Review: Toward the Terra

"Toward the Terra" is one of the best anime series I've watched. It's tough to talk about what the show is about with ruining it, so please bear with me. Anyhow, the show is set in the future when after human have fled Earth for other planets. The story revolves around two main characters Jomy and Keith, who eventually fulfill their destiny of becoming the head of the two warring factions of humans, the Mu and humans, respectively. What's great about this show is both of the main characters are not perfect and both perform act of heroism as well as acts that could be considered atrocities -- it's a war afterall and the show makes it very clear that war isn't pretty nor moral. Anyhow, the characters of Jomy and Keith are so well written and complex -- I was absolutely delighted. The other side characters are wonderful too. This is definitely a character driven show that also happened to include some great action. One of the last scenes in the final episodes poignantly shows off the skill of the story writers and the animators. I was moved by both the sadness and the hope this scene as well as the care taken to draw Jomy and Keith in their last moments. Oh, so good!!! There are actually a few scenes in the series that are like this and each time I was moved to tears. It's lonely to be the leader even though the leader is loved by many. It is tough to be a leader and to live with the atrocities you've committed and to feel the weight of each and every life you feel responsible for protecting. Who is good and who is bad -- or in fact are they sometimes the same? This series deeply probes this question and in the end I'm am left to say that Jomy and Keith acted in the best interests of the people they served. I think this comes through best when Keith asks Jomy, "Do you still have the power to destroy planets?" Jomy replies, "yes" and in response Keith says, "Then it is still my duty to eliminate you." The irony is that Keith has this power too and uses it, but it's in the form of a machine. 5/5 for a truly great series.