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Toward the Terra
Cover of laserdisc release of Toward the Terra depicting Soldier Blue
地球へ… (Terra e…)
Genre	Science Fiction, Supernatural, Drama, Psychological
Manga
Author	Keiko Takemiya
Publisher	Asahi Sonorama (original) Square Enix (reprint)
English publisher	Vertical Inc.
Demographic	Shōnen
Magazine	Gekkan Manga Shōnen
Original run	January 1977 – May 1980
Volumes	3
Manga: Terra e… ~Keith of the Blue Light~
Author	Fumino Hayashi
Publisher	Square Enix
Demographic	Shōnen
Magazine	GFantasy
Original run	May 2007 – ongoing
Volumes	Ongoing
Radio Drama
Station: NHK-FM Program: NHK-FM Summer Special Edition Stereo Story Comic Broadcast: July 23, 1979 - July 28, 1979
Animated film
Director	Hideo Onchi
Studio	Toei Animation
Licensor	Nozomi Entertainment
Released	April 26, 1980 May 4, 1994
Runtime	113 minutes
TV anime
Director	Osamu Yamazaki
Studio	Minamimachi Bugyōsho, Tokyo Kids, Aniplex
Licensor	Bandai Entertainment
Network	MBS-TBS, Animax, Kids Station, RCC Chugoku Broadcasting, SBS
Original run	April 7, 2007 – September 22, 2007
Episodes	24
Anime and Manga Portal

Toward the Terra (地球へ…, Terra e…^?) is a Japanese science fiction manga series by Keiko Takemiya. It was serialized by Asahi Sonorama Gekkan Manga Shōnen between January 1977 and May 1980. In 1978, the manga series won the prestigious Seiun Award,^[1] and in 1979 it also won the Shogakukan Manga Award for shōnen/shōjo manga.^[2] In 2007, American publisher Vertical Inc. released all three volumes of the manga in English under the title To Terra…, while Japanese publisher Square Enix released a reprint edition of the original manga.

In 1980 it was adapted into an animated movie, produced by Toei Animation and directed by Hideo Onchi. TRSI released the movie in North America as Toward the Terra, on VHS in 1994 and on laserdisc in 1995.

In 2007, the manga was adapted into an animated TV series, animated by Minamimachi Bugyōsho and Tokyo Kids, produced by Aniplex, SKY Perfect Well Think, and Mainichi Broadcasting System, and directed by Osamu Yamazaki, which premiered in Japan on MBS-TBS’s Saturday 6:00pm time slot (previously occupied by other notable anime series such as Mobile Suit Gundam SEED, Fullmetal Alchemist and Blood+) on April 7, 2007.

[edit] Plot

In a distant future where mankind has colonized the stars, life is being controlled by supercomputers. A race of psionics called Mu has emerged, and humanity fears and wants to destroy it. Staying hidden and attempting to rescue as many Mu children as possible before they are eliminated, the Mu have only one longing - to return home.

The plot of Toward the Terra spans a large number of years, jumping ahead multiple times, from Jomy’s life on Ataraxia, to the various events on Station E-1077, to Jomy’s founding of a Mu colony on a habitable planet, to the humans’ invasion of said planet in order to eradicate the perceived threat, and finally to the Mu’s return to Terra.

[edit] Characters

[edit] Main Characters

The main cast of the Toward the Terra animated TV series, from left to right: Harley, Physis, Blue, Jomy, Keith, Shiroe, and Sam

Jomy Marcus Shin (ジョミー・マーキス・シン, Jomī Mākisu Shin^?)

Jomy, a student born in the Education City Ataraxia, unknowingly carries the Mu Factor within his genes. On his 14th birthday, he fails his adulthood exam, but is rescued by the Mu from an assassination attempt. Later on, Jomy’s dormant powers awaken, and he is confronted with the realization that he is one of the strongest Mu, and the only hope his race has for continued survival.

Jomy originally rejects the idea of him being a Mu but comes to accept it later on and succeeds Soldier Blue as their leader. Despite being unnaturally healthy for a Mu, in the original manga his well-being eventually deteriorates to a state that renders him blind, deaf and mute.

