A brief description
A story which
takes place in a fictional world, in a human civilization that has more
similarities to ours than differences. The nation of Honneamise, with their
faltering space program, is attempting to launch their visit astronaut into
orbit. The story is centered around the character Shirotsugh Lhadatt, a
member of the Royal Space Force. Shirotsugh, an unambitious man, who joined
the Royal Space Force only because his school grades weren't high enough
to get into the Navy, decides to volunteer to be the first astronaut after
a chance encounter with Riqunni Nonderaiko, a devout religious woman. As
the Royal Space Force prepares to send its first astronaut into orbit, the
political factions begin to play their part in the effort. Questions arise
over the use of resources in the space program, in a country that is at
war, and with an impoverished class of people. The climax of the movie occurs
during a race to the launch countdown after the political factions have
placed the launch site in the demilitarized zone in a successful effort
to draw out the enemy in an all out war.
This movie is also known as, Royal Space Force.
My impression
Directed by and based upon the screenplay by Hiroyuki Yamaga this movie is destined to be a classic in the world of anime. The dynamic talent of the character designer, Yoshiyuki Sadamoto, is quite evident in Honneamise when compared with his other creation Nadia. I loved this story for its anti-hero theme. A lazy, self-centered Shirotsugh, who upon meeting Riqunni, a simple pious woman, indirectly inspires Shirotsugh, "a solder who doesn't make war," into volunteering to become the first man into space. A naive Shirotsugh, who "never understood the troubles of the rich or the hardships of the poor . . . and could care less," soon finds himself in a world of politics, greed, and moral decadence. With the influence of Riqunni and a great deal of soul searching, Shirotsugh embarks on a spiritual journey as well as a human one. The only disappointment I had with this movie is when it ended. I wanted to know what happened next.
| Back to the main page | The Anime of Sadamoto |