Astra – Lost in Space follows a group of students from Caird High School. They live in a future world where students go on fields trips to other planets like we would go on trips to theme parks or museums. This is this class’ first trip to space, and as such they are largely inexperienced. The series is an ensemble piece, but at the beginning it is largely spearheaded by pink-haired Aries. An at-times annoyingly charismatic teenage girl who is excited to make her first trip into space.

Things, of course, do not go according to plan and upon arriving on the planet they are supposed to camp on a black orb transports them into space. This becomes their vessel and their only way to get back home as they hop from one planet to the next trying to survive their ordeal.

I’ll admit the first few episodes kind of irked me. Aries as a character was too peppy for the circumstances, and that just sort of drove me a bit crazy, but then as the series continues I sort of clicked with her, and the series sort of locked with me. She was a juxtaposition with the bleakness of the other characters and scenario, so while she still kind of annoyed me, she worked as an odd guiding light among the dark.

The show blends sci-fi space predicaments with teen drama in a mostly successful way, and by the end I was having a blast watching these guys work their way and through each predicament and piece of drama thrown their way. The animation is gorgeous, and works well for what’s going on here and fits the tone and mood of the show.

Funimation presents the series in a very nice 1080p 1:78:1 1080p transfer. Everything looks colorful and well detailed without issue. Audio is presented in 5.1 English and 2.0 Japanese with HD audio tracks. These are crisp clear, and without issue. Extras include a commentary on episode 6, promo videos, commercials, previews, and more RECOMMENDED.