Rating: 
Summary: Misses Greatness But Still Fun
Review: * At the beginning of CREST OF THE STARS, a 13-episode anime series on
four DVDs, the Abh, a spacefaring race of genetically modified humans
with blue hair, occupy the planet of Martine, with the planet's
president making a deal with the invaders to become the planet's king
instead.This makes his young son Jinto Lin a prince of the Abh Empire, and he
is educated accordingly, even though he finds the idea of being a
prince a little baffling. His duties as a prince
include military service, and so when he comes of age he reports to be taken
to a training academy. He is greeted by the first Abh he has ever met
face-to-face, a girl about his age with long blue hair and pointy ears
who gives her name as "Lafiel". At the time, Jinto has no idea that
pointy-eared Abh are royalty, and Lafiel is pleased by his
unselfconcious and unfamiliar informality. However, as the two return
to the patrol vessel that will take Jinto to the training academy, the
wheels are in motion that will lead to a galactic war with the rival
empire of United Mankind. The war will send Jinto and Lafiel off to
many adventures and make fast friends of them. CREST OF THE STARS, based on a novel by Hiroyuki Moriyoka, is
basically a formula Galactic Empire story. There is very little that
is conceptually new here, and the story delivery is not particularly
inspired. CREST OF THE STARS can be annoying since it seems to
consistently fail to pick up on interesting story leads, for example
on the nature of the semi-benign / semi-authoritarian Abh Empire, and
also gives a consistently flat delivery of story elements that were
probably meant to be funny in Moriyoka's novel -- for instance, the
part of the story concerning the "Space Bimbos of Baron Fedbash" is
played almost straight, though it seems hard to believe somebody
wouldn't play it for laughs. However, that said, I can see why this series has its fans. The story
is actually fairly strong, strong enough to still shine to a degree
through the clumsiness of the anime production, and in particular
Jinto and Lafiel are very appealing characters -- Jinto often boyish
and bumbling, but still courageous and bold when necessary; and Lafiel
leaking out glimmers of vulnerability under her sometimes overdrawn
military / imperial bearing. The two form a good team. The
production values are also good in general, if not remarkable, though
I found the theme music ham-fisted and thoroughly overused. I tend to see CREST OF THE STARS as a "Galactic Empire Space Opera for
Adolescents" and as such found it enjoyable, reminiscent of a lot of
the sci-fi for adolescents I read when I was a teenager in the late
1960s. It has a certain Miyazaki-like flavor, not only because Jinto
is drawn in a way that suggests Miyazaki's artwork, but because the
Jinto-Lafiel team is reminiscent of Pazu and Sheeta in CASTLE IN THE
SKY. This is not entirely a happy comparison, however, since thinking
of it immediately brings to mind the thought: "CREST OF THE STARS
would have been really fantastic if Miyazaki had made it." Still,
I'll take what I can get, and wish that the production crew will
mature in time to make more of the good material they've got. Can I recommend this? Yes, if cautiously. It's better than ordinary
anime, most of which I have trouble swallowing -- but that doesn't
make it extraordinary. I like to think of it as being what I wish
ordinary anime actually was. Certainly it's a good buy for the price,
which is surprisingly low for a four-disk set. I'll likely pick up
the sequels.
Rating: 
Summary: Great series
Review: Awesome space battles, cool new sci-fi universe, and great character development. I love it.
Rating:
Summary: A great sci-fi mini series.
Review: Crest of the Stars is a anime based on a novel and it shows. Lots of details, lots of background, lots of characters and lots of action. Jinto Lin, a Abh by title, and Lafiel, a Abh by birth, are the focus of the 13 episodes. They are thrown into the chaos of a galaxy about to explode into a war, but they always stay the focus of the story even when the events shown are light years away.
The Abh are a race who live in space and use genetic engeering to improve themselves. They believe that to bring peace to the galaxy that they have to control it - why else would they have massive battle fleets and take over planets that couldn't be a danger to their Empire? Of course, the other Human Empires don't agree with their viewpoint and also fear the Abh who they see as organic machines who have gone nuts.
The anime gives us the impression that the Abh have the edge in spaceships and military weapons, yet also show that even the Abh can be selfish and unsure of themselves. At one point, in the last few episodes, a Abh officer did not understand why the enemy fleet would attack him even after realizing that he had the bigger fleet. The idea that the normal humans might prefer to die in battle than retreat or become 'slaves' seemed to be beyond his grasp.
This is the FIRST part of a Epic of stories, starting with Creat of the Stars. I plan to get them all. I want to see who wins, even if I'm not to sure who is the Good Side and who is the Bad Side. Much of the story is seen from the Abh's point-of-view.
Rating:
Summary: A great sci-fi mini series.
Review: Crest of the Stars is a anime based on a novel and it shows. Lots of details, lots of background, lots of characters and lots of action. Jinto Lin, a Abh by title, and Lafiel, a Abh by birth, are the focus of the 13 episodes. They are thrown into the chaos of a galaxy about to explode into a war, but they always stay the focus of the story even when the events shown are light years away.
