Though rather subdued in nature, this was a really good episode, especially the latter half. It was also the best since the fourth episode, since it, essentially, was an introduction, however temporarily, into a significantly altered world and atmosphere. The methodical pacing in this episode and most others allows for an intricately woven narrative. As such, one of the most impressive aspects of the show is that the narrative rarely seems to progress through a predictable, seemingly predetermined path. This would typically create a relatively disconnected sort of confusion, as well as an unavoidable tendency to slip into a tonal dissonance, but the story has been so masterfully constructed that it never feels disorienting or contrived.
The extensive examination and resulting insight into their unsettling society continues to be exceptionally comprehensive and well-implemented into the narrative. There were several layers of nuance added to the depiction of the bizarre, contrasting nature of their regulated actions and the uniformity of their sexual relations. As such, the relations and dynamics between each character have immensely evolved in a rather significant fashion. Though these seemingly experimental intimacies definitely appear to be short-lived, the emotions and unique interactions that directly derive from the individual scenarios are quite captivating. Of course, due to the sudden transition to their 14-year old selves, the ingrained characterization has been appropriately altered for many of the characters, but, rather than feeling forced and somewhat disconcerting, it's quite believable. Essentially though, I felt that the moments of intimacy throughout this episode were comparatively handled better in the fifth episode, since they were more deftly illustrated in the latter.
Shun's development in this episode is incredibly interesting, as he purposefully drifts apart from the others, isolating himself from emotional connections with a self-imposed exile, due to the possibility that he's displaying symptoms that indicate the potential that he's suffering from the Rahman-Crogius syndrome, and that he'll eventually transform into a fiend. It's quite impressive that Shun was able to skilfully deduce that the Elder's were manipulating them and that they had known of their sealed Cantus all along. Of course, he's always appeared to be the most perceptive in the group, since, quite often, it seems as though he was distinctly aware of the blood-stained mysteries that had infiltrated their society.
My favorite sequence was Saki's painfully melancholic conversation with Shun, in which all of her complicated emotions lingered on the precipice of chance, tenuously clinging to the final hope for a shred of normalcy and permanency within her precocious desires for a seemingly impossible romance, culminating with her confession cut short and Shun's ominous warning that suggested Saki should be alert for Cats. It's also rather surprising, though not entirely unexpected, that they don't fully remember the details surrounding their summer excursion, which definitely seems to hint at some form of mental manipulation by the Elders. There was a choral arrangement that brilliantly accompanied this moment; one that's nearly as fantastic as the usual selection. This scene was tragically foreboding, as it potentially foreshadows an imminence towards Shun's death, superbly conveying a plethora of disparate emotions. Though he could certainly remain alive, there's a dreadful inevitability that permeates these fleeting moments. As such, there was an excellently meaningful, visual touch in this scene, in which a particular portion of the material used in the construction of the Holy Barrier separated their bodies from one another throughout the entire conversation, illustrating the seemingly irreparable distance between Saki and the tainted creature that Shun had become.
Aside from Saki's conversation with Shun, another one of my favorite sequences is the classroom scene, in which Saki begins to cry upon truly noticing Mamoru's unrequited affections for Maria, as this draws a clear parallel to her romantic feelings for Shun. There was a beautifully wistful musical selection that really complemented the moment, illuminating the complex emotions that were involved extremely well.
I love that there was a slightly heightened focus on Mamoru, since, though he's consistently appeared to strictly be a secondary character, I'm hoping that he receives an increased prevalence throughout the remainder of the show, so that he could be somewhat integral to the story, since the noticeable lack of development for his character remains one of the weakest elements of the show. Despite this criticism, it does seem quite likely that he'll be involved considerably more as the story progresses, possibly as an accessory to Maria's eventual cruelty, since, due to the dialogue at the end of the second episode, it's been subtly foreshadowed that she'll gradually turn into an uncontrolled fiend or something else altogether. Nevertheless, for better or worse, his characterization, so far, has indicated that he'll always accompany her, and that, perhaps, their fates are inexorably entwined.
The direction was solid; a definite improvement over the last three episodes, which is somewhat surprising, impressively so, since Kazuyoshi Yaginuma is thoroughly inexperienced in that area. Aside from that, his storyboarding was also great, as the majority of it was much more fluid, displaying a logical progression from one moment to the next, which was easily the most noticeable improvement, due to the occasional absence of any sort of cohesive continuity within a particular scene throughout several of the episodes that preceded this one.
The art, however, was clearly the weakest aspect of the episode, since it was far too inconsistent. As such, though it was still very capable of illustrating particular moments in an expressive and appealing manner, the mediocre art slightly detracted from the portrayal of several interactions and motions. On the other hand, the colorful aesthetic was very visually appealing, effectively contrasting the largely unremarkable repetition of scenery throughout much of the previous three episodes. The character's movements, as a whole, were animated really well. I particularly love the altered character designs, especially Saki's and Shun's, as they're able to capture the advancement in age superbly.
All in all, From the New World begins it's second arc with a thoroughly impressive episode, while it also continues to excel in nearly every area, save for some inconsistencies within the production values. This arc, so far, is thoroughly engaging and exceptionally intriguing, particularly due to the fantastic conclusion to this episode and the preview for the next one. Following the interesting, but rather divergent thread at the end of the last arc, the return, and subsequent familiarization, to the walls of their oppressive society was portrayed wonderfully, excellently reestablishing the subtly grim and threatening nature of their meticulously structured lives. |