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In a funny way this episode reminded me of Jinrui wa Suitai Shimashita – specifically of “The Faries’ Earth”. While the tonal approach was obviously very different, I don’t think the implied symbolism necessarily was. In both instances we’re talking about a post-industrial world where humanity has declined to a shadow of what it was, and another species of mysterious origin and nature has filled part of their old niche. And in both instances we’re seeing that “other” progress through cultural evolution at blinding speed (not as blinding in SSY, of course, but with the added wrinkle of accelerated physiological evolution as well). There’s the added wrinkle that in both instances, the young humans interacting with the other species are revered as Gods – but in a manner that isn’t as straightforward as it might initially appear.
There’s not much to feel good about in this world, but that’s what makes the fact that the kids we know are such sympathetic and believable figures so painful. Satoru has proved himself a reliable, practically clever and kind boy, and Saki asked no part of the great weight that’s been placed on her shoulders – yet this is the terrible world that they’re forced to inhabit. And Maria and Mamoru are either trying to survive alone in the harsh wilds are have already become tools of the queerats, a harsh fate either way, and they have no option to return home even if that were a good thing. Poor Shun has already paid the ultimate price – yet as an audience we’re forced to accept the possibility that what was done to him was the only possible course of action. Shin Sekai Yori is a harsh story both to its characters and to its audience – asking both to confront truths that it would be much less painful to ignore.
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