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[Branduil]

What is it?

Stand against the false gods!

A grand tale across three volumes, of the fate of mankind after obtaining “God's Power”! An extraordinary work of entertainment, forging a new world for cinema!

The original work is a lengthy novel written by Yūsuke Kishi, and winner of the Japanese Science Fiction Award. While the award winning, critically acclaimed, and highly praised work published in 2008 gathered attention, it was claimed to be impossible to adapt to cinema due to its one-of-kind, grand story depicting a world brimming with imagination and overwhelming breadth. Yet now, four years after its publication, thanks to TV Asahi and the tag team between world renowned animation studio, A-1 Pictures and the new ace of the next anime generation, Director Masashi Ishihama, this work has finally been animated! The setting is the future, the protagonists, 5 young boys and girls. Their story starts when these 12 year olds begin school to learn “magic”, the power of telekinesis. Together, the five of them learn about mankind's bloodstained history, and begin their heroic, life-threatening adventure.

...

Humanity, with “magic”, the power of the gods, rat-beasts, a new species with the intelligence of man, and other monsters who've undergone a twisted evolution—as these forces and their plots begin to clash in this unpredictable story, the tale of our protagonists spreads across three eras and books. Yet beneath this thrilling adventure lie deep themes about the driving forces in life.

Here is the birth of an extraordinary piece of entertainment, unlike any before-a new world, a new age in animation.

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/anime-spotlight/2012/fall/from-the-new-world

Why should I care?

Well, besides the fact that it's an adaptation of an award-winning Japanese sci-fi novel, this is Masashi Ishihama's debut as a series director. He's previously worked as the animation director on high-profile anime films such as The Girl Who Leapt Through Time and Welcome to the Space Show. He's also showcased his visual style in his work on the openings for TV series such as Welcome to the NHK and Speed Grapher.




Who is making it?

The animation production is being handled by A-1 Pictures, responsible for recent works such as Sword Art Online, Tsuritama, and The Idolmaster.

The staff includes-

Director- Masashi Ishihama(animation director for The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, Welcome to the Space Show)

Series Composition- Masashi Sogo

Music- Shigeo Komori(work on various songs in the K-on series)

Original Creator- Yuusuke Kishi

Sound Director- Satoshi Motoyama(Haibane Renmei, Princess Tutu)

Director of Photography- Haruhi Gotou(Photography on Death Note, House of Five Leaves, Michiko and Hatchin)

Color Design- Nagisa Abe(Blue Exorcist, Ghost in the Shell: SAC eps 1 and 2)

Editing- Kentarou Tsubone(Black Rock Shooter TV, Dusk Maiden of Amnesia, Kannagi, Sketchbook, Working!!)

Character Design- Chikashi Kubota(One Piece Movie 6, Robotics; Notes, Corpse Princess)




Where can I watch it?

The first episode is available now on Crunchyroll for premium subscribers. It will be available for non-subscribers the following week on Tuesday at 3:40pm EST. There's conflicting information on whether or not following episodes will be simulcast on Tuesdays as well or on Friday when the show airs in Japan.

http://www.crunchyroll.com/shin-sekai-yori-from-the-new-world




Characters

Saki Watanabe
VA: Risa Taneda

Saki is a new student at the magic school, “Saint Academy”. Once she joins Saint Academy, she hangs out with Satoru, Maria, and Shun, her friends from Wakien Elementary School, as well as Mamoru, her new classmate. While she's not shy, she is sensitive and delicate. Both of her parents hold important offices in the city, her father serving as Mayor, and her mother as head librarian.

Satoru Asahina
VA: Kanako Tōjō

Satoru has been friends with Saki since they were little. He has an outspoken personality, and is unafraid to speak bluntly. He often argues with Saki. While he doesn't mean ill by it, he tends to exaggerate things when he talks, so often people mistake him for boasting when he's trying to be serious.

Maria Akiduki
VA: Kana Hanazawa

Maria is Saki's best friend and a beautiful girl with pale, white skin and blazing red hair. She's very strong willed, and commands the weak, quiet Mamoru, but in times of need she devotes herself to protecting him. On the other hand, she does show a girlish fear of scary stories too.

Mamoru Ito
VA: Haruka Kudo

After joining Saint Academy and being put in the same class as Saki, he follows them around. He's a very shy boy, and rarely voices his own thoughts and opinions. Meanwhile, he feels very comfortable with the relationship between him and Marina, who leads him around.

Shun Aonuma
VA: Mai Todo

Another one of Saki's childhood friends. Shun is very clever, with a strong intellectual curiosity and mature manner. His marks in magic are excellent at Saint Academy, and many have high hopes for his future. Despite his position, he is never boastful, and he's also kind and friendly to everyone. Both his friends and teachers trust him well.

