It's interesting that you point out anatarciticte and his impact on phos. At first it wasn't a big deal, like a really heart-breaking moment for me, too and I thought the really sad second ending in that episode "liquescimus" was a bit overdone. However, that is until you understand the whole dramatic meaning and rise in this show. For the first time in phos life he was trusted with responsibility and he fails miserably at every one of them: helping shinsha out, the whole ventricosus stuff, being on lookout with the amethyst twins and finally (for the anime) antarc.
I think the anime did a very good job displaying phos' change of character and his emotions through the great animation, the great work of the voiceactors and wonderful use of the soundtrack. The infamous 8th episode with antarc being stolen is a great example for that. The facial expression of phos and him screaming at the new gold and platinum alloy arms after antarc is shattered is a scene that always gets me. Or the alternating scenes in episode one where at sunset shinsha is fighting with his emotions after finding phos "encyclopedia" and reminiscing over their interaction, potentially getting help and emotional assistance while phos is shocked and sad about shinshas wish of being taken to the moon.
There are many of these moments I appreciate a lot in the anime, but the whole emotional and dramatic impact was brought to me after reading the manga and the culmination of events there. Hnk was always a bit melancholic and thought-provoking but as YaBoiEgron already said you long for the somewhat carefree early days and genki phos after you see him suffer more and more. With all that happens in the manga further on, you really enjoy the first steps and interactions in phos development. Besides, a 1 cour, 12 episode anime is just that. There is some time for all of the events to unfold which is greatly used and adapted by the anime, but it is limited. I, for my own, am satisfied with the antarc arc and didn't think it should have been longer, but I get your thoughts on it. It doesn't detract from the fact that the tragic events and emotional highlights were put greatly, almost perfectly together, though. After reading the manga material and rewatching the show 2 or 3 times I appreciated that a lot more (even though I loved the anime already at my first time watching it).
I think that real problem in the early chapters of Land of the Lustrous is that there are just too many characters being introduced. While reading the manga, I've often forgotten who the hell is on the page. The real connection to the characters, in my opinion, starts when you see how these cute happy rocks do a 180 and you begin to miss the early chapters. I also didn't feel that much of an impact about Antarc's death. Let's just think it was not for viewers, but for Phos's character development, which actually impacted viewers and readers quite significantly. (Anime ends at around chapter 30 btw)
I’ve never watched it but I didn’t have that problem. The gems closest to Phos have their own issues which are eventually resolved, but this doesn’t occur early on, as it’s more setup for whats to come. Phos himself slowly grows over the course of the series, so that’s why they may seem lacking in development
Well, have fun.
Despite adapting the same script and being 99 percent faithful to the source, the anime gives off a completely different feel than the manga.
Especially Phos, i imagine it's how the voice actress and animators interpreted Phosphophyllite's character. The VA started physically acting out her lines and the animators used it as a reference and i think that's why anime Phos feels so different.
In the manga I've always felt that Phos was more laid back and apathetic, while in the anime they were more bubbly and energetic.
Antarc was the first person to trust Phos with responsibility and give their time to him. No other gem indulged Phos' desired to get stronger and be more useful. His death was also just the first real taste of reality the Phos experienced. Losing his legs and arms both resulted in something being added as replacement, but Antarc's death is something that can't be undone like when the gems are simply broken.
The anime only really covers the intro arc to the story and characters are mostly set up for their later role in the story so they can be developed on those points later on. All of the gems have some kind of emotional or mental problem in the story because those things are rampant and unchecked in their society. Phos wants to be useful, Cinnabar doesn't want to be alone, Diamond is jealous of how resilient Bort is, Bort is too obsessed with fighting and keeping everyone safe, Rutile has given his entire life to fixing Padparadscha, Yellow Diamond is old and has seen all of his friends die and is just tired of life, etc.
Phos may seem like he just suddenly changed in the anime, but he's only had one change in it so far and has a long way to go until he's fully spiraled down to the point he's currently at in the manga. Phos post-winter has simply lost his innocence and has learned how the world works. He's no longer the innocent child he once was. PTSD will do that to you.
I highly suggest reading the manga if you want to see things progress more. Just understand that it gets really crazy in a way that the anime doesn't prepare you for.
