Review: Moonrise — When visual ambition surpasses the script
I watched Moonrise with great excitement. From the first few minutes, it draws you in: the animation is beautiful, the world is interesting, and everything points to a story of epic rebellion with a heavy sci-fi edge.
But after 18 episodes, I was left feeling disappointed. And not because of the ideas… but because they were executed poorly.
# An idea with tons of potential
The premise is great: Earth is ruled by an AI called Sapientia, which maintains “order” by exiling its marginalized people to the Moon. In this oppressive setting, a rebellion emerges from the L-Zone, a lunar colony where people live as best they can.
So far, so good. The first episodes have an interesting tension. The protagonist, Jack, goes to the Moon seeking revenge for an attack that took his family. And he reunites with his old friend, Phil, now the leader of the rebels.
“Yes, the drama is on the way: two friends facing off against each other due to extreme circumstances. One loyal to the system, the other defies it.”
But that's where the problem begins...
# What exactly did they want to tell?
There comes a point in the series where everything goes haywire. Time jumps begin without warning: flashbacks, flash-forwards, dreams, memories, scenes where you don't know if they're from the present, the past, or a simulation. I swear there were times when I had to pause and rewind to understand what had just happened.
And just when it seemed like the story was going to delve into themes like artificial intelligence, social punishment, rebellion, and freedom... they decided to change the tone.
Spoiler, click to view
"Out of nowhere, a kind of giant energy jellyfish appears that threatens to destroy everything. Mary, a moon girl you barely know, turns out to be key to controlling it. Why her? No one explains. Just accept it."
That's when I understood that Moonrise wanted to be many things at once... but I didn't know what its priority was.
#Characters with good ideas… but no soul
Jack starts out as an interesting protagonist, but as the story progresses, he fades away. And Phil, who could have been the emotional heart of the series, becomes a kind of philosophical leader who appears and disappears.
And the worst part: there are characters who clearly should have had emotional weight, but their scenes are poorly edited or with conflicts that are resolved in two lines. Like Zowan and Georg fighting because one gave money to a homeless man. Or the General, who was supposedly part of a conspiracy, but no one explains exactly why or how.
#And what about Sapientia, the SEEDs, and all that sci-fi?
One of the big problems with Moonrise is that it throws you incredibly interesting ideas... and then forgets them.
What is Sapientia, really? How did it get so powerful? Why does it act the way it does?
What exactly are the SEEDs? We know Jack and Phil are SEEDs, but why were they created?
How is Mary related to the energy jellyfish?
Why is SEED3 in a secret cave that only Rhys knows about?
Spoiler, click to view
"And the end... oh, the end. Phil dies, but somehow sends Jack a request for a Pokémon Go-like app. Is it his digitized soul? A programmed message? An open ending? Who knows. All that remains is bewilderment."
#Animation, music, and art direction: impeccable
That said, if you just want to see something beautiful, Moonrise delivers and more. Wit Studio never failed once with the visuals.
Every fight has weight, the Moon looks incredible, and the use of lighting, explosions, gravity, and environments is a delight.
The music plays perfectly, and there are scenes that, if seen individually on YouTube, would make you think it's an epic anime. But of course… in isolation. Because within the story, many don't carry the weight they should.
#So... is it worth it?
Moonrise isn't bad because it lacks ideas. It's bad because it doesn't know how to tell them. It has everything to be a thoughtful and emotional science fiction classic, but it stumbles on its own script.
If you're a fan of sci-fi anime and want to watch it for the visuals, give it a chance. But if you're looking for a meaningful story, character development, meaningful twists, and a satisfying conclusion... you're going to be hurt. 
