JAINITUOS ANIME/MANGA REVIEWS – SHINSEKAI YORI – FROM THE NEW WORLD – MY OWN IMPRESSIONS

Shin Sekai Yori – From the New World

Genre: Dark Fantasy, Dystopian, Thriller

Studio: A-1 Pictures

LITTLE WARNING – THIS REVIEW HAS NUDE PARTS, MAINLY FROM MANGA

Hello my friends. Welcome to another entry of my blog.

I think I have time to do another entry for today. And I am here to work for another life story that has to do with LGBT themes, indirectly, unlike with Yuri!!! on Ice, but it is definitely there. To be honest, I watched this series almost seven years ago, but now I have read some episodes of the original novel, and read all the manga (That’s right!! It is a literary story). So here it comes.

Having said that, we got…

Shinsekai Yori – From the New World

But before I go on with the review, I need to ask you the typical questions:

Are you guys ok? Feeling healthy?

If the answer is yes, then I am happy. Now, let’s travel to the future. Sorry Satoru, you too Takemichi, this is a travel none of you can come with me.

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Now… Shinsekai Yori.

PREMISE

Ok. This is a really complicated story, so I will do my best to tell you the premise.

From the New World, of Shinsekai Yori (新世界より) is based on the novel, published by Yusuke Kishi, in 2008, by Kodansha.

The year is 3013, one thousand years ago, the humankind received a mysterious power, called «Canto», a psychic one to say the least. At the beginning, only 0.3% of the human population got this power. Nonetheless, this Canto power submerged the society into chaos, humans use the power for murder and rampage that, at the end, brought humanity into a complete dystopia. Worse still, the rest of Earth was deformed and new species were brought into existence, most of them living in an eusocial order. And now, societies are deeply controlled to prevent more chaos and rampages, through genetic modification and social conditioning, including homosexual relationships during adolescence to prevent births with no control of Canto, and immediate system collapse for those who commit murder, a technique called Death Feedback.

In this new age, five kids try to live through this new order, Satoru Asahina, Shun Aonuma, Maria Akizuki, Mamoru Itou, and their «leader» Saki Watanabe.

The anime was released between October 2012 and March 2013, directed by Masashi Ishihama, and with soundtrack by Masashi Sogo. Also, the public got access to the manga almost at the same time, from May 2012, to June 2014. I will try to comment more about this later, because, like I said, there is a lot to say here.

And before I forget, some of the species of this new Earth include Queerats, mole-like creatures capable to communicate through human language, and the Impure Cats, from where other two creatures were born, even if it was indirectly – the Karmic Demons, and the Fiends.

As you see, From the New World has one of the most developed worlds in anime, at least from 2010s. And this is just the tip of the iceberg.

Also… Shinsekai Yori has 25 episodes.

STORY

Now… Where to begin?

Unlike many recent anime, Shinsekai Yori relies a lot on time ellipses; Part I takes place when Saki has 12 years, Part II, during her teenage years, and Part III, shortly after Saki reaches 26 years, followed with another events happening after so… many years. Another element that I really love is the appearance of this dystopia. Different from franchises like Psycho-Pass, Ghost in the Shell, Cowboy Bebop, and from a Western perspective, Blade Runner, there is no flying cars, high skyscrapers, intergalactic flight. Simply a pseudo-feudalistic society with clothes and customs resembling Tokugawa Japan. And the story is about the kids trying to survive this world and discovering the awful face of it.

In that sense, it has vibes from the Bildungsroman literary genre, that is, coming-of-age genre, telling the story of our main characters, and their growth, both physical and psychological. Finally, loyal to its dark tone, Shinsekai Yori has large amounts of blood, violence and sexuality.

But in the sexual department, the manga is a bit more explicit, especially in the yuri side.

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Unfortunately, that is only for yuri

But in the anime is more subtle, both yaoi and yuri.

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I have to confess that, when I read the manga and saw this… explicit girls love, I was like…

I just couldn’t believe it. And I saw Scum’s Wish, Citrus, Peter Grill and NTR: Netsuzou Trap.

I know that the art of anime and manga tend to be different, but this deviation was something that even I didn’t see coming. And I have watched many Hentai throughout my life.

But, on the other hand, it is nice that mainstream stories take some risks and let themselves go regarding violence and sex, especially in Japanese art, as long as it has a purpose, either for storytelling or character development. I am well aware that sometimes this content needs some restraints, but that doesn’t justify that «censorship» has only erases completely.

