But instead of actually watching it, I'll give my thoughts on Toward the Terra, as seen from the vantage point of episode 13.
--I am not especially attached to any one character yet, although I find Keith very interesting and think Matsuka (no, I will not use the "Makka" spelling from the official subtitles; it is clearly Matsuka) has potential. I don't dislike anyone either, although Jomy, like most hero leader types, is just kind of there to me.
--I don't really ship much, either. I know the big pairing in this fandom is Blue/Jomy, but I run into a similar problem there as I do with Setsuna/Marina: it's obviously a key relationship vital to both their characters, but I read no sexual/romantic tension or potential for such in it. On the other hand, I'm interested in Keith/Matsuka and might ship it if the show continues supplying twisted subtext.
--Predictably, I am annoyed by the dearth of major female characters. But it's based on a sci-fi manga from the late '70s and its corresponding movie from 1980, so there's nothing really surprising about the lack. I can live with it--especially since most of the minor female characters seem to have decent agency. I got irritated at the initial Suena subplot when it seemed like the whole point of her character was "fall in love with Keith, demonstrate that he can't figure this out, leave to go raise babies with someone else," but she's back as a minor character with her own motivations, so I'm okay with it. For now. I have nothing much to say on Physis, though. She's very standard so far.
--I like the moral ambiguity, and I'm hoping it's intentional. Most series, given this premise, would just run with how innocent and persecuted the Mu are. This one plays up how they mess with humans' minds and hints that they can represent an unrealistic desire for eternal childhood, while still making them sympathetic as individuals. I'd like to think that the scene in 13 where they mindraped Keith for information on the location of Terra was a deliberate mirror of the scene in 3 and 4 where the humans mindraped Jomy for information on the location of the Shangri La.
--Keith, meanwhile, is a fascinating antagonist. Much like the Mu are an exceptionally nuanced take on the "persecuted mutants" trope, he's an exceptionally nuanced take on the "emotionally stunted elite" trope. Most of the time they go for making these guys into jerks who don't realize they're being jerks, but who due to someone melting their icy heart soften up and unlock their humanity. Keith is never quite a jerk. He doesn't kick puppies. He maintains a friendship and makes gestures of kindness when he believes they're appropriate. But he has no clue why he does these things. Like I said to
joiedecombat, it's like someone gave him decent code, but no programmer's notes. So long as his computer mommy is there for him and supporting him, it doesn't matter to him that he doesn't get these things. But other people pick up on the way he's simply going through the motions, and it makes him kind of creepy to them. And he has no idea why or how to fix it, to the point where he simply doesn't try.--The show is really pretty. That is all.
I plan to watch at least up through 16 today.
