*Spoiler warning

Land of the Lustrous is a series that is often praised for its groundbreaking CGI and stunning visuals but it offers much more than simply an exciting and immersive experience. Following the journey of Phosphophyllite and their quest to improve and find a purpose, Land of the Lustrous manages to create an experience that is not only captivating to the viewer but also thematically and philosophically relevant. The air of mystery surrounding the world the gems are a part of keeps the viewer engaged and interested in the story's progression and this same mystery also leads to Phos discovering their purpose at the end of the anime. When we first meet Phos, we see that they are viewed as a nuisance by the other gems because of their low rank on the Mohs scale constantly causing them to have to be protected by the others. Phos is constantly told by the small society that they are a part of that they are unable to fight because of their low hardness and are therefore regulated to writing an encyclopedia while leaving the fighting to the others. However, Phos is not content to merely accept what society has tasked them to do because they harbor a strong desire to fight because of a love for what they are fighting for; Kongou-sensei. Throughout Land of the Lustrous, it is truly inspiring to see the transformation that Phos goes through as well as their eventual desire to discover the truth.

Throughout the series, Phos is told by others that they need to try new things and in essence, leave their box as it is the only way to begin improving yourself. Diamond and Antarcticite play key roles in Phos accepting that they should be willing to explore new ideas, particularly Antarcticite. Phos first begins taking a step in the direction of leaving their box with their desire to help Cinnabar find a better job seeing them as a gem that is similar to them-self. Phos ventures out to the sea with Ventricosus and comes to the realization when talking with them that despite living for so much longer than Ventricosus, Phos has accomplished very little in comparison to them creating a spark in their mind. However, Phos is unfortunately betrayed by Ventricosus and loses their legs as a result. Upon returning to the other gems, Rutile is able to supply Phos with new legs which turn out to greatly increase Phos' speed albeit at the price of a large portion of their memory. The strength that Phos gains from their new legs coming at a price is seemingly symbolic of the idea that harmful experiences often improve individuals provided that they are able to overcome them. Later on in the series, when Phos teams up with Antarcticite, they lose their arms as well and eventually replace them with an alloy that strengthens Phos' entire body and even gives them strength because of its versatility that rivals even Bort's. Again, this strength comes at a price and Antarcticite is lost to the Lunarians in part because Phos is unable to take control of the alloy at first. These events are the true catalyst for the change that Phos goes through to bring them to where they end up at the end of the anime.

Once Antarcticite is lost, Phos rises to the occasion and takes their place during the winter. It becomes apparent with the small time-skip that Phos has greatly increased in confidence because of their newfound abilities. Phos also has seemingly become more solemn most likely due to the loss of Antarcticite bringing them to a realization that with their increased abilities, they also have a greater degree of responsibility for protecting others. The change in Phos is also illustrated by a line from Kongou-sensei stating that with great power comes a sense of solitude. With the power that Phos has gained, it would seem that they are at the end of their journey but keeping with the theme of self-improvement, they still have much to learn and discover.

It eventually comes to light that Kongou-sensei is keeping secrets about the Lunarians from the gems and once Phos hears of it, they immediately desire to learn the truth. The other gems have absolute trust in Kongou-sensei and therefore don't desire an explanation but Phos is not content to live in ignorance. Again, leaving their box, Phos finds a new purpose in a desire to learn the truth about the Lunarians and desiring to speak with them if that is even possible. The key point here is that without a rationale behind what we are doing coming from a knowledge of the truth, there is no purpose to be found. Phos illustrates the value of finding the truth very well with their own search for truth and meaning behind what they do.

Overall, Phos is a very flawed and human character having to overcome their fear of leaving their comfort-zone and going through a self-actualization that should be relatable in some way to all of us. Following Phos throughout Land of the Lustrous is both inspiring and thought-provoking by giving us a look into the human psyche and raising the question of what it is that gives us purpose and meaning in our lives. The way in which Phos was able to overcome societies' expectations of them should give us all inspiration in our own lives to make something of ourselves in spite of what others may be telling us.

To sum up my overall thoughts of the series, I would say that Land of the Lustrous manages to be both very entertaining and at the same time drive home a message that is incredibly important to all of us. When it comes to the audio and visuals, they greatly enhance the experience by providing the viewer with a deep sense of immersion in the world of Land of the Lustrous. While the story may seem a bit lackluster, the series is primarily focused on the overarching theme of Phos' journey and what it represents and its mysterious nature is perfect for this purpose. In addition, the visually creative nature of the world of Land of the Lustrous provides a fantastical environment for Phos' journey. With Phos being the primary focus of the series and the other characters acting in supporting roles, the character progression that Phos goes through is what truly makes Land of the Lustrous something special. As it is nearly perfect in all regards, my overall score would be a 9.8/10.
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