Keith Anyan (キース・アニアン, Kīsu Anian^?)

Raised in a test tube for the first 14 years of his life, Keith does not remember anything before his non-existent adulthood exam. Labelled as an “android” by Seki Ray Shiroe, he is known for his exceptional mind and elite skills on-board educational station E-1077, on which he befriended Sam. His continued outstanding performance earns him a rapid rise in ranks, and he eventually comes to lead all of Humanity at the young age of 30.

Interestingly, despite being pitted against Jomy and the Mu several times throughout the series, Keith’s portrayal is similar to that of an anti-hero and somewhat of a second protagonist, rather than a “villain”. His connections and experiences with the Mu ultimately lead him to betray Grand Mother, and the SD system itself.

Soldier Blue (ソルジャー・ブルー, Sorujā Burū^?)

The first leader of the Mu, and the very first Type Blue psion, hence the origin of his name. Having an abnormally weak body, Soldier Blue is reaching his limit, and seeks out Jomy to lead his people, and to ensure the continued survival of the Mu.

Physis (フィシス, Fishisu^?)

A blind woman who uses Tarot cards to predict the future, Physis is perceived by Blue to be the ‘goddess’ of the Mu. She is different from other Mu in that she does not carry the necessary mutated gene, and is an otherwise normal human whom Blue bestowed upon psionic abilities.

Jonah Matsuka (ジョナ・マツカ, Jona Matsuka^?)

A young man with an unwavering and almost twisted loyalty to Keith. Initially believing that his ability to read minds was merely him being ‘weird’ and unique’, Matsuka is in actuality a Mu who managed to trick the system and pass his adulthood exams without detection. His name is incorrectly translated as Makka in Vertical’s English translation of the manga.

Seki Ray Shiroe (セキ・レイ・シロエ, Seki Rei Shiroe^?)

A young boy unaware of his Mu powers, he is a freshman onboard educational station E-1077 during Keith’s senior years. With a fiery, rebellious nature and vehement dislike for the system, he opposes the perfectly elite and poker-faced Keith Anyan, constantly provoking him and striving to surpass him.

Although Jomy and Shiroe never meet in the manga or its 1980 adaptation, the TV series features an early episode in which Jomy attempts to take the 10-year-old Shiroe back to the Shangri-La with him.

Tony (トォニィ, Toonii^?)

The very first natural birth since the implementation of the SD system, Tony was born to Mu parents on Naska. He marks the first of several similarly-born Mu children who experience rapid growth and powers far superior to many of the other Mu. Despite being hot-headed and rebellious, he holds a deep respect for Jomy, calling him “Grandpa” (despite having no relation to him; however, in the movie version, Tony is depicted as Jomy’s son).

Tony’s ultimate fate differs in each adaptation. In the original manga, he and the other Nazca-born Mu exile themselves to a distant planet after refusing to see Terra; however, in the anime he succeeds the late Jomy as the leader of the Mu.

[edit] Mu

Harley (ハーレイ, Hārei^?)

The commander of the Mu mother ship. Despite appearing older than Soldier Blue, they are from the same generation.

Leo (リオ, Rio^?)

A gentle-natured young man born with speech disability, Leo communicates primarily through telepathy. He is one of the first Mu to encounter Jomy, aiding his escape from Ataraxia.

Carina (カリナ, Karina^?)

Tony’s mother. She is the first female to give birth naturally after the introduction of the SD system’s controlled birth program. After Keith stabs the 3-year-old Tony while being held captive on the Mu mothership, Carina is immediately led to believe that he is dead, and she ultimately destroys herself out of her own grief-induced rage.

[edit] Humans

Sam Houston (サム・ヒューストン, Samu Hyūsuton^?)

A childhood friend of Jomy, Sam passes his adulthood exam and is placed in the same class as Keith, where the two become close friends. He eventually loses his mind and is reduced to the mentality of am 8-year-old, his mind ironically filled only with the memories of his childhood that repeated memory erasure had forced him to forget. Keith carries Sam’s blood in his earrings.

