| | Alternate title : Now and Then, Here and There
Studio : Anime International Company, Inc.
Also involved:
Licenced by : Central Park Media
Length : 13 Episodes
Year : 1999
Genre : Drama - Science-Fiction
Synopsis :
Because ten billion
years' time is
so fragile,
so ephemeral...
it arouses such a
bittersweet,
almost heartbreaking
fondness.
Now and Then, Here and There is an anime that revolves around Shu, and his adventures in a parallel dimension of Earth in the future.
One day while going back home from school, Shu encounters a girl on the top of a tall industrial smokestack. Suddenly, put of nowhere a group of futuristic soldiers appear, and teleports Shu and the girl, whose name is Lala Ru, into a parallel dimension.
The soldiers belong to a tyrannical, insane ruler called King Hamdo. The anime then tells us of Shu's struggle to help Lala Ru and about the war against Hamdo. In its procession, Shu and Lala Ru manage to escape Hellywood, Hamdo's battleship and end up in a settlement of rebels.
This anime covers mostly adult subjects, and therefore is not recommended to children. It covers harsh subjects such as war, death, rape, injustice and so forth.
Added : 2005-10-30
Synopsis by : Cil H. Satriawan
Last update : 2005-12-18
Last update details : Song modified
Score : 8.33
Number of reviews : 15
Link(s) :
Official #1 :
Ima Soko ni Iru Boku Official Site (Jp)
Official #2 : Geneon presents Ima Soko ni Iru Boku (Jp)
Official #3 : Official Now and Then, Here and There website
Song(s) :
Opening #1 : Toshio Masuda - Ima Soko ni Iru Boku / Now and Then, Here and There
Ending #1 : Reiko Yasuhara - Komoriuta... / Lullaby...
Release(s) :
There are no release available for this anime.
Hits : 11860
[ Go Back to Main Page - Go Back - Post review ]
| |
Spot a mistake ? Want to send fresh information ?
[ Message an admin ]
Got a synopsis?
[ Send a synopsis ]
Found the latest episode?
[ Submit a new release ]
|
Posted by : mangaddict_reborn
Posted on : 2006-09-14 
From the first episode, I thought I would hate it. It started out as boring as the word "boring" gets. An over energetic, over enthusiastic boy named Shu, who's got a lot of heart and talks too much. If we wanted to see that we should spend a half an hour with a little brother. But after ten minutes, the plot unfolds into a brilliant story.
This anime has done a great job of capturing the reality of the darkness of human life and it didn't make me hate it afterwards.
One thing I love about this is the real action. No magic or inhuman abilities yet Shu kicks ass against machines, armed soldiers everything- and with a wooden stick. After almost a dozen episodes, that stick keeps reappering time after time. It's always his weapon of choice. He uses it to win (win isn't the right word but it will work) fights with enemies so as to not kill them. It symbolizes never abandoning innocence. Most reviewers keep trashing that stick so they obviously can't see the depth behind it.
I'm not sure what else to say. It's like Alice in Wonderland taken a bit too far and the some of the characters remind me of the kids in Lord of the Flies. I'd reccomend this to anybody that's a fan of anime with "Gundam" in the title.
Posted by : rorke
Posted on : 2006-09-08 
Now_&_Then_Here_&_There
Is pure greatness. Instant classic in my mind. Its just below a studio ghibli rating at 8.5 out of 10.
Its about a boy that meets this mysterious girl on the top of some smoke stacks(kind of random)... and suddenly gets sucked into a world that's tormented by a ruthless war that's controlled by a mentally unstable King. A king that is so unjust he would burn villages just to get the children from them as recruits for his army. An Army that Shu is thrown into by force. But he keeps up his hope that he will get through it all, and that he will be able to save the mysterious girl La La Ru who has been imprisoned by the spoiled king.
La La Ru is the key to ending this war... How will it end... Well you'll just have to watch it.
The story line is very compelling... predictable at times... But most animes are like that. The animation it self is like a breath of fresh air... The characters might not seem so great if you look at the pictures of the series before you watch it. But as the story starts you slowly become enthralled by each individual.... I think "Epic." might be to strong of a word... but damn its up there with it.
Some very sad scenes in this series.... so if you don't like it when terrible things happen to the main characters,,, I think you should go watch warm fuzzy anime somewhere else. There are children killing children and entire villages that get eradicated. I thought the ending was predictable... But honestly I think you would hate it if it turned out any other way. Besides every good bye is bitter sweet.
