Following a sudden outbreak of psychokinesis in 0.1% of the population, a rapid transformation swept
the world. The godlike ability to manipulate matter remotely turned many power wielders to violence,
inciting a long period of upheaval. Finally, after a chaotic era shaped by the rise and fall of
oppressive regimes, the psychic humans were able to achieve a fragile peace by isolating their
society, creating a new world bound by complex rules.
In the town of Kamisu 66, 12-year-old Saki Watanabe has just awakened to her powers and is relieved to
rejoin her friends—the mischievous Satoru Asahina, the shy Mamoru Itou, the cheerful Maria Akizuki,
and Shun Aonuma, a mysterious boy whom Saki admires—at Sage Academy, a special school for psychics.
However, unease looms as Saki begins to question the fate of those unable to awaken to their powers,
and the children begin to get involved with secretive matters such as the rumored Tainted Cats said to
abduct children.
Shinsekai yori tells the unique coming-of-age story of Saki and her friends as they journey to
grow into their roles in the supposed utopia. Accepting these roles, however, might not come easy when
faced with the dark and shocking truths of society, and the impending havoc born from the new world.
(Source: MAL Rewrite)
This anime flew right past me on its original release back in 2012, but I can say I'm so surprised at what I watched. This anime was marvelous because of its production, animation, and story. This isn't a regular dark/horror anime its a plot driven anime that has a constant dark vibe around it. It showcases many genres spectacularly such as; coming of age, losses and betrayal, romance, drama, comedy, and through all these genres always manages to put a bit of an ominous feel in it. Now this constant ominous feel isn't something that a viewer would get annoyed by because it's not thrown in your face all the time, it is is subtly added in a main point during an episode and eventually it grows into a major point. Now this in turn makes the viewer more interested and suspenseful about this dark theme. However, this anime is a longer one that does progress rather slower but I found that it just made me want to continue more and more because of the suspense at the end of each episode. The story really drives itself through all 25 episodes and makes just grow a relationship with the main character and surprisingly to me a relationship with the protagonist( villain) because I him grow to the state of being the villain. One key trait that this anime made me feel was sympathy for the protagonist side,and you could say in the type of way Tokyo Ghoul makes you feel conflicted about which side was in the right humans or ghouls. Because of all those reasons listed above I found this anime to be one of the best I have ever seen and if you don't think that, that doesn't mean shit then simply go on my account and scroll through the dozens of completed anime's I have seen. This anime is one that not everyone can appreciate to the furthest extent but rather something that you might want to re-watch if you're newer to anime but one that an experienced watcher or an enjoyer of story and character development would totally enjoy.
I have had the hardest time coming up with writing down articulate thoughts on the subject of Shinsekai Yori. Intrinsically, it's a difficult show to review in an unbiased manner. Either it blew you away with its world building, intrigue, intensity, and suspense or it bored you to death in the first act and you couldn't get back into it. It's a shame if people actually feel like the latter, because I believe that that setup is so necessary to make acts 2 and 3 hit you so much harder. Obviously, I reside in the camp of the former and I'll tell you why. (__WARNING__: I tried to avoid spoiling anything in the following paragraphs, but I probably slipped up somewhere, so tread lightly if you're worried about spoilers.) Shinsekai Yori is one of the best, if not _the_ best show, at tackling foreshadowing. Most of the time, it's done in a way so obvious that it's almost painful. The brilliance of Shinsekai Yori is that it is so obvious. I mean, it tells you basically the entire plot in the first 4-7 episodes, but does it in such a way that you never connect the dots until later. It does this so cleverly, by disguising their foreshadowing as plot exposition, diverting your attention so smartly. Something else that Shinsekai Yori does masterfully is the time skips that occur throughout the story. There are 3 distinct acts in total, of which the later two are time skips, the first being two years and the second being twelve. The first skip is done more smoothly than the second, but that can be expected, since there's a lot less time to fill in with either exposition or inference. The way that they're handled within the story is so well done that you barely even recognize that there's a sudden gap in time. Usually, that'd be a bad thing, but in such an wordy work, it's somewhat helpful to not be bogged down with irrelevant plot lines, like them going through 3 years of school with amnesia. As an aside, the first ending, Wareta Ringo, is among the best songs I've ever heard. In fact, the entire soundtrack is incredible. Perhaps the greatest feat of Shinsekai Yori, however, is its skill at showing and rarely telling you forthright. There are many instances of this happening throughout the show, where something happens and sometimes you're never told, you're just supposed to have gathered that it has happened. And like I said with the time skips, usually that would be a negative, but in the case of Shinsekai Yori, it's absolutely perfect for the mood of the show. After all, it's a show about intrigue, growing up, and moral ambiguity. Probably the only negative that I've really seen regarding Shinsekai Yori, is how dull it is to get into. And it's a fair argument. If you aren't really interested in the deep world building and complex ideas being presented, it can become hard to maintain the level attention that Shinsekai Yori demands. For me, I was absolutely engrossed in the world from episode one, but I understand that that's not how it works for everyone, in which case, this is not the show for you. You have to be prepared to not see much action, but rather, a lot of puzzle pieces to fit together. I'm not going to touch on the moral questions that Shinsekai Yori raises, since I'd have to delve deep into spoiler territory to discuss, so let it be said that by the end, you won't know who's side you should be on. One thing I will say, is that Shinsekai Yori does a fantastic job at constantly changing who you perceive as the villain of the story, you'll notice that the people who you thought were evil at first are not really all that different from Saki and her friends, only the methods of their approach differ. Shinsekai Yori weaves a wonderful narrative throughout twenty-five episodes, keeping you on the edge of your seat the whole time. Anyone who appreciates philosophical, mysterious, thrilling, and coming of age stories will love Shinsekai Yori and perhaps, even if you don't like any of those things, you can still appreciate the narrative greatness of Shinsekai Yori.
