Now and then, Here and there might be one of the best anime I have seen yet and here's why.
The story follows a head high young boy named Shu , one day after practice while walking home Shu stumbles upon a mysterious blue haired girl sitting on a smoke stack named Lalaru, Shu decides to climb to the top of the smokestack to greet her but soon realizes she's a quiet girl, Then the girl is suddenly attacked by a women with these strange mechas, Shu try's to fight the attackers to protect her but then gets transported into a a strange unrecognizable world and meets a military including many children who end up catching the girl but Shu manages to escape ending up lost in this new world, Shu try's to find her in this new place to protect her while trying to survive in this harsh and disturbing reality where water is scarce with Shu now on the run from the military and the crazy leader Hamdo who ends up trying to get information from Shu in brutal,violent and disturbing ways.
The first episode makes u think its a slice of life but then it forms into a dark, heavy and emotional anime set in a post apocalyptic war setting with many parts hard to watch but its intense and intriguing. Although the story is fictional it does have some true aspects with it being based on real wars such as the Rwanda civil war and many others, its depressing because many children and teens go through this kind of harsh reality in real life having to fight and witness the traumatizing horrors even till this day, if you had a pleasant and safe childhood NTHT makes you appreciate life a little more .
I also like the characters quite a bit. Shu seems like a normal anime protagonist at first but after starting the show you start to understand why he is such an important character, I see Shu as a beacon of hope of sorts ,He is the reason people started to see the truth after they were brainwashed by Hamdo thinking he was great for allowing them to go back home after the war finished, Shu is also the help that Sara was in need for after all the terrific things she went through. Talking about Sara I liked how anime didn't show any of the disturbing scenes she went through because you can see the horror just by looking at her emotional face, she might be one of the deepest characters in NTHT. With Lalaru I don't think she talked much because she despised humanity and how humans act, she feels disappointed to the point she didn't want to interact or have anything to do with them.
I personally didn't think NTHT had many flaws apart from the last 2 eps feeling a little rushed but that didn't bother me at all to be honest. So overall its one of the best and intriguing and interesting anime I have seen so that's why I rated it a 10/10. Who knows maybe my rating might change in the future but right now I don't think it will.