Tell you one thing I think I'll have a fondness for Sun Sets from here on in.
13 episodes
Now_&_Then_Here_&_There_(fantasy drama)
8.5/10
Posted by : Tevesh 
Posted on : 2006-04-16
Now and Then, Here and There starts with the familiar. Strong willed optimistic hero gets beat up in kendo class, but is still happy about being alive. He sees a mysterious girl, and chases her but finds himself being attacked by fantastic robots. He fights valiantly, and gets sucked into a time vortex to the far future. The animation style is also very childish, and bland. This is where all that is familiar ends, as the series then introduces the horror of war.
The animation is excellent because it isn't complex. Children look cuddly, and characters start looking realistic. Because so much of characters is left blank, they can really bruise up characters. Shu was tortured, and only because of the lack of detail on his face were the animators alloweed to show the damage inflicted by coercion. This series is dark, and the colours reflect perfectly. Dark events take place at night, while anger is constant with the huge sun providing red. What was nice about the series is that no matter how dark the colours look, you always know what's going on, which is part of the problem with series that are too dark.
The opening theme is adventurous while the closing theme is haunting; almost a reflection of how the series operates. The sound is also very good, and this series has some excellent scenes that I could consider to be art. The fading techniques used when soldiers raided a village for more manpower, or the slow motion disbelief when a soldier kills a six year old. Very good, but also very disturbing.
Now and Then, Here and There will be loved or hated. If you enjoy series that can reveal the darkness of the human heart, then Now and Then might just move you. Shu begins so optimistic, but by the end you can see such a maturity that previously didn't exist. Characters are killed, raped, and tortured in this anime, but what makes Now and Then different is that it implies what occurs. You see someone get shot, and have their eyes go wide with disbelief while collasping. A woman is grabbed by a man, and then the next scene you see her curled up crying. Now and Then, Here and There makes its point without resorting to unnecessary scenes.
Posted by : Chaps
Posted on : 2006-02-24
NTHT is among the darkest yet thought-provoking anime out there. With virtually zero comic relief, this anime doesn't hold back when portraying it's brutal themes about the horrors of war, rape, child exploitation, tyranny, et cetera, et cetera. This show primarily slaps the message right in the viewer's face simply by breaking the viewer's heart.
While the alternate world/sci-fi element may seem a bit awkward for some to handle, I believe this works just fine, and there isn't any other way this story could have handled so many dark themes without creating its own story in its own world. Again, the story is very dark, brooding, and intense; the mood is portrayed exceptionally well; discomfort will come along with heavy thought-provoking situations.
The character designs are actually very simple, and the artwork and animation is probably a tad below average, to be honest. It's what is at the heart of this anime what really counts, though, and while the art could've been touched up a bit, this actually allows the veiwer to actually concentrate on the actual content than be distracted by any fluffy beautiful visuals. Seeing Shugo's unbreakable spirit amidst a world that is saturated with hopelessness and terror is...inspiring. The cast, anyone from Lala Ru to Nabuka to Hamdo himself, after meeting them for only thirteen episodes (or less), I've felt I've known them better than many anime characters I've viewed for over a hundred episodes.
The orchestral music is beautiful, and only enhances the mood this anime aims to set off. The ending theme particularly gave me the chills...a haunting, but hopeful and reassuring, melody. 'Nuff said about that.
All in all, NTHT is meant for older viewers (15 or 16+), just because this anime is so intensely difficult to swallow. The moral themes are brought up in such a way that reading it here won't do it justice; watch NTHT for yourself. Maybe you won't appreciate it as the utter masterpiece as I have, but hopefully you'll at least walk away a little bit wiser.
Posted by : ohtori_akio
Posted on : 2006-01-24
Now and Then Here and There is a groundbreaking anime. It makes extremely good use of the 13 episode format. There was not one moment in this where I thought "we`ve hit filler town!". Whatever scenes were reused added to the affecting moments of the series. Surely, these scenes are not meant to be pleasant to watch but they definitely make you feel. So for just that reason, one can see the greatness of Now and Then Here and There. However it does not stop there, Akitaro Daichi has made a masterpiece using all elements that make one: involving story, complex characters, moving music and at times breathtaking visuals.
