The visuals of Houseki no Kuni (Land of the Lustrous) have always struck me to the core, whether with the almost palpable feeling of isolation among the gems, the marked emptiness of the land (empty of human-like lifeforms, but not necessarily empty of natural flora or fauna), or the alien-like coldness of the statuesque Lunarians. But, the image that stuck with me most in this anime was the visual of Phos standing at the edge of a cliff being progressively covered in yellow butterflies while waiting for a sunspot and struggling with life-changing doubts.

Why this scene over all others in this beautiful series? I just found it so perfectly representative of everything Phos has experienced throughout the anime, especially when you think about the butterfly within the context of Japanese symbology and mythology. Continue reading →