Now and Then, Here and There
| Now and Then, Here and There | |
|---|---|
 Shu lookin' rad on a roof. | |
| Director | Akitaro Daichi |
| Format | Anime (TV) |
| Made By | AIC, Pioneer LDC |
| # of Episodes | 13 |
Contents
Genre
Sum it up in a Sentence
Normally brought up as an example of depressing anime, NTHT lets us see how an ultimate optimist handles mad rulers, child soldiers and the rape of young women in a post-apocalyptic setting. Don't be fooled by the first episode.
Main Description
Shu, a typical if optimistic Japanese schoolboy, meets a mysterious girl, Lala Ru, on the way back from school one day who ends up being kidnapped by people from another world. Shu ends up being sucked into this world while trying to save Lala, where water is scarce and war is everywhere. Stuck in this new world, Shu decides to save Lala Ru no matter what.
Yes, the character design is a bit simplistic and the premise sounds like a typical kids action show. Do not let this fool you. Now and Then, Here and There is a depressing, brutal war story seen through the eyes of children, and a lot of disturbing stuff happens to the main characters throughout the series. You have been warned.
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Personal Opinions
darkgray
While it's a great show, this is pretty much the biggest downer you can find in the medium. I'd recommend it to those who are sick of wacky comedies and harem shows, but only if you have a pile of Azumanga Daioh to cheer up with afterward.
HAL Capone
Now and Then, Here and There is a difficult but rewarding show to watch. It manages to deal with serious subject matter without either sanitizing or sensationalizing it. Highly recommended.
Orchestra Hit
Boy gets sucked into a different world protecting a mysterious girl he doesn't even know. Sounds kinda dumb, right? Well he ends up in a post apocalyptic setting at war, and craziness ensues. Contains lots of awesome but usually fucked up characters, a crazy war fortress, and it really shows the evil war causes(Killing,Greed,Rape,HOLY CRAP). I went through all 13 episodes in one day, and I don't tend to "marathon" shows like that. Anyway, this is a classic I should have watched much sooner. 5/5
Eggn0g
Now and Then, Here and There is a fantastic series, but let's get this out the way: If you're looking for something fun and easy to watch, then steer well clear from this show. This show is probably the bluntest, most depressing portrayal of war I have ever seen in a TV show. Still, anyone who claims to be an anime fan owes it to themselves to watch this, especially since it's only 13 episodes long. Just don't try to watch it all in one go if you don't want to feel depressed for a long time, and you may want to have something happy on standby to cheer you up after watching this show.
AnonSubHuman
I love this anime so much, it's hard to watch it again. It sticks with me, and every time I hear the Opening Theme I get a bit misty eyed. The militarism we witness isn't anything new. It combines modern warfare with age old tactics of laying waste to your enemies, while increasing your own fighting force using their women and children. I think anyone who is a 'Support the Troops' type could stand to sit through this show. Give pause for a moment to consider that violence in the name of securing peace is anything but noble. Also on a SPOILER note, there's a lot of reasons to believe that this other world is actually Earth in the far flung future, when the Sun has grown to a red giant. The opening remark seems to support this.
Because ten billion years' time is so fragile, so ephemeral... it arouses such a bittersweet, almost heartbreaking fondness.