Squealer
VA: Daisuke Namikawa

Squealer is an emissary from Shioya-abu Colony, a group of rat-beasts obedient to humans. Naturally, he understands human speech, but he's also eloquent and a quick thinker. He protects Saki and the others when they get caught up in a conflict between rat-beasts outside the town, but he's also calculating, and it's hard to know what he's thinking.

Character profiles courtesy of ANN




Official Website(Japanese): http://www.tv-asahi.co.jp/shinsekaiyori/

Preview trailer: http://www.crunchyroll.com/shin-sek.../shin-sekai-yori-from-the-new-world-pv-611517

Full Staff List: http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=14089

Crunchyroll streaming link: http://www.crunchyroll.com/shin-sekai-yori-from-the-new-world

Air date for new episodes in Japan: Fridays at 24:30 on TV Asahi

 

[Branduil]

Some excerpts from AnimeNewsNetwork's interview with author Yuusuke Kishi:

Yūsuke Kishi is an author who has written many masterpieces such as Dark Home, Locked Room, Evil Scriptures, and the Japan Science Fiction Award winning novel, From the New World. Today we're here to ask Mr. Kishi about his hopes for the upcoming anime, and about how he went about writing From the New World, a masterpiece that took over 30 years of planning.

Could you please tell us what made you decide to write this book?

I first had the idea for it over 30 years ago when I'd just entered university. It came to me after I read the book, On Aggression, published in 1970 by Australian ethologist Roland Lorenz. In his book he wrote that because humans were weak creatures to begin with, the checks against intraspecies aggression were also very weak. I took my idea from that description, and spent the next 30 years refining into this novel.

What were your reasons for setting the story 1,000 years in the future?

I was considering many time periods as possibilities, but 1,000 years in the future was the only compromise I could reach. One of my main reasons is that I wanted to depict plants and animals which had undergone an irregular evolution. To do that, 1,000 years honestly isn't enough time. It would take ten or a hundred thousand years for that, and I wanted to place it in that future, but if I did so, then elements of the story, such as the ruins of modern civilization, would not be around anymore. I researched many things, like the longevity of concrete, and 1,000 years was about the only point where they might all come together, so that's the time period I set it in.

What feelings do you have towards the animation of your work?

I believe that animation is likely the best way to visually depict this story. Animation is a medium that holds unlimited possibilities. Though we can use modern techniques to create many kinds of images with live photography, the viewer is always bothered by the gap between what is and isn't real. The biggest problem is when you watch a film and suddenly think, “This is special effects.” But in animation, there is no such divide.
Plus, I also think that animation is better suited to the depiction of cruelty and combat scenes. In animation it's less jarring to depict a gruesome scene shortly after making the audience laugh, than it is in live photography. And even if you depict a scene with blood spraying everywhere, it doesn't seem as grotesque or gruesome as it would in live photography.

Any message for our audience?

I've placed the setting of this story 1,000 years in the future of our modern society, so I would like them to imagine what it would be like if they were born in this age, if they were Saki, or Satoru, as they watch this animation. If they can place themselves in the protagonists' positions as they enjoy this work, then I think it will be a wonderful visual experience.

Read the full interview here:

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/anime-spotlight/2012/fall/from-the-new-world

 

[Branduil]

Impressions for the first episode:

From the New World 1

The opening sequence is simply breathtaking. From the

Spoiler

massacre

, to the haunting purple sunset, to the introductory montage for the village set against the backdrop of the eerie choral chanting, and then the title card- that's the way to firmly establish an epic tone, and create the expectation for a grand story with an expansive scale.

Of course, this type of story tends to start small, and FtnW is no different. This episode serves the function of setup, and as a setup it is very effective in building anticipation for what comes next. We are introduced here to Saki, her friends, her family, and her educators. For the vast majority of the episode, we follow Saki's viewpoint as she goes through something like coming-of-age event. This is pretty smart writing because it allows for the presence of exposition that isn't obnoxious. It's also helpful to give us a character we can identify with when the setting is so strange; the obvious similarities to a medieval Japanese village only make the differences more pronounced.

This may seem obvious from the premise, but an extremely important aspect of the story seems to be TIME. However, the first episode deals with not only the passage of time on a large scale, but on a small scale. The editing is extremely non-linear, with repeated flashbacks and flash forwards at different times. This always has the potential to be extremely confusing, so it was fortunate that the editing was mostly clear and precise. Any momentary confusion is soon relieved as the show does a good job of placing things in a context such that you know more or less when each scene is taking place.

I don't think it's a spoiler to say that as the episode progresses, Saki learns that her village may be hiding some dark secrets. There's a lingering sense of unease that pervades the episode, and the hints towards unknown and magical things are tantalizing. The world-building in this first episode is superb, as the show understands that one of the keys to a believable world is implanting the idea that there's much more to it than the author has chosen to show you, and that if you were to peek behind the curtain, so to speak, you would not see a cluttered studio backlot, but an expansive and wondrous landscape that stretches far beyond the horizon.

