Story (9/10)- Now and Then, intentionally starts off like any other anime, stubborn, yet optimistic young boy meets mysterious girl who ominously stares off into the sunset being being sent toward another world. In most anime, the alternate world would be full of wonder, intrigue, and a harem full of beautiful women. However, Now and Then, Here and There is not like most anime. Shu, the protagonist, is sent to Earth billions of years in the future, where it has become a barren wasteland where people kill each other for mere drops of water, and malice & fear fill the hearts its inhabitants. He is sent to a place where war is the norm, and where children are taken from their homes to fight. A place of nightmares.
Now and Then, Here and There is an anti-war anime. It focuses on the horrors of war and the atrocities committed by those involved. Now and Then holds no punches when it comes to showing the horrors of war. You will witness some of the most vile and disgusting things that man is capable of. You will most likely cry, I was driven to near tears at certain points, but the show always gives off a faint glimmer of hope throughout all of the bleakness and despair. And it does so without coming off preachy or patronizing.
Art(5/10)- Although the anime was released in the late 90's, the art and animation is mediocre. The character designs are a bit immersion breaking because they come off as cartoonish. The backgrounds are scenic and very aesthetically pleasing too the eye. Well, as much as desolate wastelands can be pleasing to the eye.
Soundtrack(9/10)- The soundtrack, composed by Taku iwasaki, is nothing short of beautiful. The mood of each piece ranges from uplifting, to melancholic but never fails to make an impact. As for sub or dub, I highly recommend watching the show subbed. The dub is fine, but some of the children sound too old and it takes away from the gravitas of the show.
Character(9/10)- The characters of Now and Then are superb because they come off genuinely human. None of them can be easily described with just one word, all of them are complex. Yes, there are evil characters like King Hamdo for example, who is one of the most vile and reprehensible characters conceived, but he isn't evil to the point where it becomes comical. No matter how many atrocities he commits, you never forget the disturbing fact that he is human. The main protagonist, Shu, is hard-headed and a bit naive, but he matures throughout the story. His optimistic nature provides a noticeable contrast with how bleak and depressing most of the other characters are. Normally, characters like that have a tendency to become annoying but not in this instance. Each member of the cast is well rounded. None of them are simple and have different reasons for why they fight and what they believe.
Now and Then, Here and There is not a show that broadcasts the failures of humanity. Quite the contrary, it celebrates human life. It shows us the evils of war without preaching them to us. It shows man's indomitable spirit when placed under tremendous adversity. And that is why Now and Then, Here and There shines.
