I Wasn’t Ready For Space Brothers

As I’ve previously mentioned, I’m quite terrible at anticipating new shows. Even if I manage to read a preview post that I can tolerate, I generally forget most of what I read especially about shows that I didn’t know of from other sources. So, I remembered nothing about Space Brothers, though in hindsight I remember being interested in it.

It’s the first show from the new season that I watched, and my goodness, it was love at first sight. Let me go database on you all:

Element	Observation	Personal Value
Brothers	Check	I am the eldest of three boys.
Space Travel	Check	I too, wanted to be an astronaut as a boy.
Astronomy	Check	I used to go into grassy clearings; thickets, etc. to get the best view of the night sky.
Hard Science	Tentative	As much as I enjoy Protoculture, etc. I love me a hard science fiction story too.
Unemployment	Check	Been there.
Burning Shounen Ambition	Check	Kind of like Planetes, but totally BRO.

On top of all this, it’s a good-looking show with clean yet distinct character designs. The animation looks fluid and smooth, and the music feels subdued but relevant. It feels like a mature show, without giving up its humor and light-heartedness. Unemployment and sibling rivalry can make for dark material, but it’s obvious that the show isn’t about GRIMDARK, it’s about going to space… just like your brother.

If the table above doesn’t make it obvious, I relate to so many things about the show. I love how Mutto starts his narration with the arbitrary meanings lent by sports history. There’s a wealth of meaning and character communicated by that narrative device and it worked really well. I always thought of my birth year as special – the year when Dungeon & Dragons first got sold in stores, the year when Elvis died, when Star Wars featured, and Choudenji Voltes V aired in Japan. Yeah I’m old, a little older than Mutto in the story.

I never headbutted my supervisor but at Mutto’s age, I knew how it is to lose my job. Unemployment was terrible – the difference between us was that I was married and had a daughter. I took a terrible job just like he did, and thankfully I’m out of that one and am in a far better place (if overworked).

But Mutto is a single man, and the lack of familial responsibility gives him the freedom to apply himself recklessly towards the fulfillment of a personal dream. Don’t get me wrong I am not counting myself misfortunate for having family – quite the opposite. I just use different ways to reach my dreams as opposed throwing myself headlong into a situation wherein I have to travel and have tremendous focus.

I realize I haven’t mentioned Hibito at all, the younger brother. It’s hard for me to talk about him yet, because well, he’s so naturally awesome and perfect. I can’t relate to this guy. I mean, I love him to pieces because he’s a complete BRO and obviously loves and reverences Mutto. I love my younger brothers and I believe if I had reached out to them when I was down they’d have helped me…

But I never did, because a big brother should always stay ahead of his little brothers.

Blame Gundam AGE for not airing episode 25 where I live.