So what to say of Masashi Ishihama's directorial debut? Well, as I think these screencaps make clear, he has a fantastic eye for iconic wide shots, and a wonderful grasp of how to use color and solid shapes. The grand and sweeping landscape shots, elaborately composed interior scenes, and the unconventional, low-key cinematography all help to give the episode an extremely cinematic feel. The lighting in particular is truly unlike what you see in the vast majority of anime, it almost feels filmic. The scene which introduces the children is delightful in how it counters the typical expectation of such scenes.

Spoiler

I mean, we can't even see them, really. Just silhouettes against a violet sunset.

And the animation lives up to expectations, which is to say it's great. I really loved the scene where

Spoiler

Saki's powers awaken

, there's such a believable impression of chaos and confusion reflected in the movement of the house.

To sum it up, From the New World 1 has spectacular animewatch.

From the New World 1

This episode has been covered thoroughly by others, so my impressions will be brief.

This was a strong opener and I hope the show can maintain this atmosphere throughout.

Also I'd like to ask others that have watched it:

Spoiler

the scene where Saki has her Cantus sealed and burned along with the human emblem. Was this simply an act of displaying power over her regarding a tone akin to, "We (or the gods) can give and take away"?

The moment she is able to move the flames freely, you see joy in her eyes.

Spoiler

This emotion is quickly distinguished as secular pleasure by Mushin and afterwards extinguished. That is followed immediately by an offer to gain Cantus once more through his hands and teaching.

It's near the very start, but was a neat introduction to the theme of manipulation throughout the episode.

From the New World - Episode 1

I've been really looking forward to this one, so it's probably good that it's the first of the Fall shows to start. As expected from Ishihama, this show is really heavy on the visual presentation. It's not so much that it is amazingly well animated or anything, but rather the presence of the visuals is always felt. The way a certain shot is chosen, or the movement of the camera, or the general layout of the scene, all these things are constantly presented in a way where the audience feels that a lot of thought has been put into them. Cinematography at its finest.

The other noteworthy element in the show is the sound design. Everything from the music, to the sound and dialogue, and even the silence, is specifically engineered to complement the scene in a substantial way. It is never just something in the background, but a major part of the presentation. This really helps deliver the sort of tone the show wants to achieve in many of the scenes in the first episode, because when it comes to creating an unsettling feeling or attempting a horror direction, sound is just as important as the visuals.

All in all, I'm pretty intrigued and impressed by the delivery here. The source material is supposed to be well regarded in Japan, and it looks like the A-1 staff on the show are putting a lot of serious effort into the production. It feels less like a regular anime show, and more like something they are really proud of adapting and trying to do justice to.

From the Purple World 1

I went into this almost completely blind. That was a bad idea. This is the kind of the setting that I have a ton of trouble getting into. The whole "civilization regression" thing always seemed dumb to me. Also not a fan of the plot progression. The promising intro made it seem like we would get a more thorough explanation why the world ended up the way it did, but it just jumped ahead meaning it will either be revealed later and/or we'll have to fill in the pieces ourselves. Not a fan of that kind of story-telling, at least not with this setting. Didn't care for it in Utawarerumono either.

It's a shame too, because I really like the cursed ability. It's like a more versatile telekinesis. I just wish it was given more attention rather than taking a backseat to some boring folklore.

If the manga is more like To love Ru, I might just read that. There were a few things in the preview for the next episode that have me intrigued, but I'm 95% sure I won't be keeping up with this.

From The New World 1

A very, very interesting start.

It's clearly a show directed by an excellent animator - there's a huge amount of attention paid to how everything looks, not just in terms of the world design or whatever but the colours, shots, even the changes in visual style throughout the episode. It all combines to make what is, in some ways, quite a "low key" story very interesting to watch - and that goes without mentioning the good voice acting and the very evocative music.

I say "low key", but the first few minutes show

Spoiler

psychic children destroying modern civilisation in a fairly graphic manner

and then settles into an extremely creepy vibe.

Spoiler

Even if calling the Nekodamashi "DeceptiCat" in my head takes some of the tension out of it.

. The atmosphere - and the narrative - are deliberately unsettling.

Ok, finally back from checking out part of my first batch of recommendations. Guess I'll tackle the reviews in the order I checked them out.

From the New World 01
Opening was absolutely amazing. The grizzly scenes paired with classical music pulled off the mood they were going for really well. So far, don't really like too many of the characters, but I could easily see that changing. Animation looked fantastic. Great setting as well. Overall, episode did well building tension for what I can only assume are the horrors to come. Excited to check out more.

[From The New World ]- 1

*first part of post omitted for space reason, click the link to read it*

Now, I know that I've barely touched on this visuals or the music which is a shame because the production is really excellent in these areas. Not only is the score affective but there's some good sound cues as well, such as the noise that plays when Reika fails to paint her picture. Without spending too much time on it, I'll just point out a sequence that I like. At the start it seems like a perfectly normal conversation between Saki and her parents, and it's shot fairly normally. As the conversation becomes more uncomfortable the family break apart into different frames of the image:

This is an extremely promising opening episode: if the rest of the series is up to this calibre then we're going to have a really great show on our hands.

