Kamisama no Inai Nichiyoubi

In a world abandoned by God, where people have stopped giving birth and cannot die, there are certain humans called "Gravekeepers" who have the ability to bury the walking corpses that cannot die, and put them to rest. 12 year old Ai Astin is the last child born in the world and is one of those Gravekeepers. Thrust into the role at a young age when her Gravekeeper mother passed away, she has a tough task ahead of her, as she goes on a journey to save the mankind that God abandoned. "Sunday Without God" (Kaminai) is a 12 episode anime series done by Studio ... Madhouse and directed by Yuji Kumazawa. 

STORY: 7/10
The story of Kaminai is split up into 5 arcs where Ai meets many new people and tries her best to help them out in any way she can. Now, Kaminai is one of the perfect examples of an anime with a high production value without a great story to back it up. The PREMISE is really good and unique in my opinion. But it just isn't handled well. I like when episodic shows split up their stories into arcs (like Mononoke) because it gives you much more time to explain and get your plot out there. But Kaminai doesn't do it well. They spend a lot of time doing nothing and then by the end the problem is usually resolved.

CHARACTERS: 6/10
Ai is pretty much the one mainstay character in the series. You've also got the recurring characters like Julie and Scar. Ai is uh....well she's not entirely useless. She is half Gravekeeper half human. And she's one of the more F**KING ADORABLE characters I've seen in recent anime. Her and her little hat and shovel :) But that's about all I have to say about her. 

ART: 9/10
The animators at Madhouse are known for being damn good at their jobs. As I said before, this anime has a very high production value. The background art looks stunningly beautiful at times and I adore the character designs. If you watch this just for its amazing visuals, you will not be disappointed.

SOUND: 8/10 
The music is very very soothing and just nice to listen to. The music was composed by Hiromi Mizutani who has done the music for shows like Hell Girl and Non Non Biyori. I was fine with the opening theme but THE ENDING THEME IS MAGNIFICENT. It's one of those songs that just gives me chills and brings emotion out of me. If you don't watch this anime, at least listen to this song. 

ENJOYMENT: 7/10
OVERALL: 7/10
FINAL THOUGHTS:
Sunday Without God is a good anime. It is not bad but it's not great. I personally feel that it is unfinished and needs a 2nd season. The anime has more problems than good things about it, like it's characters, the pacing, and how the story was handled. However, if your looking for an anime with GREAT production value and a very nice soundtrack, look no further than Sunday Without God.
But...no rush...really

POSITIVES:
-Very detailed animation by Madhouse
-Soothing soundtrack
-Somewhat sad and depressing arcs (if your into that)
-Mysterious story and characters
-Very good final arc

NEGATIVES:
-Story is not entirely well done
-Left with too many unanswered questions
-Characters backstories are not well explained
-Unfinished plot

See ya soon.

The Sunday Without God is a fantasy type anime that follows Ai Astin, a grave keeper tasked to putting the dead to rest. However, her world is changed when she meets a man named Hampnie.

The anime is set in a world where God has abandoned the world and as such no one can reproduce or fully die. That is, unless a grave keeper puts them to rest. To be clear, people die but become... undead. As they lose their humanity they change into what could be seen more as zombies. However, the undead can live normal lives. If you are wondering, yes it does sound ... much like Dark Souls.

Probably the most impressive thing the show does is world building. Almost every reveal or aspect of the world that is being built is interesting and adds extra layers to the characters and themes.

One thing I will say is that the first half of the show is much more compelling than second. While a lot of the strengths of the world building and such are still there, the story archs are just not as interesting as the more philosophical elements are not as present later on. It might have to do also that the later episodes seem a lot more cliche and just toss a ton of characters at us instead of focusing on a couple.

It's interesting that Ai is really the only character I would call a main. She is extremely naive and self-righteous about things. To the point where she can become annoying. Each anime arch she meets characters that not only reveal aspects of the world to her but also new ideas that she has not thought about before.

The story is Ai's journey, and as such she has to move on from place to place. This causes some things to feel incomplete. The ending itself feels like a cop out, but is understandable. Surprisingly, some of the characters specific to each arch get more development than the more permanent side characters. There are also some instances where important plot points are not explained (mostly for sake of time.)

The art is stunning. Everything is well detailed and the use of shading and lighting are especially well done. The show is dark when it has to be dark and bright when it needs to be bright. The sound is also pretty good. While not as noticeable as the lighting the bgms are usually well placed and well chosen. Personally I think the OP and ED are good, but nothing to write home about.

The Sunday Without God has some amazing world building and the art quality to represent that. However, it seems like someone abandoned the show half way through as it turns into a bit of a mess of characters and unexplained plot.

Warning: This review will contain (limited, but possibly deal-breaking) spoilers. I feel it impossible to explain myself without delving into the story specifics. You have been warned.

I will skip the summary, I assume you have it at the top of the page. Suffice to say, the undead, no more babies, and a little Gravekeeper three years too young to exist, Ai. As my other reviews show, while animation and mood are nice, I focus on acting and story. So this will slant in those directions. For that reason, you will find I am rather negative.

I am not someone who has read the book ... series, so when Kamisama no Inai Nichiyoubi (hereafter KIN) popped up on the season's list, I was intrigued. I didn't quite know what to expect. I purposefully approached the series on its own merits, without research about the background, to let the show stand on its own. I am always of the opinion I should not have to do homework to enjoy a work. There was but a brief description about the premise, and color me interested, I tuned in the very first week.

After the first few episodes, I wanted this show to blow everything else out of the water. I wanted to LOVE this show. I wanted to parade this series around come the fall like it was the next Fullmetal, or Death Note, or Madoka. It very early on demonstrated a theme of "hope within absolute darkness". It had little girl tea-party heartwarming alongside the living dead. Ai was a fantastic character, really every character is fantastic. This show was going places. I was sad at the end of the Humphney Humbert arc, but who wouldn't be? But I was left with a complete sense of....contentment. KIN had an excellent pace, and seemed to know exactly where to put its focus. The art was beautiful, eerily beautiful for a show about (essentially) the twilight of humanity. The music was spot on, and voice actors perfectly cast. Of all the series I was watching (some five), KIN was at the top of my list, the one I anxiously stood on edge for to see next week.

The second arc was similarly splendid. It elaborated on the themes of the HH arc. It built on that Ai being a Gravekeeper was a splendid thing. And in Ortus, it was a dangerous thing. The kingdom of the dead. It was a natural development in the consequences of such a world. It was excellent political development without bashing you over the head. Things were strange to our eyes, with fascinating culture of the dead (like the wearing of Venetian masks to hide the decay of flesh, an unspoken but fascinating concept), and here we learned of the true power of wishing, and that prayers of those close to death seemed to come true. I was still excited for KIN. I still held it up high.