Uma obra verdadeira complexa que tenta dizer coisas interessantes e mensagens que em sua época, animes haviam se desprendido. A Sensação de estarmos nos perdendo em uma sociedade que nos força a se desprender do que verdadeiramente sentimos para viver a seu bel prazer. Apesar de uma forte mensagem, o anime não tenta te explicar isso nos detalhes, mas sim no famoso “mostre, não fale”, personagens vestindo seus respectivos temas e papéis apresentados, enganam o telespectador pela filosofia narrativa de que nada do que está acontecendo possa ser interpretado como literal, mas sim parte de uma ideia. Ideia essa que as vezes, infelizmente, o anime acaba falhando em passar, mas que não acaba sendo um empecilho que vá impedir o telespectador de assisti-la. Uma animação verdadeiramente brilhante com ideias fenomenais de direção em trabalho rítmico com uma trilha sonora empolgante e verdadeiramente “desconfortante”. Seus personagens são incrivelmente bem escritos, trabalham bem nos seus respectivos papéis e nas suas ideias. Seguem os seus papéis e, principalmente, não contribuem para uma simples desconstrução de gênero e temática, mas também com seus diálogos humanos e bem escritos eles conseguem contribuir para uma boa passagem de tempo que, em minha perspectiva ao menos, nunca entrou no caminho do entendimento dessa obra. Muito pelo contrário, dentro de cada palavra deles, estavam parte de suas personalidades e ideais, sendo fiéis as suas criações e propósitos, quase como uma orquestra. Emendado a isso, a direção de câmera e os foques escolhidos pela direção para encaixá-los dentro de uma cena, são tão bem realizados e idealizados que tudo parece quase como uma peça de teatro feita para você consumir uma passagem de ideia, do que um anime propriamente dito. Algumas cenas acabam não conseguindo ser tão bem executadas, quando entramos em quesitos de uma possível inserção de romance na história. Alguns personagens parecem que não foram tão bem dirigidos e escritos para comporem o que parece ser uma tentativa de romance para mim, decepcionando um pouco e as vezes se afastando da temática principal do anime, mas que felizmente, em momento nenhum acaba me afastando de sentir tudo que estava sendo passado. Apesar curtos desperdícios de escolhas narrativas sendo inseridos. Shin Sekai Yori prima em conseguir dizer com poucas palavras e muitas cenas a sua ideia, mas que no fim das contas, está aberto a inúmeras interpretações que possam contribuir para a sua principal. É definitivamente uma atenção e carinho a detalhes que eu não assistia desde animes como Berserk, para a sua época.