The animation in this series is the only thing that is not up to the standard of the other elements. This is mainly due to the character design, it is just a little plain to look at. However this allows the creators to show what the characters go through to better effect, when they get bashed up, violated or murdered the bruising is shocking. You can actually feel their pain because of the depth and intensity of what is happening to them. Other aspects of the visuals are quite breathtaking. The backgrounds are wonderful to look at, from the big textured empty deserts to the detailed wastes of Hellywood to the beautiful blue of the fountains. The action scenes are also beautifully co-ordinated. These scenes are the most fluid of the anime (as they should be) and their intensity is great.
The sound is definitely one of the series strengths. The opening theme is wonderful. It really suits the series and has a tribal feel to it that does not fail to remind me of "The Mysterious Cities of Gold" music. The ending theme is like a soothing lullaby after the carnage of some of the episodes here which is a welcomed thing. It adds an element of hope to the series. The background music is excellent here, so good that I actually bought a copy of the soundtrack! With Taku Iwasaki in charge of the soundtrack though, could you expect any less?
The story is excellent in portraying the struggles of the characters. The way it unfolds really develops the characters and the overall narrative. As I have pointed out before, this is not a pleasant anime to watch. It portrays the struggles of a world at war. Women and children getting enslaved while their husbands and father are killed will not be everyone` cup of tea. It`s just that the storytelling is so strong that you can`t help but be moved by it.
The characters really help with that. They are all individuals and show the rainbow of human emotions. From Shu`s self-reliance and determination, Sarah`s pain and frustration, Nabuca`s hope and devotion to Hamdo`s unstable and irrational madness; they are all portrayed beautifully, realistically and with conviction. The seiyuus are to thank for this, they really deliver in making the characters the best they can be.
This series has recently been repriced by US Distributor CPM and you can get the whole thing + a bonus disc for aroung US $25. This should definitely belong in everyone`s collection (if they are 16 yrs old and up). You can`t get a better deal than that!
I have tremendously enjoyed this anime. Its exploration of the human condition without holding back themes or scenes makes it one of the jewels of animation. It is very unpleasant to watch at times but the raw emotion it could get out of me makes it one of the titles I will revisit.
Posted by : glidedream
Posted on : 2005-12-22 
Now and Then, Here and There is an anime with a simple plot that manages to carry a lot of complex themes. It is comparable to Clockword Orange, Brave New World, 1949 and other such stories in the way it deals with the dark side of humanity. The negativity of the anime seems so prevalent that there is no happiness to be gained from watching the series, but the main character's blind optimism provides a nice contrast to the rest of the series and makes it bearable. As unrealistic as it may be for Shu to still believe in the value of life when he is surrounded by mindless violence and bloodshed, I think it is more meaningful for the series for Shu to behave the way he does. The disturbing aspects of this anime that detract from the experience for me are the some of the themes that seem to have no meaning. I don't understand the necessity of the rape that happens, and other than disturbing viewers I believe it adds nothing to the anime. Also, the supporting characters are kind of weak. Lala Ru is pretty much a doll with no feelings until the very end of the show, Sara undergoes a sudden identity change that makes no sense, and the two characters in the beginning of the anime in Shu's world are introduced for no reason because they aren't ever brought up again. Hammdo is insane, but it's not fun watching him behave insanely like it is for some insane anime characters. The Hitler comparisons are obvious, but Hammdo's character is so weak at times that he just becomes obnoxious. I'm also unhappy about the way one of the Zari Bars peasants turns into Hammdo without any rhyme or reason. A similar thing happens to one of the child soldiers in Hellywood, and it's hard to accept. Does this anime convey themes about the meaningless of war, the value of life, the danger of seeking vengeance, and the importance of mothers? Yes, although I feel the execution is above average at best. This anime wasn't really that emotional for me.
The other aspects are not poor, but do not really elevate the quality of the anime that much. The animation is hardly cutting edge, although some of the sunset/sunrise scenes are done pretty well. I also think some of the hellywood scenes that were supposed to show off the special effects were kind of boring and not worth paying attention to. If you have special effects, sometimes it is good to use them to divert attention from the fact that you have a bad plot, but this anime has a good plot and bad special effects, so putting the animation on a pedestal while not advancing the storyline kind of defeats the purpose. The music is average, and I don't even like the instrumental track that much. Voice acting is nothing tremendous, although Hammdo's voice is really annoying sometimes.
All in all, this anime is one big long loss of innocence show, kind of like Lord of the Flies. I'm making all these novel analogies for a reason, I think that this anime's storytelling is really good. The loss of innocence theme is really explored, the characters all feel their way through it, and the events that happen extend that theme really well. The storytelling is definitely what I consider to be the best part of the series. If you are not bothered by watching a really weird anime that you will think is screwed up, then it's something to check out. Otherwise, all the mature themes going around with children as the characters will freak you out and you will not find this worth watching in any way.
