A Place Further Than The Universe is a heartwarming anime that came out in the fall of 2018.
It is produced by Madhouse and directed by Atsuko Ishizuka, who was previously involved in the making of No Game No Life.
The plot centers four high school girls who embark on a journey to Antarctica together but for very different reasons.
Shirase Kobuchizawa wants to explore the frozen continent because her mother had disappeared there in an expedition.
Mari Tamaki joins Shirase because she’s determined to do something impactful in life before it’s too late.
Hinata Miyake has quit high school and works part-time at a convenience store.
She joins Shirase and Mari for reasons that aren’t revealed until much later.
Yuzuki Shiraishi has been an idol since childhood and needs to go to Antarctica to do online streams about the trip, but only agrees if the other three come along.
Four years down the line, the anime still enjoys a MAL rating of 8.53 and an impressive 8.2 on IMDb.
But why bother with statistics? Here are the actual reasons why you should watch A Place Further Than Universe!
Unlike Other Moe Anime
There are numerous anime series about groups of ordinary high school girls doing various activities together; heading to Antarctica is one of the more unusual!
We have shows like Lucky Star, K-on, and Kinmoza. They didn't have any underlying themes one could identify. But that's an area this anime excels at.
It successfully blends "moe" elements with intriguing themes of friendship and aspirations.
You can really enjoy watching these adorable anime girls while learning about the story's central themes.
Dynamic characters
Each protagonist's character development is exceptional, bringing out the qualities of each individual while hinting at the barriers that are preventing them from progressing.
Avoiding dilemmas, pursuing the true meaning of companionship, and willingness to trust is really well developed throughout the series while keeping the characters' "moe" element.
Only 13 Episodes
It’s the perfect anime to binge-watch with a little over a dozen episodes.
It’s a very easy watch and especially appropriate if you want to take a break from intense thrillers such as Attack on Titan and Death Note.
Amazing visuals
This is a given since it’s produced by Madhouse.
But still, A Place Further than the Universe gives you the full experience of an icy expedition and transports you entirely to the Antarctic landscape.
Watch it for the gorgeous view and random facts about the continent, if not for the plot!
It’s a guaranteed adventure!
Relatable
The characters are beautifully relatable.
The feeling of wanting to do something eventful and interesting before it’s too late that Tamaki experiences and the stubbornness to prove to her classmates that Shirase can make her convictions come true are all feelings that can be easy to associate with.