~~~The future of Shinsekai Yori is far from from cyberpunk's deams of neon or other dystopias' decaying concrete. It's a return to the old, a handful of villages surrounded by greenery and filled with beautiful traditional homes. It's post-apocalyptic, but really far into the _post_. Society has reconstructed after people used their newly acquired psychic abilities for murder and condemned civilization to collapse. WIth the intention of not repeating old mistakes, a more controlled culture has emerged, founded (theoretically) in Buddhist ideas and with a strong collectivist component. Shin Sekai Yori is about the lives of five kids growing up in said society. It's also about psychology, speculative sience, war, rats, the meaning of being human and... racism? If it sounds like a clusterfuck, that's because it is. ____ img520(https://yoruarashi.files.wordpress.com/2015/10/shin1.png?w=810) ___ ~~~ And nobody should be blamed for disliking the show on that premise. It kind of shoots itself in the foot by having a tight contemplative first episode that really sets the tone for a calm and methodical exploration of the world and the characters just to continue by having a school sports tournament in the second one. And it keeps changing in similar ways. It spends a few episodes being a war story, a few others being an Okada-esque teen melodrama and a few others going into insane exposition dumps about its world. The whiplash is even stronger every time the show goes into a new arc, having no such thing as a unified tone or genre by the time it's reached its end. For each one, the characters are rewritten to fit the new type of show they're going to be thrown into and plot holes that seem minor begin to accumulate, leaving anyone that came to the show for any kind of overarching theme or message pretty disappointed. ___ ~~~img520(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-k0pU6MGMDuc/UdwYMT1xbYI/AAAAAAAAEUs/c7a0E3BISqY/s1600/yuri.jpg)~~~ ___ Stylistically, the anime's even wilder. With 10 episode directors, 15 ADs and the stellar amount of 0 fucks given, every episode is tackled in an entirely different way. It seems like every director tried to maximize the impact of each scene by using every trick up their sleeve, thus resulting in episode 4 being [an info dump delivered to kids completely rendered in kagenashi](https://ai.fancaps.net/galleries/Shinsekai_Yori/ep04/Shinsekai_Yori_Screenshot_0009.jpg) and episode 5 being [Casshern Sins](https://imgur.com/3269f465-96fa-4baa-8dda-8acdd533f676). The show goes on to use "black, white and an oversaturated colored object", distorted lenses, quick cuts, full blown background animation, color palette swaps and even some [kanada-style animation cuts](https://www.sakugabooru.com/post/show/71359), all while the character design sheets are completely ignored. It can be beautiful, it is at times, but It's also all over the place. All of the show is. And I would end here, but I should probably justify the grade at the end of this page. I really enjoyed Shinsekai Yori even though every episode ended with me asking way too many questions, and it was all because I knew what to expect (or had no expectations). Past the absolute chaos that's the show as a whole, every bit contains interesting ideas and varied visual tricks. I enjoyed it in the same way I would enjoy an anthology: by looking at what different people decide to do with a predetermined setting and relatively limited resources. It's a great show to watch with its ANN page on the side, looking at who made your favorite episodes and discovering a lot of talented staff while enjoying the little story and thematic branches on their own instead of trying to fit them all in a well rounded plot. After all, all of them try to do something with the setting and characters, whatever that may be. ~~~ ___ img520(http://i.imgur.com/NRlBP.png) ___ Shinsekai Yori is a show that's best enjoyed on its own terms. Not complaining because it should have done something it didn't, but looking at what it actually does, which is a lot. Chaotic as it is, it has enough ambition(s), style(s) and substance(s) to be a really worthwhile watch for weirdos like me and for everyone interested in anime as a medium. If it's not for you, congratulations: you're somewhat sane. ~~~
__Shinsekai Yori__ has one of the most polarised receptions out there. One side claims it to be heaven-sent, while the others find it to be deeply offensive to their very intellect. This polarisation boils down to pretty much one thing—its unconventional style of storytelling. This review/essay is primarily going to be focussed on the aforementioned techniques used to progress the narrative. I will not be covering any of the actual plot points at all, so in essence, this will be spoiler-free. It’s interesting to note that most of the issues discussed below are limited mainly to a little over the first half of the show. The final arc (last 9 episodes or so) does not have almost any (if not just toned down versions) of the issues that the rest of the show faces. The final arc plays out pretty much like any other fantasy thriller and is honestly deserving of a 10. It lines up one pay-off after the other and results in a pretty damn satisfying viewing experience. If you manage to get to this point in the story, you should have no trouble getting through the rest, and you’ll likely have a great time completing the series. It’s getting to this point which many find to be a hurdle. Let’s dive in. … People often complain about exposition dumps, calling it poor writing. But when given an anime with little to no exposition, they say the narrative is impossible to follow _(see: Steins;Gate)_ thus making it poorly written. Shinsekai Yori falls somewhere in the middle. Right off the bat, we are thrust into a fantastical future of humanity, with an intricately layered history of developments that led to that point. However, we—the viewer—are not made privy to these developments. We experience this society at the micro-scale along with our MC—what you see is what you get. The way Shinsekai Yori deals with unveiling this narrative is quite unorthodox. The show opts to utilise the characters’ curiosity to question the nature of their society, while still having occasional bursts of exposition dumps. Often, this leads to the creation of seemingly blatant plot-holes, which