 I raved about Stellvia when it was in its fansub days. Now the
DVD release has begun, I've a chance to rave about it all over again.
Provided you can all hear me over Shipon's crying, that is...
1 - Welcome
It's 2356, 189 years after the First Wave - the devastating effects of
a supernova in a nearby startsystem - hit Earth, laying waste to much
of the planet. Mankind has rebuilt, and just in time, too - the Second
Wave of supernova debris, more devastating than the first, is due to
reach the Solar System in a few short months. Earth has prepared, with
the Foundation space stations built as part of the Great Mission, a
plan to hold the Second Wave back. Meet Shima Katase ('Shipon' to her
friends), on her way to space as one of a group of students assigned to
Foundation II, aka Stellvia...
2 - Hesitation
After the excitement of the welcoming ceremony, it's down to school
routine for Shima and her new friend and roomate Arisa, with subjects
to be chosen and classes to attend. Add two more classmates to the
'friends' list (Akira & Yayoi), and their first attempts at flying Stellvia's
training ships - embarrassing flight suits and all. To say Shima's
first flight doesn't go according to plan would ba an understatement...
Meanwhile, what's the story with the mecha being stored in the
station's hangars?
3 - I'm Sorry
Time for mid-terms (time flies in space, I
guess). And what do all students do before exam-time? Study. And lots
of it. Turns out Shipon's quite the whiz at programming, too, so
manages to get roped into hosting a study session. When Shipon tries to
make their simulation exercise more realistic by hooking into the
station's main server, you know something's going to go wrong. Cue a
clandestine trip to the server room, in an attempt to repair the damage
caused and cover their tracks. Meanwhile, planning for the Great
Mission proceeds, with just 70 days remaining before the wave reaches Stellvia...
4 - I'll Do My Best
Shipon still hasn't quite got the hang of controlling her Bianca - with
her latest mishap being a collision with Leila's ship. It's enough to
make Leila suggest that desk work could be the best thing for Shipon,
but a barbed remark from another instructor leads to her reconsidering.
Shipon, meanwhile, isn't in the best of form after her recent failings,
but a chance talk with Kouta & some words of wisdom from Yayoi help
encourage her...
Okay, so I over-stress just how much Shipon can cry, and she doesn't
do that until later in the series anyway - but don't say you weren't
warned!
What you get on this disc is a lot of character introduction, at lot
of classroom learning for the leads, and a lot of little hints thrown
in as to where the show is going to go. You know that Shipon's going to
play a major role in whatever happens, which will probably have
something to do with the Great Mission, but past that the viewer isn't
told a hell of a lot. That works out quite well, though - it gives you
a chance to get used to the people and setting before getting another
batch of information thrown at you.
If you've seen the series before, pay extra close attention, as
there are little comments thrown in here and there that take on a
significance when you know how the story pans out. It's nice to see
these - it keeps the interest up even when you know what's going to
happen.
If you're looking for a show this can be compared to, think Battle Athletes, as there are a lot of similarities in the setting & characters. Stellvia is a good bit more serious in tone, though - no hiding in a cardboard box for Shipon.
This is one of those shows I really can't recommend enough. Well
thought-out setting and characters who are far from perfect (there are
actually a few very messed-up kids in this group, which becomes more
apparent as the show goes) makes for a good combination - well worth
getting.
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