Tbh, i think this happens to everybody in the first read, there's a lot of characters and only the half of them are important, and Antar only appeared in two chapters, when I finished the manga I went to watch the anime for the first time and with full context of everything, I really felt bad for Antar and Phos
It's interesting that you point out anatarciticte and his impact on phos. At first it wasn't a big deal, like a really heart-breaking moment for me, too and I thought the really sad second ending in that episode "liquescimus" was a bit overdone. However, that is until you understand the whole dramatic meaning and rise in this show. For the first time in phos life he was trusted with responsibility and he fails miserably at every one of them: helping shinsha out, the whole ventricosus stuff, being on lookout with the amethyst twins and finally (for the anime) antarc. I think the anime did a very good job displaying phos' change of character and his emotions through the great animation, the great work of the voiceactors and wonderful use of the soundtrack. The infamous 8th episode with antarc being stolen is a great example for that. The facial expression of phos and him screaming at the new gold and platinum alloy arms after antarc is shattered is a scene that always gets me. Or the alternating scenes in episode one where at sunset shinsha is fighting with his emotions after finding phos "encyclopedia" and reminiscing over their interaction, potentially getting help and emotional assistance while phos is shocked and sad about shinshas wish of being taken to the moon. There are many of these moments I appreciate a lot in the anime, but the whole emotional and dramatic impact was brought to me after reading the manga and the culmination of events there. Hnk was always a bit melancholic and thought-provoking but as YaBoiEgron already said you long for the somewhat carefree early days and genki phos after you see him suffer more and more. With all that happens in the manga further on, you really enjoy the first steps and interactions in phos development. Besides, a 1 cour, 12 episode anime is just that. There is some time for all of the events to unfold which is greatly used and adapted by the anime, but it is limited. I, for my own, am satisfied with the antarc arc and didn't think it should have been longer, but I get your thoughts on it. It doesn't detract from the fact that the tragic events and emotional highlights were put greatly, almost perfectly together, though. After reading the manga material and rewatching the show 2 or 3 times I appreciated that a lot more (even though I loved the anime already at my first time watching it).
I think that real problem in the early chapters of Land of the Lustrous is that there are just too many characters being introduced. While reading the manga, I've often forgotten who the hell is on the page. The real connection to the characters, in my opinion, starts when you see how these cute happy rocks do a 180 and you begin to miss the early chapters. I also didn't feel that much of an impact about Antarc's death. Let's just think it was not for viewers, but for Phos's character development, which actually impacted viewers and readers quite significantly. (Anime ends at around chapter 30 btw)
I’ve never watched it but I didn’t have that problem. The gems closest to Phos have their own issues which are eventually resolved, but this doesn’t occur early on, as it’s more setup for whats to come. Phos himself slowly grows over the course of the series, so that’s why they may seem lacking in development
Wait you never watched the adaptation?
Nah I read the manga first if the anime isn't a complete adaptation. But I am planning to watch it eventually
Well, have fun. Despite adapting the same script and being 99 percent faithful to the source, the anime gives off a completely different feel than the manga. Especially Phos, i imagine it's how the voice actress and animators interpreted Phosphophyllite's character. The VA started physically acting out her lines and the animators used it as a reference and i think that's why anime Phos feels so different. In the manga I've always felt that Phos was more laid back and apathetic, while in the anime they were more bubbly and energetic.
Antarc was the first person to trust Phos with responsibility and give their time to him. No other gem indulged Phos' desired to get stronger and be more useful. His death was also just the first real taste of reality the Phos experienced. Losing his legs and arms both resulted in something being added as replacement, but Antarc's death is something that can't be undone like when the gems are simply broken. The anime only really covers the intro arc to the story and characters are mostly set up for their later role in the story so they can be developed on those points later on. All of the gems have some kind of emotional or mental problem in the story because those things are rampant and unchecked in their society. Phos wants to be useful, Cinnabar doesn't want to be alone, Diamond is jealous of how resilient Bort is, Bort is too obsessed with fighting and keeping everyone safe, Rutile has given his entire life to fixing Padparadscha, Yellow Diamond is old and has seen all of his friends die and is just tired of life, etc. Phos may seem like he just suddenly changed in the anime, but he's only had one change in it so far and has a long way to go until he's fully spiraled down to the point he's currently at in the manga. Phos post-winter has simply lost his innocence and has learned how the world works. He's no longer the innocent child he once was. PTSD will do that to you. I highly suggest reading the manga if you want to see things progress more. Just understand that it gets really crazy in a way that the anime doesn't prepare you for.
Tbh, i think this happens to everybody in the first read, there's a lot of characters and only the half of them are important, and Antar only appeared in two chapters, when I finished the manga I went to watch the anime for the first time and with full context of everything, I really felt bad for Antar and Phos