Netflix’s Moonrise anime is a stunning space opera, but its story is disorganized

Moonrise anime features dazzling visuals but suffers from a disjointed plot.

: Netflix's Moonrise boasts stunning designs from Hiromu Arakawa and direction from Masashi Koizuka but fails to uphold a cohesive narrative. The plot involves a future Earth offloading issues to the moon, spurring a civil war, with Jack Shadow at the core of the conflict. Despite exquisite animation and engrossing themes, the story is hindered by erratic time management and perplexing character arcs. The 18-episode run feels disjointed, with underutilized characters and a lackluster climax undermining its sci-fi potential.

Netflix's latest anime Moonrise presents a futuristic space opera with incredible visuals and acclaimed creators Hiromu Arakawa and Masashi Koizuka. Despite the dazzling animation and compelling character designs, critics like Isaiah Colbert note its narrative is chaotic, underscoring the imbalance between rich aesthetics and storytelling. Set in a utopian future directed by a global AI named Sapientia, humanity faces a new struggle when unresolved Earth struggles are shifted to a lunar colony. As a result, a civil war ignites among lunar rebels, loyalists, and Earth's military, with Jack Shadow tasked to neutralize rebel leader Bob Skylum.

The anime's story is seen as convoluted, with poorly timed narrative pacing. Its lofty themes like economic privilege criticism become increasingly muddled. Characters rely on 'engrave', a concept likened to alchemy or Green Lantern's powers, allowing them to wield energy weapons, adding a unique flair. However, this intricate world-building is disjointed by abrupt time leaps, leaving audiences disoriented rather than engaged.

Colbert remarks on the missed potential due to scattershot narrative delivery, likening it to the rushed end of a multi-season arc piled into a single compilation, which dilutes the depth. Side characters remain underdeveloped, with occasional glimpses of their dynamics appearing separately from the main storyline.

Despite boasting a full 18-episode run, Moonrise leaves much about its characters and plot motivations obscure, creating a frustrating viewer experience. Unraveling mysteries are resolved through anticlimactic exposition that detracts from any initial intrigue set by the political and social themes. The emergence of a fourth faction further distracts from the human drama, leaving the series feeling disconnected.

In conclusion, while Netflix's Moonrise impresses visually and conceptually, it stumbles in execution. Arakawa's unique character designs and the show’s space magic cannot sufficiently counterbalance its disordered narrative, which ends up sidelining its potential as a compelling speculative fiction work.

Sources: io9, Netflix, Wit Studio, Isaiah Colbert

streamingEntertainment