As we float in the sky, a robot resembling a metallic magical girl gives us (first-person perspective!) a warm welcome to #COMPASS. We fly among clouds, blue pyramids, a floating white tower, a great cube, gardens, stone alleys, and green labyrinths: #COMPASS seems to be a virtual reality where heroes from different worlds can hang out, have a pizza, enjoy a concert, or polish their skills in mock battles while interacting with…their human partners? What are these “heroes” then? They look human enough, while, paradoxically, the “humans” look like little genies or dolls. Enter 13, whom the robot describes as their “problem child,” and who, judging by his costume, has watched Ergo Proxy (or The Crow) too many times. He is a slacker who might even be expelled from Compass if he keeps refusing to train. This would be bad, as he apparently doesn’t have a world to return to. A Captain America/Buzz Lightyear patriotic hero scolds him to no avail. We get a glimpse of other characters: Jeanne D’Arc is going through a losing streak and doesn’t rest enough (is that St. Jeanne? I need to do an article about her numberless anime appearances). Reiya is a stoic hero who seems to suspect a possible attack. And Jin is a human who is intrigued by 13, and is playing #COMPASS as a mobile game while in class, the rascal!
Ouch, 13. That hurts.
Okay, this has a lot of potential! I love the concept of liminal spaces for heroes, where they socialize and train, and I also love the philosophical implications of video game worlds being real, so we are off to a good start. The character designs of the heroes are pretty cool and distinct (some examples below), and their dilemmas are fairly compelling. The idea that humans can unlock special powers in the hero is a good one, and the bonds between human and hero that we see resemble those of fictional characters and their fans. The underlying question seems to be, what if you could become the sidekick/sponsor of your favorite superhero? The concept of heroes that come from different worlds and the fact that 13 cannot return to his, for some reason, is one I find suggestive. The description of the series says that the heroes train in a “dreamlike space,” and they certainly must be training for something, right? I wonder how everything fits together. But, most of all, I find the world of #COMPASS pleasant to look at: It is somewhere between a flying city and a theme park. Most of the show is underdeveloped thus far, and if you’re not a fan of the concepts, as I am, you might not see anything special here. As for me, I’m sold! What I have seen is enough for me to hope that it will lead to interesting places. See you on the other side!
#COMPASS2.0 ANIMATION PROJECT is available on Crunchyroll!
