The ACTUAL Yuri on Ice – A Place Futher Than The Universe First Impressions

I went into this show literally blind and watched because it was the first simulcast of the season. After watching the first episode, I was hooked. A Place Further Than the Universe, or it’s Japanese name Sora yori mo Tooi Basho, is about a group of girls all taking a trip to Antarctica for various reasons, and contrary to the title of my post, it is not actual yuri. This original series from studio MADHOUSE is a fun and relaxing story of adventure that I know I’ll be keeping on my watch list.

The story is literally just about a bunch of high school girls, who aren’t even close friends when they started planning, going to Antarctica. Shirase’s motivations are to look for her mother who went on a scientific expedition and wrote a popular book about Antarctica but never returned. Mari, on the other hand, wants a little adventure in her boring school life. Hinata just wants to join in on the fun. And Yuzuki, the teenage internet idol chosen to go to Antarctica for publicity, doesn’t want to go because she wants friends, but quickly becomes friends with the other three and manages to get the other three to go with her to Antarctica. This is as far as the story goes up through episode 3 and from here onward I look forward to the adventures to Antarctica the three experience and the interactions between these four vastly different characters. Each girl has their own charm that makes you just want to know more about them and find out what food Hinata will have on her shirt next!

The artwork and animation in the show are amazing. It has a pastel color palette that makes it feel more welcoming and friendly. Character designs I was not into at first, but I warmed up to them soon enough. The animation is just stellar. There’s a chase scene in episode 2 and watching it you can feel the momentum and excitement. It’s one of the most fun scenes I’ve watched and it’s just the characters running around the city. Moreover, there are several excellent reaction faces from Shirasae in episode 3 that pretty much show the range of these characters.

Overall it’s a fun show. An unexpected show too. It was the first simulcast this season I saw and it’ll be on my list for the rest of the season. I would definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a more down to earth and non-fantasy adventure. What do you think? Are Hinata’s shirts the best? Does Shirasae have the best reaction faces? Let me know in the comments and stay tuned for more from me on this show.