Anime Meta-Review
Mighty Space Miners
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Title Info
- seen: 1-2 of 2
- type: OAV
- grade: worthy
- Other elements of this title:
- This title appears to be an unsuccessful pilot.
- made: unknown
- Review created: Recently, but I didn't record the date.
- mod: none
Wow...this is great stuff...it just has one little problem. The story is solid near future sci-fi set on a mining colony. This small colony is attached to an asteroid and is busy cutting the asteroid apart for minerals. More importantly the young guy we follow, incidentally the only surviving space birth, is going for his pilots license. This is the important first step in his career as a space miner, but even more important one of his female friends has just finished her own test. Considering that this guy has talent, and a double helping of pride, nothing will stop him from passing on the first go. Mind you, this test is really going to be something special, because the colony has a rather spectacular accident inflicted on it while he is away. Thus while the colony struggles to recover the kid merely considers it an additional challenge, leading to some rather impressive action and suspense. Even once back the race against time to save the lives of those remaining on the colony is far from over.
Okay, i'll end the torment and give away the problem first. The problem is that this really well produced anime drags you in and then leaves you hanging with a `to be continued'. Not bad in itself, but terrible when you consider that only two episodes were made. This is an amazing disappointment. Still, don't let this stop you from seeing what is there. The story is excellent and well paced, the characters strong and masterfully crafted in the time given and the feeling of a reality very strong indeed. It really does give a feeling of how a mining colony might work. On top of this it's really well paced (the time flies by) and superbly produced. This is just top quality anime all around. And while the title sounds a bit fantastic (mighty in fact referring to how `tough' these miners must be) this is actually solid and realistic sci-fi, something all too rare in anime.
A problem common to sci-fi flicks is that they tend to drone on about technical detail, have limited action, and go through cliche's like the slow air-leak for suspense. Well...there is none of that here. The technology is wonderfully realised, both in design and appearance, but it is used simply as background. Meanwhile the lead we follow is physically adept, and definitely forced to use it over the course of the show. Being spaceborn he is comfortable with zero-G movement, and the anime makes full use of this. Impressive leaps, acrobatics, tools for moving and spaceship flight are all included to make this anime just full of exciting action. It even, gasp, has a suprisingly solid and enjoyable dub with some good voices and excellent ambient sounds. Watch this one and join with me in a collective sigh that the story will never be finished.
Sorry bout this, but I feel an amazing urge to nitpick. One action involves the lead unprotected in space. While they deal with the lack of oxygen, and radiation, they downplay the fact of pressure differential which is going to make such a trick a lot more fatal than indicated. Something to keep in mind if...um...you plan on a space based career.
Words by Andrew Shelton, Web by Ticti, Last Compile: Wed Aug 5 12:39:22 WST 2009