Swena Dalton (スウェナ・ダールトン, Suvena Dāruton^?)

An anime-only character, Swena was another of Jomy’s childhood friends. She is placed in the same class as Keith and Sam on E-1077.

Serge Starjon (セルジェ・スタージョン, Seruje Sutājon^?)

An anime-only character who also serves as an homage to Serge Battour, the main character of Kaze to Ki no Uta (another of Keiko Takemiya’s more famous works). Serge is loyal to Keith - as shown by his grief when he believes that Keith is dead - and often acts as his second in command. He also befriends Matsuka, and is the only person shown to refer to him by his first name (”Jonah”).

[edit] Computers

Grandmother (グランドマザー, Gurandomazaa^?)

The all powerful computer that governs mankind. It disapproves of the Mu.

Computer Terra (コンピュータ・テラ, Konpyuuta Tera^?)

A computer deep within Earth that appears after the destruction of Grandmother. Originally installed ten years before the S.D. calendar, its calculations showed a high probability of the Mu deciding Earth’s destiny. The politicians of that time disapproved of the calculations and went on to build Grandmother.

Terraz Number 5 (テラズ・ナンバー5, Terazu Nanbaa5^?)

One of the nine “Terraz Number” and directly connected to Grandmother. Terraz Number 5 is the computer in charge of the awakening ceremony on Ataraxia.

Mother Eliza (マザー・イライザ, Mazaa Iraiza^?)

The mother computer of Educational Station E-1077. She appears as a holographic projection, taking the form of a person familiar to the student. While she acts as counsellor, she is in reality in charge of the station, frequently praising and favouring Keith, whom she considers her “child”.

[edit] Other

Weeping Mouse (ナキネズミ, Nakinezumi^?)

A creature looks like a purple fox. It communicates with its kind using ultrasound and is capable of limited telepathy. It was created by the Mu, but humans were led to believe that it came from a foreign planet. One specimen communicates with Jomy telepathically at Fanatic Dreamworld and is freed from its captivity and follows Jomy to the Mu mother ship later on. In contrast, it is also used throughout the TV series as a symbol of Keith and Sam’s friendship.

[edit] Media

[edit] Manga

The manga series, written and illustrated by Keiko Takemiya, was serialized by Asahi Sonorama in Gekkan Manga Shōnen between January 1977 and May 1980. The chapters were collected in three bound volumes, which was reissued in August 1980 with the release of the movie. In 2007, on the day before the TV series began airing, the manga was reprinted by Japanese publisher Square Enix. The series is licensed in North America by Vertical Inc., which in 2007 released the manga in English under the title To Terra….

The series won two prestigious awards: the Seiun Award for best science fiction manga in 1978 and the Shogakukan Manga Award for best shōnen/shōjo manga in 1979.^[1][2]

[edit] Movie

In 1980, Toward the Terra was adapted into an animated movie, produced by Toei Animation and directed by Hideo Onchi. TRSI released a hardsubbed version of the movie in North America. It was titled Toward the Terra, and appeared on VHS in 1994 and on laserdisc in 1995. 2] At Anime Expo 2008, The Right Stuf International announced that its Nozomi Entertainment division had licensed the Toward the Terra film for the North American market.^[3]

This article or section may require cleanup because it is in a list format that may be better presented using prose. You can help by converting this section to prose, if appropriate. Editing help is available. (October 2008)

[edit] TV series

Main article: List of Toward the Terra episodes

Toward the Terra was adapted into an animated TV series in 2007, animated by Minamimachi Bugyōsho and Tokyo Kids, and produced by Aniplex, SKY Perfect Well Think and Mainichi Broadcasting System. It was directed by Osamu Yamazaki. The opening these were “endscape” performed by UVERworld and “Jet Boy Jet Girl” by Hitomi Takahashi, and the ending themes were “Love is…” performed by Miliyah and “This Night”by Chemistry.

The series premiered in Japan on MBS-TBS’s Saturday 6:00pm time slot on April 7, 2007. That time slot was previously occupied by other notable animated series, such as Mobile Suit Gundam Seed and Fullmetal Alchemist. It was replaced in this timeslot by Mobile Suit Gundam 00, which premiered in October 2007.

