I will always love being preached to about banal philosophy, especially when an atmospheric, dreamlike OST embellishes it. A story for those who love stories, this anime surrounds the rambling plethora of ideas and questions brought up as Kino travels through various hypothetical countries that act as thought experiments. It feels a little like Star Trek in a way, except the only consistent characters are Kino and her motorcycle, Hermes, making for a more laid back and meditative tone—as loneliness can often do. The storybook vibe also brings a little mix of everything: action, scifi, drama, iyashikei, mystery, the whole works! (Reminds me of something like Yamibou or Durarara.)

The theme of the anime draws me in, as I love to travel and also only stay a few days at most in any place when I do. I find that feeling of being afraid to slow down or something will break inside you as if your very identity is lost to be relatable as well although in other contexts. As with any good journey, the show displays that great feeling of discovery and appreciation for collecting little experiences with all sorts of different people. I love the quiet, reflective moments between locations as well, looking out over the scenery. If only the anime offered more diversity in its settings and character designs, then I could truly appreciate these aspects. More often than not, designs are cheaply pulled from a vaguely historical European setting and it feels like the same actors changing their dress for a new episode (which would arguably be appropriate I suppose). It kind of reminds me of visiting quant little towns in Professor Layton but just completely uninspired. Luckily the OST pulls its weight, drawing out enough beauty and mystery in these places that I didn’t mind so much.

The thought experiments can come across as fairly heavy handed, lacking nuance and a more human element. Due to the disconnect between stories and the short length of each episode, the worldbuilding—if you can even call it that—falls flat. The stories shouldn't be taken literally anyway, but I rarely felt as immersed in the show as I would have liked. On the other hand, I love that it doesn’t mess around and always gets right to the point in each episode. This show understands my heart! Oftentimes the stories bring out the darkness of humanity, yet Kino understands that there's nothing she can do in many cases. She is willing to fight and take action when she sees fit, but her justice isn't necessarily good, as she can live with orchestrating the deaths of those who idly benefit from the suffering of others. There's certainly some hypocrisy in her character surrounding whether you have an obligation to use your power for good, but I enjoy that it’s left up in the air. While she may not find it her place to get involved, she does believe in the importance of experiencing these different ways of life and coming to understand how people think.

Thinking or more specifically not thinking for yourself is a general theme across stories. Through technology, religion, war, and whatnot, people give up their autonomy or stop feeling the desire to be curious. The show doesn't necessarily take a position on moral issues, just letting the audience ponder over them and the greyness of everything. Kino herself pays attention to details and others around her and I can feel that she has empathy for them despite her realist attitude. I find Kino's cool analysis and badassery to be pretty outstanding, like everything is a bore even when her life is seemingly in danger or when something supposedly amazing presents itself. She can be somewhat of an enigma, but that’s precisely the kind of character that shines through introspection and short glimpses of her emotions underneath the surface. There’s always something more to places and people than meets the eye.

"I don't know if the world is beautiful or not, but it sure is big"