Also, the character designs actually look perfectly fine in the show - which is what I attempted to argue for earlier! Doubters. The animation isn't too sloppy either:

From the New World 1

As Jexhius has already elaborated at length about this, I'll just say that I absolutely loved it. The production is sharp in every aspect and the atmosphere is incredibly strong; I was glued to my seat for the entire episode. Mesmerizing. I've seen someone elsewhere say this is the moodiest show since Casshern Sins, and they could very well be right.

I do want to comment briefly on the structure of the episode. There's a certain amount of leaping around in time the episode does, but it keeps the viewer from getting confused through one simple technique - linking the time skips through one character, usually Saki, recalling an earlier experience relevant to what she's currently going through. So there's no random cuts for the sake of it; everything is logically and carefully laid out for us - which is a vital thing to do when you're trying to introduce a complicated fictional world like this one.

And while the visuals overall were quite impressive, Shingo Yamashita's "Demon Story" sequence deserves special mention.

From the New World 1

The magic/cursed power in this universe is really well done. I like all their uses for it as seen thus far in their school setting. The background for what happened between present and the past is rather intriguing based off the first few minutes to what was briefly mentioned in their history class. I really anticipate having more details given on how the power developed over time.

Plot had some predictable moments in it,

Spoiler

especially regarding some of the Filthy cat or whatever moments. The mothers reaction to Saki discussing it on the bed with her kind of gave away the fact that it as in fact real at least to me, and then further I think they hinted pretty well that Reiko would definitely vanish. Just what powers does this education board have?

Satoru Asahina is by far the best character. Personality and antics keep the story from feeling way too over serious at times and keeps it enjoyable. Shun and Momoru are good too.

From the New World 1

This was a terrific, brilliantly stylistic episode that served as a great introduction into this strange, unsettling tale, as it immediately immerses the viewers into the bizarre nature of their world. Although this episode contained a rather lengthy amount of informative exposition and world-building, it was woven into the story very well, never slipping into an uninteresting lull.

The opening sequence was incredible. Firstly, we're temporarily shown the

Spoiler

phenomenon that permanently altered the course of their world, as a portion of humans suddenly acquire unique powers, and then proceed to slaughter the others, while then showcasing brief, gruesome flashes of the resulting carnage

. I particularly enjoyed the practical effect of distorting the visuals as a means to portray the oppressive madness of the situation. Following these scenes is a surprisingly mature, beautifully simplistic introduction of the children, as their silhouettes converse beneath the purple sunset. The music used for the opening, then leading to the appearance of the title card, was simply phenomenal.

Saki's continual perspective throughout the episode was a necessary viewpoint, as it created a masterfully depicted cohesion out of many disparate developments, never losing focus or dragging on a specific point for too long.

Spoiler

The dinner scene was terrific, as it allowed insight into Saki's emotions, contrasting the moments of veritable peace between her and her parents with the actual anger hidden beneath her due to the inter-woven sequence in which she overhears her parents revealing previously untold and horrifying truths. There seems to be an obvious separation between those who acquire magical abilities and those that are unfortunately left lacking in that area, and their true fate, although hinted at, is still partially obscured. It appears that awakening these abilities creates a sort of traversal into adulthood

.

Spoiler

The tale of the man crossing the holy barrier was amazingly animated and really interesting, but it seems very possible that his encountering of a fiend upon crossing the barrier is simply a fabrication endlessly recited to keep the children from leaving

, thus creating a heavily restricted society where the children lean on the unchallenged morals and rules of their elders, constantly refraining from wandering across the edge of the super-imposed

Spoiler

holy barrier

. All of this is partially brought about by a noticeable naivety, since they certainly don't appear to be acutely aware of the

Spoiler

secrets that surround them

. A disturbing, ominous calm pervaded throughout the entire episode, particularly whenever the story lingered for a moment on

Spoiler

Reiko

, allowing a subtle dread to creep into the proceedings, culminating with the closing realization that

Spoiler

she had disappeared

.

I'm really looking forward to seeing how the characters develop, as it seems inevitable that a

Spoiler

significant darkness will befall them, tearing them out of their relative calm

. As it is, they're basically trapped in this controlled, uniformed isolation, seemingly lacking a considerable amount of knowledge, particularly pertaining to the subtly discomforting nature of their world, thus creating an existence that's teetering on the edge of destruction.

I really enjoyed how a plethora of initially unknown and vague terminology, such as the

Spoiler

Copycats and Cantus

, were thrown into the narrative right at the beginning, since it adds a mysterious, yet intriguing element to the mix.

I particularly liked the moment when,

Spoiler

during the ritual, Saki's contained Cantus was pierced, and as the blood siphons out towards the papers edge, there's a momentary glimpse of her anguished expression

, effectively highlighting how difficult and somewhat painful this portion of the

Spoiler

ritual must have been

. This moment benefited considerably by the very impressive use of rather quick edits.

