Now and then, here and there - L'autre monde

For most of the first episode of this series I was thinking it would be fairly worthless. The main character, Shu, is annoying and not too bright, and I actually fast forwarded through about 15 minutes of the show just to see if anything would ever happen.

This opener, however, is just a brief taste of the life Shu will be leaving behind. Once he is transported to a disturbing other world (it is never explained how he gets there or where there actually is) the show takes on a completely different tone. It is, in fact, a horrific study of the consequences of war that contains murder, kidnapping, pedophiliac rape, child soldiers and mass murder.

The show has a very clear perspective: the people who wage war are evil, insane or dupes, and are sometimes all three. But while the series is incredibly grim, it does insist that a few good people can make a difference.

While the series has some typical anime elements, including weird technology, mystic powers and a heroic, headstrong boy, episodes are true to the human experience, with characters acting pretty much as one would expect. Fairly uncompromising, horrible things happen with great frequency, and for the most part, nothing can be done.

I think it would be pretty easy to find huge plot holes and inconsistencies. But the show doesn't really care about that, never even bothering to explain who or what Lala Rue is. All that matters is, war is very very bad, and peace cannot be won through war.

I rate this OAV drama PG-13 for acts of war described, including torture, rape, death, and just plain miserable life. This is an anime for adults or teenagers.

I enjoyed viewing this OAV: it has a solid movie-quality storyline that got me through all 3 DVDs in one shot.

It compares favorably to Jin-ro or Roujiin-z and would probably hit a 7/10 for an anime fan. It's not as good in my book as Grave of the fireflies, Wings of hoannemise or the hard to follow Akira classic, which I all rate 8~9/10.

The drawing is pretty standard Japanese animation style, of pretty good quality, though the DVD sleeve has nice but misleading stylized drawings with no relation to the actual anime.

Plot line:

Shu, a teen meets a strange girl, and get kidnapped into some parallel world or other planet...

Lalaru the girl is sought after because she has the power to control water in a world where water is rare, by a mad dictator who plans to rule the world with her help. He already has decimated most population not under his rule, most being peasants with little means of retaliation against his powerful army.

This story describes a pitiful humanity struggling in misery; people making deliberate choices that eventually can hurt others hoping for a better future for themselves. There's no good vs bad guy, and like good non-Hollywood movies, and still... it gets from bad to worse while Shu the hero stays hopelessly positive the future will be better.

The only downside is the dictator is hard to believe (character too monodimentional), and reasons for the soldier's motivations for obeying are a little weak. Also the going back-and forth between universes is not explained, and for example why not steal water on earth? That part is just an excuse to get clueless characters in that world.

Now and Then, Here and There almost intentionally starts out in a misleading fashion. A hard-headed, optimistic young boy, Shu, meets a mysterious girl before they are transported to another world. However, unlike most alternate universe settings, the characters do not merely enter a dangerous world; they enter a world completely and utterly dominated by fear. The futility of hatred, the futility of vengeance, the futility of war, these are themes of the anime, but the series never sounds like a soap box lecture. Shu's unfettered and often baseless optimism serves as the flickering light in a war torn land of death and decay.

While the characters and story are realatively humdrum, and the script is not so daring or eccentric, the serie still manages to leeve its mark. In addition, while many of the more risque scenes are tastefully omitted, the show still manages to drag out a visceral sense of hate, fear and hopelessness. The weak art constantly reminds the audience that none of this is real. And containing an awesome sweeping soundtrack that never fails to make the heart skip a beat.

Never does the series preach or trumpet the failures of the human race. In contrast, Now and Then, Here and There is more of a celebration of life. A representations of the human condition. This anime is a frighteningly believable microcosm of war, but it places greater emphasis on humanities resilience in the face of such adversities.

This is a good series to explain the implications of war to older children. I know a lot of people think that it is only for older teenagers and adults, because themes like child soldiers, rape, and totalitarianism are shown and/or implied, but the story is told in such a simplistic and naive way that it might leave older audiences feel rather patronized.

The animation is very good, and some of the backgrounds look great. The characterizations are simple, people are good or bad, but most are presented as having some history, and shown as leaning towards the opposite at first. For example, a character/child that commits war crimes is then revealed as a victim of war crimes itself. But that is the most ambiguous the characters get, mostly its very black and white. And the series uses obvious emotive images to drive home its point, such as the child soldiers leaving tiny footprints in the desert sand. The irrational behaviour of Shuu, the main character, also adds disbelieve to situations (such as being whipped) that would otherwise seem more dramatic.

I liked this series, but found it a bit clumsy. Other anime series that use a cutish style of animation, like Full Metal Alchemist, show a far more mature approach in the way they tackle issues of violence, responsibility and loyalty. This is for the kids only.

I first saw this at BAAF 2003 this past labor day weekend. I only caught the first two episodes and was intrigued by the storyline, the stunning visuals, and the unique feel. Seriously, I was stunned by how we can take a sunset for granted. This series uses it as its main theme and it works really well.

First off, this anime holds no punches and comes running right at you. Not like I was screaming or in uproar (I'm too jaded for that), but I was more fascinated and perplexed. Something as innocent as childhood is flipped 180 degrees and thrown into a world of chaos and anarchy. There's also some sci-fi and a post apocalypse twist in it. While there are some light humored parts, this one makes its stand with some dark, yet poignant moments. The characters play a big part too: Shu constantly promoting pacifism whose determination and bravery really make him very amiable. The enigmatic Lala Ru (I love that name especially when Shu would say it!) with her distant blue eyed gaze. Don't forget the mad Hamdo. If there's ever been a more vicious, psychotic maniac in anime, this King is definitely up there.

NTHT is not afraid to take risks and I was hooked on this series. I watched all 13 episodes rather quickly because I would be at work thinking about what would happen next! It's hard for me to go into it too much without spoiling it and NTHT ties together well as a whole. It can be seen on many levels, but I definitely enjoy what I call "thinking" anime and this one stirs up emotions as well.

The next time you see the sunset, think about it...won't you?