But at that point, the structure broke down. And it's not hard to see where things went wrong. In the tug of war between remaining faithful to the books, and telling a good story for TV, it was the books that won. The series is divided into four arcs. Each one, I presume (again, having not read the books, but judging from the pace) was based on an individual book. While this keeps the material fresh, and avoids hammering the same points over and over, and we see the characters grow perhaps more than we might have, it leaves the short series, a mere 12 episodes, without focus. The Humpney Humbert arc and Ortus arc were connected. Not tightly, but they built off previous themes and expanded on the logic of the universe. The School arc mostly existed to explore the concept of wishing. It introduced us to Dee and Alice, who would be the main characters in the Bubble World arc, but Ai's status as a Gravekeeper was little more than a flimsy pretense to drag her into the school. After that, it was never important. There was no sense of how this little girl would meet, and pass, or fail, the challenge that came with "saving the world". The Bubble World arc was almost its own series entirely. Even Ai doesn't notice when her shovel goes missing, so absent is the "important" job of being a Gravekeeper from the front line that it seems almost superfluous to the entire show by the end. We get the sense that Ai is a special child, but not because of her Gravekeeper status. This could have worked for the series, but the disconnect between pieces leaves much to be desired.

As difficult as it is to say, I would rate this series almost within a "dramatic slice of life" category. While there is episode-to-episode continuity, there is no real feeling of change beyond characters entering and exiting. Scar almost seems to come along because we needed an extra butt filling a seat, and even then she and Yuri are mostly shoved aside after the Ortus arc. The two characters who seemed to be role models to Ai at the beginning, one who would teach her to be a Gravekeeper, and one who would teach her to be Human, really didn't do anything besides be old enough to drive. Which is a shame because they both have such interesting backstories and personalities. They kept getting shoved aside for guest stars, and when Dee and Alice show up it seems like we traded out old models for new ones.

Ai herself changes little. She goes from seeing "the world is this way" to "okay, the world is not this way, but it should be" The problem is that, while this is growth, this growth is complete by episode 4. She then halfway reboots, paying lip service to the previous lessons, but still holding on to her naivete. Only in the Bubble World does she seem to have a more worldly view that things are happy, but wrong, but this change doesn't seem to come -from- anything.

On the whole, KIN's strengths are in its concepts, and its flaws are in its execution. A world without traditional death, and with Gravekeepers, who seem to be some organic AI? Fascinating. Number of times that is relevant to the series? Three. And one is monologued at us. A kingdom of the dead, the true realization of Ai's mother's hopeful dream? Wonderfully shot, beautifully animated, but there are no true consequences of this visit. An organization that seeks to check the power of the prayer? Could be truly interesting. But came off as little more than stuffy old people being mean old people. A bubble world where someone died, yet still had a wish fulfilled? A few -hours- difference that strains credulity? Never even brought up. Scar, a Gravekeeper who is good natured, yet heartless in her pursuit of duty? We are told this, and it is conveniently side-stepped in Ortus, and never comes again. Or her later transformation into something more sapient? Nothing. Yuri, a man who lost his family, and really only takes in Ai at the beginning of some misplaced sense of responsibility for the death of his daughter and his love/hate relationship with Humphney? Not important.

While all these issues CAN be put off in a lengthy book series, they are woefully crippling to a 12 episode anime. A series can not be entirely about set-up, there has to be some rolling resolution to go along with the introduction of all the elements. Perhaps that is not possible. Perhaps the books themselves limit the continuation, but I cite Fullmetal Alchemist, which took the identical starting material, and made their own conclusions. Conclusions that some people find superior (though I am not among them). This series had ways to avoid the four-arc trap. They could have focused more heavily on two, they could have stayed loyal and halfway in, diverted from continuity. They could have merely edited the ending to tie all four chaotic arcs together (there was an easy way).

In summary, out of everything this season, Kamisama no Inai Nichiyoubi was, personally, my biggest disappointment for summer 2013. If its mission was to interest me in one day picking up the novels? Sure. I'd say it succeeded, if only to find out. If it was to be an entertaining show I could recommend? It falls just short. I can't bring myself to call it anything more than average. Watch it if it intrigues you, by all means. But if you're looking for that next special series, I, grudgingly, must vote that you move along.

Wow, where to start? Kamisama no Inai Nichiyoubi, when it was announced that an anime adaption was being developed, I looked at the trailer, and really, I thought I wouldn't be watching this, the PV didn't speak out to me, but the topic was interesting. So when it started airing, I decided to give it a try. And boy, was I surprised. Kamisama no Inai Nichiyoubi offers a great story, the art is just the best I have ever seen, and the OST and music, gorgeous.

By episode 3, I was completely engrossed in Kamisama no Inai Nichiyoubi and found myself become a complete fanatic over ... this series. It was amazing and breathtaking. Trust me, this anime WILL make you cry tears of sorrow and happiness. The story, I don't even know how someone could come up with this GOD-LIKE story. It is just so original and just memorizing. Also one notable thing, the ending son, "Begun to Sing an Endless Melody," just plays during the ending of each episode at THE PERFECT moment, no joke, 100% spot on. Each episode was a cliffhanger, ESPECIALLY Episode 12, oh boy, could they progress into a whole season with just that, and hopefully they do!

Since it is in my nature to name one bad thing about ALL animes, even this anime, which was like now tied with my number one anime, I have to write something bad to present an unbiased review. The only bad thing I would have to say about this anime is that after episode 6, or whenever the Ai and her accomplices leave Ortus, the city of the dead, the plot kind of strayed off a LITTLE bit. And by this, it kind of started getting bland, but then it quickly recovered, so DO NOT FEAR!

Overall, this anime is amazing, definitely deserves another season with the cliffhanger at the end, is now tied with my number one anime of all time, will make you cry tears of sorrow and happiness, and I, DEFINITELY recommend you to freak'n watch this GOD-LIKE Masterpiece. So what are you doing reading this review, GET WATCHING! :D

Story:

When someone talks to me about this series, the main part they mention is that the story is really interesting but most of the parts doesn't make sense and in my opinion i don't really see a problem with it. The episodes were usually 3-4 episodes an arc which was a good amount for them to have so we can get some character development and story in there before going to the next one. The pacing for the most part was okay and didn't feel like it was dragging on for ages. There are some parts of the series where you will either cry ... or feel depressed, i actually cried twice watching the series, and it just leaves with so many emotions that stay with you episode by episode. The story was really unique and was a interesting idea to cover.

Art:

The other thing people talk to me about that they feel hindered the anime was the artstyle. Complaining about it being to 'moe' and unoriginal, personally the artstyle dosen't bother me at all but i understand why people would not watch because of the artstyle.

Sound:

Sound was great and used well, the opening and ending themes to the show are amazing and i know all the words to both of them. Both just flow well with the emotions of the show.

Character:

The characters in the series are pretty well done, a few could have rounded off a bit more and gave us more of a backstory to give us more depth. Ai and Alice were really good characters. Characters like Scar and the girls at Gola Acadamy could have been developed a lot more than they did especially Scar. But the characters were different and most were very well developed.

Enjoyment:

Out of all my ratings on my lists, i mostly rate based on my enjoyment of the series. The series was well paced and every episode was different with some exciting and emotional segments which encourages me to rewatch it again and again and keep loads of enjoyment for it. I think the people who said they dont want to watch it for its moe artstyle should sit down and take in all the series has to offer.

Overall:

Great series, can't wait for the OVA coming 2014 and hopefully that leads on to a second season because Kami-Nai really deserves it for it's original plot and great characters.

This will be my first anime review written, I decided to start with this anime because I recently completed this series. We have our main character Ai, a small girl raised in a village where the whole world was abandoned by god, as the obvious title would imply, and is in search of her father as well as completing her mother's dream.

