Shin Sekai Yori (From the New World)

This anime took my breath away with every episode. Each 24-minute segment flew by, and left you wanting more. It is a puzzle story, that only gives you enough pieces as it wants until it suddenly fills in the big picture for you. The characters are charming, and the female protagonist is extremely likable, being strong-willed without the need for overly-large breasts. The music is absolutely beautiful, and I'm quite sure you will listen to the ending themes each and every time. It is an absolute masterpiece of an anime, an artful representation of the original novel. One of the best of 2012!

Ok I'll be honest, the cover for this is quite a bit misleading, of course until I started watching the show and understood how deep and relevant it is towards the show itself. (Which i must say is brilliantly executed)

I say this because this is not an anime for everyone.

With that being said heres a quick list of what it is not:

A shounen
A slice of life
A show about kids
Another typical japanese school setting ( SAY NO TO CLICHES )
Last but certainly not least a comedy.

Story:

Ok with that out of the way the story isn't really anything groundbreaking, the closest comparison i can come up with is: 'the animatrix: the second renaissance', In terms of the moral issues and implications involved. If you watched that then you probably already know what I mean. (If you haven't then i suggest you watch that fine piece of ancient animation immediately)

Art & Sound:

In my opinion, for a 25 episode series the animation was fluid throughout the whole entire thing. Unlike most anime shows (namely shounen) this series felt more like an ova theatrical feature than a regular broadcasted show. My reasoning behind this is because there is a lack of filler animation* (THANK YOU whoever opted for that) If it weren't for that this probably would have gotten a 4 from me.

As for the sounds and music, I can't really say much as they aren't really memorable, but they do get the job done when I'm in need of a slight adrenaline rush. I don't research on the voice actors either but I think they all fit, and aren't terribly annoying.

*Some examples of filler animation::
Same title/ending sequence
Same frames of animation used ( shounens are especially guilty of this with fight/transformation scenes )
Overuse of flashbacks, especially ones that happened the same episode
A recap of last weeks episode

Characters & Execution: [Slight spoilers in this section]

For a psychological thriller thats animated, the characters in this series are eerily believable because the world their in is already well thought out. This isn't one of those shows that bends the logic in the show for convenience, but instead it introduces all the of the elements and rules of this future utopia/dystopia within the first 5 episodes. This is where the pacing truly shines here. As slow as it may seem, the sluggish beginning serves to show the open-minded viewer as much information as possible before shxt goes cray and escalates up the roof. Like the calm before the storm as some would say. I will say this however; As far as scares or it being a thriller, Its far too easy to predict if you just pay attention.

Final Thoughts:

Shin Sekai Yori is a good show. Hell I'll even dare to say its a great show. For those who want to watch a dark anime series that actually has a believable world and an ending that doesn't make your cousins grandchild cry, then you should definitely give this show a go. Just remember to have an open mind.

This show is masterful at bringing suspense. That was my impression every time I watched an episode. Some people complain that the pacing is slow, but for me, my friends, and some of the commentors, the episodes always ended too early. The world this story is set in is deep and wonderful in its own dark way. The moral and ethical dilemmas are fascinating to think about. That's what makes this show so enjoyable to me. It provides a lot to think about. It almost requires it actually. This isn't a show a person can casually watch, forget what happened in previous episodes, and still fully understand what's happening. It's very detail-oriented and vague with a lot of things. Sometimes too vague, and sometimes very confusing. It is a "show don't tell" kind of story, and it is done very well if you're paying attention. I think I've managed to put most of the pieces of this puzzle together, and much of the fun I've had with it is discussing it with friends. It's a show that will keep you guessing. It's such a satisfying feeling to guess something correctly and an amazing one when the show defies your expectations. If you find vague shows to be frustrating, you probably won't like this one. If you are expecting a lot of character development, you'll be disappointed. If you are made easily uncomfortable by differences in morals and ethics, you may have some hurdles to jump if you decide to watch it. But if you like rich story-worlds, beautiful art and music, serious and deep plots,and critically thinking about the media you watch, you'll love this show absolutely. And sometimes that means being confused until you're thinking about it one day and have an epiphany, or you ask someone, or perhaps you'll be confused forever. It is not for everyone, but a fantastic experience for those who wish to experience it fully.

