Amazon.com
This 13-part TV series is based on a novel by the prominent Japanese science fiction writer Hiroyuki Morioka. Jinto Lin, the son of the president of the planet Martine, becomes a prince when his father cedes the planet to an alien interstellar empire. The Abh claim to be descended from humans but have given themselves a genetic upgrade: with their 200-year life spans, blue hair, and elfin features, they've become "Children of the Stars." A passive and uncertain hero, Jinto recalls Kazuki in Dual Parallel Trouble Adventure. As he begins training for his role in the empire, he meets pilot trainee Lafiel, who turns out to be the granddaughter of Abh empress Ramaj: their relationship is the focus of the series. Crest of the Stars looks and sounds good, with lavish backgrounds and a lush score, but the storytelling is often spotty. In episode 4, Captain Lexshue of the battleship Gosroth complains about the anti-Abh calumnies issued by United Mankind: "we're supposed to be natural invaders"--when the viewer saw them invade Jinto's home planet in episode 1. To add texture, the filmmakers show lots of signs written in the rune-like Abh alphabet, but they get a bit carried away with the jargon. When a crewmember announces that enemy ships are within "1,540 gedrels" of the Gosroth, it's not clear if that's disturbingly near or very far away. Rated 13 and up but suitable for viewers a few years younger: very brief, very minor nudity and discussions of genetics. --Charles Solomon
Description
Jinto Lin's life changes forever when the Humankind Empire Abh takes over his home planet of Martine without firing a single shot. He is soon sent off to study the Abh language and culture and to prepare himself for his future as a nobleman - a future he never dreamed of. Or wanted. Now, Jinto is entering the next phase of his training, and he is about to meet his first Abh, the lovely Lafiel. But Jinto is about to learn that she is more than she appears to be. And together they will have to fight for their very lives.
Customer Reviews:
Kin of the Stars.......2003-01-09
Crest of the Stars. I've seen a few anime in my time, but this one is different in several respects from your average anime show. For starters, it's the slowest moving anime I have ever seen. Things that would happen in one episode in another series happen in two or three episodes here. And while there IS action (space battles and shootouts) they are few and far between. Nor is the plot very complex or mind-blowing in nature.
What makes this series engaging is characterization and attention to detail. Many of the characters say and do things that leave you wondering just what they are actually thinking. For instance, the first episodes have everyone saying that Jinto's father sold out his planet and betrayed everyone. Yet, what we see onscreen and what people later say about it suggests the opposite. Was Jinto's father really saving his planet from total destruction? And what of the Abh? Are they ruthless, heartless people of destruction, or a misunderstood race capable of great loyalty and kindness? I don't know. I may have to see this series quite a few times to figure everything out. If you want something to sink your teeth into intellectually, this series is it.
Technically, this is also a very interesting series. The music is a beautiful orchestral masterpiece. The animation ranges from very good to breath-taking. But the English dub of the voices doesn't match the characters very well. And even in the excellent Japanese dub, the lip-synching is ocassionally so far off it becomes distracting. And then there is the Japanese text. At the beginning of the series, it seems like it's everywhere. At times you'll have Japanese text with English text on top, and it feels a bit overwhelming (on tv they put a black blank on top of the Japanese text so it wouldn't distract).
So all in all, I recommend this series to hard-core sci-fi fans and die-hard anime fans looking for something different and having the patience for a show that's isn't full of action and violence, but instead relies on old-fashioned character development. I look forward to the next season.
Pretty much hooked...........2002-10-23
First word that comes to mind about this series: slow, slow, slow. HOWEVER, it is different from faster paced anime and I appreciate that. It is as though you are watching every minute of Jinto's life, but you're not. This method really captures the obvious differences and misunderstanding of each race. It also seems to let you marinate in the moment. The jumping back in time gets rather choppy, but it does add to the suspense of Jinto's past.
Jinto seems to be a typical anime boy character (young, innocent, humble, reluctant hero, father issues). He does grow on you. The Abh girl, Lafiel has that predictable sweet charm, yet determination to prove herself. I rather enjoyed how they portrayed the sophisticated Abh race. They have an appealing nature about them that leaves you wanting to learn more about them.
