Raye's Anime Pick of the Month: Please Save My Earth Welcome to my thirdAnime Pick of the Month! This is where I review the anime I'd love to feature on my page, but I unfortunately don't have the room. This time around, I'm reviewing another one of my favorites (but most titles I like are my favorites, anyway!), Please Save My Earth. All names are listed Japanese style, last name first.

Please Save My Earth

Please Save My Earth, also known as Boku no Chikyuu o Mamotte ("Protect My Earth"), was first a manga series by Hiwatari Saki that appeared in Hana to Yume ("Flowers and Dreams") starting in 1987. In 1994, an anime version of the series was released in 6 OVA episodes, later followed by a movie and a music video collection that were mostly clips from the OVA series, but also had new animation. The OVA series was voted one of the best OVA series in 1994 in Japanese animation magazines. The problem was trying to condense 21 tankobon (compiled volumes) of manga into only six episodes. So although a lot of the original story never appeared in the anime, it is still a beautiful story consisting of romance, action, mystery, and suspense.

Currently, only the OVA series (dubbed onto three tapes by Viz Entertainment) and one of the soundtracks (by JVC) is available in America. But you can find the movie and music video collection fansubbed, and any Japanese book importer can find you the manga series or other books associated with the series.


Story
Please Save My Earth is the story of six high school students (Sakaguchi Alice, Ogura Jinpachi, Nishikiori Issei, Dobashi Daisuke, Kokushou Sakura, and Kasama Haruhiko) and one seven-year-old (Kobayashi Rin) who have dreams of a past life. In these dreams, they were seven alien scientists (Mokuren, Shion, Gyokuran, Shukaido, Enju, Shusuran, and Hiragi) who observed earth, or ZKK-101 as they called it, from the moon, collecting data on the species and nations. The scientists immediately fell in love with the simple planet, which reminded them of their home planet in ancient times.

The present day dreamers soon hook up with each other, trying to piece together the memories they each have dreamt about. As the series goes on, they discover how the scientists died, rivalries and love relationships between the scientists (And the feelings do sometimes pass on the current incarnations, even if they're not in a male/female situation anymore.), and a huge mistake that one of the present incarnations must spend his entire current life trying to atone for.

Sakaguchi Alice
Alice, named so after the fairy tale Alice in Wonderland, has had the ability to communicate with plants and animals ever since she can remember. She recently moved to Tokyo from the country and doesn't seem to be able to fit in with the busy city. She is shy and quiet, and a wonderful singer. She first hears of the "Moon Dreams" after accidentally overhearing a conversation between Jinpachi and Issei about a previous evening's dream. Mistaking that the two were discussing a relationship, Alice avoids them until they talk to her about why they were talking that way.
At first, Alice is intimidated by neighbor bully Kobayashi Rin, but because of an accident she partially helped to cause, she becomes closer than ever to him. She then discovers that it was their destiny to be together forever.
Kobayashi Rin
Rin, 7 years old, is the common little bully/brat who spent a lot of time picking on his new neighbor, 16-year-old Sakaguchi Alice. It isn't until an accident occured when Alice was babysitting Rin that Rin awoke as an incarnation of a moon scientist. Because of the accident, Rin and Alice develop an inseparable bond. Rin and Alice's age difference frustrates Rin, who like his previous incarnation, is very much in love with Alice. But why is Rin nine years younger than the other incarnations? What happened in those last moments on the moon?…

Mokuren
While all the moon scientists are Sarches, which means they have some sort of psychic powers (which only a few on their planet have), Mokuren is a very rare Kiche Sarjalim, or Kichess. Kichess are born one out of a hundred million, and are considered the blessed of Sarjalim (the aliens' Goddess). They are marked on their foreheads with four tiny red dots, and are considered very powerful. Their powers consist of being able to see the future and communicating with plants, among other things. They are taken away from their parents at an early age so that they can study their powers at a special institute. Mokuren is even a rarity among the rare, for she is the daughter of two Kichess, who are not supposed to intermarry.

Attracted to ZKK-101 because its deep blue color reminded her of her father's eyes, she goes on the mission to observe it. She is considered very beautiful by her fellow scientists, and Gyokuran, Shukaido, and Shion fall in love with her. But she only returns her feelings to Shion, who loves her as a person and not just as an untouchable Kichess.

Shion
Orphaned at an early age because of a war, Shion first discovered his power as a Sarches when soldiers shot at him and he unknowingly unleashed his power, stopping the bullets and killing the soldiers. Raised in an orphanage most of his early life, Shion was never able to get along with other people easily. He was first attracted to Mokuren because of her purity, something he never saw because of his rough life. But soon, he fell in love with her deeply, and to his surprise, she loved him back equally. But he wasn't the only one in love with Mokuren, and jealousy can lead some to do crazy things they'll regret forever…

Thanks to Becky Commanda for the images!

Next month: Kodomo no Omocha

See previous picks: Shoujo Kakumei Utena
Neon Genesis Evangelion

Return Home