Knights of Sidonia

Lore & Background

The story is set in the year 3394, a thousand years after humanity fled Earth following its destruction by the shapeshifting Gauna. The generation ship Sidonia, with a population of over 500,000, may be the last human settlement. Its culture includes human cloning, asexual reproduction, genetic engineering such as photosynthesis, and secret immortality for the elite. The Gauna have a nearly impenetrable core protected by malleable flesh called 'placenta'; destroying the core disintegrates the body. Sidonia is defended by large mechanized weapons called Gardes, powered by Higgs particles and armed with beam cannons and special spears called Kabizashi, whose tips can destroy Gauna cores.

Reader's Guide

Knights of Sidonia is significant as a hard sci-fi manga that blends giant robot combat with existential threats. Its anime adaptation by Polygon Pictures was Netflix's first original anime and the first on the service in Dolby Vision/HDR. The series received positive reviews, including from Hideo Kojima, who praised its sci-fi spirit and use of digital technology. The manga's awards and inclusion in the Young Adult Library Services Association's 2014 Top 10 Graphic Novels for Teens highlight its impact. The franchise expanded with a compilation film in 2015 and a sequel film, Knights of Sidonia: Love Woven in the Stars, in 2021. Its legacy lies in revitalizing mecha anime with modern digital techniques and a bleak yet compelling narrative.

Did You Know?

• The manga won the 39th Kodansha Manga Award in the general category in 2015.
• The anime was Netflix's first original anime and the first on the service in Dolby Vision/HDR.
• The Gauna's core is protected by a layer called 'placenta'.
• The Gardes are powered by 'Higgs particles'.