Story 6/10

A story with a good plot where Ai the main character decides to finish her mother's goal, but changes it midway through and decides to "save the world". This anime had a lot of potential, I did not read the light novel, ... however I felt like this anime was rushed towards the end, it had an excellent start. I was watching this and was like "wow! this is actually really interesting". AS the series progressed it felt as if the author was changing the plot, and Ai wasn't really making Near the end of the series I started wondering if it was going to end in the way I had thought. The ending was completely different from what I am imagined, and it had various flaws near the end of the series, you'll understand what I mean when you are watching it. The ending itself was very confusing, I may say it did suck but that's my own opinion, I was completely in shock at the ending because of the way they displayed it.

Art 10/10

The art is phenomenal, absolutely stunning and breath-taking. The way they display each scene, for example when Ai is considered a "grave keeper", a person who is capable of burying the "dead". In the synopsis if you've read it, it explains that since god abandoned the world, people stopped dying as well as being born, which means only a grave keeper may bury that person who is "supposed" to be dead. When Ai buries multiple people as the series goes on it has a absolutely beautiful glow as if there was very light almost elusive coloured lights showing that person's spirit being released. Also, near the end of the series there are two incredibly gorgeous scenes, I felt like I was totally in the scene myself.

Sound 9/10

The sound, just like the art is beautiful, the opening and ending themes are okay itself but when people are killed, and "special" things occur in the series, the sound effects are just wonderful and it really fits the mood of the scene. Each scene has a sound or music fit for the scene and it makes you feel as if you were there, the speed in which it flows the tempo matches the scene almost perfectly.

Character 8/10

The characters fit their personality and what they look like in my opinion. Ai, is a bit of a knuckle head, however it is because she is just so pure and innocent. Hampnie Hambert, I won't spoil who he is, but I wish there was more of him. He's what got me into the story, since he played a big part in the beginning of the story, in search of someone named Anna, and you'll see what I mean by episode 3 when I mean he plays a big part. All the characters have a significant impact in the story and they're all unique in their own way, however a few characters were not necessary, especially in the Goran Academy Arc.

Overall 7/10

Now, even though I gave a 9/10, a 10/10 a 8/10 and a 6/10, the reason why I gave it an overall 7/10 is because, the ending was very confusing and unless they release an OVA or something of that sort it's going to stay as a 7/10. This anime certainly had a LOT of potential, but the author just added a lot of useless and unnecessary parts especially the Goran Academy Arc, at least in my opinion. If the anime turned out to be a 25 episode, it may have have turned out to be a 9/10, but for now a 7/10 is what I'd give it. If you're looking for a decent story, beautiful art and sound, and the feeeelssss, then this anime is definitely worth watching. Just that some parts felt rushed and didn't have enough in-depth to make it a totally awesome series.

The story of a girl named ''Ai'' who is half human and have grave keeper.

This anime is about dead people and ghost. If you don't like stories about the dead you might not like this one. The story is mainly a girl who is have grave keeper, grave keepers are the ones who dig people when there dead to make them leave the world in peace. ''Ai'' finds out that her town is filled with dead people... as she starts her new journey with scar a full grave keeper and a friend of her fathers.

In this journey she makes new friends and helps ... people both dead and alive be happy.

The characters are very fun and have great personalities that suit them well.

In general if you like a calm, interesting anime that's nice to watch if your having a relaxing day and that is related to deaths i think this is a pretty great one.

Okay so Kamisama no Inai Nichiyoubi had my hopes high.
The concept of god disappearing was interesting and the setting seemed cool.
But oh boy was I disappointed.

Story 31/100

The original concept is interesting and was the thing that got me to watch this series originally.
For the first 6 episodes they explored the concept and had some kind of story going on which was pretty enjoyable but suddently, halfway into the anime they just switch story and introduce a ton of new characters that you'll just see in 2 episodes and then they'll never be seen again.
It really feels like the creators didn't know what they ... wanted with this anime and tried first making it a dystopian-fantasy anime, then switched to a school-fantasy and then last they switched to a drama-fantasy setting.
Feels like a lot of wasted potential from the original idea.

Art 75/100

The art was enjoyable, probably the series only strong point except for it's OST.
Character design was for the most part pretty bland but some characters actually stood out a little bit. The MCs design was nice and some other charactters were pretty well designed.
The enviroments and backgrounds were beautiful and I have nothing to complain about with it.

Sound 77/100

The OST was very good and by far the most enjoyable thing with the series.
The opening was not bad but it felt like something that you've heard a lot of times before, in other words pretty generic.
Overall the background music was beautiful, gave a nice touch to the world they we're in and made the enviroments feel alive.

Character 32/100

The series weakest point together with the plot.
Most of the characters were COMPLETELY unmemorable and I don't even recall one moment I genuinely sympathised with them.
The MC was the only one I cared for but not even in a deep way.
In the last 4 episodes the series kinda puts aside the MC to introduce 2 new characters and for the last episodes their story is the one that is in focus.
I don't know what they were trying to do when they created this anime, it's far too few episodes to start something new and especially when they are the last episodes of the whole anime.
A lot of times the characters did things that contradicted the laws and rules that the series had created for it self, and you'll wait for an explanation why they were able to do it but.... no! No explanations, the characters don't even bother talking about it.

Enjoyment 35/100

If you just look past the plot holes, not relatable characters, non consistent plot and just not use your brain for 5 hours I'm sure you'll be able to enjoy this anime.
I myself like animes with plots that are consistent, relatable and interesting characters and a setting that spans over 12 episodes.
I can't say I hated watching it but I can't really say I enjoyed it that much.
The only reason I kept watching was to hope that they just make something good and EXPLAIN something with the last episodes.

Overall 41/100

+Art was good
+Soundtrack was good

-Plot holes galore
-Bland characters
-Non existing/consistent plot

Just when I thought fantasy animes couldn’t come up with an original story, I was mistaken. I started this series without any expectations but somehow, I already had the idea that I won’t be taken by surprise. Apparently, Kamisama no Inai Nichiyoubi isn’t one to play things like others do and I believe it deserves a better reception than it has.

It may not seem like it from the surface, but the story is quite deep to a certain level. Not only is it complex, but it did as much as to influence my perspective in life. Simply said, the story is rich in ideas and ... philosophies. The progression is flawless considering that three unique plots transitioned smoothly between each other for a length of twelve episodes. Events happened in a quick pace and some minor details that would have otherwise clarified everything else were skipped but they’re not necessarily rushed. I was also amazed by how each arc presented a totally new story without compromising the delivery. In addition, nothing is uninteresting and unengaging.

On the other hand, the characters were very likeable despite how I found them to be nearly common as to the rest. Nevertheless, in a short span of time, I became fond of the main character’s qualities of kindness, innocence, and courage. The other supporting characters felt close too. It was also surprising how a lot of characters played important roles and greatly contributed to the development of the series.

Not only was the story made well but as well as the overall art. The visuals consisted of stunning sceneries that is shown even from the very first episode. The music used were perfect and did well to amplify the emotions intended. The ending theme was my favorite and I love how it starts to play at the last scenes of the episode before entering the credits.

To sum up, everything from the anime is enjoyable – the story, mystery, conclusions, music, art and appealing characters. The only problem I found with the anime is that I wasn’t fully satisfied with all of it that I’m wanting for more because unfortunately, the anime is too short. It’s a good thing that even though I only enjoyed it for a short while, it’s still a memorable one. Whenever you decide that you to experience the entertainment of fantasy as if it was your first time, then give Kamisama no Inai Nichiyoubi a try!

