Reviewing Anime With Tinker

Shinsekai Yori

***Anime information***

Seasons: 1

Episodes: 25

Episode length: 24:00

Genre: Drama, Mystery, Horror, Sci-fi, Supernatural

Viewers rating: 9/10

Opening: Yuki ni Saku Hana 

Ending: 1.) Wareta Ringo

2.) Yuki ni Saku Hana 

Plot: 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.

***personal input***

Personal rating: 7/10

Opinion: With a little polish and some elbow grease, this anime could have been a masterpiece. A perfect score, a perfect anime. But, I wasn't able to gift it that, as there was too much that I didn't like or that didn't make sense. There was no room for a perfect score, but let's talk about that. Here's my opinion of Shinsekai Yori.

Firstly, our plot. The story for this series was actually really amazing. But it was also a hassle and sometimes stupid. But that's every anime right? Throughout the several arcs that the show had, I always felt compelled towards the story. With each new branch of the plot I found that I was always yearning to know what was to come. The show definitely kept me interested. I had a friend say that the lore of the show was top notch. He was right.

I find background information and lore to be crucial in a good story, and I think Shinsekai Yori might have some of the best I've ever seen. All the elements that made up the past were well constructed and possibly the entire reason that show was as good to me as it was. The background story might have been even more entertaining that the current story of the series. At least till the end.

However! The pacing of the show was utter garbage. Now, I say this in the sense of "time skips" the things we're all familiar with. This anime had a thing for time skips, and it didn't like to tell you when they happened. I found that a majority of the show they were unspoken of and silently played across the screen. It was also a issue to know just how far they skipped. Over time I realized it, but I think it's something to be said the moment it happens.