Now and Then, Here and There tells the story of Shu, a kind hearted middle-school student from modern day Japan who meets a strange girl named Lala-Ru. While trying to defend her from unknown attackers, the two are mysteriously whisked away to an unfamiliar land; a futuristic destroyed Earth covered by desert and divided by war.The moment Shu arrives in this world; his own humanity is put to the test. He is beaten and tortured, nearly killed on numerous occasions, forced to fight alongside other children as soldiers and to bear witness to many acts of cruelty. The other characters he encounters have varying opinions about the war; some oppose violence, some kill under the false promise that they will return home when the war ends, some kill because they enjoy killing. Personalities in this show range from stable to psychotic.
The series deals with many moral questions about war, the cost of war and the exploitation of children. Very real situations are presented where war has changed everything. In this world, humans have become monsters, children are forced to kill to survive, and rarities like water are worth killing over. Many times while watching this show, I would often stand up and scream at the television over the violence that takes place.
Excellent voice acting, great animation that sometimes discontinues, interesting characters and a strong plot lead this show to be considered an all time classic.It is powerful, shocking and extremely hard to watch at times. Now and Then, Here and There is an amazing piece of work that is emotionally driven and it never pulls any punches. If you are looking for something light-hearted and happy, look elsewhere.
This anime will pull you into its dark world, whether you are ready for it or not.
