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The original net animated (ONA) series Moonrise season 1 was released on April 10, 2025, available globally on Netflix. The sci-fi series follows a non-linear style of storytelling using techniques like flashbacks, flash-forwards, multiple perspectives, and parallel plots. The story is set in a dystopian future as it shows the divided world of Earth and Moon, both inhabited by humans now.
Jack or Jacob Shadow, heir of Shadow Corporation, is forced to join the VC3 squad since he is declared a suspected terrorist after the bombing of the orbital elevator. As Jacob tries to solve the mystery behind the attack, he is led to discover more about his past and how it is interconnected to the attack.
The story eventually concludes with Phil, Jack's childhood friend, destroying the AI Sapientia using the last gift from their father, Bob Skylum. Moonrise season 1 explores how people of Earth try to suppress a rebellion led by Bob Skylum and the secret purpose of the AI Sapientia. The season consists of 18 episodes, with each episode having a runtime of approximately 22-28 minutes.
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Moonrise season 1: Is the AI Sapientia a curse or a blessing?
AI Sapientia was created to ensure peace in the world and the rightful governance of Earth. To save the planet's resources from depleting, Sapientia decides to explore the moon and make it habitable for the mining of a material called E2. This led to the creation of a shadow corporation, owned by Jack's parents, and the launch of the SEEDs program, an alternative superior species.
SEEDs were created to explore interplanetary travel and lunar analysis to make traveling and living on the Moon more convenient for humans. However, after realizing the superiority of its creation, Humans and Sapientia try to destroy it, but few of the SEEDs survive, including Jack. Since Sapientia sees them as a threat to humanity, it decides they cannot exist at any cost.
After learning of a resistance movement on the Moon that also involved SEEDs program survivors, Sapientia fakes a terrorist attack to create chaos. The chaos was to mask its main objective of eliminating all remaining SEEDs. The artificial intelligence also sets off a mysterious, deadly, jellyfish-like organism on the moon to create more destruction and diversion for finishing off the SEEDs.
As Moonrise season 1 progresses, the audience is informed that the organism, also known as the L-Zone, was created by Sapientia. It initially used the organism to create the superspecies called the SEEDs. Surprised by the growth shown by them in terms of emotions, intellectualism, and physical capabilities, the AI considers it as a threat to itself and humanity.
The diversion for Sapientia's master plan
Moonrise season 1 begins with the display of escalated tension between the Joint army sent from Earth and the Rebel Moon Chains. The tension rises after the faked terrorist attack by Sapientia. Jack, now a suspected terrorist, is forced to join the VC3 squad, tasked to hunt the culprit behind the attack. As the season progresses, Jack rebels as he learns more about the truth from his old friend Phil.
When Sapientia's original diversion to kill the SEEDs failed, it unleashed L-Zone upon the moon to destroy all sides. The AI is seemingly unaware that the sentient organism is in sync with Mary, and only she can control or stop it; it assigns the obedient Rhys the order to kill her.
In the final moments of Moonrise season 1, Rhys decides against killing her. Unfortunately, Sapientia hacks her Engrave tech, turning the E2 material into a weapon to finish the job itself.
How did Moonrise season 1 conclude its space saga?
Not only did the AI fail to deliver a lethal blow, but it also exposed itself and its objective. Since Mary is gravely injured, the L-zone goes berserk and destroys the orbital elevator along with the city. Jack's childhood friend, who used Bob Skylum's face to be the leader of the rebellion, was arrested and sent to Earth.
Phil gets into a heated debate against a member of the Joint Army and explains how Sapienta sees everything in terms of data and efficiency. After learning that the Joint Army and many others seem okay with Sapientia's way of dealing with things, Phil decides to execute his ultimate plan.
Phil unleashes his butterfly-like weapon to infiltrate Sapientia and destroy it forever. Sapientia, before imploding, ends up killing Phil along with a few other Joint Army leaders. In the final moments, Jack is shown becoming the new leader of Moon.
What happened to the VC3 squad members?
In the Moonrise season 1 finale, after reviving Mary and stopping the L-Zone, Jack decides to live a normal life. While visiting Phil's grave, Jack also receives a friend request from a user called Phil, hinting at Phil being alive and in hiding. While Rhys, consumed by the guilt of trying to kill Mary, endlessly roams around Earth atoning for her sins.
A few other members of the VC3 squad, like Zowan and Duan, become residents of the moon. They also befriend the Moon Chains and co-exist peacefully with each other. Now, Earth and Moon, both free of Sapientia control after Phil delivered the final blow, restored democracy after a brief period of controlled chaos.
Moonrise season 1 is available on Netflix
The trailer for the debut season was released on September 25, 2022, and is available on the official Netflix Anime YouTube channel.
Moonrise season 1 is an original series by Netflix and produced by Wit Studios. The series is directed by Masashi Koizuka and based on the novel by Tow Ubukata. Tow Ubukata is known for creating series like Ghost in the Shell: Arise, Psycho-Pass 2, and Psycho-Pass 3. Character design for the series was provided by Hiromu Arakawa.
The series was released on April 10, 2025, consisting of 18 episodes, and is available exclusively on Netflix. As per IMDb, the debut season has received a rating of 8.1/10 based on 123 reviews so far.
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