Another one of my favorite scenes is when

Spoiler

Saki's abilities initially awaken

, as this once tranquil moment was thrown into a particular chaos and momentary state of turmoil. The excellently dynamic animation allowed this sequence to really shine. The character designs look considerably better in motion, and are actually quite effective in portraying a subtle dichotomy between their relatively innocent exteriors and the seemingly bleak, strictly regulated world they inhabit.

The story is extremely intriguing, as it refrains from divulging too much initially, leaving much of the complexities involving this mysterious world to the speculative imagination. Of course, all of these hidden truths brilliantly foreshadow an unavoidably tragic future, thus constructing a very compelling tale.

The production qualities were thoroughly impressive all around. The direction is probably the best element, as it often elevated rather simple scenes, such as the

Spoiler

introductory conversation

and the

Spoiler

dinner scene

, demonstrating a deftly skilled prowess with the visual aspect. This distinctly visual style of storytelling is very impressive, creating an aesthetic that is quite striking in it's diversity, highlighted especially in the fantastic use of coloring. Also, another great aspect of the production is the cinematography, which was understated, but highly effective.

The pacing was handled extremely well, occasionally weaving in significant flashbacks and intermittently cutting to other moments and conversations, while never faltering in it's execution. The tone throughout was consistently foreboding, as a darkly ominous atmosphere permeated the episode, never relinquishing it's tense grip even during the "lighter" moments. The music is quite excellent and suitably haunting, as it really illuminates the eerie ambiance and emotional significance of several sequences. As such, the ED was pretty great, since the song blends quite well with the tone of the rest of the episode.

All in all, this was a highly impressive and thoroughly interesting start to the most promising show of the season.

Shinsekai yori 1

I have absolutely no idea of what's going on, but the visuals and soundtrack are top-notch, and I love these shows that give out "everything will go wrong" vibes... So count me in.

From The New World - 1

that was very interesting. This was a very very well done opening, without spelling everything out they pretty much set up how the world is now and at the same time it keeps the viewer in mystery of what's actually happening. You can tell that there is a lot more happening than what these kids know yet. I quite liked the overall mood, it felt somewhat heavy to me, I'm half expecting some horrible things to happen later or maybe they want the viewer to think like that, this episode kind of reminded me of The Village (Shyamalan's film) . Really looking forward to see how this unfolds.

From the New World 1

Well, I'm totally on board. Excellent first episode. The mood and tone seems kind of like a cross between a darker Dennou Coil and a less stupid Elfen Lied, and the premise and setup is an immediate hook.

The character designs look far better in motion too.

From The New world 01

The music, the characters, the atmosphere...this all feels pretty fresh and intriguing.
theres mystery behind these powers that people possess and how all this came to be, what those apparitions are and so forth. And now

Spoiler

Reiko is apparently about to disappear

.
This is pretty awesome.

From the New World - 1

A really solid first episode, I'm intrigued by the premise, the setting and the atmosphere are unique and very interesting and the audiovisual presentation is top-notch. Can't wait to see more.

 

[Dedication Through Light]

Will definitely check it out again on Crunchyroll, heard great things about the ED animation.

 

[cajunator]

Maria is best girl.
Beam me up, Scotty.

 

[Grzi]

Already posted my extremely short impression of the first episode in the anime thread, but I'll link to it here anyway:

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=42696860&postcount=2707

 

[duckroll]

The proper ED is pretty cool. It's by Shingo Yamashita, the same animator who did the demon story segment in the first episode. Matches the song pretty well too!

 

[sca2511]

Will be following.

 

[Lafiel]

This is a good show.

 

[Branduil]

The proper ED is pretty cool. It's by Shingo Yamashita, the same animator who did the demon story segment in the first episode. Matches the song pretty well too!

Yeah, just watched it, that's really fantastic. I think that's definitely going in my list of top-5 EDs of all time. I guess it should be expected that Ishihama wouldn't just be satisfied with a simple pan-up on that one background image(even though I really like that background).

 

[Canis lupus]

Will definetly watch, I loved The Girl Who Leapt Through Time.

 

[Pooya]

subscribed for later, the first episode was very intriguing.

 

[Hellsing321]

In the grim darkness of the far future there is only war and uguu

I'll check it out. Sounds promising.

 

[hosannainexcelsis]

Nice work on the OT.

I unreservedly endorse this show.

 

[Jex]

After the lack of support that the Tsuritama thread got in Off-Topic last time I feel compelled to support this thread.

 

[Dresden]

Looks pretty good, seems to have gone under the radar in the anime thread.

 

[Branduil]

Looks pretty good, seems to have gone under the radar in the anime thread.

It's severely lacking in waifu potential and overpowered Gary Stus compared to Sword Art Online, unfortunately. You know how those are the only things we talk about in the anime thread.

