This is a review for Muv-Luv Unlimited TDA as a whole. There are no spoilers for any Muv-Luv content in this.
The Day After is a kind of what-if scenario of sorts based on Muv-Luv Unlimited (you know what the divergence might be if you've read the trilogy). Despite this, one should still read this after Muv-Luv and Muv-Luv Alternative, due to the trilogy needing to be experienced as a complete product, this having a different writer, Resonative not being out, and outright Alternative spoilers or expectations spoilers here.
With that out of the way, I'll go over some trivia in regards to TDA. TDA was made by an ex-fanfic writer, Wei Luxin, who wrote Chicken Divers (which became canonised, you can read it in Photonflowers), among other works. Calling TDA and his other works simply "officialised fanfics" has a bit of a negative connotation, and does not show respect to how fantastic of a writer he is.
Despite featuring a lot of fanservice for fans of the franchise, with both lore and having characters from other entries appear, it does it in a way that does not feel forced, and instead feels natural. It is not just a cashgrab to follow up on Alternative's success as one might initially assume, same with all the other entries in the series. It only adds, it doesn't cheapen existing material. The original ML/MLA already had several âge characters appear, but here characters from various parts of the franchise take active roles rather than just being cameos or mere references.
The geopolitical landscape, the world around the characters, the technology, the contrasting cultures and lives, as well as topics that were not covered in the original like an international refugee crisis and child soldiers. Unlike the original where a lot of the worldbuilding is communicated to us through exposition by another character (and it worked for the setting of ML/MLA), we are more often than not going to different places, and also seeing various POVs of different characters.
And speaking of the characters, this probably has the most balanced cast in the entire series. I cannot think of a single character in the main cast that is not well-written.
It adds to your understanding of the original and the world of Muv-Luv as a whole in a way (drastically shifting quite a few things about that world in this one that changes the dynamic completely) that isn't just this author's headcanon, but is very consistent with everything we know. We've even got those classic Muv-Luv chibis, an awesome OP song and JAM PROJECT songs! The artstyle, too, while not quite on the level of the original, looks good, which is helped by this being as vibrant and dynamic visually, if not more, than Alternative. Additionally, I am very glad that Muv-Luv has moved away from erotic content after the 2000s. We don't even have stuff like the cadet suits from Unlimited here. ML has always worked better as an all-ages series to me, IMO.
Kouki, the author of the original Muv-Luv and Muv-Luv Alternative, is coming back to write Muv-Luv Resonative, the sequel to TDA, but since there will be a large timeskip after TDA to it, you can read this now and have no trouble waiting (assuming Resonative ever comes out, and if it doesn't, the franchise is at a good enough stopping point for everyone). Also, read the Last Divers short story prequel and Last Divers itself before 03. They're not very long and will increase your enjoyment. You will also recognise some references from Photonflowers, Photonmelodies and Total Eclipse if you read those first, but it's fine either way. The Muv-Luv "order" isn't very strict, you can pretty much read anything you want in pretty much any order after you read ML and MLA.
Overall, I'd say that outside of the emotional aspect, TDA is straight up better than Alternative in most aspects, hence why you'll sometimes meet people that prefer TDA to Alt. For me, Alternative impacted me greatly, and I liked the worldbuilding as it was there, so it is still my #1, but this comes close.
The Day After is a kind of what-if scenario of sorts based on Muv-Luv Unlimited (you know what the divergence might be if you've read the trilogy). Despite this, one should still read this after Muv-Luv and Muv-Luv Alternative, due to the trilogy needing to be experienced as a complete product, this having a different writer, Resonative not being out, and outright Alternative spoilers or expectations spoilers here.
With that out of the way, I'll go over some trivia in regards to TDA. TDA was made by an ex-fanfic writer, Wei Luxin, who wrote Chicken Divers (which became canonised, you can read it in Photonflowers), among other works. Calling TDA and his other works simply "officialised fanfics" has a bit of a negative connotation, and does not show respect to how fantastic of a writer he is.
Despite featuring a lot of fanservice for fans of the franchise, with both lore and having characters from other entries appear, it does it in a way that does not feel forced, and instead feels natural. It is not just a cashgrab to follow up on Alternative's success as one might initially assume, same with all the other entries in the series. It only adds, it doesn't cheapen existing material. The original ML/MLA already had several âge characters appear, but here characters from various parts of the franchise take active roles rather than just being cameos or mere references.
The geopolitical landscape, the world around the characters, the technology, the contrasting cultures and lives, as well as topics that were not covered in the original like an international refugee crisis and child soldiers. Unlike the original where a lot of the worldbuilding is communicated to us through exposition by another character (and it worked for the setting of ML/MLA), we are more often than not going to different places, and also seeing various POVs of different characters.
And speaking of the characters, this probably has the most balanced cast in the entire series. I cannot think of a single character in the main cast that is not well-written.
It adds to your understanding of the original and the world of Muv-Luv as a whole in a way (drastically shifting quite a few things about that world in this one that changes the dynamic completely) that isn't just this author's headcanon, but is very consistent with everything we know. We've even got those classic Muv-Luv chibis, an awesome OP song and JAM PROJECT songs! The artstyle, too, while not quite on the level of the original, looks good, which is helped by this being as vibrant and dynamic visually, if not more, than Alternative. Additionally, I am very glad that Muv-Luv has moved away from erotic content after the 2000s. We don't even have stuff like the cadet suits from Unlimited here. ML has always worked better as an all-ages series to me, IMO.
Kouki, the author of the original Muv-Luv and Muv-Luv Alternative, is coming back to write Muv-Luv Resonative, the sequel to TDA, but since there will be a large timeskip after TDA to it, you can read this now and have no trouble waiting (assuming Resonative ever comes out, and if it doesn't, the franchise is at a good enough stopping point for everyone). Also, read the Last Divers short story prequel and Last Divers itself before 03. They're not very long and will increase your enjoyment. You will also recognise some references from Photonflowers, Photonmelodies and Total Eclipse if you read those first, but it's fine either way. The Muv-Luv "order" isn't very strict, you can pretty much read anything you want in pretty much any order after you read ML and MLA.
Overall, I'd say that outside of the emotional aspect, TDA is straight up better than Alternative in most aspects, hence why you'll sometimes meet people that prefer TDA to Alt. For me, Alternative impacted me greatly, and I liked the worldbuilding as it was there, so it is still my #1, but this comes close.
Zoda
8 months ago