Though quite expository in nature, this was a great episode and one of the most melancholic so far, and certainly, aside from the fourth, the most revelatory. As such, this episode effectively served as a thoroughly intriguing transition away from the methodical examination of a diseased society, as it appears likely that the following episodes and the final arc, in particular, will gradually deviate from the enigmatic nature of the narrative’s development into a focus that explores the actual destruction of said society, whether by the seemingly imminent war with the queerats or the humans themselves. Not to mention, this episode was suffused with a menacing atmosphere that illuminated an unsettling inevitability for a particularly nihilistic progression within the narrative, as their decayed society is approaching a deeply sinister turmoil; a rather necessary consequence to the disturbingly ritualistic cruelties they’ve commonly accepted as mere sacrificial trifles that are essential for their civilization to properly survive.
One of the most effective moments was Saki’s fleeting reverie that was beautifully woven into her questioning, in which Mamoru spoke to Maria of his necessary isolation from their civilization, only to then be quieted by a tearful assurance from Maria that she’ll permanently accompany him wherever he goes. This scene perfectly captured the fatalistic emotions that were deeply felt by both, elevated even further by the wistful musical selection that was used throughout.
Saki’s defiance at the hearing was quite satisfying, since, for the first time, her individualistic inclination towards rebellion was outwardly displayed for the committee to witness, though, of course, this hesitancy was also derived from a desire to protect Mamoru. As such, it was a rather significant and quite inevitable development for her characterization, as she appears to have willfully shed the dreadful constraints that had been carefully manipulated into her existence. One particular moment that appeared to be subtly integral, with regards to foreshadowing, was Saki’s illusory remembrance of intimacy between her and Maria, which was expertly framed, as it drew a parallel to Maria and Mamoru’s presently felt embrace, likely inferring that the final vestiges of Saki and Maria’s romantic relationship were slowly disappearing, as their fates have transitioned into dichotomous entities.
Maria and Mamoru’s seemingly intertwined fates increasingly appear to be lingering on the precipice of tragedy, as a certain futility within their existence is edging ever closer, threateningly directing their lives towards an uncertain, but ultimately deteriorated future. This element within their mutual development was illuminated even further by the scene in which Saki and Satoru separate from them, culminating with the shot of their withering figures tightly grasping onto one another as Saki departs. The momentary focus on Maria’s forlorn expression and the movement of her mouth as words of farewell silently escaped from her lips possessed a distinctly sorrowful and partially veiled finality. These sentiments were strongly echoed in the final shot, as the camera fleetingly dwelled on Maria’s face once more, yet, following the preceding revelations and in combination with an auditory isolation of the last word she spoke, the exceedingly bleak nature of her future was distinctly accentuated, which was a fantastically chilling note to conclude the episode on.
Though quite tenuous and only implemented in a rather vague manner, I’m enjoying the slow and nearly imperceptible maturation of Saki and Satoru’s relationship, most evidently illustrated by Saki’s abandonment of caution in her desire to follow Satoru on his potentially dangerous excursion. This complexity certainly hasn’t truly evolved into a romantic sort, but the intermittent touches of depth seem to quietly foreshadow an eventual furtherance of their relationship. As such, it appears rather likely that their interesting dynamic will be explored quite heavily in the future, due largely to Maria and Mamoru’s potentially lasting isolation apart from them.
Tomiko and Saki’s conversation was immensely intriguing, as it touched upon a plethora of deftly foreshadowed revelations. The most compelling of which was the unexpected insight into Tomiko‘s age of 267, which logically reconciles several seeming inconsistencies in her earlier conversation with Saki. One of the most effective directorial flourishes was the cut to a still of Maria and Mamoru huddled together directly following Tomiko’s foreboding utterance of humans having become the most dangerous threat to their society. It established a potential implication that suggests they will, in some fashion, initiate the destruction of their society. The momentary mention of Telomeres and the manner in which their corrosion eventually induces death within their society was highly interesting, as was Tomiko’s ability to continuously regenerate them.
One of the most impressive and consistent aspects of the show is it’s writing, displayed most strongly by the meticulous construction of a narrative that rarely, if ever, falters in it’s ability to strongly convey the deeply disturbing intricacies of their society and the numerous terrors within their unfortunate existence as unintentional creators of societal devastation. It continuously manages to properly foreshadow and consequently allude to a litany of essential elements that allow for a deliberate unraveling of the numerous mysteries within the story. As such, there was an abundance of compelling revelations within this episode; several of which had only been previously foreshadowed in a seemingly inconsequential manner. Rather than this partially necessary minutiae remaining forgotten though, this episode, in particular, illuminated the subtlety with which they were ingrained into the narrative.
The direction was consistently solid, particularly in it’s rather deft handling of the material in this episode, which was permeated with a plethora of expositional conversations. Yamauchi’s storyboarding was quite strong throughout the episode as well, particularly during the conversation between Saki and Tomiko. Though his direction improved immensely for the tenth episode, especially following his thoroughly poor attempt in the fifth, the stylistic consistency of the show would have benefited considerably without the inclusion of his surrealistic expressionism. Visually, this episode was a bit stale and uninspired, particularly due to the singular location that comprised much of the episode, but, thankfully, it wasn‘t heavily detrimental. The exterior environments do, however, possess a desolate beauty that’s quite effective in mirroring the dreary nature of their struggles.
The animation was rather unspectacular, but, due to the prevalence of mere conversations throughout much of the episode, it didn’t become any sort of constraint. However, it impressed in it’s ability to properly illustrate a myriad of emotionally nuanced expressions, which was rather beneficial to nearly every conversational moment throughout the episode, particularly Maria’s farewell to Saki. Musically, this episode, similar to most others, was superb, as nearly every individual selection illuminated a highly effective and appropriate atmosphere within the scenes they were accompanying. The opening sequence, in particular, benefited greatly from the choral arrangement that was woven into this melancholic parting. I especially loved the slightly altered version of a previous selection that was used during Tomiko’s exasperated explanation of a fiend’s abilities and the consequences of their presence in the world.
All in all, From the New World, despite it’s inconsistencies, excels with it’s portrayal of a corrupted and desolate society that’s edging ever closer to an irreparable ruination, which is largely due to the terrific writing. Though the last episode was occasionally dull and poorly paced, it thankfully doesn’t appear to be indicative of the sort of quality that will persist throughout the conclusion to this arc. This, of course, is wonderfully illustrative of a considerably more satisfying cohesion and consistency, since, aside from the mediocrity of the previous episode, all others within this arc have been quite compelling and surprisingly suffused with numerous intriguing and largely integral developments. This presents a welcome dichotomy to the first arc, which was unnecessarily tarnished by a seeming necessity for a repetitive focus on several fairly inconsequential tangents, along with a decidedly disappointing narrative execution. The next episode looks quite interesting, particularly due to the return of Squealer. |