The dubbed English is not too bad and the characters are very interesting. The intro is odd, but bearable. Some scenes are a bit painful to watch since everything seems to be going at such a slow pace.
Overall, I found myself intrigued and willing to finish out the series. Highly recommend to someone who wants to broaden their horizons.
Great scifi/fantasy.......2002-03-18
This is a nice blend of western mythology and scifi. Genetically engineered space elves rule the universe with an iron fist and a beautiful, ever young face. Lovely animation, well developed characters - a great watch whether you are a Cowboy Bebop newbie or a die-hard Macross otaku.
an interesting series.......2002-03-04
an interesting story with excellent character development. very detailed history and background - the creator even invented his own entire language and alphabet. i couldn't help sensing an anomalous feel to the series - i wonder if this is because of the different histories and cultures between Japan and US. perhaps something at work on a subconscious level. also, there is a gentle bittersweetness to the series. i believe it's based upon an author's first novel, so there may have been very personal experiences and observations intertwined into the context and background of the story. you can enjoy it at whatever level you want. dive deep or swim shallow. it's good regardless.
Overhyped.......2002-02-19
When this DVD was referred to me, I was curious...
When I saw it, I saw nothing special, and at times, I saw nothing good...
The story revolves around a story that's too common in anime, a plucky, yet somewhat lost hero, and his companion/love interest who is infinitely stronger, but very naive.
The story takes forever to unfold, and when it finally does, you wonder if it was worth the trip. To add to it, the soundtrack is horribly out of place, fraught with woodwinds that would have been more applicable to a series with a more organic feel, or sci-fi of the 70's.
On the whole, this is a series that is better skipped. There's much more promising titles out there that should have your hard earned money put towards.
Amazon.com
This 13-part TV series is based on a novel by the prominent Japanese science fiction writer Hiroyuki Morioka. Jinto Lin, the son of the president of the planet Martine, becomes a prince when his father cedes the planet to an alien interstellar empire. The Abh claim to be descended from humans but have given themselves a genetic upgrade: with their 200-year life spans, blue hair, and elfin features, they've become "Children of the Stars." A passive and uncertain hero, Jinto recalls Kazuki in Dual Parallel Trouble Adventure. As he begins training for his role in the empire, he meets pilot trainee Lafiel, who turns out to be the granddaughter of Abh empress Ramaj: their relationship is the focus of the series. Crest of the Stars looks and sounds good, with lavish backgrounds and a lush score, but the storytelling is often spotty. In episode 4, Captain Lexshue of the battleship Gosroth complains about the anti-Abh calumnies issued by United Mankind: "we're supposed to be natural invaders"--when the viewer saw them invade Jinto's home planet in episode 1. To add texture, the filmmakers show lots of signs written in the rune-like Abh alphabet, but they get a bit carried away with the jargon. When a crewmember announces that enemy ships are within "1,540 gedrels" of the Gosroth, it's not clear if that's disturbingly near or very far away. Rated 13 and up but suitable for viewers a few years younger: very brief, very minor nudity and discussions of genetics. --Charles Solomon
Customer Reviews:
Kin of the Stars.......2003-01-09
Crest of the Stars. I've seen a few anime in my time, but this one is different in several respects from your average anime show. For starters, it's the slowest moving anime I have ever seen. Things that would happen in one episode in another series happen in two or three episodes here. And while there IS action (space battles and shootouts) they are few and far between. Nor is the plot very complex or mind-blowing in nature.
What makes this series engaging is characterization and attention to detail. Many of the characters say and do things that leave you wondering just what they are actually thinking. For instance, the first episodes have everyone saying that Jinto's father sold out his planet and betrayed everyone. Yet, what we see onscreen and what people later say about it suggests the opposite. Was Jinto's father really saving his planet from total destruction? And what of the Abh? Are they ruthless, heartless people of destruction, or a misunderstood race capable of great loyalty and kindness? I don't know. I may have to see this series quite a few times to figure everything out. If you want something to sink your teeth into intellectually, this series is it.
