'Toward the Terra': The intoxication that is 'the future'

Mirai (未来) - meaning 'the future' - is a word with a halo around it in Toward the Terra. Mirai is like a drug.

It seems fair to say that it is about the only series in recent memory in which the characters' thinking take into account not only of their immediate lives, but of the lives of generations to come. There is prevalent realization of an individual's limitations. The characters think not in terms of their lifetime, but of a timespan measured in centuries. And the more they think about it, the more they realize that it is simply impossible to accomplish all that needs to be accomplished for their vision of the future, hence they entrusts dreams and hopes to the next generation. There is a real sense of the torch being passed down from generation to generation.

When you think about, isn't it the way things should be? Since when have we stopped thinking of building a future for ourselves, but for distant generations as well?

That is the marvelous thing about Toward the Terra (and to some extent other old school classics like The Legend of Galactic Heroes 銀河英雄伝説). The stage on which the characters tread is vast, and the timespan in which they live in acute awareness of spans across centuries.

That, ladies and gentlemen, is what it means to be an epic.

[Heavy spoilers of the characterization, plot development and comparison with the original manga ahead.]

As much as I think this new adaptation delivers what it promises, I am disappointed that Keith Anyan hardly asks any questions. After all, that is his main appeal as a character in the manga and the old 1980 anime adaptation - he is an elite member of society and he ought not to lack for anything, but he feels a great emptiness underneath. He wants to know why about a lot of things. If there is a motive to his climbing up the social ladder at all, it is to place himself in a position where he can have access to classified information on which to draw his own conclusions. But in this new anime, he just follows the conveyor belt like a puppet.

Instead, Swena does all the questioning about the existence of the Mu that was done by Keith in the original story. In that sense, she is really the spiritual reincarnation of the original Keith. I think her enlarged role in the anime may be the reason why Keith is an unthinking machine. If Keith in the new anime is just like Keith in the original manga, then he and Swena would actually be kindred spirits, and that is bad business if they also want to pander to BL fans. Keith and Swena would be too alike in thinking for there to be no hint of mutual admiration whatsoever. Unfortunately in the new anime, they really do go out of their way to suggest that Keith as a grown-up dislikes Swena.

Soldier Blue lives a lot longer in the anime than he does in the manga. I find that change an acceptable trade-off. In the manga, Soldier Blue dies early and Jomy assumes leadership relatively easily. In the new anime, Soldier Blue lives longer but Jomy's assumption of leadership is made relatively difficult. The Mu just are not sold on him from the outset, and the only reason why the Mu do not throw him off board is probably because Soldier Blue is still alive (albeit in deep sleep). Jomy really has to work to gain the trust of the Mu.

Jomy in this new anime is closer to the original manga than the 1980 anime. As we know, in the 1980 anime, he sired Tony with Karina. In the new anime, Tony calls Jomy 'grandpa'. In both versions, Tony worships Jomy. I suspect that they shy away from from marrying Karina off to Jomy in the new anime because they want to pander to BL fangirls. I think Jomy would have had room to develop more fully as an individual if he became a husband and father, leading the Mu back to the basic way of human life by example.

In the manga, Tony and the children born in Nasca are supposed to turn into a third race of beings who do not exist physically but in the form of brainwaves (or something like that). It is also spelled out that the girls born in Nasca cannot bear children.

In the new anime, I am not sure if there are actually any Mu left behind in human society since Tony just orders for the ship of Mu to leave Terra behind. In the original manga, humans and the Mu are supposed to rebuild Terra and society at large side by side. On the whole, I think the new anime's ending is more feasible. Humans and Mu have reached an understanding, but to live with each other on a daily basis would be disastrous. Humans would have no privacy of thought in front of the Mu. Distancing themselves from humans is the best thing the Mu can do.

To return to my point of how the story reaches across time, in the new anime a 'healed' Earth with plants and what-not is shown at the end. A weapon of war (the cross which shoots lethal beams - I suspect it is the same cross Murdock crashes into) is also shown. Whenever this scene takes place, it must be a long, long time from the main story. It may be inferred that humans used technology to rejuvenate the Earth.  The point is, Terra becomes a livable planet again.

Comments

[bi]

I really loved this series because, as you say, it is an epic. It is a story about the characters but it is also a story about the future of their races, their whole "world" and systems.
You are right in saying that it's been a while since we saw a story that goes through generations, I really like this "classic sci-fi" touch to it.
One of the series I really enjoyed this season and that I won't forget so soon.

[cdeeee]

Well, the story could have done without Swena. I guess they wanted and needed to add a girl chracter. Sadly, it took away from the main antagonist of the story. I think the end does a good job of redeeming Keith, and his love that is show for Sam also helps to make people see him more human. While, not perfect I don't think he seems so much an unfeeling machine in the anime. I just think you have to look harder to see it.

I agree with the term epic. It gets thrown around a lot lately, but I think Toward the Terra really fits it.

[Wabisabi]

It's an intelligent show, to be sure. God knows when we will have the next epic anime coming our way.

Maybe Keith is more human is at the end, but Keith is much more human in the manga throughout. For example, when he ditches Physis after using her for his rescue, you do see from his complex facial expression that he does feel something like remorse and pity. But in the anime, he just doesn't seem to feel anything.

[Ialda]

I didn't watch the series because I felt bored after the first episode and didn't think it was as good as Fantastic Children (while we are speaking of retro series) or the Terra e movie. But I liked what you said about epic being less frequent in anime quite true (Gurren Lagann nowithstanding, and there is a limit if you want to be credible - playing tennis with entire galaxies doesn't count). Stories are more personnal, which is good and make for interesting, more psychological series, but sometimes one needs less nombrilistic stories, where the characters are part of a grander scheme.