Posted by : chill88
Posted on : 2005-05-04
Most of the time I judge anime by the impression they leave on me. NTHT was one of those anime which actually left me with an impression, although it's probably a different impression from other people.
The scene(s) that really left me with an impression were the sunset scenes. Notice the difference in the size of the sun, which indicates that NTHT is probably set sometime in the distant future. True, the overall animation has that old feel to it, but it was quite appropriate considering the plot. The sunset scene towards the end of the anime was really pretty good, and the music did a lot to enhance this.
True, the plot had a number of weaknesses, as some have pointed out, such as; how could Hamdo've become a king in the first place, why Shu wanted to help Lala Ru so much, and many other flaws. However, I felt that Sara was a very strong character, and even though Shu was far from realistic, Sara definitely was.
In all, as I've said, I judge anime by the impression they leave me with. And NTHT, despite all its shortcomings, manages to deliver a powerful message and impression, at least for me.
Posted by : estrella
Posted on : 2005-01-22
The drawings were not very nice, the colours were quite dull...dark to suit the environment of the anime. It's rather sad and it's a serious anime. There are no jokes. Most of the time, sadness is the main subject. Quite much of violence and war...action filled. High technology. Potrayed a little bit of love, though it is not the main point. Living is also one of the main focused subject. The ending was good in a way but still a bit sad. All for the better. It's nice to watch, but if you get into it too much, it's quite eerie and scary. Music was not very nice, but is still worth hearing. There are lotsa tragedies in this anime. I actually quite like this anime, feel free to watch it. I give it a 7, for it was quite interesting.
Posted by : idjota
Posted on : 2004-08-08
This is a series that is definitely worth taking a look at.
As probably other people here said, it's about life during war time with a lot of sad themes. There is not much action, at least for me, but the story is interesting and at some times disturbing. During some moments of the show, the characters made me feel bad for them and care what's going to happen to them, which is not what a lot of anime can do.
Music wasn't outstanding but it fitted well with the theme of the show. The art was average or below average by today's standards but it did not make the show unbearable to watch.
Overall it's a good anime that I would recommend to anyone that wants to see a good, sad story.
Posted by : SpaceLion
Posted on : 2003-09-25
Now and Then, Here and There (NTHT) is a series full of sadness, tragedy, misfortune and all that is bad and ugly in the world. This is not exclusive to this series though, Grave of the Fireflies (GTF) is another example of how sad an anime can be.
However, these two animes have very little in common when it comes to the effectiveness of their tragic stories. While GTF is, above all, realistic in its portrayal of the horrors suffered by japanese people during WWII, NTHT, on the other hand, is set in another world that seems to have a completely different logic than ours.
The way the characters behave, their motivations and even the events in the world of NTHT are so unrealistic that it became impossible for me to really connect emotionally with this series.
After all, what in the world of NTHT could explain the fact that thousands of people (including many children) were determined to fight, enslave others and die for a completely insane and weak leader without ever questioning their situation? How could they expect to raise more soldiers by raping women?? Why is the main character so determined to protect till the end a completely strange girl who almost has no emotions and brings nothing but tragedy to those who cross her path???
In my opinion, these and other nonsensical tragic elements were only used to make the series somewhat more "emotionally powerful" regardless of how unrealistic it ends up being. Mexican soap-operas have been doing something similar to this for decades and there are still people who still fall for that "emotional trap". Watch out!
Posted by : SleepyLafiel
Posted on : 2003-07-30
The only word I can use to describe NTHT is: Powerful. Never have I seen a show, not to mention a cartoon, that captured the pain and perversion of war so vividly (movies don't count... Saving Private Ryan is THE most powerful fictional depiction of war in any medium in my opinion...). Combined with a story filled with dichotomous characters that probe the nature of mankind, NTHT is without a doubt, an anime that is not afraid to tell things the way it is.