are however filled in down the line due to the appearance of new information. This tends to keep the viewer constantly out of the loop and confused—which isn’t inherently a bad thing. In addition, it can feel like an absolute mishmash of genres at times, as the mood of the show changes at the flip of a switch. It’s easy to see how one can interpret this as a cheap attempt to create a false sense of confusion and shock-value, just to justify it in the following episode with a new set of ridiculous rules/facts about their world. The pacing of the show is quite rushed as well. With the back-end work of developing intricate lore already done, the writers choose to let their eerie world-building do the heavy lifting in engaging the viewer. We are bombarded with plot developments (essentially just new information about their world) at an aggressive pace. It almost feels like we’re getting the basement reveal from _Attack on Titan_ in every single episode. Every scene is a ‘payoff scene’. Because of this, the characters and their development take a back seat. The protagonists can feel like shallow vessels—especially for the first few arcs. The show is driven purely by unveiling an intricately layered universe which is probably good enough to be considered peak fantasy. Now, the question is whether or not this format is appealing. Personally, it felt like I was lulled into a state of completely ignoring the ‘gaping plot-holes’ while being entranced by the beautiful cinematography and plot. You can either hate the abnormal pacing, or appreciate it as a novelty factor—something critics have no problem doing with ‘masterpieces’ like _FLCL_. Call it an acquired taste if you want, but a weird acid-trip may just be what you’re looking for. … It’s worth taking a moment to note and appreciate the semblance of Shinsekai Yori’s lore and world-building to that of _Attack On Titan_ and _Made In Abyss_. Furthermore, that’s not where the similarities stop; eye-candy visuals and beautiful environmental design sculpt an immersive experience filled with wonder. ___The visuals:___ The show features excellent cinematography and shot composition—often using it to deliver a consistent sense of dread and unease. They don’t shy away from utilising an eclectic palette. Hyper-cinematic shots that are drenched in very loud monotones are a common occurrence. The art style changes noticeably a few times in the beginning but settles in soon after. Excellent lighting and framing exemplify the surrealism of this fantasyland. However, the same praise cannot be given to the animation. This isn’t the same _A-1_ that brought to life visual treats such as _SAO_. Numerous cuts feel extremely stiff—minimal facial movement leads to extremely awkward-looking conversations. It begets me to point out that there is no way to avoid the blemishes caused by poor animation, and Shinsekai Yori’s stand out without a doubt. ___The sound:___ A scintillating soundtrack featuring what feels like a mix of operatic and prog rock sounds is other-worldly and only serves to add to the show’s fantastical nature. To top it off, the goated ED/outro is one of the best I’ve had the pleasure of viewing. Stunning visuals and a catchy track basically brute-force you into forgetting any qualms you may have had with the episode you just watched. It manages to refresh your brain and compels you to proceed until you eventually succumb and click the ‘next episode’ button with a pleasant sigh. … As I proceed to conclude, I think it’s worth touching on the topic of whether or not this was the best possible way of executing this anime. Was this the best way to tell this story? Similar to the first season of _Attack on Titan_, the first half of the show is brimming with potential, promising us with a marvellous world that's waiting to be carefully unveiled. However, the lack of character development and aggressive push towards developing the universe felt like I was watching one time-skip after the other. I was unable to even start forming emotional connections and empathise with the characters until much later in the series. The author had managed to develop an amazing concept, but decided to not bother refining the actual execution. It's like they decided to say _"fuck it, just take this raw idea and enjoy it"_. The show feels like it's somewhere between the _One Punch Man webcomic_ (a brilliant raw idea) and the _anime_ by Madhouse (a perfected work). Perhaps equating it to the _OPM manga_ by Murata is a good analogy—it's good enough to consume as it is, but it hasn't reached its full potential. So close to crafting a masterpiece in storytelling; alas, perfection was never reached. … _So, __should__ you watch Shinsekai Yori?_ Definitely. I classify Shinsekai Yori as a must-try purely for its uniqueness and novelty. Just like other novel or avant-garde shows _(say, Monogatari),_ there’s no guarantee that you will enjoy it. But there is without doubt merit in experiencing something that’s new or one-of-a-kind.
Shinsekai Yori is a unique work of art that is difficult to classify. The mere fact that society is portrayed both as a utopia and a dystopia, should be indicative of this enough. And not only for its mixture of apparently contradictory genres, but also for the treatment that the anime gives to its themes, as well as to its world. This work has one of the best constructed universes among the works I have seen, with every little detail being very well explained throughout the series. The story takes place in Japan a thousand years in the future, more specifically in what appears to be a small utopian agricultural village. The human species has developed psychokinetic skills known as "Cantus", which give its users vast powers. The beginning of the story may be not so interesing for some, because it is very slow and confusing, but when you least expect, the story starts to get interesting with its mysteries and a very tense atmosphere. It's an amazing progression that requires a little patience. Deaths, disappearance of children and suffering arise, and we gradually discover with the protagonists that the society they live in is not what it seems. As for the characters ... Most of them are standard, without a strong personality. 