Staff

Planning: Seiji Takeda (MBS), Noriyasu Kimiki (Wellthink), Kōichirō Natsume (Aniplex)

Planning co-operation: Atsushi Higashiyama (Dentsu)

Screenplay: Satoru Nishizono, others

Character design: Nobuteru Yuki

Conceptual design: Yutaka Izubuchi

Mechanical design: Yasushi Ishizu, Takayuki Yanase, Hideyuki Matsumoto

Display design: Yoshinori Sayama

SF research: Mitsuyasu Sakai

Art director: Shunichirō Yoshiwara (Bihō)

Art settings: Tomoyasu Fujise, Yoshinori Shiozawa (episode 1)

Color design: Yūko Kanemaru

Color design assistance: Rieko Sakai

Director of photography: Takeshi Hirōka

3D director: Tatsuo Hayasaki

Editing: Yutaka Fukuda

Music: Yasuharu Takanashi

Music director: Fumiko Harada

Sound design: Minoru Yamada (eNa)

Sound recording engineer: Shōji Hata

Sound recording assistant: Hiromi Yoshihara

Sound recording studio: STUDIO T & T

Sound recording production head: Jun’ichi Inaba

Sound production: DAX Production

Music production/co-operation: Sony Music Entertainment, Just

Producers: Hiroshi Morotomi (MBS), Norihiro Hayashida (Wellthink), Ai Abe (Aniplex)

Animation producer: Kiyomitsu Aoki (Tokyo Kids)

Assistant director: Hidetoshi Yoshida

Director/direction supervision: Osamu Yamazaki

Animation production: Minamimachi Bugyōsho, Tokyo Kids

Production: Mainichi Broadcasting System, SKY Perfect Well Think, Aniplex

Cast

Jomy Marquis Shin: Mitsuki Saiga

Keith Anyan: Takehito Koyasu

Soldier Blue: Tomokazu Sugita

Physis: Sanae Kobayashi

Jonah Matsuka: Motoki Takagi

Seki Leigh Shiroei: Marina Inoue

Tony: Noriaki Sugiyama

Sam Houston: Wataru Hatano

Swena Dalton: Yuki Masuda

Leo: Daisuke Namikawa

Karina: Sayuri Kubo

Harley: Jūrōta Kosugi

Ella:Fumi Orita

Zel: Yousuha Akimoto

Brau: Minako Ichiki

Serge Stajon: Nobuhiko Okamoto

Glaive Murdock: Ken Narita

Artella: Ayahi Takagaki

Jomy’s Mother: Yukana

Jomy’s Father: Yasunori Matsumoto

Alfred: Takuma Terashima

Nina: Sayaka Narita

Yui: Kazutoshi Hatano

Harold: Kunihiro Kawamoto

Helman: Atsushi Imaruoka

Toki: Fumie Mizusawa

Nakinezumi: Manami Komori

Mother Computer: Ai Orikasa

Commanding Officer: Hiroki Yasumoto

Narration: Norio Wakamoto

This article or section may require cleanup because it is in a list format that may be better presented using prose. You can help by converting this section to prose, if appropriate. Editing help is available. (November 2008)

[edit] References

1. ^ ^{a b} “日本SFファングループ連合会議：星雲賞リスト” (in Japanese). Retrieved on 2008-10-04.
2. ^ ^{a b} “小学館漫画賞：歴代受賞者” (in Japanese). Shogakukan. Retrieved on 2007-08-19.
3. ^ Right Stuf Adds Gakuen Alice, Reissues First Terra e - Anime News Network

[edit] External links

Anime and Manga portal

• Official website of TV anime series (Japanese)
• Movie review at SciFi.com
• Right Stuf/Nozomi’s Official Toward the Terra Film Website
• Toward the Terra (TV) (anime) at Anime News Network’s Encyclopedia
• Toward the Terra (movie) (anime) at Anime News Network’s Encyclopedia
• To Terra… (manga) at Anime News Network’s Encyclopedia
• Toward the Terra (1980) at the Internet Movie Database