First of all I'm sorry if i include a little bit spoilers in my review, I will try to not include anyin my review.

Let's start with the story first, Kamisama no Inai Nichiyoubi is basically an anime about a Gravekeeper named Ai that wants to "save" the world when god abandoned it on sunday by travelling around the world and solving problems.

The story itself isn't bad in my opinion but the only problem is that they have shown it to us in a wrong way.
The story is basically in pieces without any or little connection between them they could release a 3/4 Episode OVA's and ... you could get the same results.
It's jumping from an problem to an another problem this isn't a big issue but an problem only lasts for 3-4 episodes max which gives me unexplained parta of the story.

It definitely has it up and down moments for example the Humpnie Humbert (or what his name was) arc was very good in my opinion but again with the problem described above, new introduced characters only lasts for a couple of episodes and then they have fallen into a black gap without ever reminding it anymore through the story.

The Art itself was very good, It was one of the best animation that i have seen, they have mixed the colours and theme very well, This defenitily is a + Point of the whole anime.

There isn't any bad points about the OST of the anime, I really liked the OP and the ED becuase they were really catchy for me atleast, i doubt they could do it any better.

About the charactera again, The MC "Ai" has developed cery much through the anime, she started very weak in the beginning but became more brave at the end but the other characters of the anime haven't really told me anything.
Like i said before the introduced characters only lasts for a couple of episodes (with the ezception of uri,scar and Ai) and then they are forgotten and never reminded anymore which is a - point for me.
I do understand they are limited in episodes and want to complete it as fast as possible but this won't help anyone or me atleast.

The anime overall wasn't bad with the exception of the above named points, i do recommendes you watch this anime because i did enjoy the anime till the end but it has still left some questions in my head especially about the end which will never be explained.

this deserves a full 10 on everything.
the plot was unlike anything ive seen before and so unique it had me hooked the first episode. the main character ai is only 12 yet she certainly doesnt act her age. shes very independent and has been through a lot,i admire her for that.
the artwork was beautiful and no lazy animation was done. the characters fit really well together how they were drawn. the opening and ending song fit the anime really well it had this mysterious sound to it. the main characters showed a lot of development while the side ones didnt really ... develop i guess thats ok though. i finished this in less than a day and enjoyed every episode. some episodes were very emotional and sad but thats why i loved it. the ending tricked me because just as i was about to loose it... c: at first i thought i wouldnt like this anime but i gave it a shot and ended up putting it at the top of the list for my favorites. i really hope there is a second season because there is still so much unanswered.

Started out strong, it went downhill from there.

With the exception of 1 episode the structure of this show is 2-3 episode arcs, which i imagine are the length of one of the series light novels each. I love this format, and the first two arcs are fantastic, exactly what i expected from the show. We are introduced to a great main character who is thrown into extreme circumstances and we are introduced to two (although quite bland) supporting cast members. Each new arc brings new characters into play, this is both a blessing and a curse, in the beginning this is fantastic, by the ... end it starts to get annoying. Its sad because the first 6 episodes were so good, lots of flashbacks, a more complex story about our protagonist trying to understand her past, by the end, this is sidelined for a whack sub-plot about a charter you don't really care about in the whole scheme of things. This is meant to be dark, and it started out dark, it is meant to be funny, it was in the beginning, it is meant to be epic, it was in the beginning. Maybe if there is a second season this will be resolved and the larger themes and plot lines brought back into the forefront, i hope so. The animation was mixed, i like the style of it, lots of shadow and light but at times it just seemed rather cheap unfortunately. Great soundtrack. Great character development in the beginning, by the end, not so much.

I expected to like this show, but given how very different its arcs were, it manages to do good on some, and just outright disappoint on others. I'll try to cover most of my issues and what I liked without going too much into spoilers.

The story takes place in a world where people cannot be born, nor can die. Given how unique the setting is, it's bound to be interesting, but they immediately raise a problem to it. Characters can still die, but they live on as "undead" until buried by gravekeepers. The issue here is there is no remarkable difference between the living and ... the undead, so I could not see why there was so much discrimination between them. I think the only defining factor is that the undead cannot age, but other than that, they look completely alive. The first arc does well, I liked its characters, and was shocked by a certain twist at its end. Moving on to the second one, it mainly encompasses living and undead as I mentioned before and adds silly plot points with an abruptly stupid ending which I won't go into to avoid spoilers. Third arc is basically meaningless and just as a setup to introduce the characters of the last arc. Before the last arc, we get kind of an interlude which tries to develop Scar, but they kind of just pushed her into an unnecessary situation just for development. The final arc reminded me of my favorite light novel, HakoMari, with its plot being really similar to its first volume, except handled much worse. It was going pretty well with the explanations given to the situation until the ending which tried to offer a plot twist, but that twist contradicted all prior explanations, albeit being a bit surprising, but the annoyance factor outweighs the surprise factor. Basically a story full of ups and a lot of downs, and could have been rated at least a 7 if it covered its plotholes.

The art is well colored and drawn as evident in the PV and wallpaper, but the character designs seem like your generic loli girl and bishounens. It didn't really bother me but at times you can predict their personalities from their looks, which was kind of disappointing to see how they exactly follow that character trope. Sound design was nice and warm and fit the moments in the show. Hampnie was pretty much the only character I liked, I have an appeal towards Alice too but not too much, and I'm neutral toward anyone else. As I mentioned, their looks gave away their bland personalities, except for these 2 characters.

Overall, I expected more from a show with blatantly obvious plotholes that ignores them so casually. Covering up these plotholes would make this show watchable, but at this rate, don't bother.

I watched this anime because one of my friends recommended it. Since it was short I gave it a shot and I really don't regret it. It's a pretty great anime. Hence why I gave it a 9 overall.

Story: 8/10

I think it's a pretty original plot. In the sense, I've never thought about "What if God abandoned the world." It really makes you wonder how people would react and in the anime, you get all sorts of views. Each character has their own opinion about the world after God abandons it. Not only that but they give out their reasoning and it really makes ... you think as well as understand why the characters do what they do and how it's made them to be. I really liked the arcs within this series and I think this anime could've gone longer if not for the ending. The ending left me with more questions than answers but it makes me want to pick up the novel for it so that's what I'll do. I do recommend this anime though.

Art: 9/10

The art was beautiful. The way they made movements flow along together. Bodies weren't exaggerated so I didn't have to see huge boobs flying at me mid-screen. There was an abundance of colors and it felt very beautiful. It made me think sort of like watching the sun rise and then set.

Sound: 10/10

LOVED THE MUSIC! The ED and OP were so befitting of the anime. The opening is a great entrance to the anime and it's right on topic too. It wasn't super upbeat but it had a great tune that gave sort of a mysterious touch. The ED was a great closure to watch every time. Soft and smooth enough to give a comfortable feeling. Kinda a bittersweet feeling. The music played during the anime was very touching. Pianos, opera-like music ...all beautiful. No song felt out of place during the anime and it didn't randomly start at scenes are hit with high notes that it'd scare you.

Character: 9/10

The characters were quite different and their construction was restricted to their world and their actions. Each character had their purpose and they influenced one another through their abilities and understanding of the world. The way they interacted through love or friendship seemed very realistic to me. Not counting any magical usage, the characters seemed to be on top. Though I believe the main character could've used a bit more development by the end of the series, I didn't hate any characters. That's pretty rare as I usually have at least ONE character I hate.