4 of the 5 protagonists serve merely as a tool to be used in the narrative. However, Shinsekai Yori is much more focused on its incredible story. And yet, the last arc manages to develop the protagonist well, and features one of the best antagonists I have ever seen. Speaking of the antagonist, he is most responsible for making Shinsekai Yori one of the few plots that truly blur the line between good and evil and between right and wrong, presenting strong moral and social dilemmas that will very likely move with the viewer in an intense way. It raises questions about human nature and morality, reflecting on what it means to be human and the dangers of superiority, as well as letting the viewer decide whether the ends really justify the means, since it is an irreversible dystopia. What is right or wrong, you decide, the anime will not tell you who is a villain and who is a hero. Speaking now of production, in general it is very good. The backdrops, the colors used, together with the soundtrack (which is one of my favorites) creates a fantastic atmosphere that goes well with the tense situation of the work. In general, it is an anime unlike anything you usually find. A very well developed world, a story that manages to be both instigating, disturbing and provocative, and a quite satisfying ending, with shocking plot twists. It has its defects, like all works of fiction, but it is certainly worth watching and rewatching. ~~~img220(https://pa1.narvii.com/6912/e6e75cb2a2f3d9d58773852daaf20735cf10b9der1-500-281_hq.gif)~~~ >"We have to change our way of thinking, if we really want to change the future." ~Saki
I'll make this review as spoiler free as possible, but it's impossible for me to write without minor spoilers. But don't worry, I have covered the spoilers with spoiler tags, so you can just skip it ------- I have heard people describing this anime as "Weird" so I hesitated. But now, I'm glad I watched this anime. Rather than weird, Shin Sekai Yori is very unique, but in a good way NOTE--- Don't let the first 2 episodes deceive you, watch at least 4 episodes before dropping ---- Shin Sekai Yori, or " from the new world" in English, is one of the notable works of A-1 pictures. It aired in 2012, almost side by side with SAO The world building and foreshadowing in this anime is fantastic, as well is the animation. I was very Interested in the world, as supernatural stuff and dystopia being my favorite genres. Shin Sekai follows the rule of " show don't tell" perfectly, but as a result you have to use your brains a lot. I'll be breaking down into sections so I can go into further detail ----- Animation- A whole 10/10 without hesitation Can we all appreciate how the art is way ahead of its time? As expected of A-1 pictures, they didn't disappoint. Every single episode, I found myself thinking, "was this really released in 2012?" That's how good it was. The animation brightness was a little low/dull, but it went well with the dark themes of the anime. I don't know if it was intentional, but even if it was a co-incidence it went pretty well together. --- Voice Acting- 9/10 The VAs did an excellent job, especially the voice actors of Saki and Satoru. The way they changed their voice for the 3 time skips (technically two) was so amazing that I almost couldn't believe it --- Music- 8/10 To be frank, music isn't the strong point of Shin Sekai The OSTs were nice, but I found one OST repeatedly used for many scenes. But regardless, I loved both of the ed songs, especially the ed 2, "Yuki ni saku Hana" I like it when the voice actors sing the anime's theme --- Characters 8.5/10 The main characters except Satoru and Saki weren't really fleshed out, the other 3 characters(Maria, Shun and Mamorou) just exist and feel one dimensional. But I guess that's fine since ~!Satoru and Saki were present for every part of the show unlike the others or as I call them the "true protagonists" all along !~ ~!I didn't like that Saki liked Shun, since I was afraid they would get together somewhere along the way , but I'm happy that Satoru and Saki ended up together, they both are actually one of my favorite couples!~ This anime is no romance, but I liked the development a lot. The romantic development is actually better than any romance anime I have watched~!. The pairing didn't come out of nowhere,(I'm not referring to when they were 14, that was just to show humans and Bonobos natural instincts)in fact, all the development is what made me like Saki and Satoru!~ --- The absolute positives are the world building, art, pacing and foreshadowing. The foreshadowing was done in such a way that it was obvious at the same time not obvious. Like, ~!Satoru's little remark when he was 14 about the Bake Nezumi. He said the Nezumis are trying to replace humans, at that time I just thought he was letting his imagination get the best of him. But who would thought the very remark would be foreshadowing?! !~ And speaking of the pacing, it was perfect, but I had a hard time scoring this anime because a lot of things happened. When I finished it I did a little recap of it in my mind, and couldn't find anything I dislike about this anime. But I guess that's just because I had to pause a lot and think to understand. ---- In conclusion, I liked Shin Sekai a lot. It was a very enjoyable watch . The first 2 episodes does seem a bit strange, but it's because those episodes were merely setting the mood for a more darker adventure. The real plot starts from ep 3, it all starts in their camping trip. I recommend it to people who like mystery and are willing to use their brains a bit Another note before I close off-- For people worrying about fanservice, there is none. Even if there was, I didn't notice anything because it probably was very minor Overall- Shin Sekai Yori gets a 98/100