The Abh are a race who live in space and use genetic engeering to improve themselves. They believe that to bring peace to the galaxy that they have to control it - why else would they have massive battle fleets and take over planets that couldn't be a danger to their Empire? Of course, the other Human Empires don't agree with their viewpoint and also fear the Abh who they see as organic machines who have gone nuts.
The anime gives us the impression that the Abh have the edge in spaceships and military weapons, yet also show that even the Abh can be selfish and unsure of themselves. At one point, in the last few episodes, a Abh officer did not understand why the enemy fleet would attack him even after realizing that he had the bigger fleet. The idea that the normal humans might prefer to die in battle than retreat or become 'slaves' seemed to be beyond his grasp.
This is the FIRST part of a Epic of stories, starting with Creat of the Stars. I plan to get them all. I want to see who wins, even if I'm not to sure who is the Good Side and who is the Bad Side. Much of the story is seen from the Abh's point-of-view.
Rating: 
Summary: A good Sci-Fi addition
Review: Crest of the Stars is a Science Fiction drama that anyone with leanings toward the genre should enjoy. Jinto Lin, the son of a man who gave up his planet to the Abh - a race of elven appearance and a 200+ year life span - is emerging from a difficult childhood. When we meet him, he is waiting for the small transport vessel that will start him on a journey leading to his grooming by the Abh as a diplomatic figure who will hopefully help to deflate tensions between the races. Although Jinto doesn't quite know what he thinks the Abh will be like, he certainly doesn't expect what he gets when he meets his escort. He's delighted when Trainee Lafiel turns out to be a friendly young woman, as curious about humans as he is about the Abh, who even keeps the ball rolling when he attempts a joke. They're both obviously happy when Lafiel is the staffer assigned to him once they reach their mother ship. They turn out to have eerily similar childhoods and start to bond quite quickly, when complications arise. The Abh ship is attacked, and Lafiel is ordered to escape with Jinto and get him to his destination at all costs. Their adventure has begun. A story like this depends on the chemistry between the two main characters, and it works. First of all, the gender role reversal adds an interesting element - the fact that it's Lafiel protecting Jinto instead of the other way around leads to a different dynamic than usual. Lafiel is quite likable, surprised but never condenscending when Jinto often misunderstands basic Abh psychology and - although she never says this outright - obviously keeping enough of a thin line between them so that she can do her job while still becoming his friend. If Lafiel is likable, Jinto is even moreso. He's a wonderful narrator - thoughtful, sensitive and open. In short, the type of person you would indeed want to see acting as a diplomat in a few more years. He also doesn't sink into self-pity when he realizes that he's starting to fall hard for Lafiel in spite of the fact that he's completely aware that nothing will ever happen between them, as - barring a tragedy - he'll be long gone when Lafiel is still fairly young. There are also some interesting moments involving Human-Abh differences. My favorite is when Lafiel, planetside for the first time in her life, bravely tells Jinto to leave her and carry on, as she is going blind - which she can tell because the stars are twinkling! (Jinto quickly and gently explains to her the effect of planetary atmosphere on light). With two strong main characters and an interesting premise, the series is recommended. Just be aware that it has an open ending, leading to Banner of the Stars.
Rating:
Summary: Legacy of the Stars
Review: Crest of the Stars is not for the impatient. I remember buying the first volume years ago, and thinking at the time that I might continue watching it, but it was the slowest moving anime I had ever seen. This still holds true. The storyline on this one is much deeper than your typical anime, or even your typical sci-fi. The story revolves around young Jinto, who through no fault of his own became royalty, a traitor to his people, and a person without a real family while still a child. The whole chain of events gets started when the Empire of Abh invades the Martine Star system and Jinto's father (leader of the planet) surrenders without firing a shot. Really, one might say that the real focus of this series is how different ways of thinking cause misunderstandings. When the Martine Star System is invaded, the Abh tell the planet's inhabitants that they are not interested in the planet, just the space surrounding it, and that the people can be ruled by one of their own. The people of the planet take it as an insult, rather than as an act of mercy, and view the surrender of their leader as betrayal, rather than as a brave course of action that probably saved their lives. What really makes for an interesting twist (like some of the best anime) is the fact that there really aren't any good or bad guys in this one. Some of the things that the Abh Empire does could be seen as evil, and some of the things that the Abh do could be seen as extremely noble. One part of the series which really had a strong impact on me (once I understood it) was an old woman who was helped by Lafiel when her luggage was being stolen, and swore at her. Only at the end of the episode do we see what she was carrying (anti-Abh propaganda). All of the galactic politics of war in this show is great stuff to be sure, but Jinto and Lafiel are the true stars of the show. On the suface Jinto appears to be a weak and mild-mannered person, and Lafiel appears to be a strong and resourceful Imperial soldier. As the show goes on though, we come to see that there is more to them than meets the eye. Jinto can be brave and ingenius (and even heroic) when he needs to be, and underneath that cool exterior, Lafiel is really just a kind young girl in need of love and understanding. I highly recommend watching this one in the original Japanese, as it is vastly superior to the English dub. If you love hard-core sci-fi and serious drama, you'll love this show and need to buy it immediately. Espeically if you have the patience for a good story that takes its time.