Enjoyment: 10/10

Watched the anime in roughly two days because I enjoyed it so much. Everything blended together so I really liked it. Probably shouldn't have watched it before a midterm though...but it proves how much I enjoyed it.

Overall: 9/10

It's a great anime with wonderful music (seriously....WONDERFUL music) and story. It could be A LOT more if not for some initial errors but there's always answers in novels/mangas and such. Definitely worthy to pick up if you want to pass some time or just enjoy a good brain picker.
ヾ(*・ω・)ノ゜☆゜ヾ(・ω・*)ノ

Story: In a world that human cannot die properly unless you are buried by special undertakers is messed up, especially since the undertaker is a young girl with an innocent mind of a young girl. And this fact is quickly unnecessary after the beginning part of the anime.

Art & Music: But nevertheless, the art and music in this anime are really good. Art was beautiful and the ending was one of my favourite anime ending song.

Character: Can't really say I was interested in the main character, Ai, and the supporting characters weren't really memorable as well, but they weren't bad as ... well. And Ai was cute (not a lolicon).

Enjoyment: Personally, I really enjoyed this anime, it had beautiful arts, great ending song, and.... Feels. It really hits you hard because you didn't see it coming, and the ending song just added fuel to the fire.

Overall: Recommended to watch Kamisama no Inai Nichiyoubi if you like to watch anime with non flesh eating undeads, undertakers blessed by God, and lolis. Or you can watch it for the beautiful arts, feels and an ending song to make you cry for hours.

How can we truly perceive the world around us? The answer is: we can't. It's impossible for a human being to understand what is actually going on around him, because what he really sees is just what his brain interprets. Everyday people make new discoveries, everyday another person comes to realize something new about themselves and the world he is surrounded by, but we aren't getting any closer to understanding the questions that have been bugging us since the beginning of humanity's development. However, all that would never be possible in the first place, if we didn't set goals for ourselves, if we didn't dream ... about something bigger, something better, something that we more than likely won't ever reach through any normal means. Even if we know that some things are completely out of our reach at that exact point in time, we still wish for those things. That's what defines humanity. And this is a show about setting those goals, followed by the never ending search of any means to reach them, and completing small objectives on the road that it takes us. One of those goals might just be saving the world, another one could be understanding it.
Ladies and gentlemen - Sunday without God, a series that while being seriously flawed at some moments, was able to provide ME with a tale that I could fully comprehend from the beginning to the ending, and one that was able to achieve one of those normally unachievable goals it set in front of itself. That goal was pretty simple: give the viewer a freedom of interpretation and understanding this story in his own way, while still providing enough entertainment, plot twists and philosophical questions to make him think about it for days.
Incredibly simple right? (*Sarcasm alert*)

I will be referring to this series either by "Kamisama", "Sunday without God" or "Kaminai" throughout this review.
*Incredibly slight spoilers inside*

Story: 9
Sunday without God constantly brings something special to the table, with an unique premise, setting, and ideas at every new step. It is impossible to talk about the actual plot without spoiling a single thing, so instead of that, I want to talk about the appreciation I have for the care that the original creator put into his work.
Kaminai is his first project, and throughout the show I could feel the passion that was put into the story. The light novel that it is based off of is his first work as an author, but it doesn't go as far as his later reimaginations. I'm pretty certain that the idea of the show just popped into his head one day, and he rolled with it, creating a story around it, adding additional characters and arcs that he then released in the form of a manga and later into an anime. I feel like this is the case because of the way that the story revolves around the main character, Ai, or more specifically, around the previously mentioned journey and the objectives she completes along the way. Each arc that I saw influences her way of thinking. She starts off by finding her dream, but the way in which she wants to do achieve it changes after more influential events. That's why her journey leads her to explore the world she lives in and understand the communities she encounters. Arc after arc, character after character I could witness completely different ways of utilizing the setting to its maximum, it wasn't afraid to ask hard hitting questions or propose unpopular ideas. The show itself never takes a stance and it never states that a way of dealing with the dilemmas that the characters face is correct or wrong. Everything is a gray area in a world without God, and I love it. Stories that give me the freedom of interpretation and don't throw its meaning at my face TOO often tend to be some of my favorites. And not only that, but the amount of options from which I could choose was pretty large. Let me put it like this: If I was to be put into that world, in the same time as the events of the anime take place, even knowing the entire plot I would still have to think hard about how to approach my way of living, about what side will I take in some conflicts and what goal would I set for myself. Not because there wasn't enough information provided, but because those dilemmas are so multisided, none of them are clean and easy answers.
I was also pleasantly surprised by how alive the world felt with all its emptiness. The characters often stumble upon someone in the middle of nowhere, the entire setting feels like its truly moving. Even when a group is left behind, the thought that they are going to live their lives somewhere in that world persisted. That could be contributed to the values that the main characters bring to that community. They aren't groundbreaking, but they're impactful, they don't change their ideals, but change their approach and so on.
Ideals can't make a good story though. What a show needs first and foremost, is a good structure: the pacing, progression and such. Several shows that I watched weren't able to overcome these basics, but aimed higher than most anime out there. Sunday without God thankfully does those things well. At no point is it stagnant, even in the more relaxed parts it is still able to be insightful. That's not to say that a show doesn't need moments that don't progress the story and instead build the connection between the viewer and the characters, but when you can mix them with small hints or make them have a strong message it makes them this much more memorable. Not only that, but It's also able to slow down or speed up the pace when it wants to. However, with all that being said....
Even if I do consider this to be one of my favorite anime stories, and even if I do consider most of the writing to be exceptional, I can't help but notice that this anime has a serious problem with reaching finales, at least in the first two arcs. This is another thing that leads me to believe that the author created everything around one idea. It seems like he really wanted to have a couple of specific elements included in his story, but didn't really know how to go about adding them without breaking the flow. This may be the reason for some serious mistakes taking place. They prevent this part from being rated as a ten. One of the examples is including some characters with a supposed backstory, that we learn about only briefly, just so they can serve a purpose of being plot elements, without which some of the most touching and impactful scenes would have less meaning than they actually do. Is it a bad thing? Yes, of course it is. I don't think that a character thrown into my face as a plot element will be one that I'll remember fondly. Does it influence the story in a major way? No. It does influence the story, don't get me wrong, but not to the point where it breaks its flow or the overarching theme of the series. Since those two elements were the most important ones here, at least for me, I didn't think they were as bad as I normally would see them being.
As for the ending, my train of thought leads to believe that it was all set up exactly the way it was supposed to. If you would disagree with me, I would definitely see where you're coming from. Yes, the ending leaves a lot to be desired, however it's meaning leaves me completely satisfied. It ends on the perfect point in the story, that, because of it's themes and direction, made chills run down my spine.
I like to think of myself as some sort of an advocate of people who find personal meaning in any piece of artistic work more important than the quality, that's because I went through that experience as well. I, just like those people, am able to overlook several mistakes if they don't tarnish my experience. However, I don't think this is the reason why I thought the story deserves this much praise. I genuinely think it was masterfully created so that the viewer can find his own way of understanding it and possibly finding something about himself, something that he wouldn't be able to find otherwise. The means of achieving this goal are a bit shady at times, but I can't argue with the results. I have yet to find a better utilized post apocalyptic setting in anime, maybe even in any media.