**Overview:** Humanity has changed and the world turned into a different type of place with the only ones known to be left with an ability called Cantus. Saki is confused about the society and the rules they have imposed on the society they live in. She and her friends are left to find the answers about why and how it has become and needs to stay this way. On a school trip they find out a bit of a revelation. Several time skips happen following her path of enlightenment with each easy to follow. As the show progresses the darker tone that is set early on follow through even after the initial questions are answered. If anything, it slowly got more depressing as it went on due to the changed that was happening. The reasoning behind said change can be interpreted as a direct comparison to todays society and how people grow up with a heavier feeling of loss as time goes on depending on the mindset one is looking through. There really isn’t any main villain throughout but more of two different sides that are pushing for survival. Each has their own reasoning for why they choose the path and actions they execute. The final eps concluding lines are probably some of the most impactful as it only confirms what people had been thinking throughout but not wanting to fully accept as truth. A fight of survival with the conviction to survive, not wanting to submit under the rule of another. Both sides fearing the same fate that will inevitably be bestowed upon them. One of the most memorable quotes from midseason is “Isn't it a mistake to judge queerats through the lens of human ethics?” which captures the opposing views quite well, especially with the final eps ending statements. **Visuals/Music:** Visuals were done very well to a point. There were a few scenes that seem to have missed a polish treatment in final BD release which is a shame. Some of the outlines were just missing from the characters that made it look quite meh. Only a few scenes had this happen and was very apparent which is a shame to an otherwise gorgeous looking anime, especially considering the time it was released in. Animation and quality hold up even near 10 years later and even still tops some. Oddly enough there is no opening sequence except for episode 16… sort of. The opening isn’t really a traditional one. They have an opening song playing but the visuals are still content but was done in a type of hybrid style which was strange but fit well enough with what was happening at the time. Both ending themes are pretty standout and enjoyable to listen through while mating well with the feel of the show. Background ost’s and sound effects could have been done a bit better. In that the ones used were not as powerful as it could have been to further evoke certain emotions at given times. They do the job and keep the viewer immersed without thinking about them much which is good enough though. **Final Thoughts:** Not much to say except id highly recommend to others that are wanting a darker themed show that concludes a post-apocalyptic world in a unique way. It puts forth rules and regulations but as the character grows shows exactly why things are the way they are without holding back. The viewer will understand and accept even if they believe it is wrong, know that it is necessary given what would happen if intensive measures are not taken. Seeing the subtlety throughout the world of what has been lost and what is left. Barred away places that have been marked and basically forgotten. It was a showing that no matter what happens there is only demise but is simply being prolonged. Cities lost to time and buried away in hopes that, that past would be forgotten so the ones that left will not react. It’s a very depressing world that is shown and left. A world full of covering up and blind eyes that slowly lead to a fate they are desperately trying to avoid. Taking actions to avoid and believing it a solution for how to prevent, without taking actions that further the cause. It becomes more of a delayed countdown and we are dropped into the world near its ending point before it is truly over. Characters (main) – 4/5 Characters (sub) – 4/5 Enjoyment – 4/5 Visuals – 4/5 Music – 3.5/5 Story – 4/5 ```Overall Ratings - Rec: 4/5 Raw: 78%```
~~~img500(https://gonzonyan.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/1379900920585.jpg)~~~ There's often a point in one's life to acknowledge the possibility of another worldly phenomenon outside of our collective conscience from where we live that is in contrast with our ideals. This philosophical problem has always been a subject of discussion since Plato's "Allegory of the Cave," which chronicles how our limited understanding of the reality we perceive may not be what it seems since we're so entrenched in our society. Many works of fiction have dabbled this subject matter numerous times, with some succeeding and others failing. Unfortunately for Shinsekai Yori, it falls into the latter, but not entirely. To start, the basic idea of how Shinsekai Yori's story pans out is that it's a coming-of-age story focusing on five different characters. Their journey in discovering the history of human civilization eventually transpired into pure dystopia. It starts exceptionally well with building up these characters that are all very unique and distinguishable from each other. There's never a moment where I couldn't remember who a specific person was, and it's not just their appearances but their well-written personalities and backgrounds. Their childhood arc paces itself nicely in giving an atmosphere for us to take in that's mysterious and puzzling in a minimal understanding of what the world is actually like because that's how the childish mindset would be like in this scenario. However, once that arc was finished and we got our first-time skip, it didn't get too extraordinary as one would hope. One thing that makes the time skips off-putting is how there's hardly any build-up on how these characters' personalities matured over time. For instance, one of the most controversial things about the show was the relationship between kids of the same sex. It's not so much the relationships themselves that I have a problem with. It's how it comes out of nowhere with hardly any development behind it. In this sense, it feels as though there was more to their relationships, but they had to rush it so it won't feel dragged out for time constraints. Because of this, one might feel inclined to give it a pass. But for me, the time skips cannot forgive. Given the context, this show brings to the table wanting to be this grand epic that ultimately feels lazy from a writing perspective. The best romantic development in the entire show was between Saki and Satoru because of how long we've followed these two together and how strong their bond was in helping each other through the numerous challenging obstacles. Alas, the rest of the relationships thrown out didn't make a massive impression because of how weak and lazy they implemented them into the story; if they had anything of value for us to see how they got to that point, it would've been for the best. ~~~img500(https://gonzonyan.