Land of the Lustrous / Houseki no Kuni

Review by: John Fragglepuss Evans

Genre: Action, Drama, Fantasy, Mystery, Sentient Gemstones

First Aired: Fall 2017, 12 episodes

Summary: A world has been all but destroyed by meteors. Fast forward to an unknown point in the future and this world is inhabited by humanlike gem organisms. Each one is made of a real gemstone and is assigned a role is protecting the world from the Lunarians, a mysterious species attempting to destroy the gems. Phosphophyllite (Phos), is a fragile gem with the dream of fighting alongside her companions. Unfortunately for Phos, her hardness level of 3.5 is too delicate to be considered for fighting. She is better suited for tasks like compiling an encyclopedia, tasks with little to no danger. Phos is not satisfied with homework and dedicates herself to finding out how she can join her friends on the battlefield.

There is a lot to love in Land of the Lustrous. I love the world they built. The gemstones are unique in their abilities and personalities. Real gems are used and the hardness levels are accurate. They even show different element characteristics during the commercial bumper every episode. It makes the series educational! The jobs the elements have and their relationships are intriguing enough to keep you watching. The mystery and intrigue of both the gems and the Lunarians is captivating in its own right. To add to it, the story itself is fascinating and keeps you locked in. I’m glad I could binge it, because the cliffhangers would be painful if I couldn’t just fire up another episode. It took me a few episodes to get used to the CG animation, but that’s just me.

You might enjoy this if: You tire of humans and want to imagine what another species would do with its own world.

You might not like it if: You cringe at CG animation and can’t focus on the story if you are watching the different animation style.

Similar Anime: ReLife, From the New World, Puella Magi Madoka Magica, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Claymore, Tokyo Ghoul

Note to the Viewer: The literal English translation of the Japanese title, “Houseki no Kuni”, is “Country of Jewels”, which is a spot-on description of the series.

Land of the Lustrous Trailer

AMV – Midas by Allegoriest AMVs

(Warning, the AMV contains spoilers)

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