 

[Dresden]

It's severely lacking in waifu potential and overpowered Gary Stus compared to Sword Art Online, unfortunately. You know how those are the only things we talk about in the anime thread.

It's a pity, really. I'm glad you managed to find those impressions off another site.

 

[Branduil]

It's a pity, really. I'm glad you managed to find those impressions off another site.

Good ol' animesuki forums.

 

[Ultimadrago]

The proper ED is pretty cool. It's by Shingo Yamashita, the same animator who did the demon story segment in the first episode. Matches the song pretty well too!

I'll check it out.

 

[Azar]

Those character portraits couldn't look much more generic. Thankfully they don't seem to be indicative of the overall style of the show. Sounds interesting.

 

[Branduil]

Those character portraits couldn't look much more generic. Thankfully they don't seem to be indicative of the overall style of the show. Sounds interesting.

They're designed to look good in motion, as you can see in the trailer.

 

[PoeticProse22]

Great OT.

This is an extremely promising show.

Also, the full ED is amazing; probably one of my favorites ever.

A couple of my favorite shots from the ED:

 

[Go_Ly_Dow]

I recommend you all check this out

 

[Mature]

Not a huge fan of the character design, but after seeing episode one I can tell that's not going to matter.

 

[Lafiel]

People who don't like the character designs are crazy; I think they are pretty good myself.>:

 

[ZoddGutts]

Generic designs indeed. Ep 1 was okay, some nice animation.

 

[hosannainexcelsis]

The character designs aren't generic if for no other reason than their deliberate and consistent avoidance of shadows.

 

[Necrovex]

After the lack of support that the Tsuritama thread got in Off-Topic last time I feel compelled to support this thread.

I finished that show, but I could not really get into it until the latter half.

 

[Crash Station]

The character designs aren't generic if for no other reason than their deliberate and consistent avoidance of shadows.

I'm not arguing whether they're generic or not, but I would think there would have to be more to it than that. General shape is more important than shadows imo.

 

[Busaiku]

All the characters are so boring.
Yeah, it's only 1 episode, but c'mon!

 

[Dedication Through Light]

Great OT.

This is an extremely promising show.

Also, the full ED is amazing; probably one of my favorites ever.

A couple of my favorite shots from the ED:

I think the whole ED looks nice, and the song is quite catchy even just hearing it once.

I disagree with the character design comments people have, how is Satoru boring all that energy.

 

[Branduil]

I'm not arguing whether they're generic or not, but I would think there would have to be more to it than that. General shape is more important than shadows imo.

Shadows form shapes though, especially in anime where they are typically rendered with hard lines.

 

[PdotMichael]

Character designs

Boy

Girl

The character designs are detaillees, have samefaces and the only difference between boys and girls is that the girls have eyelashes. I'm not a big fan of character designs without shadows, though I can see that people can have different opinions about it.

 

[Branduil]

Those aren't the only two character designs in the show.

 

[PdotMichael]

Those aren't the only two character designs in the show.

well, the "main girl" doesn't look better/more creative

I could post screens of all characters just to show how uncreative the designs are. Or I accept that the character designs are the weakest part of From The New World.

 

[Dresden]

They're distinct enough to set a visual tone for each character and look good animated. Picture me shrugging here.

 

[Branduil]

well, the "main girl" doesn't look better/more creative

I could post screens of all characters just to show how uncreative the designs are. Or I accept that the character designs are the weakest part of From The New World.

The other villagers look different, the mole-men look different, (incredibly minor spoiler)

Spoiler

their older selves look different.

 

[Unknown Soldier]

The use of lighting in that first episode is pretty amazing.

I guess I'm not supposed to know what is happening just yet. Please just don't be another Another.

 

[Soma]

Great first episode. One of my favorite intro scenes in a long time.

The character designs also really grew on me. There's a lot to like about this so far. Great art direction, really good music, interesting storytelling with the non-linear structure and it all comes together to form a really intense and unsettling atmosphere. The fall season is off to a good start with this show. I hope the rest of the show continues to be this strong.

Also, Satoru is a bit of a dick.

 

[Branduil]

The use of lighting in that first episode is pretty amazing.

I guess I'm not supposed to know what is happening just yet. Please just don't be another Another.

That, at least, seems unlikely.

 

[ilikeme]

Loved it

 

[Branduil]

Outside of the pretty fantastic hook of the first thirty seconds, where it's implied that masses of people suddenly have powers of psychokinesis awakened (or something) and heads start a-popping left and right in such a carefully edited and framed manner as to intrigue while not feeling too exploitative, I felt like the show went a little too out of its way to play up the mystique of the already interesting concepts laid out here - this episode is obviously hiding a world with a fascinating societal structure and history, so there's no need for intrusions from prototypically creepy mysterious music here, nor is there a particular need to rush to portray the malevolence of this society right up-front. Instead of the awakening from naivete that the characters, or at least Saki, must realize as they grow up and clash with those things that the adult world accepts as necessary harm (e.g.