Technically, this is also a very interesting series. The music is a beautiful orchestral masterpiece. The animation ranges from very good to breath-taking. But the English dub of the voices doesn't match the characters very well. And even in the excellent Japanese dub, the lip-synching is ocassionally so far off it becomes distracting. And then there is the Japanese text. At the beginning of the series, it seems like it's everywhere. At times you'll have Japanese text with English text on top, and it feels a bit overwhelming (on tv they put a black blank on top of the Japanese text so it wouldn't distract).
So all in all, I recommend this series to hard-core sci-fi fans and die-hard anime fans looking for something different and having the patience for a show that's isn't full of action and violence, but instead relies on old-fashioned character development. I look forward to the next season.
Pretty much hooked...........2002-10-23
First word that comes to mind about this series: slow, slow, slow. HOWEVER, it is different from faster paced anime and I appreciate that. It is as though you are watching every minute of Jinto's life, but you're not. This method really captures the obvious differences and misunderstanding of each race. It also seems to let you marinate in the moment. The jumping back in time gets rather choppy, but it does add to the suspense of Jinto's past.
Jinto seems to be a typical anime boy character (young, innocent, humble, reluctant hero, father issues). He does grow on you. The Abh girl, Lafiel has that predictable sweet charm, yet determination to prove herself. I rather enjoyed how they portrayed the sophisticated Abh race. They have an appealing nature about them that leaves you wanting to learn more about them.
The dubbed English is not too bad and the characters are very interesting. The intro is odd, but bearable. Some scenes are a bit painful to watch since everything seems to be going at such a slow pace.
Overall, I found myself intrigued and willing to finish out the series. Highly recommend to someone who wants to broaden their horizons.
Great scifi/fantasy.......2002-03-18
This is a nice blend of western mythology and scifi. Genetically engineered space elves rule the universe with an iron fist and a beautiful, ever young face. Lovely animation, well developed characters - a great watch whether you are a Cowboy Bebop newbie or a die-hard Macross otaku.
an interesting series.......2002-03-04
an interesting story with excellent character development. very detailed history and background - the creator even invented his own entire language and alphabet. i couldn't help sensing an anomalous feel to the series - i wonder if this is because of the different histories and cultures between Japan and US. perhaps something at work on a subconscious level. also, there is a gentle bittersweetness to the series. i believe it's based upon an author's first novel, so there may have been very personal experiences and observations intertwined into the context and background of the story. you can enjoy it at whatever level you want. dive deep or swim shallow. it's good regardless.
Overhyped.......2002-02-19
When this DVD was referred to me, I was curious...
When I saw it, I saw nothing special, and at times, I saw nothing good...
The story revolves around a story that's too common in anime, a plucky, yet somewhat lost hero, and his companion/love interest who is infinitely stronger, but very naive.
The story takes forever to unfold, and when it finally does, you wonder if it was worth the trip. To add to it, the soundtrack is horribly out of place, fraught with woodwinds that would have been more applicable to a series with a more organic feel, or sci-fi of the 70's.
On the whole, this is a series that is better skipped. There's much more promising titles out there that should have your hard earned money put towards.
DVD:
- Crest of the Stars - Wayward Soldiers (Vol. 3)
- Darkside Blues
- Dirty Pair Flash - Angels at World's End (Vol. 2)
- Dragon Ball Z - Androids - Invasion
- Dragon Ball Z, Vol. 8 - Saiyan - Showdown
- Dragon Blue - Beneath the Waves, Terror Awaits (Vol 1)
- Dragonball Z, Vol. 1 - Arrival
- Dragonball Z, Vol. 7 - Destruction
- Dual - Trouble Adventure - Artifacts (Vol. 3)
- Dual - Trouble Adventure - Visions (Vol. 1)
DVD
DVD
General
| Anime & Manga
| Genres
| DVD
| Video
Banner of the Stars II - Return (Vol. 3)
Banner of the Stars II - Prey (Vol. 2)
Crest of the Stars - The Politics of War (Vol. 2)
Crest of the Stars - Wayward Soldiers (Vol. 3)
Crest of the Stars - Into the Unknown (Vol. 4)