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: Not Rated
: US Manga Corps Video
: Anime, Science Fiction Anime, Drama Anime
: 100 min.
: English, Japanese
: English
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Sho's life is changed forever in an instant. One moment he is observing a beautiful sunset and the next he is transported to another world; a grey dystopia where resources are scarce, and minions of the evil king regularly kidnap children and train them for military duty, forcing them into lives of killing and destruction. Sho is immediately targeted as a recruit but his will, as it turns out, is too strong. He may be impulsive, but his iron-clad moral convictions prevent him from giving into the violence and hate. Could Sho be exactly what this world needs to revolutionize? ~ Cammila Albertson, All Movie Guide
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| A future world with clear comparisons to horrors in our present time
by hneline1
February 19, 2003 - 8:56 PM PST
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3 out of 3 members found this review helpful
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What impresses me is that this anime explores "mature" social themes with a straight face -- issues such as the horrors of war, the value of human life, the exacting impact of leadership decisions on everyday folk, and what we as individuals are reduced to when society breaks down. Other anime may use war or death as a part of the storyline, but often I feel that those tales are so removed from our reality that the Big Issues become reduced to entertainment (for example, kids in battle armor fighting a war against demons -- c'mon, that's war and death used for escapism).
In Now and Then, Here and There (Japanese title: Ima, Soko ni iru Boku), we are given a futuristic world with clear comparisons to events that are too real in our present time: the spiraling insanity of Nazi Germany (Hamdo is a Hitler lookalike and orders genocide), the inhumanity in Japan's occupation of Korea and Taiwan (Sara is repeatedly raped by Hamdo's soldiers), and very young boys being forcibly recruited in third world armies (Hamdo invades villages to take boys as his soldiers). The closest anime I've seen that touches similar issues are Grave of the Fireflies, for its brutal depiction of the consequences of war, and Twilight of the Cockroaches, for its blatantly political war statements (although NAT HAT has completely different statements to make). However, what makes NAT HAT distinct is the message of hope amid the despair, that each of our actions is a choice and even a small act can become an act of redemption. Oh yes, these last few episodes are harsh and there is too much tragedy... but there is still hope to live for. I like that.
What can I say, this is science fiction at its best, when a tale set in a potential future can grip us and teach us something about ourselves. Director Akitaroh Daichi does a masterful job as a storyteller. I highly recommend this anime as a beautiful, thoughtful adventure tale with a message. |
| Powerful and unforgettable
by PGraydon
January 20, 2003 - 2:12 PM PST
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3 out of 3 members found this review helpful
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| If you?ve seen the first two discs of Now and Then, Here and There, this is what you?ve been waiting for, and it is worth the wait. If not, you will need to start there, as the story will make little sense without the introduction of the characters. Up to this point, the story has been progressing slowly as the characters and conflict are built up. The climax of the story is presented in the final episodes in a visceral rush of hatred, violence, sadness, hope, and redemption. The content is as dark and graphic as I would ever want to imagine. Extreme violence is woven into the story, but none of it is gratuitous. Now and Then, Here and Now is a condemnation of violence, and every scene adds to the effect. I was deeply impressed by the way the conclusion to this series looked unflinchingly at some of the worst things humans are capable of, and the justifications they give for those actions. I hope you enjoy this series as much as I have. |
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GreenCine Member Rating
(Average 8.12)
122 Votes
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