Spoiler

disappearing children, the quashing of psychic powers upon assumption of puberty

), we are immediately aware that something is awfully wrong here. Curiously, the final line of the episode is presented as something of a cliffhanger when it was not only painfully foreshadowed and utterly predictable, but also unnecessary: the show itself is a good enough draw to not have to resort to typical tawdry TV marketing techniques in order to sell itself.

That said, these are all fairly light complaints, because although I disagree with a few storytelling choices here and there, the atmosphere of omnipresent unease and a kind of slow death is carried through exceptionally well by the aesthetics and writing. Most notably, the effort to present the places portrayed as if they were being filmed, so to speak, at the magic hour of dusk at all times - even during daylight inside buildings, which are apparently lacking in light sources of the electric variety instead relying on the glow of candlelight, a hint towards the technologically deteriorated nature of the setting - gives the show's present the feeling of being situated at the decaying twilight of humanity even as the title and its appropriated classical theme music suggest a point of view looking forward towards the future.

I suppose it isn't subtle in effect, but I don't mind because the individual elements themselves don't feel excessive, it's just the natural result of building up that many separate elements which contribute to a feeling of dread.

Last, but not least, I would like to express my mild dissatisfaction in Crunchyroll for taking a week to "simulcast" this in spite of my paying them for essentially nothing for, like, half a year now. Hmmph.

Well, that's probably not Crunchyroll's fault. I'm sure they'd love to simulcast it at the same time as the satellite broadcast. This is the industry's backwards internet strategies at work again.

 

[hosannainexcelsis]

Curiously, the final line of the episode is presented as something of a cliffhanger when it was not only painfully foreshadowed and utterly predictable, but also unnecessary: the show itself is a good enough draw to not have to resort to typical tawdry TV marketing techniques in order to sell itself.

I didn't see that as a cliffhanger (what is hanging?), instead I saw as that the guillotine which had slowly been descending for most of the episode finally coming to rest with an inevitable thump.

 

[BluWacky]

The second episode isn't as immediately striking as the first. It's not bad by any means (it's still great IMO!) but it's not as atmospheric - they're not laying on the creepiness quite so thickly this week.

I'm impressed by how consistently thought through the major elements are and how the show makes it clear to the audience the way things work, even in the most subtle of ways - (don't read this spoiler until you've seen the episode)

Spoiler

loved the shadow of the Nekodamashi following the "cheater" from the tournament.

We're also introduced to another major part of the storyline and one that brings Saki back into focus as the central character IMO. Without wishing to go into too much detail, I found this really interesting for linguistic reasons -

Spoiler

the Bakenezumi "click", but also speak in kind-of fragmented Japanese, so although the characters can't really understand them you get hints of what they're trying to say

. I find the dialogue in this show pretty challenging to follow, but one of the more interesting things is the way that writing has changed in the future - we see more of this in this episode in particular, but you can particularly notice it in the title cards where the show's logo is smudged and corrupted so the kanji are distorted. I think it's all these little touches that make the show so interesting - a lot of attention has been paid to detail, both in the source material and in its adaptation.

If I have one disappointment, it's the music, which takes a bit of a tumble this week. It's not always terrible, but there's some rather obviously synthesised "happy" music which I think is surprisingly poor in quality.

 

[Dynamite Ringo Matsuri]

Been waiting for a new anime to jump into. The creds of the people involved definitely seem promising

 

[Dedication Through Light]

Ep 2

Satoru is hilarious, though why is she always beating him like that, upwards of three times now?

I think the whole games in the episode was really interesting. I love the use of magic/Cantus in the series as well as its varied uses in both crafting the objects as well as controlling their pushers and defenders. Satoru is really good still and my favorite character, though Shun must be praised

Spoiler

for his excellence in both scheming as well as prowess. The whole cover the whole scheme was pure ingenious and I thought Satoru would give it away. And Ill say Saki too with the Queerat incident. I wonder if we will ever see actual offensive magics. They seemed to almost mention it when it was revealed or rather detailed as to what happens when two magics clash and the rainbow forms and something else that I didnt quite catch. Being that there is a Code of Virtue, Im kind of afraid of what may happen to the people who break rules. Manubu(sp?) was an interesting character but that pesky Trickster Cat or whatever :/

I thought the music during the tournament thing sounded off, or rather a bit too modern for the type of world this takes place in...

The history stuff behind the series that 1000 yrs and now 500 yrs (x2) is rather intriguing. Just looking back at it and how this episode with

Spoiler

The Emperor of Delight and how the people were willing and glad to be sacrifices seemed shocking at first though just raises mroe questions as to when the powers arose and when people reverted back to such cultish thinking, I think. The classroom lesson on the dude who was a loner and then just let such negative thinking, I liked that the most so far. I hope it has great significance later?

