Ragix

Sidonia no Kishi is truly a marvel. When I began the first episode and laid my eyes on the CGI, I felt a bit underwhelmed and my opinion began to waver on the show; However, SnK soon made me realize that I could have never been so wrong and I'm glad for that. Sidonia no Kishi is a post-apocalyptic sci-fi anime where everyday mankind lives in fear of being decimated, but continues to survive on an enormous ship known as Sidonia. There struggle is against an alien-species known as the Gauna which have brought humanity to its knees before and the only thing betweenthem and Sidonia are the pilots of the Gardes(mechs) whom protect Sidonia. This setting is not necessarily new, but the way it is handled and presented can only be said to be top-notch. Story (9/10): The story sets itself for excitement, thrills and edge of your seat action which is all done masterfully in SnK. Considering humanity could be on the brink of being destroyed on a daily basis there should really never be a dull moment and there never was. Even at times when the scene was supposed to ease the tension or be a bit more heart-warming not once did it lose my interest. The sci-fi played a huge role when showing off technological advancements and it's thanks to this and the anime's emphasis on it which made it only that much more interesting. Every single moment had its intensity, the plot would constantly mesmerize you with excitement, but evens it out superbly with some comedy and scenes to ease the tension before throwing you back in the action again. The story has been done many times over, but not a lot could match up with what Sidonia no Kishi brought to the table. Art (9/10): The world is brought to life using CGI which is what gave me the first impression that it would be underwhelming. In-fact, I felt rather unsettled seeing the CGI, but moving forward giving the anime a chance I realized there would be no Sidonia no Kishi without it. The CGI is used masterfully for every scene and whenever it was time to buckle up and fly into the heat of battle the action was on a completely different level from anything else thanks to it. While it did take some getting used to for when we were simply watching our characters walking around, it became no problem soon enough and well worth it to just see the Gardes in action. Sound (10/10): The sound completely exceeded my expectations. I highly recommend if you have a pair of fantastic headphones, use them. The quality of the sound during the encounters versus the Gauna were some of the best I have ever heard. Once I put on my headset and listened, I was completely immersed. The engines roaring, weapons firing and so-on, you could tell the studio payed especially close attention to the details and it was phenomenal. Character(8/10): The characters in SnK were very interesting. While I cannot say they were completely original they each had unique characteristics to separate themselves from most other characters. Each character evolved in his or her own way and it was fantastic to see some of the interactions between them after the course of some events had taken place. It's really thanks to the sci-fi setting that allows for such diversity among them and while you may not appreciate every character; Each character we're introduced to have their own role in the story and I cannot deny that it's thanks to what can be created within the sci-fi setting which makes each of them only that more intriguing. Enjoyment (10/10): Sidonia no Kishi had done everything completely right in my eyes when it came to entertainment. Every episode had a huge significance and would leave you with an aching appetite for more. Every time the Gardes had flown off into battle I was completely overjoyed with excitement and even in the more relaxing scenes I was still just taken aback by all the twists the plot had taken along with the progression. For an anime to be able to succeed in capturing the audiences attention every single episode is a grand feat. Overall (9/10): Sidonia no Kishi is an amazing anime that should not simply be overlooked. The CGI, while may take some getting used to for some, is an integral part of the anime and those whom give it a chance will see why. Even for those with a dislike of mecha I'd recommend this to as the major focus on character interactions, fantastic sound and breath-taking action all put into one package makes this one of the greater Sci-fi mecha anime out there to look out for. Out of all 12 episodes there was not one that was uneventful and it continued strong from start to finish. So what are you waiting for pilot? Suit up, it's time for the Knights of Sidonia to move out.

ZephSilver

When certain premises in anime are overused without variation they're quickly labeled as "run of the mill".. Like dystopian with mecha. Because of that many anime try to change minute details regarding the setting or premise to stand apart. However, if something normally considered "run of the mill" is executed with proper care it can be seen as rather refreshing. Knights of Sidonia is a rare case, not quite falling towards being called mediocre nor does it fall towards refreshing. Rather it all depends on the individual to make the judgement call. Story: 6/10 Set in the distant future, the story takes place upon a spaceshipwhere the lone surviving civilization of humanity live in a stagnant state of unrest due to the attacks of giant ominous creatures known only as "Gauna". These creatures are rather interesting as they seem to have the ability to mimic the action and appearance of things they encounter, giving them an eerie presence as the series progresses. Due to these frequent attacks by the Gauna the story never feel bogged down to a slow paced narrative. This makes for good binge watching material as your curiosity pushes you to one episode after the next. Despite the pace being powered by propane the tone of the series is all over the place. The story goes from "Shingeki no Kyojin in space" to " let's build a harem" at a drop of a hat . This can be very off putting at times but it's slowly resolved back to an even tone towards the show's midpoint. Art: 6/10 it's hard to judge the art for this anime. It's a mixture of both CGI and cell shaded animation. The CGI is rather jarring upon 1st encounter but quickly becomes tolerable as you become immersed in the show's setting. On normal occasions if someone were to tell me to watch a show composed entirely of CGI, I would probably think "well this is gonna be some ugly shit" but in this case it works. In fact I think it's safe to say that the CGI gives Knights of Sidonia it's special signature. This is especially true for the fight sequences. However when the focus are on the characters, their movements feel artificial and stiff. It's also obvious that recycled footage were used during the launch sequences and team formation. The flaws are too noticeable to ignore and ultimately impedes on the score from being higher. Sound: 7/10 The music score is virtually nonexistent. It's all muddled together with very little difference separating them. Only standout were the ones played during Gauna encounters.. The opening song however is one worth noting. I has an orchestral tone while still being rather tranquil, making it one that you simply can't skip. Voice actors all perform their roles with no hiccups but there wasn't any standouts that come to mind. The only other standout being the sound affects pertaining to the lasers (heigus cannon), thrusters and other devices used. Character: 3/10 The characters are all a dismal mess. None of them receive any decent characterization. Our main character is basically another "self insert" protagonist with little personality to speak of and is good at everything he does. Basically he's the vanilla of most MCs coming out today and can easily be replaced by one of many other series with no difference noticed. the antagonist Kunato, upon 1st introduction seemed 1 note. Before he even muttered a word you already know he was going to be the 'arrogant, rich, short tempered douche '.. But surprisingly he becomes the only character with decent characterization. As the show progresses it also becomes easier to sympathize with him. And finally a plethora of females! Because what's a harem without some right? But seriously there's only two female characters worth mentioning and that's Izana & Hoshijiro (Izana being non gender but I digress). Both of which have no real characterization beyond being 1 dimensional archetypes but they do get a more screentime than the rest. OH YEAH! there's also a talking bear with a robot hand that we never get a proper explanation for but we'll ignore that lol enjoyment: 7/10 despite this show's numerous flaws it's an enjoyable watch for those looking for a sci-fi popcorn flick. The characters were nothing special but the story carried it. Overall: 6/10 This anime is made to be enjoyed by the casual viewing masses and is an easy watch. However seasonal anime fans will notice the overused tropes and archetypes in a heartbeat and that might be the deciding factor on whether they like it or think it's mediocre. Either way the series to the very least was entertaining with little down time to speak of and can be easily finished in one sitting. With that in mind I recommend giving this one a go.