Anime Review: Shinsekai Yori

Yeah I was pretty busy these days sorry but I promise to try and write more often.... GOMEN NASAI!!!!
Anyway this time I will be reviewing an anime that deserve much more attention and was dropped by many because they failed to understand the real message behind this anime.

Everything in life is covered in mystery. Do you choose to live in blissful ignorance, or do you make a difference against the harsh realities?

Before I begin you should please take note that if you came here expecting a funny and positive anime leave. Shinsekai Yori is not a light watch, it requires you to always analyze the situation, the concept and ideas being discussed to enjoy the serie to its fullest. It also provides you with experience.

This review will be spoiler free, read without hesitation.

With this being said, on with the story.

Story:

The first scene takes place in the modern days with people exploding and dying for some unknown reason.

A thousand years later, the world is ruled by humans with psychic power called Cantus which can make the impossible possible. In this new world, Man has neither need nor want for technology and reigns supreme over the New World's indigenous species called Bakenezumi (Queerats) and other new organisms we come across as the story unfolds. All seems well and peaceful in the Utopia man has created for itself, however Man's evolution came at a price and the New World's mysterious history is written in blood and hidden in secrecy.

The story follows the steps of Saki Watanabe and her friend, Asahina Satoru, Ito Mamoru, Akizuki Maria and Aonuma Shun, at the Sage academy where they are known as group one and learn to control and harness their Cantus. 

From left to right: Shun, Satoru, Saki, Maria and Mamoru

Despite the dark, foreboding tone set from the beginning, it's not until the group uncovers a secret on their school trip that everything starts to go dreadfully wrong for them. Disappearances, assassinations, and invincible beasts aptly called 'Fiends' are but a handful of the mysteries revealed to Saki and her friends. Society is evidently not the utopia that it seems.

There are 2 time skip in the story and all of them will leave you like "what the hell? Why are you doing this you know it's wrong"  but we later discover that everything has an explanation.

The story also treats lots of subject; I will discuss a few here:

As if to defy the conventions of mainstream anime, sexuality plays an important role in the story. The main characters are not innocent and devoid of sexual feelings, even despite their young age in the first two arcs. Much like us, they fall in love, experiment and desire to act out on their feelings. They are not restrained by otaku concepts such as 'purity', and this is an immense benefit given the mature tone of the series. One further thing to note is that they do not only express romantic and sexual desires towards the opposite sex  but towards the same sex as well.

This created so much controversy, I wonder why... Even if the viewer finds bisexual interactions to be uncomfortable, there is scarcely a scene that displays such behavior in the first place. These relationships are not used for superficial shounen-ai or shoujo-ai appeal, but are instead there to reflect the characters maturing in a society unconstrained by social stigma.

Wow if I'm going to talk about every aspect of the story I'd better make a Wiki page... I guess this is enough story wise. 

Characters:

There are very good characters but not much detail or development were given to them, aside from maybe Saki. Saki, the main lead and the narrator, serves as a sort of proxy for the viewer so I will focus mainly on her.

Saki is a calm, smart person who always know how to maintain her cool even when facing danger or learning shocking things (like how their society came to existence). She cares deeply for her friends and refuses to abandon them. She is also very stubborn.

 Interestingly enough, most of the other main characters, aside from Satoru, are mostly used to reveal some secret of the world. The side characters are mostly people presented to give the viewer some much needed info.

Sound:

The music is mostly composed of haunting choirs melodies, percussion and ambient noise which serve to "heighten" the tension. There is no opening, just 2 ending theme. 

Ending 1

Also there are a lot of OST that really stand out. Here are some of them

Also there is this one soundtrack that some of you might recognize, it is called New World by Antonin Dvorak! It is really a relaxing soundtrack and I invite each and every one of you to listen to it! 

Animation and art:

The art is somewhat unusual but fitting for an unusual story, more so than any other art style I can think of. Though not much attention is given to detail as far as facial characteristics go, it beautifully depicts the scenery and maintains an overall cleanliness to it anyone ought to be able to appreciate. Truly, it is beyond my ability to describe the fascinating world of Shinsekai yori but I would wager it is unlike anything you have likely seen; before. 

A1 Pictures has done this series justice in its world building, using just the right colors and shading to create a perfect blend that is both visually pleasing for the average viewer and stays true to the story's setting. The studio has done an above average job the majority of the time with the animation, slipping up only occasionally and consistently producing quality episodes. It is worth nothing that there are some scenes - quite a few actually, that are absolutely breathtaking in their beauty.

 And of course this is only augmented by the angelic scores that play at just the right time, at just the right pitch to deliver a powerful trifecta performance of story, art and sound in an astonishing meld.

One of the strongest aspects of Shinsekai Yori is its atmosphere. Throughout every episode exists an overbearing sense of dread and melancholy: the feeling that something very bad is about to happen, and indeed it often does. The pacing is also very much on the slow side, with several expository episodes before the story finally takes off, but once it does it becomes very difficult to stop watching.

Shinsekai Yori is a macabre, sometimes uncomfortable story that will succeed in immersing you in its dark atmosphere. There's nothing else quite like it out there, which makes it an especially enticing experience. 

Difference with the Manga and the novel:

Didn't read the novel but the mangas is another story. What I mean is that it is very close to the anime but with some difference.... Also it contains lots of yuri (No I am not making that joke)

Conclusion:

Overall, Shinsekai Yori is an excellent anime. It’s a chilling tale that will leave you impressed long after you've finished it. It slow paced and subtle story actually end up working in the anime’s favor. It’s detailed and intricate story as well as its themes will leave the viewer immensely satisfied in the end. Some of the best kinds of stories are the one that make you feel emotion, and boy will this anime invoke plenty of that. It’s a spectacular show that shouldn't be missed by anyone. 

Final Grade: 9.8/10 Must Watch