The storyline seems pretty standard fare at first, with the typical anime hero. But then that standard fare got twisted into shapes so dark that no child should watch. The images that are being shown, unbelievably, happens in our own world, even though the story takes place in a post-apocalyptic universe. Children forced to enter war, lives taken just because they were there, and other themes within NTHT, all are issues that our own world has failed to address. Almost everyone is a victim of circumstance in the story, from the naive Shuzo to the seen-everything-yet-still innocent Boo, it shows the loss of innocence of so many children that would have had such wonderful lives in a country such as ours. When I look at TV nowadays, and see images of terrorist bombers and civil violence, I ask the same question they do: How did we become such monsters? The lives of others that do not concern ours seem like nothing to us, no matter how they died. We have become numb to the pain of others, and similarily in the NTHT story, children forced to enter war face the same thing. The last 5 episodes are especially gripping and well paced, ending the story with a bang.
This characterization drives the story, and is something I have not seen in anime before. The underlying messages are so clear, that mankind's nature is inherently evil, and in conditions where it would benefit us to be evil, we will not even hesitate to harm others. We saw that in such characters as Tabool and Elamba, yet we saw the opposite in Sis and Shu, because like any world, there are always exceptions. I thought the character of Lalaru was quite well done. She was, at first, an unsympathetic heroine that was extremely selfish, but as the show progressed, we saw why she was like that, and how much difference a single person can make to someone who had given up. Extremely strong characters all around, although Hamdo seemed like another Mujiyo Kyoji (of Scryed), and that irritated me to no end.
The animations seems rudimentary, but is more than enough to make the overall look very impressive. There are great details in anything that needed it, and less in places where it didn't need it.
The voice acting is well done, but Hamdo's soundtrack was overdone. At points where I was supposed to be shocked, I was laughing because of how he was uttering his lines.
Music was ordinary on all accounts, and I thought that the intro music was absolutely terrible. It did not fit the mood of the story at all, and is the first intro I've skipped on a regular basis in a long time.
Overall, NTHT is a gripping tale of war that explores many aspects of behavior. A great character piece with fantastic storytelling, NTHT is certainly not for everyone. With extreme violence and several adult situations, this is most certainly not for children until 15. For everyone else, however, NTHT is a must see. One of the rare 13 episode series that I would recommend without hesitation.
Posted by : Frundock
Posted on : 2003-01-17
This is without a doubt a very good anime. Sometimes it is cruel, some other time, it shows the beautiful side of life and the determination one can face against incredible events.
The animation of this anime is not really spectacular, but it does the job. The music and the story is absolutely great and I can only wish more people would open their mind to NTHT.
An amazing show I would recommend to everyone. Please watch it and prepare for something incredibly different to what you are used to.
Posted by : lvmichael21
Posted on : 2003-01-13
This anime is EXCELLENT!! It made me think long and hard about life and how easy a lot of use have it. This is a very sad story and at a few parts extremely sick and disturbing! But otherwise, the animation is GREAT and the story was AWESOME! I believe the only downfall to this show was that they never explain or show what happens after the characters return and all is over (well, a very little show of what happens afterwards but not enough to satisfy a person who wants an ENDING)!
So after viewing this show and seeing a few tiny downfalls, I give it a 10! But be warned: if you wanna see this movie, they do have a few shots of rape... but other than that I would recommend this for anyone 14+. Hope you like it as much as I did!
Posted by : clone777
Posted on : 2002-11-27
I have to admit that some of the episodes were pretty boring, but this very serious anime even got me emotional. It's a very tragic story of the results of war.
Basically this boy gets zapped into another world where war is occurring and he tries to save this girl that has this amulet that can generate water which is very scarce in this world. Children are brought into wars and the story is very sad and tragic.
This is an anime that is very well put together. No comedy, purely serious and recommended for adults. That's why this anime isn't for everyone and not everyone's cup of tea. Still a must watch in my books.
Posted by : Kaiser
Posted on : 2002-08-25
Hmmm... this is definitely a solemn, dead serious anime. The animation is solid, yet crisp and fluid. The series starts off ok, a poor guy trying to impress a girl he likes... screws up big time and wanders off to ponder for a while and then gets caught up in unexpected events.
Somehow he is transported to another world where he sees a mysterious girl and tries to help her. A world ruled by a dictator (reminds me of an anime version of Hitler... no joke). A deranged dictator who is losing a terrible war and yet throws his soldiers lives away in order to keep his crumbling Empire alive, many others like the boy find themselves abducted into this strange terriflying world fighting for their lives.
This is deadly serious from what I've seen. Torture, rape and violence are all found in this series. Not for minors. An interesting story written by Hideyuki Kurata.
|
|
|
|
|
There are currently, 254 guest(s) and 10 member(s) that are online.
You are Anonymous user. You can register for free by clicking here
|
|
|
|
|
