So recently I finally got around to reading one of studio Key's earliest works planetarian. While I could certainly see a step up from quality with their most recent android series work of Stella of the End, this doesn't change the absolute concise spectacle that was Planetarian for me. 

**Writing**

While there was some issues with the translation that made it feel a little awkward it was translated quite well with much of the meaning coming across. The author also did a great job at interconnecting the history of the world in the beginning of each chapter to really hit home the chaos of the situation. The story beats were also amazing. Hearing Yumemi's final thoughts and also seeing her recordings was both heart-breaking and heart-warming at the same time. Really hearing how she really wasn't abandoned because she was forgotten and just hearing all the hope and joy that was present before their current situation really made for a strongly emotional situation. 

**Themes**

For me, I feel that one of the biggest themes of planetarian was simply a desire for happiness among humans. For us to not be divided among distinctions we meet and join hands to save this beautiful world that we have. Hoshino Yumemi I feel is the culmination of all of that wish with her strong desires for everyone to just be happy. I feel she also represents a point of optimism necessary during the gloomy sky's where even in the deepest pits of darkness, seeing a ray of light out is vital for people to move towards hope just like how the MC never even considered changing until his encounter with the loveable robot. While the depressing as heck ending may somewhat stomp on this a great deal with her death, I feel that if anything its representative that even if people may die and be extinguished by the chaos of our world, the memories we create with people will stick with them and those simple wishes may bloom into something more. While we never know how successful the MC is with his career swap, what he swaps to and everything else we can only hope that Hoshino's wishes were able to manifest and save him.

**Music/Sound production/Voice Acting**

As with most visual novels, the music works great with each piece I feel accentuating the accompanying emotions within that scene well. One really notable point I feel for me was the conflict with the defense robot. The chaotic machine sounds, the breaking of the robot turning into a chaotic laughter and just the sheer overstimulation of sounds in general would usually make a scene feel bloated but for that particular scene, it felt reflective of the accompanying chaos that was happening at the time of the conflict.

I also want to give a particular nod to the voice actor of our bargain bin robo. She did a fantastic job at really hammering home what I feel like is a difficult role where for many scenes she felt human but also had that trace of roboticness attached to her. like there were many lines that had emotions embedded within them but it gave off a artificial feel to them still. This is not a easy thing to do so the fact that the VA was able to accomplish this really earns her my praise and added to how great the entire read was.

**Art**

Planetarian was very minimal in terms of its CGs with there only being an overall of around 3-4 actual unique CGs with the rest just being more backgrounds and such. Nonetheless, each of these CGs were quite powerful really highlighting important moments within the story. Seeing the CG of Yumemi's being shot followed by her destroyed body was heart wrenching and was such a emotional scene. Especially compounded with the hopes and dreams that the MC had in regards to their future.



Overall, Planetarian was a great work. I'm really glad to have read it. For those who haven't and they want something short and emotional, I highly highly recommend it!

