Shin Sekai Yori – From the New World

Following a sudden outbreak of psychokinesis in 0.1% of the population, a rapid transformation swept the world. The godlike ability to manipulate matter remotely turned many power wielders to violence, inciting a long period of upheaval. Finally, after a chaotic era shaped by the rise and fall of oppressive regimes, the psychic humans were able to achieve a fragile peace by isolating their society, creating a new world bound by complex rules.

In the town of Kamisu 66, 12-year-old Saki Watanabe has just awakened to her powers and is relieved to rejoin her friends—the mischievous Satoru Asahina, the shy Mamoru Itou, the cheerful Maria Akizuki, and Shun Aonuma, a mysterious boy whom Saki admires—at Sage Academy, a special school for psychics. However, unease looms as Saki begins to question the fate of those unable to awaken to their powers, and the children begin to get involved with secretive matters such as the rumored Tainted Cats said to abduct children.

Shinsekai yori tells the unique coming-of-age story of Saki and her friends as they journey to grow into their roles in the supposed utopia. Accepting these roles, however, might not come easy when faced with the dark and shocking truths of society, and the impending havoc born from the new world.

From MAL

This anime wrecked me. Wrecked me so much I went back to not watching anime because it engulfed my thoughts while trying to sleep. Much like Daiya does, for different reasons obviously. I hadn’t watched an anime since Code Geass wrecked me into a puddle of tears and snot and feelings, and so of course, I had to return to watch this masterpiece and be reduced to tears, snot, feelings and a lot of despair and moral values evaluation in my part. Isn’t this why everyone watches anime? （-＾〇＾-）

Kidding aside, this is a difficult series to write about, but it’s one I can’t rewatch because I remember it too vividly and can’t go through heartbreak again. I just refuse to suffer all over again, my heart was already destroyed by it countless times while watching, it’s not something I’d like to re-experience.

I know I must sound pretty dramatic, but it was that painful. Halfway through the series I went to bed and cried to sleep because of emotional pain. I kept imagining all the ways characters had died, and what must’ve happened, and it kept destroying me. I finished this series pretty exhausted but feeling hope. This isn’t a depressive show, it’s just a lot to take in and it doesn’t pull punches.

I love how the show starts, and I really love how we follow these characters from children to adults, not a lot of shows do that and more should. My connection to them grew, and I felt protective over all of them.

Let me remind you this has a tragedy tag and uses it quite skilfully and without pulling punches, plus it’s not an easy watching. It is, the animation and OST are great, love the openings and the visuals, the folk stories tidbits were my favorite in terms of aesthetic.

No, the reason why it’s not easy to watch is because these characters suffer, they go through a lot. Like a shit load of a lot, without mercy, and when revelations and twists happen, when the show starts showing it’s darker side more and more? Just wreck me.

But maybe it’s exactly why I loved it.

These characters grow and evolve and mature and make decisions, and sometimes those decisions were the bad ones and they die. It’s realistic, and I feel proud they didn’t make it perfect, because real life isn’t.

This show also has a really strong narrative, coupled with strong characters, and with all the mysteries, supernatural and intrigue happening, one would expect to know what’s going to happen. Except you can’t. It’s impossible. Unless you’ve been spoiled, then I’ll feel sorry because this is the one show you don’t want spoiled about detailed things.

I watched this with a friend (at the same time/rate, because we don’t live near) and we talked a lot while watching it because it’s impossible not to. Just like it’s impossible for me not to write about it. Shin Sekai Yori raises a lot of valid questions, some moral, and it’s an experience I’m glad I went through.

I also really liked that the show had action and adventure mixed with the mystery and suspense, and so never felt slow or boring or dragging. It’s really important to me to have that balance because I’ll end up dropping/not concluding the series otherwise (⌒_⌒;)

In conclusion: if you haven’t watched it? Watch it, like right now, go go go!

Happy viewings everyone! （*＾3＾）/～♡

Have you heard about this series before? Have you seen it? If so, I’d love to know what you think of it!