Knights of Sidonia is THE anime that science fiction fans should be watching this summer.
Here are some reasons why.
ThisKnights of Sidoniaarticle contains spoilers.
Now the humans are forced to defend their ship from the gauna with giant mechs called guardians.
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Is humanitys purpose to survive in a galaxy that no longer welcomes the species?
Or is it better to burn and end the suffering once and for all?
And who exactly are the monstrous gauna?
MECHS
The guardians are awesome.
Against the gauna, the guardians are formidable.
Thats not to say gauna are very easy to kill…
2.
KAIJU LOVE
it’s possible for you to tell Tsutomu Nihei, the original mangas creator, loves monsters.
Gauna come in many shapes and sizes.
Some take a humanoid form to match their mech enemies, while others are the size of asteroids.
There are also ones with giant tentacles.
Not only is the gauna pilot bloodthirsty, but its also got its very own gauna guardian mech.
In essence, the story ofKnights of Sidoniais about a farm boy who must fulfill his destiny.
By the end of season 1, it’s possible for you to already sense Tanikazes ultimate trial.
Tanikaze believes Hawk Moth can become human again.
But the other pilots begin to worry that hes getting too close to the enemy.
Tanikaze will have to pull it together because hes undoubtedly humanitys only hope for survival.
GENETIC ENGINEERING
A thousand years was enough time for humanity to adapt around its unique situation.
Always, the people ofSidoniaare concerned with survival and furthering the species.
Through advancements in science, humanity has triggered its own evolution.
Cloning, asexual reproduction, and human photosynthesis are commonplace inKnights of Sidonia.
But there are some even more peculiar mutations, such as human/bear hybrids and immortals.
you could kinda guess how the bear woman came about, but the immortals raise many questions.
Not only are there few of them, most of them prefer to live away from the public eye.
The diversity within the ship proves to be one of the most interesting aspects of the show.
Who doesnt love a cool mutant?
THE LAST HUMAN SHIP
Theres something about being the last human ship that really builds the tension.
Interstellar arks fromPandorumand2001 Nights.
Every time the gauna attack, humanity is inches away from being completely annihiliated.
One false move from the guardian defense force and its curtains.
But the struggle doesnt just stem from space monster problem.
The immortals who basically initiate the ship benefit from humanitys sustained space flight.
As long asSidoniacontinues to drift aimlessly, they can keep their hold on the people of the city.
Not to mention that there might still be other human ships in the galaxy.
When Earth was destroyed, several human ships escaped the catastrophe.
Its been a thousand years since that day, andSidoniahasnt found another ship.
How would things change if the ship made contact with other humans?
NEO-TOKYO
The last human ship inherits its own history, ecosystem, and culture.
Unsurprisingly, the city becomes a giant Neo-Tokyo.
Japanese architecture, myths, traditions, art, and philosophy moldSidonias society.
It makes for a beautiful setting amidst the artificial sky.
The city stretches across the entire ship.
The sea is on one of the top levels.
And you need elevators to travel anywhere.
Im sure once the gauna threat is out of the way, colonizing will be the main mission.
The gauna have huge laser beams and tentacles they can easily use to murder humans.
More often than not, the gauna have the upperhand over the humans.
The dog fights ofKnights of Sidoniabring all the tension of movies such asStar Wars.
By the end of season 1, the guardians face off against a gauna version of a Death Star.
SOCIAL COMMENTARY
One of the things that madeBattlestar Galacticagreat was that not all humans wanted the same thing.
Its the same situation onSidonia.
Some people believe that the fight against the gauna is righteous.
Social inequality is rampant on the ship.
Tanikaze is discriminated throughout the show for being an under-dweller.
And elders are euthanized when they reach a certain age.
THE MONOLITH & THE BIG QUESTION
The absolute best part of2001: A Space Odysseyis the mystery.
Who built the monoliths and what do they want?
Who made the artifact?
No one knows, and after a thousand years, no one seems to question it.
Still, theres something a bigger mystery in the galaxy than the gauna threat.
Im sure that by the end of the series, well have the answer.
And what is there to say about humanitys place in the galaxy?
It seems that our time is up, and that were at the bottom of the food chain.
Are we meant to survive?
Should we be allowed?
What is our purpose?
Knights of Sidoniais headed towards an answer.
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