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by Paul Sudlow |
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Episode 1: "Invasion"
Humanity has spread amongst the stars, and on the distant world of Martine, president Rock Lin and his staff are stunned when an invasion force of elegant, genetically-modified humans known as the Abh claim the planet in the name of their emperor. To spare his people, Rock surrenders Martine, but on the condition that he be permitted to continue ruling as an Abh noble. The Abh agree, but many Martines regard Rock as a traitor. As Rock departs for the far-off Abh capitol, his young son Jinto jets off to new boarding school on the planet Delktoe. Seven years later, Jinto has grown into a young man bound for a military academy. He's excited because today he meets his first Abh -- an irony, since he's legally an Abh himself.
Episode 2: "Kin of the Stars"
As Jinto awaits his escort, former classmate Dorin Ku shows up to see him off. Jinto is a little disappointed his other friends didn't come -- he didn't reveal his status as an Abh noble until the last day of school, and they don't know how to handle it. Jinto confesses he's not sure how to deal with it either. As Dorin takes his leave, a young punk snatches an old lady's purse prompting Jinto into chase, which causes him to run into a beautiful, longhaired girl, Lafiel, who just happens to be his Abh contact and who helps him recover the purse. When the two make it to Lafiel's shuttle, Jinto marvels at the integration of Abh technology with biology.
Episode 3: "Daughter of Love"
Jinto and Lafiel board the Gosroth, one of the Abh's most advanced warships, and the vessel that will take him to his new school. Captain Lexshue assigns Lafiel to serve as Jinto's guide aboard ship, which allows him to get to know her better, especially that despite her status as a lowly cadet, Lafiel is actually the grand-daughter of the Empress. She confesses that Jinto is the first person that has ever asked to call her by her given name -- he is of course mortified by her presumption, but she is hurt and angry when he tries to behave more formally. She explains that she is a daughter of love, a product of gene mixing based on her mother's love for her father -- this is apparently not very common among Abh nobles, who reproduce for political advantage rather than out of affection. She has no idea who her mother is.
Episode 4: "Surprise Attack"
Jinto is already being overwhelmed by his studies as the Gosroth heads for Sufugnoff. Meanwhile, the crew detects ships approaching which Lexshue suspects are the forerunners for an invasion force from the United Mankind Empire. Apparently, United Mankind, along with three other human civilizations, has been looking for an excuse for war with the Abh. Faced with inevitable combat with low chances for survival, Lexshue orders Lafiel to fly Jinto to Sufugnoff and warn the population of an impending attack. Lafiel protests, but Lexshue makes it clear that her duty is to protect Jinto. They depart as the hostile fleet nears the Gosroth.
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"Crest of the Stars 1: To the Stars" kicks off a new space opera saga that spans thirteen episodes. Based on the science fiction novel series by Hiroyuki Morioka, the show has been a hit both in Japan and among anime fan circles. For those who like their SF straight up, "Crest" offers a refreshing new take on the genre, focusing as much on character development as action sequences, and dispenses with the gonzo-jokey sidekicks and wacky humor scenes so common to other entries in SF anime from "Duel" to "Escaflowne." Unfortunately, the saga is off to an extremely slow start in this initial DVD package -- this epic space opera uses up its first four episodes with backbreaking exposition with nary a conflict greater than a purse-snatching.
Focusing as much as it does on the activities of its alien humans the Abh, "Crest" rises or falls on its ability to evoke interest in its new race. Happily, Morioka and series writer Aya Yoshinaga succeed in creating an intriguing culture for their race of genetically altered humans. Theirs is a society in which familial affection is rare. A child born of love, rather than political expediency, has its own special term, and addressing an individual by his given name is extremely intimate. Pastoral landscapes adorn corridor walls of their warships, perhaps to remind them of the worlds they will never call home again. They are a people who have lived in space so long they no longer identify with humans who live on planets -- and have no desire to.
"Crest" breaks the sci-fi anime tradition of a J-pop opening credits sequence by beginning each episode with a spacescape-heavy sequence accompanied by a sweeping orchestral score. The opening, very much in the tradition of "Star Trek" or "Babylon 5", subtly prepares us for a more serious science fiction experience than, say, "Evangelion" or "Angel Links" might offer. The score continues to pull its weight once within the show, adding thrills and gravitas to scenes that might not otherwise possess them -- much as Elmer Bernstein's amazing "Magnificent Seven" score did for that film.
Alas, "Crest" is not without problems -- significant ones. Though this reviewer has not read Morioka's original novels, it seems that Yoshinaga was a bit too slavish in adapting the plot to the small screen. In a novel it is perfectly acceptable to open chapters with mock-scholastic mini-essays and spend time setting up characters before throwing them into the action. Frank Herbert did both brilliantly in "Dune." In a visual medium, however, opening episodes with a speech in an alien language and devoting two episodes to wall-to-wall exposition with minimal action is a mistake. Yes, there are some luscious morsels of character development, especially between Jinto and Lafiel, but somehow "NYPD Blue" and "Star Trek" manage to have both character development and an occasional fight while delivering great drama. "Crest" would have been better served by launching the story at Jinto's boarding of the Gosroth, explaining his back story on the go and getting into the war arc more quickly.
The show is also frequently bogged down with exposition logjams. Characters stop the action to unload a treatise on hypertravel, or reflect extensively on their hopes that they have made a mark on a person who might someday be Empress. It gets to be a bit much at times.
It wouldn't be fair, though, to spank "Crest of the Stars" too hard. Derived from a serious SF novel rather than a toy line or kiddie mecha concept, the series features a fascinating world filled with intriguing people, and the promise of great conflict and romance yet to come. At lot of arduous work in the early episodes may pay rich dividends down the line.
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