Characters: 6
Unlike the story, the characters aren't explored particularly well, and yet I somehow feel like it was done on purpose. The story itself relies heavily on symbols, there's not a single thing that holds no meaning or no value to its themes. Characters are no exception, they're symbols that represent ideas and viewpoints. For example, Ai, the main heroine, is a daughter of a gravekeeper and a human. She represents two different ideals that her parents carried and the hope for the destroyed world. She is probably the most developed and interesting character thanks to that. She constantly develops her mindset, every key event has an effect on her way of thinking, which leads to her getting lost at times.
The rest of the cast serve exactly the same purpose. Humpnie is a representative of people who believe that the dead should stay dead, Ai's mother represents people who dream about creating heaven on Earth, Yuri is just a guy who tried to live happily in the situation he was placed in and Scar, as an usual Gravekeeper, is the carrier of the world's future. Not to mention the characters that pop in later.
Actually, I think "pop in" is a good way of describing character introduction here. It just sort of happens, I never really felt like they did it properly. Some characters were also introduced just to disappear for the rest of the series. Despite that, the strongest asset of the cast is everything that happens with them after the introduction. They really feel well utilized and well implemented into the world and its topics. None feel repetitive, and while some are barely glanced over, others bring huge improvement and add even more psychological depth to it. That's why even though the series rarely expands on its rather large cast, I still feel like they all did their job fairly well.
Their interaction at times feel more realistic than at others. There are groups and pairs that clearly have better chemistry, but because of that the rest feel like they're put aside for the sake of those shining brighter. It would be nice if they could balance it out and create a more memorable cast, but it is what it is I guess.
I wouldn't say the show has a bad or forgettable cast, far from it, but I think that it's only because of their place in the story. I don't think I would care about them as much as I did on their own, or if they were a part of any other anime. Simply put, the story compliments the characters far more than the other way around. Kaminai is a heavy, story focused show, but that doesn't mean that it can be used as an excuse for some slightly, but noticeably, lacking characters.

Music and Visuals: 8,5
Another strong aspect of the series is that it's set in France of all places. This leads to some pretty interesting choices in its music, world design and character designs. That's why I'm grouping the visuals and music together, they truly feel like a one big entity that is created solely for the purpose of setting the mood. Everything looks pretty different compared to other anime. The characters travel through grassy fields, mountain roads, small cities with gothic looking churches in them and even small castles, very smoothly on top of that. Their designs, while a bit over the top at times, with the bright colored hair, look solid and deviate from the usual anime norm. The music is often slow and ambient, but it can change depending on the situation. Everything does feel like it is set in destroyed Europe, which feels nice. We don't see this part of the world covered nearly enough in anime, or at least I don't.
The directing isn't the best by no means, but it has its moments. It can do beautiful things if it wants to, some scenes can be meaningful and set up pretty well with some really well animated moments, and most of the time the music doesn't stay behind as well as it compliments both the place the scene is taking place at and its mood. It's a well coordinated show in that regard.
On its own, the soundtrack is genuinely beautiful. It's calming and poignant, with some tracks like "Blessing" and "Lost World" creating some of the best atmosphere I've ever felt while listening to an anime OST. The opening and the ending songs really represent the way I felt about the series. They switch between a fast and a slow pace, use a lot sounds that make them feel magical and even tear jerking. They also always end on the slower part, just like the series did. The OP uses a choir that can be heard throughout its entirety, which does strengthen the feeling of the religious themes the show presents. The ED starts of really slow and later starts to bring in hopeful, louder sounds to, by the end of it, feel like it was always a happy song all along. Overall, it's a very well thought out soundtrack that really does strengthens the series.
Same could be said about the art work, or at least about the backgrounds. You could probably take half of the larger shots in this series and turn them into wallpapers, and while that's some truly outstanding work, the stuff that you see on the regular is "only" good. Comparing them to the prettier scenes in the series, they don't seem to receive the same amount of care. There's even some CGI involved, it's not that bad, but it shows that several compromises had to be made. Overall, I do think that the art style is good, and the animation is always fluid, but it's not perfect by no means.
So, on the audiovisual side Kaminai is a spectacle to behold. It's able to look good, while still being able to present its symbols clearly and never being too pushy or pretentious about it the same time. I can truly appreciate that. To be honest this could be expected, Madhouse rarely disappoints in that regard.

Enjoyment: 10
Nowadays, any anime that tries to be thought inducing leaves me with a bit of a bad aftertaste. Either because of the themes not being utilized in a meaningful way, that would help the series be more than it was, or because of writing putting the characters into inhumane levels of profoundness, or because of the core and the basics are not good enough to even justify trying to achieve that. Kamisama doesn't do any of that. I felt the impact that the journey had on the characters without it ever feeling overly slow or overly fast. People over at Madhouse were able to create some of the its themes so well, that it got me thinking about it for days, both during and after the time I watched it. While being away from my computer screen I constantly think about this show and its story. I feel like it influenced my way of thinking in some way, made me more aware of the things I'll have to go through in life and helped me think about my stance on them. There's something to be said when a series that at first looked so simple, that I picked up as something to pass my free time with, is able to create such a connection between its themes and my life. I can say that it definitely won't have the same effect on everyone, it's not like you are at the same point in your life that I am, neither did you have the same life I did up to this point. SO, is it more of a personal series? Yeah, I'd say so. It became one of my favorite anime for those reasons. If you find its topics to be interesting or influential to you personally, then you may find it to be pretty good as well. I'll wrap this up with a quote from the series itself.
"We simply cannot see the world as it is. The world people see is nothing more than how our brains translate it. In other words, it's subjective."

Overall: 8,5
Sunday without God feels like a very underrated anime to me. I can see why it has the score that it has (sitting at 7.52 at the time of this review being written), the somewhat rushed characters and several hardly noticeable story elements scattered around for the reason of explaining the convoluted setting definitely can annoy many people out there, but I'm sure that if they would look at the hints that the show leaves some of the plot inconsistencies would disappear. I believe that the show doesn't have to say something straight to my face for me to understand it, and while I don't think doing so is wrong in some situations, I don't think Kamisama needed it. This is a story of a world, in which wishes are the strongest driving force for the remaining humans traversing it. Bigger or smaller, those dreams let them understand more than they ever could comprehend when the show started. Just like I did. the show really felt more meaningful when I noticed that it leaves those slight nudges for the viewer to catch. With those pieces I created a coherent picture, in which I don't see any holes left. Would this show benefit from more episodes? Yes, without a doubt it could get rid of all those doubts that I had, but I think it's more fun this way. What I got is a solid piece of work that could branch into multiple different directions if it only wants to do so in my head, and that's exactly why I love this show. I feel like this world is still open for me, so I can explore it in my imagination and in my dreams, but Ai's story feels complete. That's why I will defend it to death. If you ever feel like watching this show, I do recommend it. Maybe, just maybe, you'll find something for yourself, albeit I can't promise that.
Is this score unbiased? No, of course it isn't, just like any other score on this website. If you made it this far into the review, then you probably realized it by now. This series doesn't avoid mistakes, but I don't think it needed to. Sometimes shows with flaws can feel more charming than those that avoid them. I don't think that everyone who thinks this show is bad is an idiot, neither do I think higher of myself because I saw more in it. All I can say is that from now on every Sunday will remind me of this show. All the things this anime showed me will not be forgotten, I can at least guarantee you that.
It's not like that's important to you or anything, but I really wanted to say it.

