Don't go to pieces! Land of the Lustrous simulwatch (completed)

I fell of the bandwagon 4 episodes ago as things happened, but I caught up on the last 4 episodes. This show was really good but definitely needs a sequel. I wonder what the odds are of that happening.

Edit: On the topic of watching stuff. I'm currently on the train of getting through my backlog and thus seeing new things. I tend to rewatch movies more but I'll rewatch shows as well.
 
Ep 11&12, Closing Thoughts

So that’s it then. I had a fair idea of what to expect from the ending, just from having heard others talk about the show, but it does feel like it’s ended just as it was getting started, particularly as we were still getting new characters introduced right up until the very end.

Knowing the end of the show was in sight, the parts about Zircon and Yellow Diamond felt a little inconsequential, but I was intrigued by Padparadscha - I think it helps that their sudden appearance gives some insight into Rutile’s character. It also amused me that, once up and around, Padparadscha seems to adopt the yankii delinquent girl look, with the open shirt, skewed uniform and sword slung over the shoulders. Even the positioning of the gems on their chest seem to resemble the bandage chest binding you often see as part of that aesthetic. Due to this association, I definitely found Padparadscha to be one of the more female-presenting characters, although they got so little screentime, it’s difficult to say if there was any particular significance to that.

But yeah. As maddening as it is that the series ends where it does, with little immediate prospect of another season, I’m also strangely okay with it, if I force myself to see it purely as the story of Phos’s growth as a character. It’s sad to see Phos at the end - despite the little bursts of energy, something has clearly died inside them - but it also feels like there’s a note of hope there. Phos is not the same person, but they’re determined to confront the world around them in ways the old Phos would likely never have had the courage to.

I’m definitely glad to have finally watched Land of the Lustrous, it’s something I’ve circled around a number of times since its release without ever committing to, and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed reading everyone’s thoughts on it as we’ve gone along. I don’t often rewatch things these days, but I would definitely like to come back to this one in future, I think now that I know the story on the surface, it would probably be easier to appreciate its underlying subtleties on a repeat viewing.
 
Well, while I have utterly failed to watch an episode a day consistently, I did manage to re-watch the series in its entirety and loved it as always. I've also really enjoyed reading everyone's thoughts on the series and am delighted to see almost universal praise for it from folks. Especially happy for anyone who was a first time watcher here, I am always jealous of people who get to experience something like this for the first time!

I do think it's a shame that the season ends on a bit of a bit of a lead in to more that has not yet come, although based on the source material I do think they ended it in the best place I can, as @fathomlessblue and any other manga readers will point out, the pace picks up pretty relentlessly after this with arguably far less breathing room.

I personally would love another season someday, as I know a lot of people will not find out how this continues otherwise. Whilst I do read some manga I don't consider myself primarily a manga reader and often I will not bother reading the manga version of something, even if I really did like the anime - but for this one I couldn't help myself and just had to get it to find out more. It helps that the manga artwork itself is beautiful too. And whilst I would definitely recommend reading the manga to anyone desperate to know what happens next, you should be aware that the story has not yet concluded, and indeed the manga is currently on hiatus so there's a chance it won't any time soon or even ever. Originally I think volume 11 was supposed to be out by now (I'm sure I put a pre-order in months ago), but it is now slated for August. I think that's the last of the current material and based on the hiatus news I doubt it will conclude the entire story.

But even despite all that I still think it's worth a read. There's definitely at least another anime season's worth of story to get through. Plenty more twists and turns and Phos suffering (I don't think that's too much of a spoiler!).

One thing that's quite funny is that this is not a series I saw when it was originally airing - I only found out about it later after seeing some high ratings and hearing other positive things about it. I'm really glad I did find this hidden gem though (sorry, everyone else was making puns so I had to get at least one groanworthy one in) as it rates very highly among the not inconsequential number of anime series I have seen.

Thank you again all for your wonderful insight and discourse around this series. It has been enlightening to say the least, and it's been nice to read other takes and impressions on certain aspects of the series I myself wouldn't have considered otherwise. I would be very happy to join another simulwatch in the future (as long as it's not something I hate :p) so feel free to holla at me if anymore get planned :)

Having stayed away from translated releases, I will say this of the 10 volumes currently available: many of the lingering questions will get answered, but if you’re expecting a happier tone, oh booooy… Let’s just say the road to hell is paved with good intentions, and the increasingly sombre nature of Phos’ story reflects that.
You can say that again!
 
Ep 11&12, Closing Thoughts

But yeah. As maddening as it is that the series ends where it does, with little immediate prospect of another season, I’m also strangely okay with it, if I force myself to see it purely as the story of Phos’s growth as a character. It’s sad to see Phos at the end - despite the little bursts of energy, something has clearly died inside them - but it also feels like there’s a note of hope there. Phos is not the same person, but they’re determined to confront the world around them in ways the old Phos would likely never have had the courage to.

There is definitely hope there. Loss of innocence is not only sad but even a bit tragic, as far as I'm concerned and, again, something I think we all relate to, but it needs to happen eventually if one wants to go out into the "real" world and be able to make it.

It's true that if we consider the direction the series is going in, everything Phos has gone through, while sad, is the preparation they need to make it in the world of Lustrous and it's unthinkable to imagine old Phos with the almost inspiring determination they find by series' end. Remember Phos, who didn't even know what task they could undertake in the daily life? Well, now they're probably the one will uncover the world's secrets. They lost something and gained something in return.

In that sense, its pretty cool.
 
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I know exactly what you mean and have also recently avoided re-watching favourites I really feel like watching again (randomly really want to watch Toradora - maybe off the back of watching the also Okada-penned Anthem of the Heart).

I think a balance in this matter may be required for me, as I've recently found I've watched some subjectively mediocre "new" stuff, and felt my time would've been better spent rewatching a quality favourite. May start doing a run of an unwatched series alongside a favourite one in the future. This age of information overload applies to anime watchlists too and I'm near giving up trying to clear mine!

You see, this makes a lot of sense to me. I reached that same realisation too.

There have been some big game changers for me in anime where a lot of other shows/films all of a sudden feel like they pale in comparison. Gurren Lagann was one such game changer. I'd much rather spend my viewing time watching that again rather than end up feeling like I've wasted it gambling on something second-rate.

Of course, in order to develop new favourites, you have to give new shows (Lustrous included) a try, so it's a double-edged sword.

I think I'd re-watch some stuff when I hit a bit of a roadblock on watching some of the bigger name things I've yet to see. I only started watching anime seriously again about a year ago so I've got a bit of a ways to go I think before I will actually struggle to come up with stuff worth trying.

I will always prefer watching new stories unfold as I can't predict or know what's coming, but I would happily re-watch some shows to get more details I didn't catch on 1st watch, or just to enjoy them all over again.

Stuff like:

Monogatari
Kill la Kill
Attack on Titan
Garden of Sinners
Gurren Lagann

All of those would probably be good re-watches, because they are complex enough to show some new details on a re-watch. In fact I'd also include Lustrous in the list, but I'd probably be more inclined to re-watch it ahead of a season 2 appearing (fingers crossed!).
 
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