Rating:
Summary: Thoughtful and carefully developped series
Review: Even though it is comprised of only thirteen episodes, this is a thoughtful and carefully developped series. A dry description of the events would not really convey what makes it special or unique - it is the numerous little details that must be seen in context to be appreciated that create the unique atmosphere, or flavour, of this anime.
There is something very touching about the key relationship that drives the show - difficult to define why. A mood of nostalgia and faded memory permeates it - you will have to see it for yourself. This only gets stronger in the later series. Remeniscent of the mood of the independent short "Voices of a Distant Star".
A very worthwhile viewing experience for science fiction cognoscenti, and fans of more mature anime, excellently continued in the two subsequent sequel series (with promise of more to come).
P.S.
The only negative thing I have to say, which does not reflect on the quality of the series itself, is that the english dub is remarkably bad - this is really in a league of its own for horridness. How exactly do they go about making these dubs? If they ask nicely, I'll do it for them instead.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent start to an unforgettable epic
Review: Firstly I would like to start off by saying what an incredible value this collector set is. At only [money amount]you get 4 DVDs that would initially cost about [money maount]a piece where you to buy it separately. But who cares what the price is if what you buy is just junk? Crest of the Stars is a beautiful anime worth more much more than what you will be paying for. People looking for mindless action like that of anime like Gundam and Dragon Ball Z will be very disapointed with Crest of the Stars. Crest of the Stars is not an action anime; it is an adventure, love story and political drama all in one. The story of Crest of the Stars is it's strongest point along with it's characters. Many of the episodes in this series are spent on character development instead of focusing on the actual plot, this might turn off some viewers who have a short attention span. The animation quality is great but since the anime is a few years old it isn't as good as most of the recent BANDAI/Sunrise projects such as Cowboy Bebop. The music is excellent but it is not typical of most Japanese anime as it has a more sci-fi feel. At only 13 episodes, Crest of the Stars is hardly complete, which is why viewers of this anime who like it should check out the sequels Banner of the Stars and Banner of the Stars II. Most people who are past the age of 12 and who don't consider Sailor Moon and Dragon Ball Z the best of anime will most likely like this series.
Rating:
Summary: An excellent start to an unforgettable epic
Review: Firstly I would like to start off by saying what an incredible value this collector set is...Crest of the Stars is a beautiful anime worth more much more than what you will be paying for.
People looking for mindless action like that of anime like Gundam and Dragon Ball Z will be very disappointed with Crest of the Stars. Crest of the Stars is not an action anime; it is an adventure, love story and political drama all in one. The story of Crest of the Stars is its strongest point along with its characters. Many of the episodes in this series are spent on character development instead of focusing on the actual plot. The animation quality is great but since the anime is a few years old it isn't as good as most of the recent BANDAI/Sunrise projects such as Cowboy bebop. The music is excellent but it is not typical of most Japanese anime as it has a more sci-fi feel. At only 13 episodes, Crest of the Stars is hardly complete, which is why viewers of this anime who like it should check out the sequels Banner of the Stars and Banner of the Stars II. Most people who are past the age of 13 and who don't consider Sailor Moon and Dragon Ball Z the best of anime will most likely like this series.
Rating:
Summary: Great Anime
Review: I got this set yesterday evening and I watched the whole thing through from end to end.
Now I origionally found this series form the Magna, I saw the cover and thought it looked intresting. The story in the anime is fairly good. The graphics are well done. One thing I liked was how the ships moved in space, you got a good feeling that the ships were fighting in 3 dimensions and at high rates of speed. The music was well done as were many of the voice overs. My only really problem with the Japenese voices was that there were times in which the charactes sounded too try or unemotional at times. But that was easily forgiven given the strong storyline.
Everything is well done in the Japenese format, however this series doesn't get 5 stars for 1 major reason. The English dub is horrific. Very bad dub, heck I don't know an ounce of Japenese and I just had to switch to the Japenese format to enjoy it better,it's that bad. I hope that some day Bandai re-releases this series with an improved english dub in the future.
Now this series isn't for those action Anime fans. People who want to see spacebattles from end to end will be very dissapointed. This is the type of anime that draws you in with its story and character development. The interactions between Jinto and Lafiel are both quite intresting. I am glad though that they showed more of Lafiels feelings in the Anime than the Magna. In the Magna it was more subtle.
The Anime is however, oh how can I say it, refreshing in a way. It's differerent, more like a thinking mans anime. I would suggest even people who love action animes to sit down and watch the whole series from end to end. If they managed to stay awake they would find the anime to be just an outstandng piece of work, and something worth watching again and again.
Now remember, there is a sequel, Banner of the Stars that s already out in the complete collection format. From what I hear that's good as well, if it's half as good as the magna then it will be a very good watch. I would suggest to anyone watching this series to buy the magna as well. It reveals a lot more about the story, and in some instances the actions of some of the charachers are very different from the magna and the anime (the United Mankind officer from when Jinto and Lafiel were on the planet is very different). So go out, get the series and buy the Magna, you won't be dissapointed.
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