In addition, just like Erased, 86:Eighty-Six, Sword Art Online and Kaguya-sama: Love is War, A-1 Pictures does a fantastic job with the animation, and like with Erased, it matches the drama of the story and the tragic nature. However, sometimes I think it is too dark, and I don’t dark in tone, like with Magical Girl Site, I mean… too little light, can’t see a thing Dark. However that is not something terrible, not one bit.

And finally, the narrative, rhythm of Shinsekai Yori is pretty enjoyable. It can be a bit slow, because we are reading a story that deals with many timeskips, but for showing how awful the world can be, allowing protagonists to grow, facing the obstacles and realising that the world, despite being so screwed, is worth fighting for, From the New World does the job pretty well.

CHARACTERS

The characters are simple, but easy to identify.

We got Saki, the intuitive girl; Satoru, the wisecracking dude who likes to tease Saki; Shun, the most mature and calmed of the group; Maria, the most popular red-haired childhood friend, and Mamoru, the shy boy who wants to prove his worth, especially toward Maria.

Of course, we got other characters, Reiko; Squealer, a prominent member of the Queerats and probably the most prominent of the non-human characters, at least in appearance, whose appearance and attitude give the impression of an ally, however, just like Saki and her friends will find out… nothing sees what it is.

Of course, there are others, but these seven are the most prominent characters of the Shinsekai Yori. And just like happens with Saki, all of them grow and change due to the events and revelations of the story, so rest assured that we will meet another versions of them. Better or worse? Well… you have to see them by yourself, but one thing is certain. Every character will leave you an impression.

CONCLUSION

Shinsekai Yori, or From The New World, is indeed a very challenging and entertaining story that will make you think for a long time, and a hard one for those who prefer lighter material. Something different that we are used to see, as anime and as manga from my perspective.

But trust me. It is worth checking it out. Just remember, the story gets darker, so be ready. And enjoy…

And also…

Don’t tell to Lena and Annette. If both find out that I reviewed a A-1 Pictures story, not 86: Eighty-Six, they will…

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UH-OH!!!

JAINITUOS ANIME REVIEWS – Kill la Kill – My Own Impressions

KILL LA KILL

Studio: Trigger:

Genre: Action, Magical Girl, Comedy

Hey guys.

Welcome to another anime review.

And, as part of my series of reviews of the works from Studio Trigger, as an special occasion due to the imminent release of Trigger’s new series; BNA: Brand New Animal, I continue with my series.

Again, I apologise for not being able to publish my next Trigger review on that day when I say I will post it. But it is been a very busy time for me, without mentioning that I have to go back to get familiar with some of the best moments of this gem.

With said that, I want to introduce you all…

(The best key visual you could possibly find)

But before I continue with my review, I want to leave you with the same recommendations that doctors and scientists share with all of us.

1. Wash your hands
2. Maintain social distancing
3. Stay at home

And most importantly:

DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE THE CORONAVIRUS!!!

Having said that, let’s continue with the review.

PREMISE

Kill la Kill takes place in a very interesting high school, the Honnouji Academy, controlled by the all-powerful, fearsome Satsuki Kiryuin (voiced by Ryoka Yuzuki) , who controls Honnouji with an iron fist. But she is not alone, Satsuki has the all-mighty Student Council at her back, reinforcing the strict rules of the school, also, all of the Student Council members wear the Goku uniforms, which give the user superhuman strengths and abilities due to the material they are done, the Life Fibers.

Everything changes when a new transfer student, a delinquent called Ryuko Matoi (Ami koshimizu), arrives to Honnouji; shortly Ryuko challenges Satsuki and the student council, with the help of a giant sword that looks as half of a scissor, called the Scissor Blade, and her own powerful uniform, or «kamui», called Senketsu, invloving into mind-blowing and vivid battles against Kiryuin minions; for one single purpose: To find the murderer of her father – Isshin Matoi.

On her quest, Ryuko has a wonderful ally on the very first friend she makes, Mako Mankashoku (Aya Suzuki), and an underground organization who acts as a «resistance group» against the rule of Satsuki, called Nudist Beach.

Now that was one hell of a premise.

Anyway. Kill la Kill is the first full anime produced by Studio Trigger; before that, Trigger only made Inferno Cop. Also, Kill la Kill was directed by Hiroyuki Imaishi, and written by Kazuki Nakashima, both of them had previously worked on Gainax’s Gurren Lagann. Being released from October 2013 to March, 2014, Kill la Kill consisted in 24 episodes, and an OVA released on September 3, 2014, with the music being composed by Hiroyuki Sawano, who also worked in Blue Exorcist and The Seven Deadly Sins.

