Figure 17: Tsubasa & Hikaru
Synopsis
Tsubasa Shiina is a 10-year-old girl who recently moved to Hokkaido to live with her father. In school, she is very quiet and unsociable with her classmates. Then one night, she witnesses a UFO crash in the forest near her home. She rushes to the scene and finds the pilot, codenamed "D.D.", in a barely stable condition. Also in the scene is a Maguar, a hideous alien that hatched aboard D.D.'s ship. As the Maguar is close to taking Tsubasa's life, an alien lifeform fuses with her body to form the Riberus battle armor Figure 17, which shortly destroys the alien threat. The life form takes the name Hikaru and turns into an identical twin of Tsubasa. As time passes, Tsubasa becomes more open to everyone around her, thanks to her new twin sister Hikaru. However, with Maguar eggs scattered all over Hokkaido, their ability to form Figure 17 is needed to eliminate all hatched Maguars until backup from D.D.'s home planet arrives on Earth. (Source: ANN)
Audience Consensus
Audience sentiment is largely positive, praising the character development and emotional depth. Some find the sci-fi elements weak and the pacing slow, but overall the show is considered a hidden gem. The focus on character relationships over action resonates with many viewers.
Strengths
- Strong character development, particularly Tsubasa's gradual growth.
- Realistic portrayal of emotions and relationships.
- Well-integrated slice-of-life elements with sci-fi action.
Weaknesses
- Repetitive action sequences and uninspired Maguar designs.
- Pacing issues, with episodes feeling stretched out.
- Unnecessary side plots that don't tie into the main story (e.g., the reporter).