Moonrise Series Review
review
✦
review ✦
Netflix’s Moonrise is an ambitious original anime from Wit Studio, directed by Masashi Koizuka and penned by Tow Ubukata. Across 18 episodes, it seeks to meld space opera spectacle with intimate character drama. And while the first few episodes shine with stunning visuals and promise, the series falters in its middle stretch as pacing issues and uneven character arcs undermine a memorable early setup. Ultimately, Moonrise is a show of two halves: bold and beautiful early on; inconsistent and overstretched in its latter half.
Moonrise (2025), Netflix and Wit Studio
Reese is a Redeeming Factor in its SHORTCOMINGS
One of the series’ true strengths is a powerful, yet studious character named Rhys. From the first episode, Rhys effortlessly emerges not as a filler character but as an essential emotional anchor—a friend, a fighter, and someone utterly devoted to Jack. Though she doesn’t dominate the narrative, Rhys occasionally provides moments of clarity and emotional grounding—especially valuable when other characters lose direction or momentum. That small but potent arc delivers glimpses of the focused storytelling Moonrise rarely maintains. And honestly, the anime’s choice to emphasize others like Mary over Rhys is another reason the series doesn’t quite reach its full potential. Which actually leads us into our next point.
Mary Disrupts the Flow
Then there’s Mary, introduced roughly halfway through. Intended as a wildcard, her arrival instead jostles the story’s rhythm for the rest of the series. One moment, the tone is crackling with tension and mission-based urgency; the next, it pivots into sidelined subplots that feel shoehorned in. She also quickly becomes a romantic option for Jack (as if he needed more attention), and that shift undoubtedly interrupts the narrative momentum and doesn’t get enough substantive payoff. The death of an ally in the beginning might have felt like an opening for a new face—but perhaps the story could have benefited from taking more time to dig into the remaining characters instead. If anything, she definitely has the potential to be a huge deterrent for viewers, becoming a character who only contributes cliche love interest tendencies, jealousy from others, and slower pacing.
Jack: From Compelling Everyman to Frustrated Lead
Our protagonist, Jack, starts as a sympathetic young recruit thrust into an interplanetary war. His grief, his moral compass, and the mystery surrounding his family’s fate make early episodes compelling. But as the series shifts gears, Jack’s motivations grow murky. He wavers, makes opaque decisions, and by the final stretch, emerges as someone more frustrating than relatable. The tight pacing and believable character-driven drama of the early arcs give way to narrative drift, and Jack drifts with it—an unintended casualty of faltering storytelling. His fascination with pursuing less compelling side storylines also becomes a point of contention, but it’s more of a development issue with the overarching plot than a character issue.
Beautiful Animation, Uneven Structure
No one can argue with the visual excellence of Moonrise. Wit Studio’s backgrounds, character art, and flashy action choreography remain consistently impressive. Lunar landscapes also glow with eerie ambiance, and the fight scenes carry authentic physical weight, making every movement feel consequential. When Moonrise leans into showcasing its environment and scale, it operates at near-movie quality.
But visually arresting art only goes so far when structure falters. The early half balances world-building, emotional stakes, and mystery in balanced harmony. Then—and especially mid-series—the narrative becomes burdened. Time jumps, new characters like Mary, and sprawling subplots pull the story in too many directions.
A Promising End in Spite of the Middle
Interestingly, the conclusion redeems some of the middling middle. A focused third act re-centers on big ideas: power, autonomy, and the human cost of cosmic conflict. One could even argue that while the ending remains ambiguous, emotionally charged sequences in the final episodes are satisfying and grounded. There are no easy resolutions, but there's enough thematic closure to appreciate the journey—even if the roadmap to get there was bumpy.
Score: 6/10
Moonrise is an impressive first draft—filled with spark, but in need of sharper editing and character focus.