Finally, reception about Kill la Kill was largely positive, and it got better with the years. Watchmojo ranked #20 on their list of Top 20 Best Anime of the Decade. In fact, you can find many mentions of either Ryuko or Satsuki in many of the website videos. Again, every single episode is full of adrenaline, by the hand of the trademark style of Trigger (and the staff behind Gurren Lagann) colour, hyperactive animation, an ear-ecstatic soundtrack, intense choreography, especially from the battles between Satsuki and Ryuko.

To be honest, I was very surprise about the animation and the charater design, when I saw Kill la Kill years ago.

But that’s not all.

STORY

Like I said, Kill la Kill consists of 24 episodes and an OVA.

And as the story progresses, we find out that the story is more about mere fighting, or your typical sci-fi story with those teases of ecchi. Some episodes deal with themes like family, future, freedom (The clothes are evil. What do you expect?), friendship, and vengeance. This is one of the many things I love about Kill la Kill, every element of the plot has a purpose, something that allows each of the characters to grow in one way. And I mean all of them.

Furthermore, after you watch all the series of Kill la Kill, you realise this:

1. The Plot focuses on that authoritarian school, and those backing it, that must be stop at all cost.
2. The Story is about a girl fighting to discover the truth, with that path leading her to become more that she really is. 

Because that is what you feel. As the story evolves, the characters evolve. The protagonists, the villains, the supporting cast, while you grow attached to all of them; of course you would choose some characters over others, but everyone is so special.

Another element that plays in favour is the animation. Along with the choreography, the moments where the animation goes into a really frenetic rhythm are those in which you almost feel the intensity of the fights, and how each of our characters feel at the moment, with some pieces of the background adding to the emotional charge, creating a epic, beautiful eye candy shot despite the overcrowding.

Pure epicness

And there are more moments.

Even for comedic moments, that rhythm really adds to the laughs.

By the way, fans of Little Witch Academia… did you notice how similar are Mako and Akko?

Definitely the animation is indeed one of a strength for the story.

Now. most of the people that have read my blog entries remember that sometimes I recommend for people to live the experience and create their own opinion, and Kill la Kill are one of those anime that make my statement warranted.

And if you like Gurren Lagann, you will definitely adore the story of Kill la Kill.

But there is one element left for me to mention.

CHARACTERS

And of course, I could not forget about the characters.

Personally, the design of Ryuko Matoi is one of my favourite. it has that feeling of the type of anti-hero that we like for being rebellious, yet likeable, and her outfit holds a pretty neat balance between good ol’ serafuku uniform and what you could expect from someone like Ryuko Matoi. Being an absolute badass and a girl with a gold heart, despite… not being so trusting.

Also… kudos to both Ami Koshimizu and Erica Mendes for bringing identity and strength to the character.

And speaking about great characters… Satsuki Kiryuin always have the power of being the «waifu» of many fans. Also, her hime cut is fantastic, when you compare her with other characters with hime cut, you understand why that hairstyle is so popular in anime.

(WONDERFUL, CHARMING LADIES)

But don’t let the arrogant, fearsome appearance from Satsuki Kiryuin fool you. The character is more complex and fascinating that it looks, especially during the second part of Kill la Kill.

Finally, we got Mako. The perfect comic relief, and foil of both Ryuko and Satsuki. A character that has a lot of energy and a lot of comedy that definitely reaches the limit of Adorkable. Seriously, every time I get to see Mako, I feel I am falling to the floor of how hysterical she is.

And of course we got so many others. And I wish I could have a lot of pictures that I can show here. But I am getting out of time.

But to sum up, the cast of Kill la Kill has a lot of variety and charm, exactly that you would expect from the staff who created Gurren Lagann. And now, I can see that a lot of love has put in the characters, and their distinct personalities.

And we will remember Kill la Kill because of that.

CONCLUSION

Despite being the first official anime of Trigger, Kill la Kill is definitely one of its best creations. And now that set the standard of many of their most recognisable trademarks, crazy, vivid animation; creative, nuanced characters; epic, imaginative battles, and a great lore of their stories.

And the same model was followed by other creations, such as Little Witch Academia, SSSS Gridman, Ninja Slayer from Animation, Space Patrol Luluco, one of the best anime of 2013, and of course… one of the best anime of the 2010s.

Done.

Thanks again guys for joining me on my review of Kill la Kill. Next time (Not tomorrow, because I don’t trust my words), I will come with a new review, until them…