 

[duckroll]

Episode 2

That was really good. I find the tone of the series really interesting, because there's this strong dreadful ominous feeling throughout, but the events themselves are very pedestrian things so far. Kids going to school, playing games, hanging out. But the narration, the direction, and the music sends a very different message. I think it's a really effective way of developing the world and explaining stuff without much exposition, but also warning the audience before hand that eventually something very unpleasant will happen. Good stuff!

 

[Pooya]

From the New World - 2

Following the intro scenes from the first episode, we get to see what happened next as people who has these psychic powers are ruling over rest, and being quite ruthless. The public don't have any powers unlike at current time where looks like most do?

New to this episode, is the addition of a narrator which is revealed to be adult Saki. It's odd that they didn't have it in first episode, the things she says are quite notable, obviously foreshadowing future events even.

Like the first episode, we get to see another 'story' in the class; In the first episode and here we saw that the students are trained to work in teams, all of their activities seem to be team based, this story looks like to be just about that, discouraging solitude.

we get know a bit from the rules of using cantus,

Spoiler

they are not allowed to use their powers outside of school, or if two persons' power interfere apparently something horrible can happen

more foreshadowing I think. and if you do any of these

Spoiler

that cat thing will come and get you

 

[PoeticProse22]

From the New World 2

This was an excellent episode, and a very satisfying follow-up the incredible first one.

Once again, the brief opening was an amazing and thoroughly intriguing sequence, as

Spoiler

a throng of devoted onlookers gaze upon the Emperor of Delight, followed with a hundred of them being subjugated to his wrath, sacrificed by being swallowed within a blue fire

. All of this took place

Spoiler

five hundred years after the events of the first flashback

. Of course, it certainly appears that, by that time, a distinctly noticeable societal decay had taken place, leading to the

Spoiler

perverse worship of a deity imbued with the magical abilities that presently reside in the main characters

. These openings are extremely effective in setting the tone for the developments to follow.

Following the opening hook, the narrative has remained supremely compelling. The best part of the episode was the

Spoiler

karma demon

story; yet another ritualistic tale used to incite fear and an obedient nature into the children. This one examines an unsettling story in which

Spoiler

an arrogant boy who, due to his constant, prideful solitude, bore the painful consequences by enduring an increasingly regimented amount of bad karma, eventually losing his humanity and psychologically, as well as physically, descending into a karma demon. Upon realizing this cruel fate, he throws himself into the bottom of a lake

. The tournament was rather interesting and enjoyable, but it did drag a bit too long.

Spoiler

It seems that the teacher was potentially manipulating the eventual results for some particular reason that is left unknown. As such, he appears be perfectly knowledgeable of all that goes on, as shown previously with Reiko’s disappearance, followed by the disappearance of Monabu

. Of course,

Spoiler

the Copycat is directly responsible

, but it's likely that the elders are completely aware of the mysterious consequences that befall whoever abuses the rules.

The scene involving Saki

Spoiler

freely using her Cantus without permission in order to save the dying queerat

is a great one, as it draws a nice parallel to the memory in which

Spoiler

Saki‘s father explains to her the meaning of “rebelling in secret“

, and, I assume, this was illustrated as a way to foreshadow what conflicting decisions potentially await these characters. The last line of the episode was extremely ominous, as the narrator chillingly reveals that

Spoiler

Maria's existence eventually leads to the destruction of many lives

. Really, this was a superbly unsettling note to leave the episode on.

The characters are becoming increasingly interesting, since their continued development provides further bits of insight into their own personalities and flaws. Shun appears to be

Spoiler

much more aware of the of the potentially dreadful mysteries that surround their village than anyone else

, and, as such, I think he’ll play an integral role in future events.

Spoiler

Satoru's unwieldy temperament

seems destined to eventually clash irreparably with some of the others. As for

Spoiler

Maria, the ending brilliantly foreshadows the seemingly bloody nature of her future involvement

.

The bleak, oppressive atmosphere pervades throughout the entire episode, effectively portraying a stark contrast to the peaceful, innocent actions that the main characters regularly participate in, such as the tournament and the relatively relaxed approach to attending school. This creates a suitably dissonant tone that's really effective in providing a sense of lingering unease. The gradual, methodical pacing is very refreshing, as it allows the meticulous detailing of this bizarre world and the development of these characters to feel quite natural and authentic.

The production values are consistently outstanding. The direction handles the pacing and tone extremely well, while also illuminating particularly important moments with a careful attention to detail. The artistic composition, particularly in regards to the backgrounds, is stunning. I love the musical aspect, but there was a selection used during the tournament that was noticeably jarring compared to the darkly atmospheric sort that accompanies most scenes. The animation, especially during the storytelling sequences, is rather impressive.

All in all, From the New World continues to excel in it's execution, most notably with it's masterful construction of a story that is thoroughly intriguing. I'm really looking forward to the next episode, since the story will expand

Spoiler

beyond the school grounds, and into a wilderness

that seems quite threatening.