Comet Lucifer Episode 1 [First Impression]

“So it was here all along…”

Vantage’s Impression

Comet Lucifer was a pleasant surprise! I was initially drawn towards it because of the loli, but I think I’ll be sticking around for the intriguing premise, high production values and that great OP by fhana. As it’s by 8-bit, this original project is important to me – because, regardless of their past successes or failures, I’m going to take this as a representation of what the modern 8-bit can do. It thus becomes easier to gauge whether the Rewrite adaptation next year will be any good. I do think prospects are looking pretty positive though, so far as this first episode is concerned – the execution was pretty good, especially during the scene where the water level in the underground lake started receding. The mecha breaking the cave wall open without warning gave me a small jolt, too. It’s doing a lot of ‘showing’ and not ‘telling’, which is kind of nice for an original series like this – they’ve left a hell of a lot unexplained, and the idea behind that is presumably to both pace things and leave the viewer wanting more.

I got a couple of my initial assumptions wrong, actually, as I caught myself up in the whole Gurren Lagann feel of this – until they revealed that Sogo had a hobby of collecting strange crystals, I thought he was employed full-time in the mines! And so I thought he was excited over finding that one stone because it’d mean he’d get more disposable income that week or something. I probably shouldn’t have gone into this blind. His hover board looks like the most fun mode of transport I’ve ever seen – as well as the most accident-prone and expensive to maintain because of insurance costs. I was wondering how they hadn’t died yet at one point – when Sogo and Kaon flew through the city, hit lots of structures on the way and ended up in the underground cave. There wasn’t even a safety belt or anything – I don’t know much about vehicle physics, but I’m sure something should have killed them along the way. Or injured them to some degree. I was hoping the fop who wanted the arranged marriage would suffer some sort of bodily harm, at least – oddly enough, I’m getting the vibe that the show itself is interested in shipping him with Kaon. Kaon herself seems like she’ll crush on Sogo, but I don’t see Sogo being more interested in her than he is in the loli. Who knows?

As for what’s going on with… well, everything ever, what I understood was that some sort of organization, if not the government, was looking for a special sort of Giftdium, the mineral that seems to be powering everything futuristic that appears in this show. I assume some are rarer than others, and have different uses – like with the red one Sogo was left with after the comet hit him. A unique Giftdium seems to have been in that cave, and the organization (locally led by Captain Stewart, who I can already tell will be a bro) was trying to expose it by cracking the supports around the lake. I think the loli is the ‘Lima’ they were referring to, although she only appeared after Sogo’s red stone flew into the big Giftdium – but whoever or whatever she is, she can summon a cool bipedal mecha! Is a ‘Bipedal Armor’ a standard name for all the mechas this story has, or is it different because it’s bipedal? The other one was multi-legged when they fought, but I’m sure that model can all go on two legs as well.

I think this has potential. We still have no idea what the actual plot is (e.g. who or what the antagonists are, what they want, what the loli is, why the mecha is important, how Sogo and his friends are even involved) but the good thing about original projects is that there’s a lot of freedom given to whoever’s producing it. They can pursue everything from pace to character development to their hearts’ content, with very little of the restrictions that usually come with adapting a manga or light novel – which is why so many originals end up being really good. If 8-bit doesn’t mess up, then Comet Lucifer has a chance of following that trend… if 8-bit doesn’t mess up.

Possibility of Watching: High
Possibility of Blogging: High 

Nikolita’s First Impression

Well I’m not too familiar with the sci-fi scene, and I must admit I usually avoid mecha anime. Shows that have both elements are definitely few and far in between on my track record. Loli, however, is an almost completely foreign genre of anime for me. And since Comet Lucifer has all three… this should be fun! ٩(^‿^)۶

Like Vantage, I was drawn to the show’s premise and the music. And the animation is so pretty! 8-bit has really done a great job with their production. I really enjoyed the scene where the water in the underground lake glowed and then receded, as well as the crystal explosion which followed shortly thereafter. ｡(✿‿✿)｡ Ahhh I’m such a sucker for shiny things ~

Hel-lo new computer wallpaper!

I went into this show blind as well, so it is interesting to see how some of my observations differed from Vantage’s, and yet we had many of the same thoughts. Like I too thought that Sogo’s hoverboard was really cool! Did anyone else get a Nausicaa vibe from it? (Minus the wings of the latter’s model, of course.) And the crazy physics involved in their uninjured fall made me laugh. There’s suspending disbelief, and then there’s just yeahfreakingright.

After watching this first episode, I also got the feeling that perhaps Kaon and Sogo might not end up together (although that scene in the cave was a nice tease). Now that I’ve seen the opening theme, I predict that Kaon will come around to the idea of an arranged marriage once Roman pulls his head out of his butt a little, and Sogo will be more attracted to the loli girl, but time will tell. puts money on the table Either way, I can feel my shipper heart getting geared up already.

In terms of plot, I think I am most curious to see a) who this mysterious organization is who is hunting for the “Lima” (definitely the loli girl, I agree with Vantage on that); and b) if the loli girl is the character referred to in the opening narration as being from a “cascade of light,” then who is the antagonist, one who comes from a “murky deluge of darkness”? If the loli girl comes from a bright red crystal, maybe we will see some type of dark Giftdium crystal?

Since Vantage already covered the summary of the first episode, I won’t bore everyone by repeating what was already written. I am very impressed with the music and the high quality animation, and for people like me who aren’t super gung-ho about mecha, I do appreciate that they don’t completely overwhelm the episode. Shows like Gundam Wing are a little mecha-heavy for me, but if the format of Comet Lucifer doesn’t vary too much from what was shown in this first episode, I think I will be a happy reviewer. There is definitely a lot of potential for this show, and I am excited to see which direction it will take.

Possibility of Watching: High
Possibility of Blogging: High