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/utw_shinsekai_yori_-_07_h264-720pf2df75b6mkv_snapshot_2226_20121110_013624_zps4f08308a.jpg)~~~ While the story itself isn't something we've seen before, it is still a mysterious and suspenseful drama that manages to pull off some great twists through the narrative. That is until the realization comes to mind when the pacing of it all fails to make it a masterpiece in the writing department. Like I said before about the time skips, they dumb down the pacing because of how they rush some of the arcs that could've been more effective had it been done with better intentions, such as at least showing us a montage of them overtime. That shouldn't mean that time skips are unnecessary in any situation, but it takes a lot of care and precise handling to make them work. Time skips aside. The other pacing issues mostly happen in the middle part of the show, where scenes lack clarity in their exposition, giving us a clear, concise way of what has happened or what will happen to the characters or future events. Too fast to even comprehend the overarching conflicts that arise from the protagonist feeling messy and disorganized for us to piece together what will transpire. This could come into play with the fact that the show skips over essential details in the novel, but for reviewing the show itself, there's no need to go over that aspect. How Shinsekai Yori handles its world-building through expository dialogue receives a mixed response from me. It works like a pattern where one or all of our heroes are journeying or trying to find answers. Eventually, they'll talk to someone who will explain everything to them in no more than ten minutes, either the dark history of Japan and how it ultimately became a grim dystopia or what the ethics counsel is really like underneath. The narrative is thought-provoking at times that bring into question human nature and how society structures itself into chaos. However, I can't help but feel that it could've been done more better with less redundancy and not feel like a lazy attempt at being profound. It's not just the writing that feels off, but the technical side of the show feels very limited and looks shoddy in the process. That's not to say all of it looks bad, there are a lot of beautiful set pieces drawn into the backgrounds, and the character designs look unique and fit well with the tone of the show. However, there are a lot of problems with the designs of the monsters that inhabit Shinsekai Yori, where they don't look well-drawn, and their animations look as if the director hired a low-budget studio to animate them. There's even one episode where the animation took a complete nose-dive where the queen of the queerats looks like a giant blob that the animators didn't draw fully of what it was initially supposed to look like. I'm not saying that all shows have to look highly high-budget to be called good art/animation, but it doesn't strike my fancy when there's nothing significant to gaze at. ~~~img500(https://gonzonyan.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/shinsekai-yori-0704.jpg)~~~ With all of the negativity I've had for Shinsekai Yori, there are still several good things worth noting. It is without question that the amount of suspense and heart-pounding tension that Shinsekai Yori offers is astonishing. The first three minutes of the first episode alone garners some needed praise for its well-directed atmosphere, right down to the music and editing of all of the events in present-day Tokyo. Its tone is not pretty, and it will nonetheless make a lot of people feel uncomfortable to sit through in some instances, but that should warrant a lot of credit to the show in giving us a very mature tone that comes in full swing. What makes the suspense amazingly good and imposing is the amount of mystery that we are provided through the children's perspective and how we can never see how the adults know the situation in the world. Often you don't see stories handle mystery this way and make for an intense experience. The first-person narrative through Saki gives a distinct feel to how we see her grow into this person who is fully aware in later life that feels undeniably human to me. As many have told me about the story, the ending makes up for it despite its faults. It provides the level with a satisfying conclusion. There were no predictable outcomes present at the narrative's end. That guarantees Shinsekai Yori some much-needed acclaim for at least not giving us a story that isn't inherently generic in a predictable way. No Hollywood gimmick severely tarnishes the gritty tone. It handles itself in a very realistic fashion that feels very satisfying to see first-hand. Musically, it mainly consists of really bombastic chanting music that is very haunting and intimidating from the style of tone it tries to set. There are very few questionable choices of songs that Shinsekai Yori has that feel out of place in any scene. Intense orchestration also borrows from some minimalist influence in some ambiance tone it gives with light electronically ambient mixes in-between settings that are inherently quiet and simple. ~~~img500(https://gonzonyan.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/shin-sekai-yori-18-large-05.jpg)~~~ Ambitious though it may be, Shinsekai Yori just doesn't cut it entirely as a supreme masterpiece that has come out in recent years. The problems it possesses in giving us a poorly-paced story that can't provide a concise narrative that's hard to get around. Character development feels good in some areas, but their relationships felt contrived with inconsistent expository problems due to the poorly put time skips. I wouldn't classify this show as completely bad. The amount of suspenseful tension makes for an intense experience to behold in showing us the one significant development of Saki into a fully realized character. After all, a worthwhile experience with many faults in its technical aspects is at least more tolerable than a show with great technical prowess with no added value to the experience whatsoever. Grade: B-
