Overall, I enjoyed this show because it sought to ask tough questions and explore dark themes. For example, what is it that makes us human? How natural is the order humans have established? To what extent is sacrificing humanity necessary for stability? Who holds truly holds power, and is that rule just? How does age impact perception of the world and its evils?
Additionally, I felt that it incorporated elements that make it unique from its other dystopian-world anime counterparts. Shinsekai Yori aims to introduce ideas like evolution into its main plot, something we don't typically see shows like Psycho-Pass.
Even though the anime starts off with the protagonists as children, I thought it did a great job of blending in darker themes into the kids' adventures. IN fact, I think the show introduced its dark elements best because the protagonists were kids. The show definitely makes you feel like you're growing up alongside the characters, and there will be heart wrenching moments along the journey. Furthermore, I thought the relationship between the two main characters was beautifully developed as well.
Now, my qualms.
One problem with shows that aim to provoke too many deep questions at once (with a limited budget and episode count) is that not all of these questions are answered and not all of these ideas are addressed as deeply as they need to be. My main issue with the show is that some of the themes from season 1 (e.g. proper perception of children, dangers of the subconscious) don't seem to get the justice they deserve in season 2 and the ending. Some of these themes were very prominently featured in season 1, but I felt as if they weren't fleshed out enough in season 2.Maybe it's because season 2's emphasis on an existential threat and the characters' maturation has changed their perception of the follies of society introduced at the beginning of the show. Still, it just doesn't feel like all the loose ends were tied. Season 2 introduced some thought-provoking, disturbing ideas too, but it felt mostly plot-driven to me. I could see that the creators were trying to show society's internal issues through the manifestation of the existential threat introduced in season 2, but it could've been better incorporated. Supposedly, humanity's supposed to make progress, but I don't see concrete evidence of how. I expect grand reform, but the reform feels so much more subtle and not grand enough at the end.
My other qualm, more minor, is the relationship between the supporting characters. Although they are featured prominently at times, they tend to fade out during others. Some of these characters appear so much that they end up acting like motifs, but I don't feel like the explanation of their continued appearance and role (long after they're gone) is explained well enough.
Welp, those were my thoughts. To sum it up, I enjoyed watching it overall, but I definitely felt like the ending wasn't quite satisfying for me. The anime aims to explore deep themes, but not all of them were fleshed out well enough towards the end. The shift between seasons both made sense to me and felt inappropriate at the same time. I could understand where the creators were going with the plot, but I wasn't quite satisfied with how season 2 ended.