Also, as a side-note, I would like to thank RainyDevil for inspiring this review. I rarely post comments, and this is the first review I've ever done, and if it weren't for that persons antagonism, I would be this involved in the Crunchyroll community. If it weren't for RainyDevil's self-important, unsolicited, plea to read his/her rant of a review better suited to a forum thread discussion, I would never have thought to write a review, even though I love this show dearly. I'm in such a good mood in fact, I'd love it if people messaged me with questions about the show, or even their own rants against it. This was fun, and I love discussions/debates on such interesting topics as this one.

Before I get to the meat of my review, let me get the basics out of the way. The animation is great, - especially the backgrounds. There is a lot of detail work here that pays off in a big way.

The character development is better than average. While the characters do change a little as they get older (This series jumps forward in time after each major event so the characters go from children to teens to adults and finally parents themselves.); their personalities don't really change a great deal. More or less, the writers just strip off the wonder and replace it a more mature cynicism and leave the personalities intact.. That said, such development works for this series as character change is not, in my opinion, the primary point of this series. But, if you like a lot of character development, best to move on here.

The plot line seems sort of convoluted for the first three-quarters of the series but, don't worry, it is there and in a big way. Once it truly starts revealing itself during the late teen and adult periods; the pace starts to pick up rapidly and all the little pieces that have been put into place over the earlier episodes start to fall into line and a very stark and disturbing picture rapidly emerges. Only in the last episode is it complete however. This is similar to other horror animes such as Ghost Hound and When the Cicadas Cry. I do want to note here though, even though this series is comparable to horror animes in many ways, that is not it's point. So, don't watch it expecting a lot of gore or suspense horror. There is a little bit but, not enough to qualify it as part of that group.

Alright, now to the meat. I consider this a mirror anime. If anyone has read Conrad's Heart of Darkness; this is pretty much the same idea. Essentially, mankind has developed to the point of having telekinetic powers on a significant scale but, the early disputes nearly destroyed the human race. Now, the Earth is populated by a small number of humans and creatures called monster rats. The rats are humanoid intelligent creatures that live in colonies ruled by a queen. The series would lead us to believe they were evolved (through the use of telekinetic power) from naked mole rats. As such, they are really ugly, misshapen things that humans rule over with an iron fist and use for all of their 'dirty' work. Conversely, the humans seem to be the icon of purity. Having rejected all but the most essential modern technology, they live in small, idyllic villages governed by an Ethics Committee.

Assuming you understand the Conrad reference earlier, you can surmise that things are not as they would appear. Infact, the rats represent everything that is good in humanity. Such as, the desire to be free, to better ones self, to form and protect tightly knit communities, and to generally live full lives. Also, they display savagery and duplicity but, like in 'Heart of Darkness' such traits are necessitated by the situation and not completely the fault of the individual. Humans however, display arrogance and murderous intent through out. The true context and scope of this is not revealed until the last episode for good reason. So, I will leave that as a surprise for future viewers.

Okay, the negatives. There actually aren't many for this one. First, the time jumps are disorientating for an episode or two. After that, the series introduces enough context to put everything in focus. There was one specifically that had me scratching my head and saying wtf. Characters seemed to come out of nowhere and the story just seemed to unravel in a way. But, that was part of the point as well I believe. If you choose this one, just go with the jumps, everything will be explained.

Second, well, I can't really find a second thing wrong with this one. I will say that this is a unique series so, I don't expect it to be everyone's cut of tea. Honestly though, it will be very hard for you to judge this series based on anything but it's totality. If you are going to watch it, you may as well figure on watching the whole thing because, if you stop in the middle you will be disappointed. There are not stopping points in this series where you can say, "I am not going to like this." because of the way the plot builds. If you want to take my word for it, watch it. You will love it..

Many people may be turned off by the Yaoi in a couple episodes, but if you watch it all the way through you would find a rich, engaging and unforgettable anime. The art and animation in this show is beautiful and works well with the theme, the plot is thought provoking, and it's characters each have unique traits that make them stand out. It may seem like a generic school drama at first glance; but it is one of the most enjoyable animes you may ever watch. WATCH IT!