The story of Shinsekai Yori is experienced through the eyes of the main protagonist, Watanabe Saki, as she grows from childhood to adulthood, making it a partially autobiographical experience as an older version of Saki voices parts with narrative. Set one thousand years in the future where almost every human has developed psychic powers called Cantus, the world of Shinsekai Yori is full of both the familiar and unfamiliar. While the humans all look relatively the same as what you could find today in areas, the other denizens of the world are much different from what you would see now. The first episode immediately establishes who should be watching the anime as people get instantaneously squished and torn to shreds in flashes of blood in what would seem to be present-day Japan however, it then quickly shifts to where and when the main story actually takes place. From the first episode alone, it is immediately apparent that something is clearly amiss in the quiet life of Saki's village and the story plays off this sense of mystery. While watching, I never felt that I was left out of the loop on the lore or what was currently happening; the story is paced well so that you basically know everything that Saki knows, and, at times, it isn't really all that much. I felt some sort of connection to the protagonist, Saki, as she journeyed and strove to know the truth in the world she lives in. Much like her, with the passing of daily life and with only one episode airing per week, I gradually began to forget some of the same things that Saki did, almost like the creators actually desired this effect. In short, this show will test your memory. While you don't have to remember absolutely everything to enjoy the story as there are plenty of twists and turns, you will probably miss out on some subtle hints that are dropped by the characters as they talk. Shinsekai Yori is definitely worth rewatching purely to see how all the pieces fit together after you've experienced it once already. Another thing that is worth mentioning is that the next-episode previews of Shinsekai Yori are probably the best I have ever seen, revealing just enough to make me make me wish the for the next episode to come faster, yet not spoiling too much in the process. However, though I always ached for the next episode to come faster, there was a certain “hump” in the story in the first few episodes that was particularly dull but, after you got over said “hump”, it was smooth sailing from then out and I felt the ending was particularly satisfying.
If the art of Shinsekai Yori were to be summed up in one word, “amazing”. I found that the art style itself is unique and very polarizing. The humans have a somewhat “bland” look to them in comparison to everything else in the anime, mostly because they look “normal”. The background art can be absolutely stunning at times and the creatures often look grotesque and revolting, which is why I say the humans look “normal” or “bland” in comparison. The creatures are supposed to look that way and, in all seriousness, the fictional depiction of a “Fiend” gives me the chills every time I see it. The animation isn't necessarily the best and while there were parts that could have been better, those are minor and somewhat rare. Although there aren't too many major scenes with crazy animations, there are often small and subtle animations that play a part in the overall story or character interactions, and small stuff like that tends to go a long way in my eyes. All in all, despite the animation not being the greatest, the art in Shinsekai Yori is definitely worthy of an experience that only blu-rays could offer.
The sound design in Shinsekai Yori isn't so much to create an epic soundtrack as it is to create music that fits the mood, and it does so perfectly. The background music is generally dark, mysterious, mellow, or any combination of the three and while there are certain tracks that stray far from this trend, never once did I feel that the music was intrusive. As I am a proponent of a proper use of silence, or a “lack of music”, I must say that Shinsekai Yori pulls off those moments well. In fact, it was due to those moments that Shinsekai Yori became the first anime I have watched where I legitimately felt scared during an episode; there are definitely parts in the series that are meant to instill fear. Mood-setting and silence aside, it is notable to mention that Shinsekai Yori does not have an opening theme at all but rather only has two ending themes. The first ending theme, “Wareta Ringo” by Taneda Risa, is possibly my favorite ending theme song from the Fall 2012 and Winter 2013 seasons (the time span which Shinsekai Yori aired) and the second ending theme, “Yuki no Saku Hana” by Hanazawa Kana, is good as well, though it definitely gives off a more melancholic feel than the first ending theme.
So, just to get this out of the way, yes there is homosexuality (both male and female) in this anime, however, it is not prevalent throughout the series and I thought it was taken in a mature and logical way, reflecting the ideals and culture of the anime's society. Homosexuality in Shinsekai Yori can be surmised as such: homosexuality is accepted and it is perfectly okay to love whoever you love but, at the end of the day, homosexual couples often split up to pair with partners of opposite gender because they cannot reproduce otherwise and therefore cannot further the human race but, their love for one another often stays. Although the characters are all psychics, most with the power to wipe out entire armies if they wished, none of the characters ever seemed inhuman- with some exceptions. They laugh, cry, discuss societal issues, and develop strategies, some of which are fairly brilliant. I love how human everyone in the series is but, the ironic thing is that my favorite character isn't even human. While I won't go too much into detail as it is somewhat of a spoiler, he is the ideal warrior in every way, shape, and form and, in my opinion, is a character who demands respect. As far as character development goes, the most major developments happen on-screen while other minor developments happen off-screen. This is mostly due to the nature of the series; Shinsekai Yori tends not to waste your time on the worthless everyday activities that the characters do (except in the beginning), instead using time-skips to get to the parts that are actually important. These time-skips are done in a way such that it doesn't seem like anything major changes about the characters other than appearance, and even then, the characters are all easily recognizable. There are only two personal gripes I had with the characters. The first how Saki acts near the end of the anime- though, in all honesty, it's completely understandable given what she goes through over the course of the series. The second is what truly happens to certain characters, specifically to the ones whose ultimate fates are implied throughout the latter parts of the story but you never actually know for sure (some of you who have already watched the series will probably know who I'm taking about).
Despite the “hump” in the story-telling in the beginning and minor, personal gripes near the end, I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of Shinsekai Yori. Every new moment provided either new insight into the universe, characters, or story and there were plenty of twists and tense moments to keep your eyes glued to the screen and keep you on the edge of your seat. The art provides some absolutely gorgeous visuals at times and the soundtrack will provide the correct atmosphere for each scene without taking away from it. I felt connected to the characters, shared both their happiness and pain, and never felt alienated from them. In short, I absolutely loved Shinsekai Yori. After each episode I groaned “Man, why can't the next episode be out already?” Shinsekai Yori is a masterpiece of story-telling and definitely worth recommending to anybody as long as they can appreciate the mature themes the anime tackles.
10 out 10