(and you remembered me that I still have to buy the Terra e manga, thanks ! ^^)

[Wabisabi]

I can see the first episode being a turn-off to you, but the show makes more converts after Episode 4. It maintains a high level of direction throughout. Every episode builds towards climax point in the last five minutes. It really is an above average show.

I think anime/manga of old used to be more idea-driven, whereas anime/manga nowadays tend to be more character driver. Personally, I am waiting for the pendulum to swing back to idea-driven side. I think 'The Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi' is a clever combination of both.

[Ilsa]

i started to watch Towards the Terra only because i read about it in your Bakumatsu site and i'm happy i gave it a try. i guess i'm also one of after-4th episode converts, but first three only made me want to slap Jomy. that said i gradually started to like him, but my favourite character in this series is Keith. He is one of the best antagonists ever, as many mentioned before, but throughout all the series there are these moments when he's surprisingly human (i love how they portrayed Keith's and Sam's friendship)or trying to be so; i felt happy that in the end despite that he was, let's say programmed (even all the people he met was according to plan of Mother) he chose to do as he himself wanted to.
i haven't seen 1980anime, but i do think it would've been better if Jomy was indeed Tony's father, it could have added more depth to his story.
for me actually Physis story was a bit unclear at the end, i felt that she lost her importance to the story, and than she was left to live and carry on all this sadness of loosing people she cared about.
more ramblings: second OP and ED was way better than first.
and i think it was the anime i cried most while watching. it was truly awesome.

[Wabisabi]

Oh, an old-timer from my Iroha blogging era. ^-^

I can't stress enough that Keith is more interesting in the 1980 and original manga. Also, in the new anime, they cut out a scene where Keith and Sam hang out together at a new year party, which is about the only time the elite-track students get to 'let their hair down', so to speak. There isn't such a thing as the game room in the original manga, so the students really did live in a strange world of isolation from their own peers (due to competition) and mad studying ...

Simply put, those elite students aren't taught to bond with others. They wouldn't know what to do to express human bondings. So Keith wearing earrings with Sam's blood in it comes across as a primitive and clumsy way of expressing friendship...

I think the new anime lost the strangeness of the futuristic world in the manga.

[Ilsa]

i decided i have to find and read manga. i don't want to let go of Towards the Terra yet:)
when i think more about Terra world, i still have questions- like family model in the series- did parents keep their memories of children they rised or Jomy's parents were exception? And if anyone could rise their own child (supposedly made in tube) or parents and child had to have no blood relations (I think Swena said she lost rights to rise her daughter because she divorced, but i might be wrong). well, another reason to read manga!

[Ilsa]

oh, by the way- wasn't OP most misleading about predicting what relationships characters will have?:)

[Wabisabi]

There is an English translation of the manga out there.

Perhaps you don't get your memories erased as a grown-up? Swena remembers her former foster daughter too.

Swena did lose the right to rise her daughter when she divorced. I don't think you will find the answer to that in the manga though as the manga never goes into what happens to Swena after she left Station E-1077.

[Songster]

I am thrilled to see your comments on Terra E! I recently raced through the manga but have not yet seen the movie. I don't have much time, but I do want to say a few things and hopefully get to add some more to this thread.

1) I was struck how negative numerous people (seen similar comments on other sites) were in their reaction towards Jomy in the early eps. I found his reaction to his Mu status completely believable, exspecially considering his upbringing. I actually found myself cheering for his development as the series prgressed. It is not until after Nazca and especially the death of Soldier Blue that I was saddened at the change in his character (though it was believable as well). I think that was the series equivalent of Jomy becoming deaf/blind/dumb. What happens to his character reminds me of Frodo in the "The Return of the King_. He becomes so scarred by his experiences that he cannot enjoy the fruits of his victory and must leave the mortal world. I wonder if Jomy could have enjoyed the future if miraculously he had lived and the rest of the "old guard" except Physis had perished...

2) I wish the series was longer so that more fleshing out of the characters could have been accomplished. I know the manga is also very brief, and I would would make the same request of that author. :->

3) I was disappointed that Twellan was not asked to be the Mu commander. It would have been nice to see a woman of color get a leadership role (see comment above for her as well). I do know that two of the elders fit this description, but still(!)

4) I did not read Tony's final actions the way you did, partly because we cannot see what has happened on the Mu ships between Sbiro's decision and Tony's taking over of command. I'll have to rewatch and see if I agree with your interp.

Cheers and thank you!!

[Wabi Sabi]

I am not 'done' with 'Toward the Terra' just yet. Since this fall/winter looks to be a lacklustre season for anime, I am slowly but surely watching some old school classics I have never seen. 'Captain Harlock' is one of them. I will be sure to compare 'Captain Harlock' with 'Toward the Terra'.

1) I guess a lot of people complain that the whole reluctant hero thing is old hat, but when 'Toward the Terra' the manga came out back in the 1970s, it was relatively new hat...

It's a well-spotted point that how Jomy becomes hardened by the experience in the new anime is the equivalent of him becoming blind/dumb/deaf in the manga and 1980 anime. In a way, the new anime is probably better on this point. Instead of keeping Jomy's hands clean and leaving all the slaughtering for young Tony to do, Jomy is there to participate all along.

2) I think the length of the new anime is about right. I rather like how time just flies by and we don't get stupid recap filler episodes...

3) I didn't pay attention on this point at all...

4) That's just my guess though. Let us hear from you.