There once was a gifted boy who had one fatal flaw. Oh yeah, and like some rather ordinary girl? ‘Shinsekai’ is about her, and thank God for that. Set aside for a moment the singularly mournful mood, the evocative use of music (especially Dvorak’s New World refrain), the rip-roaring plotting, and what do we have? A fable of heartbreak and its spectres. A parable about where we draw the line between kin and others, and the price we pay for doing so. An arguably problematic allegory about modernisation and imperialism. But these are grand themes and they unfold slowly — let’s back up a bit. Saki — the rather ordinary girl — and her friends live peacefully in a rural Japanese village. They spend their days squabbling in the fields and learning to command their psionic powers at school. There is sport and adventure and mischief and romance and all the general fun of childhood. That — and kids keep going missing. The trope of an apparent utopia which nests venomous secrets has been overused. Yet ‘Shinsekai’ refreshes it in one key way — this brutally idyllic society was formed out of necessity, to safeguard against real threats. This core distinction blurs the ethical line between the trope’s child-figure who seeks the dangerous truth, and the evil adults who conceal it at all costs to maintain the status quo. Indeed, towards the end the protagonists are adults themselves, faced with similar moral quandaries. In fact, the thing that makes ‘Shinsekai’ so hard to review without spoilers is how much the show evolves. Love, allegiance, the very fabric of two social systems, are all subject to flux as the characters mature. The story unfolds very organically, but with such precise planning and structure that the final plot twist is both a shock and no surprise at all. It’s a very satisfying show in that regard; the author is always a step ahead — but we never really feel behind. Nor is Saki left behind. Although she is not as brilliant as Shun or as popular as Maria, she is well-rounded, sensible and adaptable. As the tale unfolds she gradually grows into the roles set for her — and those that she sets for herself — gaining strength as a friend and leader. The supporting cast is balanced and has great chemistry. Despite their constantly bickering, their genuine care for one another is both a plot device and a model for solidarity amidst adversity. And then there is the relationship between the monster rats and the humans, which is one of the most interesting aspects of the show — but saying any more would be telling! The show’s art is beautiful but not flashy.— one positively extraterrestrial scene involving the gifted boy aside. It makes no attempt to upstage the story, but rather focuses on fleshing out the New World that surrounds it. We are naturally interspersed into the pastoral wetlands, the monster rats’ warrens, the steel bowels of city ruins. The camera is all but invisible, reinforcing our immersion. I found the wide-eyed human character designs distinctive and appealing, and the contrasting monster rats rather unfortunately ugly. In short though, ‘Shinsekai’ is gorgeous when it wants to be — which only makes its horrors all the more unsettling. ‘Shinsekai Yori’ is a masterclass in storytelling. It combines relationship and character insights with subtle and mature themes, and a gorgeously designed world. While there are moments which feel anticlimactic, most of the plot points land hard, and the show is simultaneously thought-provoking and highly entertaining. The celebrated power of imagination might indeed be able to “change anything”, but even it may struggle to find elements to fault in this impeccable show. Overall: just watch it
Anime has a high potential to provide a rich and thought-provoking story, but it wastes this potential for many reasons. img220(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/dc/39/4d/dc394d8a3c4217eb75c4b199e4ff3c22.jpg) One of the most important ambiguous points of the story is Canto itself. A great power that is even able to manipulate genetics, and an extraordinary and god-like power is introduced in the story, the creation of which will change the entire planet. The anime does not give any answers to the questions it raises about Canto and completely avoids it. What is the origin of this power? How did only 0.3% of the population get this power? Why didn't other humans get this power? At least the anime should have answered these obvious questions The next point is the lack of narration of story line of Maria and Mamoru characters , which ends in one of the biggest plot hole in the story. The anime does not mention the fate of Maria and Mamoru and leaves the story of these two characters who play a very important and key role in the story. img220(https://static.zerochan.net/Shinsekai.Yori.full.2039930.jpg) anime has a very weak Setting and plot logic, full of paradoxes and Plot holes. For example: How is it possible for a society to know the advanced topics of genetics but does not have electricity and uses lanterns to light houses! (The whole society have primitive technology) as if only the topic of genetics has reached the new world from the past civilization! The idea that humans will bring primitive and prehistoric life in the distant future due to the destruction of civilizations is not a bad idea, but the implementation of this idea must be completely logical. This idea is logical when all the knowledge of the current civilization is lost or inaccessible, the idea that humans consciously abandon knowledge and technology is completely illogical. The more anime goes on, the more disappointing it becomes, anime raises countless unanswered questions, but the main disappointment is that the few answers it gives are often conflicting. story has such a sloppy and chaotic narration, as if they have glued 5 different anime together and turned it into one anime. Each anime arc belongs to a different anime and there is not much story connection. img220(https://static.zerochan.net/Shinsekai.Yori.full.1367883.jpg) But one of the other negative points of the anime is the lack of long shots and overviews of villages, cities, forests, and places, and the anime does not give the audience any visual understanding of the location and story world (and world building). For example: It is not known which village was attacked or which village was destroyed. camera is always very close to Saki and the characters, and most of the time there is no overview from the character.
#__Scattered Thoughts__: _Shinsekai Yori_ _(Minor spoilers, no direct plot spoilers)_