode 3: Glory
• Episode 4: The Choice
• Episode 5: Adrift
• Episode 6: Salute
• Episode 7: Resolve
• Episode 8: Immortality
• Episode 9: Gaze
• Episode 10: Determination
• Episode 11: Collision
• Episode 12: Return to the ship

Ratings and Recommendations

"Knights of Sidonia" has captivated many viewers with its unique worldview and detailed CG animation. The story depicts a battle for the survival of humanity and the growth of each character, deeply moving viewers. In particular, the growth of Tanikaze Nagate and the changes in the relationships surrounding him leave a strong impression on viewers. Additionally, the battles against the Kikoku and the piloting of the Guardian captivate viewers with their realistic depictions and tense production.

This work is recommended not only for sci-fi anime fans, but also for viewers who like human dramas and coming-of-age stories. It is especially a must-see for those who are interested in Polygon Pictures' CG animation. In addition, the original manga is also highly acclaimed, so you can enjoy the story more deeply by reading the original after watching the anime.

"Knights of Sidonia" is a story about humanity finding hope at the edge of the universe, and its epic scale and attention to detail will leave viewers deeply moved and excited. Please watch this work and experience the future and battle of humanity.