As always this is purely my opinion. I encourage you to develop your own.

Sunday Without God is my favourite anime of all time, for the simple reason that it is presented with captivating beauty and passion.

Beautiful is the word that comes to mind with Sunday Without God.

In an artform where presentation is key, Sunday Without God nails it perfectly. For me, every frame is a lush watercolour painting, with dazzling hues of orange and purple. The soundtrack is magical, accompanying each scene with just the right touch of atmosphere.

It is difficult to do the surrealness of the show's landscapes any justice with prose alone, so if you have been kind enough to read this far, perhaps ... consider searching up the OP or an AMV on Youtube? I do believe that few would not be pleasantly surprised by the amount of love dedicated to tracing out every line, shading in the various tints of colour.

The premise is unique, to say the least, depicting a world where humans have stopped reproducing; akin to the famed Children of Men, though with a decidedly different (and one I personally enjoyed more) take on the matter. The writing is certainly fascinating, although short of being absolutely spectacular. It is, however, definitely a breath of fresh air - the show serves up generous doses of originality with its creative takes on common plot points, such as time loops and imprisonment, and certainly wastes no time with needless pandering.

Perhaps the greatest charm is the protagonist, Ai - the only child in a world robbed of childbirth, humanity's greatest gift. She captures all the hope and beauty left in a world that "God abandoned", and this brightness shows through in every scene she's in. Her innocence allows even heavier themes, such as death and ostracism, to be handled in a warm and positive, yet thoughtful way.

Plot criticism may be centered around the show's naiivety, where nothing explicitly bad ever happens to anyone in the main cast, evil and malice are nonexistent, and love and warmth reign supreme. The way I see it, this is the show's merit - it must be seen as a children's storybook.

Sunday Without God does not claim to be a thematic masterpiece that tackles and deconstructs controversial issues, nor does it see itself as an idea-intensive show for the thinking man, or an overly plot-heavy or character-driven tour de force. It is, if anything, a picture book - a work of not art, nor any great educational significance, but a work of beauty. To be appreciated, to be caressed, to be loved. I cannot fault the show for not having a gripping plot, or complex and dynamic characters, or not fully exploring its unique premise - that is not its intent. Sunday Without God is not an ambitious show by any stretch. It is a heartwarming, simple tale that is a treat for the senses.

Therefore, a word of forewarning: one might be disappointed, or even frustrated, by the show if one is expecting anything novel, thrilling, or overly intelligent. In my mind, the show was made for the sole purpose of being enjoyed, and if one seeks to be soothed, to be comforted, to be warmed, then Sunday Without God is undoubtedly one of the best anime out there.

Ultimately, anime, as an artform, is unique because it transcends the limits of film and television even with the advent of CGI, and rare is the show where this key quality shines through. Anime, for me, can tell a story with an easy, yet almost surreal beauty that other mediums cannot, presenting a fantasised version of a world that is hauntingly beautiful. It makes the world look more perfect and beautiful than it ever can in the real world; it is fantasy in its purest form, and this show knows this.

Sunday Without God doesn't capture the mind, nor does it want to - it captures the heart, and leaves you feeling warm and fuzzy inside.

This anime made emotional so I might be biased in writing a review.

Story: 10/10

Though the story is a little bit complex it is OUTSTANDING! In the first episode the goal of the protagonist is to be the best gravekeeper in her little village. But because of some circumstances (it's a spoiler if I will tell what kind of circumstances however I'm sure that it's written in the plot that people in that village died because of one man.) she will leave the village and again another happening that will make her want to ... save the world. So from that point the story will transform into an exciting adventure. I'm sure you're confused about what I'm trying to say but I swear that this anime can really make you emotional. To be honest, I cried in the first 3 episode.

Art: 10/10

How I judge art in anime? CUTE GIRLS AND BOYS! If the boy is freaking handsome I'll quickly watch it. If the girl is so f*cking cute I'll immediately watch it. For me this is the basic criteria in judging this field. Admit it, sometimes you fell in love with anime characters even though they're fictional.

But I will be serious. The art is really nice. From looking at the cover it's really nice and beautiful and interesting. The cover makes you curios about the story. The cover makes you want to watch it or read it. Fine, fine there is the basis that you shouldn't judge a book from it's cover but we need to be realistic that we do judge the books by its cover. It's the picture that pulls our interest.

I think i focused too much on the cover so I want to make it clear. The art of the cover is as beautiful as the art of the entire anime. It's beautifully done.

Sound: 10/10

I don't have any complains about the sound. Since it's my first time writing a review in this format I really don't know how judge the sound however if we are talking about voice quality then I will no doubt give it a whooping ten. The voice is perfect although I can't tell if it's perfect or if people can easily understand them because I don't know Japanese. I rely on subs and I thank websites for providing them. But to make it clear, the sounds are awesome.

Opening and Ending songs. Usually I skip this part but once in a while listen to it, especially if it's really catches my attention. The songs in this anime really fit the story. The melody blends in.

Background songs. Marvelous. Incredible. The melody and the rhythm actually adds more impact to the scene. Very nice. It really enhances the scenes and give more feeling and emotion. I really blends in story plot.

Character: 10/10

Creative. Totally creative. This introduced lots of character with different personality. Although I will say that some of their personalities are really common. So why I gave it a 10? That's because every character has a story. Everyone carries a beautiful story that made their character really interesting.

Enjoyment 10/10

I think that you can really tell how much I loved watching this anime. But I will still explain it. This anime is adventure and when it's adventure there are lots of exciting moments and scenes. Also, this anime has lots of surprises. You'll be surprise in some revelations and solved mysteries. It's a really complex story that was born from a single idea which "God left the earth." Of course after hearing this you will hearing this you'll have lots of question. What will happen to the earth if the life giver is gone? People can't give birth. People can't die. When they are killed only their bodies die but their mind and memories remains. However their wisdom and memories will fade, they will rot and be no different to zombies or walking dead that's why gravekeepers are born to officially put their souls at ease. Realization: People DO die. Question: If they die what happens to their soul? Question: What happens if all people die. Question: What are gravekeepers actually?

You see there are millions of question however this anime flowed nicely . It answers the question step by step and were able to create a wonderful story.

(I think you could also use this reason why i give the story a 10. xD)



Overall:

I'm sorry for being lazy but I'm ending this short cause I think i pretty much explained why I give this anime a 10. For me it's pretty reasonable and fair but as review writer all this judgement are based from my opinion and taste in anime. I'll be honest in saying that this anime is not for everyone. Some might in boring but some may even consider it as a masterpiece. For me it's an OUTSTANDING piece. Please let me know what you think about this anime.

This is such a bizarre anime. I’ve seen anime and movies with trippy imagery. I’ve read stories with pages of gibberish, yet few works of fiction left me with a sense of culture shock like this. Such anime are so original it’s hard to make them truly terrible, since the novelty value is there. Creators also tend to be as confused as the viewer, so they rarely reach their full potential.

When you have a unique premise on your hands that doesn’t owe anything to any tradition, there are two ways to go about it. You can either go full retard, mine the premise for anything ... it has and throw the kitchen sink along with everything. Since you have no idea how your anime is supposed to work, all you can do is try everything and hope something sticks. There’s a famous anime who did this and it’s called Future Diary.

