This was a terrific, brilliantly stylistic episode that served as a great introduction into the this strange, unsettling tale, as it immediately immerses the viewers into the unsettling nature of their world. Although this episode contained a rather lengthy amount of informative exposition and world-building, it was woven into the story very well, never slipping into an uninteresting lull.
The opening sequence was incredible. Firstly, we're temporarily shown the phenomenon that permanently altered the course of their world, as a portion of humans suddenly acquire unique powers, and then proceed to slaughter the others, as we bear witness to a partial amount of their resulting carnage. I particularly enjoyed the practical effect of distorting the visuals as a means to portray the oppressive madness of the situation. Following these scenes is a surprisingly mature, beautifully simplistic introduction of the children, as their silhouettes converse beneath the purple sunset. The music used for the opening, then leading to the appearance of the title card, was simply phenomenal.
Saki's continual perspective throughout the episode was a necessary viewpoint, as it created a masterfully depicted cohesion out of many disparate developments, never losing focus or dragging on a specific point for too long.
The dinner scene was terrific, as it allowed insight into Saki's emotions, contrasting the moments of veritable peace between her and her parents with the actual anger hidden beneath her due to the inter-woven sequence in which she overhears her parents revealing previously untold and horrifying truths.
The tale of the man crossing the holy barrier was amazingly animated and really interesting, but it seems very possible that his encountering of a fiend upon crossing the barrier is simply a fabrication endlessly recited to keep the children from leaving, thus creating a heavily restricted society where the children lean on the unchallenged morals and rules of their elders, constantly refraining from wandering across the edge of the super-imposed holy barrier. All of this is partially brought about by a noticeable naivety, since they certainly don't appear to be acutely aware of the secrets that surround them. A disturbing, ominous calm pervaded throughout the entire episode, particularly whenever the story lingered for a moment on Reiko, allowing a subtle dread to creep into the proceedings, culminating with the closing realization that she had disappeared.
I'm really looking forward to seeing how the characters develop, as it seems inevitable that a significant darkness will befall them, tearing them out of their relative calm. As it is, they're basically trapped in this controlled, uniformed isolation, seemingly lacking a considerable amount of knowledge, particularly pertaining to the subtly discomforting nature of their world, thus creating an existence that's teetering on the edge of destruction.
I really enjoyed how a plethora of initially unknown and vague terminology, such as the Copycats and Cantus, were thrown into the narrative right at the beginning, since it adds a mysterious, yet intriguing element to the mix.
I particularly liked the moment when, during the ritual, Saki's contained Cantus was pierced, and as the blood siphons out towards the papers edge, there's a momentary glimpse of her anguished expression, effectively highlighting how difficult and somewhat painful this portion of the ritual must have been. This moment benefited considerably by the very impressive use of rather quick edits.
Another one of my favorite scenes is when Saki's abilities initially awaken, as this once tranguil moment was thrown into a particular chaos and momentary state of turmoil. The excellently dynamic animation allowed this sequence to really shine. The character designs look considerably better in motion, and are actually quite effective in portraying a subtle dichotomy between their relatively innocent exteriors and the seemingly bleak, strictly regulated world they inhabit.
The story is extremely intriguing, as it refrains from divulging too much initially, leaving much of the complexities involving this mysterious world to the speculative imagination. Of course, all of these hidden truths brilliantly foreshadow an unavoidably tragic future, thus constructing a very compelling tale.
The production qualities were thoroughly impressive all around. The direction is probably the best element, as it often elevated rather simple scenes, such as the introductory conversation and the dinner scene, demonstrating a deftly skilled prowess with the visual aspect. This distinctly visual style of storytelling is very impressive, creating an aesthetic that is quite striking in it's diversity, highlighted especially in the fantastic use of coloring. Also, another great aspect of the production is the cinematography, which was understated, but highly effective.
The pacing was handled extremely well, occasionally weaving in significant flashbacks and intermittently cutting to other moments and conversations, while never faltering in it's execution. The tone of the episode was consistently foreboding, as a darkly ominous atmosphere permeated the episode, never relinquishing it's tense grip even during the "lighter" moments. The music is quite excellent and suitably haunting, as it really illuminates the eerie ambiance and emotional significance of several sequences. As such, the ED was pretty great, since the song blends quite well with the tone of the rest of the episode.
All in all, this was a highly impressive and thoroughly interesting start to the most promising show of the season. |