Secret Santa Project Review: Twin Spica

On January 28, 1986, a stunned America watched helplessly as the Space Shuttle Challenger disintegrated 73 seconds after liftoff. I was a grade school student at the time, and I remember that this disaster hit us particularly hard due to the presence of Christa McAuliffe, the first member of the Teacher in Space Project, on the Challenger crew. It took years for the American space program – and the American nation – to recover, and some might argue that even today it still hasn’t fully returned to its pre-Challenger level of vitality.

I couldn’t help but think of this tragic event as I watched the opening moments of Twin Spica, an anime based on the seinen manga written and illustrated by Kou Yaginuma. It tells the story of a near-future Japan entering the space race with its first manned mission, Shishigou (Lion), which ends in disaster when the rocket’s booster catches fire shortly after launch.

J-List is a peaceful island of Japanese pop culture for you