Anime original by BONES
Simulcast on Crunchyroll

Premise

Daichi’s father was an astronaut who died when he was young. Now in high school, he returns to the island where the launch took place and where he encountered a mysterious boy many years before.

Zigg’s Verdict: To The Stars

I enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I was going to. BONES originals are always pot luck to some extent, but I was impressed with the imagination and presentation of the story told. granted, there’s no super-original stuff here, but it was all very well executed in a smart, easily digestible way. I loved the parallel stories in the past and present, which did a great job of holding your interest while keeping the plot just on the right side of confusing. The show’s also suffused with that weird air of techno-mysticism which I find really attractive, and I think it’s encouraging they’re confident enough in their storytelling not to try and explain everything immediately. It maintains the studio’s tradition of great looking productions handily. Character design is classic BONES, attractive in a lanky, cartoonish way and they’re as good as ever at gorgeous skyscapes. That robot combining sequence at the end was pure pornography too. Definitely the show to watch this season.

Marlin’s Verdict: Transformation Central

I’ll admit, Captain Earth doesn’t push a lot of envelops. Our protagonist is your normal mix of brooding and a bit of apprehension. Despite being a little generic I grew to like him over the episode. Considering he did go into the cockpit without too much prodding at least shows he has some gumption. What absolutely saved the show was the awesome transformation sequence at the end. There’s just something about robots combining to form even bigger more badass robots that stirs the heart of any man. This is where BONES’s penchant for great mecha animation really shone through. It reminded me of when I first saw GaoGaiGar, where everyone in control talked about absolute nonsense with a confidence that didn’t make you question what in the world was going on. If the battle ahead can live up to the hype that transformation created, I’ll be content.

Gee’s Verdict: Steady Course

Captain Earth isn’t very unique. Might as well get that out of the way. It’s quite by-the-numbers and doesn’t do much to convince me otherwise. Throw in some incomprehensible techno-jargon and a disregard for anything resembling a sensible set up and you have a show that risks being too obtuse for its own good. Luckily, the last 5 minutes of the episode prove that Bones hasn’t forgotten what makes a good mecha series. It’s not pseudo-philosophical bullshit or some half-assed message, it’s the giant fucking robots! Taking inspiration from the likes of GaoGaiGar and Getter Robo, the giant robot transformation sequence at the end was totally worth the wait. Daichi is a tolerable mecha protagonist all things considered. He’s a bit apprehensive and a little aimless as so many tend to be, but unlike many modern mecha protagonists, he doesn’t spend too much time crying or moaning about his situation, instead getting into the robot like a proper man. That said, Captain Earth isn’t in my good graces just yet. While the mecha design is solid and the transformation sequence a total crowdpleaser, I’m going to need more before I call this one a net positive. If next week’s battle can live up to expectations, that’ll be a good start.