The other route is the safer one. You let your story flow, but you never try too hard to understand it. You let characters interact and explore your world, but you refrain from anything too attention-grabbing. The anime will narrow its focus. Its structure will become almost RPG-like, giving the protagonist a basic objective to complete and finish it off.

Sundays Without God takes the latter route, but the result isn’t a complete failure. Despite not playing with the structure, its setting and premise are so weird that the feeling of culture shock is persistent. The stories that make up the anime are also good enough on their own and take advantage of the setting. You cannot tell them in any other context. Still, something feels off. It’s not completely weird, not completely normal and leans towards the weird without mining it too much. The result is anime that’s enjoyable like an ordinary anime while feeling weird.

The best thing about the anime is it unique setting and tone. It’s a perfect example of how you don’t need a lot of details to create a unique world. The world here is simple. God is gone, no one can get born and dead people don’t really die. It’s apocalypse in slow motion. We’ve had a lot of stories about what happens after the apocalypse and we tend to imagine it as something swift and fast. Here, the world is in the process of ending.

Human beings are resilient things, though. Even if the sun will explode, we’ll most likely try to save something. Survival instinct is so strong that it defies rationality and free will. In this case, the world isn’t ending so much as life reaches its epilogue. Life isn’t bad, but it keeps moving in an ordinary pace towards its ending.

What do you do when you’re the last generation? The anime is essentially about this, but it seems so weirded out by its premise it doesn’t really explore it. The first stories deal directly with these themes – one character is about to be the last of the last generation, which is the worst isolation you can have. The city of the dead is an interesting expressions of the Metaphysical Rebellion – how we can rebel against our circumstances and reject them.

The structure doesn’t prevent exploration of these topics, since many shows used shorter length with depth. The method of storytelling gets in the way. There’s an objective to solve, and the characters spend more time trying to solve it. While the pacing isn’t thriller-like, it’s too fast for such a premise. It doesn’t slow down enough to show how characters exist outside the story.

Characters’ existence outside the story is one of the best ways to convince us they’re real, to make us care about them and see their humanity. Stories are something humans create and we don’t live in just one. A focused storyteller shows snippets of other stories the characters can have, but then goes back to the main one. A master storyteller can imply these side-stories and connect them to the main plotline. The anime doesn’t do this. Its focus is too narrow.

It’s a shame, because the storytelling is quite excellent. The format is familiar – we have a good, well-meaning character visiting people and helping them. Ai isn’t just a vehicle to tell the stories of these people. Her personality and position is directly tied to her role. In a world where everyone’s ready to die or desperately fighting death, she’s a piece of light. She’s the youngest person alive, a possibility that there might be a future.

She’s not a lantern, though. When things go bad, Ai doesn’t say some nice things and the story ends. Often, she gives those pep talks but stumbles. The world is, after all, ending. Problems still exist and are hard to solve. Ai may be an optimist, but she’s a struggling optimist. We see her doubts, how much she tries to cling to her optimism despite everything.

This is where the anime’s faults lay. Although this is an excellent usage of such a character, they don’t take it far enough. Ai struggles, but the creators put her so much in the role of problem-solver she doesn’t have time to ingest the struggling. There’s no time to see how the possible failures affect Ai’s psych. Stories don’t always end just like she wants them to, and that should influence her worldview. How do you stay optimistic when things don’t go as expected? Do you blind your own eyes? Do you become pessimistic, or do you accept things as they are? The anime never addresses these questions.

The themes of wishing does make its appearance, but the creators aren’t sure what to do with it. People wish for things. Sometimes they come true, sometimes they don’t and sometimes they come true but the result is painful. It speaks volumes when a messy anime like Big Order addresses these themes better. They’re present, but wishing is not a plot device here and there aren’t enough angles to explore this topic from. It’s just there.

The art style continues the weird nature of the quality. The character’s looks are distinct and memorable enough, but the art style itself isn’t. You can put these characters in a school anime and they wouldn’t feel out of place (except for the outfits). There’s variety in how everyone looks and the school arc lets them show off their designs, but nothing connects it. Characters shouldn’t just look distinct but there should be a style that connects them, quirks that make the design memorable and make you wonder what else you can do with it.

On the other hand, the color schemes and backgrounds are beautiful. The anime finally fulfills potential. The colors are balanced. Light and dark tones are mixed. A burning red or a cold blue is are the dominating colors, and they have just enough brightness to make the world seem normal. There’s also a little darkness in them that reminds you that the world is dying. It’s a balance that’s hard to get. You can easily find yourself in bland colors, but here they’re the perfect mix of darkness and lights that fit the weird tone of the series.

Sundays Without God is a flawed anime, but nevertheless an anime like no other. Its failures hold it back from greatness, and but their nature prevents them from being offensive. When it falls, it’s not because it does stupid things. Rather, it’s too afraid to play with its ideas. They stand on their own, and even as basic storytelling it’s good enough. Someone might one day run away with these and render this irrelevant, but until then it’s worth your time.

3.5 sundays out of 5

Sunday Without God, is a story-arc series formatted a little akin to Kino’s Journey. There is no over-arching story, rather it follows our female lead, Ai, as she travels from one metaphorical town to another, and that’s the beauty of this series. Each story arc is beautifully layered with symbolism and allegories showcasing the significance of the line between life and death in a nihilistic world. There’s a lot to ponder about and a lot to relate back to the real world.

Ai Astin is the perfect character to take us through the world of the series. Rather than simply acting as a catalyst, ... Sunday Without God does an incredible job fleshing out her personality and capturing that child-like innocence. Props to the dialogue, because whether Ai’s disapprovingly questioning the morals the current world has adopted or claiming the obvious, everything that comes out of her mouth feels so real.

But with a brilliantly imaginative setting and a loveable female lead, Sunday Without God is not free from flaws. Its problems lie with its execution.

Rushed and hasty to get from arc to arc, emotional attachment is nearly void. A certain character’s death put a nice, unexpected twist to the experience, but preceding scenes were too glazed over to evoke any emotions from me when the actual scene occurred.

Side characters that accompany Ai on her journey are well-characterized but any development feels stilted, especially romantic relationships such as the one between Juliet and Scar.

This leads to another problem where yes, the ideas presented are brilliant but because of the rushed pacing, it’s bound to leave many confused and inevitably frustrated. As much as I loved the setting, there are some major elements that the series pulls right out of its ass, even leaving me staring at the screen asking what the Hell I’m suppose of make of it.

The series ends on a rather unsatisfactory note, putting a halt to everything after a rather so-so arc. A whimper rather than a bang, a final lasting impression didn’t come through to me. Rather I was left irritated.

So yeah, whose decision was it to set this for one cour instead of two?

Final Verdict:

Story – Formatted in story-arcs and with no definite story was a good idea, but the execution is weak and rushed, causing a lack of the emotional punch that the series aims for

Characters – Ai Astin is a fantastic female lead, and the rest of the cast is likeable enough, but due to rushed pacing. Development and relationships feel stilted, causing emotional attachment to be nearly void.

Setting – It’s imaginative and immersive, chocked full of brilliant ideas and symbolism that work for the most part, but would have been far more effective with stronger execution.

Production Values – Solid throughout. The music is qutie nice, but the gorgeous background art is the strongest factor

Final Thoughts: Most people dislike this series and for good reason. Its execution is weak and the series is rushed, but for me at least, it was still quite an enjoyable experience.

Rating: 7/10 (Good)