NOEIN: MOU HITORI NO KIMI E

DESCRIPTION

CAST

REVIEWS

• 

  biogundam

  71/100
  very out there show, that more people should watch

  Warning this review may contain spoilers.

  First impressions,

  When I was first getting into this show I really didn't know what to expect.
  Based on the premise it's sounded interesting enough.
  A show about quantum physics, different dimensions and meta physical concepts.
  It's one of those thing which gets my interest.
  But you know because a show has these concepts doesn't mean it will be good or bad.
  So I was went into this which very natural stance when getting into this title.
  And for the most part I thought it was decent.

  Story, 7/10

  In a alternate future dimension an epic battle is battle is takeing place,
  Between the dimension named la cyma and the dimension known as shangri la who hell bent of destroying all dimensions.

  There only hope is the dragon torque and the group of warriors known as dragon Calvary.
  They find the dragon torque in a young girl named haruka who lives in a dimension just like there before there dimension went to shit.
  But any way haruka meets one of the dragon calvary named karasu who is actually her friend yuu from this alternative future.
  Events happen where karasu and the rest of the dragon Calvary reach a conflict of interest and karasu goes rouge to protect haruka from both the forces from la cyma and shangri la.

  Now normally I would go intill more details which I try to but I don't want to spoil everything and plus it also tricky to focus in more with a story that more about the meta physical context than what's actually going on.
  If I where to put in detail what exactly is going on.
  Most of the episode count is mostly slice of life with nearly middle school aged kids and a few people from the alternative future,
  with a plot built around sci fi elements involving inter dimensional travel, warping realty, multiverse theory, and a bunch shit about quantum physics which I am not very well studied in and is the back ground plot of some sort of experiment going on which will probably fail.
  What mostly takes place this these parts is karasu fighting other members of the dragon calvary and a mysterious being known as noein , karasu getting into conflict with this dimension version of him who kind of a bata male and haruka learning more about the dragon torque and its powers while hanging out with her friends including some of the people from the future.
  Which at face value seems rather basic and simple and seems kinda boring,
  But there more than meets the eye with this story.
  There a few layers to it which you can pick up on if you pay attention.
  It not as deep or thorough provoking as something like ergo proxy or Shinsekai yori if I being honest.
  But it dose have depth I assure you so you not going to be completely bored with it as long as you pay attention and understand some of the concepts there bringing up.

  The last few episodes is mostly about shangri la and the being known as noein and his reasons for trying to destroy all dimensions.
  Which I will not spoil because I think it's better left unseid.
  But what I will say it that's portray the power of love In a very twisted way and Also has a bit of Nihilism thrown in the mix which is always fun.
  And I thought was quite good and fit what the show as about.

  So just to run down my overall positives.

  Even though the ending dose kinda end up as a time rest with if you guys know I kinda have a negative basis about.
  But at lest it sticked to its on concepts and didn't go completely up its own ass.

  I also think it's quite interesting of how grounded the story is because the main character harka pretty much has the power of Deus Ex Machina in a sense and I really like how it isn't used to solve every problem that happens,
  Which is good because we have some slight tension.

  But sadly this has quite a few problems.

  The pacing is quite slow,
  If you not a person who slightly patient you going to get bored with it really fast.
  Which didn't bother me that much.
  But I pretty sure the reason for that was because it keeped me slightly interested and if not interested in physics or any else of the elk you just going to stale quite fast,
  Especially because they throw so much techno bable at you.
  Which for the life of me I don't know what is actually the real stuff there talking about or some stuff they made up.
  Which being a viewer really dose throw people though a loop especially me who like I seid before isn't really studied in this subject.

  And I biggest problem with it is that this entire plot is buildet around the main character haruka,
  Well actually it more accurate to say that it's built around the existence which is haruka.
  Because main story line that is happening because she exists.
  Not any fault of her own.
  But her existence is pretty much the main reason why shit is actually happening.
  Which when I think about it's feels quite cheap like I understand why they did it and I can actually appreciate it.
  But at the same time I feel it removes some of the depth this could of have.

  Also this story is very much a one watch only kind of show.
  Because once you pick up on everything there isn't much point to go back.
  So rewatch value isn't the best.
  Because shows likes ergo proxy or Shinsekai yori which you can watch a few times and still pick up on something new you missed.
  This story doesn't have that and it's kinda sad.

  Characters, 6/10

  The main character haruka is pretty much a normal outgoing girl,
  Who slightly a tomboy.
  She isn't exactly a deep character.
  But she fun and she actually acts her age and reacts how most kids would act in the situations she being put in.

  Like she doesn't understand all the ends and outs of what exactly is going on.
  All she knows is that shit happing and she involved in it some how.

  Also now I am on the subject of shit happing I going to talk about my basic thoughts on the relationship between haruka, yuu and karasu.

  Because it think it very interesting the thing they have together.

  karasu is basically a alternate future version of yuu who been though a lot of shit and has matured over the years and in the world he is from haruka is dead and he blames himself for that.
  And he meets this dimension version of haruka which is basically like his haruka but years in the past and he basically protects her to make up for the fact he couldn't protect his haruka when she needed it the most

  When it comes to yuu he kinda of a bata male even for middle school kid standards.
  And who got a very overbearing mother.
  He isn't standing up for himself or trying to get this shit together.
  And though his and karasu interactions he Learns to grow more of a back bone.
  And he relies that he is actually in love with haruka and that when push comes to shove he has to protect her.

  Side characters

  As a whole there fine,
  characters who are kids actually act like kids.
  The characters who are adults or teens act the age.

  They all of slight personally.
  But the problem is that they all start out of like 2 dimensional cardboard cutouts and stereo types.
  Like you have the fucking psycho or the chick who likes you but won't actually tell you they like you.

  But on the plus side some of them get some slight development and fleshing out.
  Go yay I guess.

  But is mostly because of the characters relations that interaction than anything else.
  Which is fine not complaining for anything.

  Art, 6/10

  The animion is fine it looks alright,
  But they could have done better.
  Especially because in 2005-2006 there was shows that look amazing even now.
  So it's aged kinda badly.
  But at the same time it adds a little grit to it.

  The back ground looks like that been painted on,
  I don't have a problem with it because I like.
  Plus there quite of different things like a badly wrecked city or a came relaxing town.

  Also the fight scenes look very cude and unfocused,
  The characters when there fighting and they moved go fast it has this thing where characters look very out of focus and have all this cell shading around them and it looks like the scenes where 3/4 done when they did them.

  The character designs I like,

  Karasu looks like a mysterious badass and the kids look like actual kids.

  I also like the thing that reminds me of kagune from Tokyo ghoul.
  Which the characters from the future have when there about to use there powers.
  It Looks cool.

  Sound, 6/10

  Op and ending songs where fine didn't hate or like them.
  My thoughts where basically ok this exists and it's not my thing.

  But the ost was a lot better.
  It was on point and added atmosphere.
  And me personally I think it worth a quick listen to.
  I was enjoying them.
  Not enough to go out of listen to them buy themselves,
  But more as the thing that goes with the show itself.

  The ost was done by Masumi Itō,
  Who done the ost for flip fappers and dragon maid.

  The sub and dub of both fine.

  But I like the dub more because there more effort and punch put into it.
  Plus I really like a karasu sounds in English.
  It sounds like a brooding badass and yuu just sounds like a bata male with no spine.

  Enjoyment, 6/10

  Well I enjoyed this show because it's not every day I come across something that try's to provoke some thought and explore concepts such of meta physics, different dimensions, and other things that kind of put me though a loop.
  Which is probably better,
  When comped to some over hyped as shit title that people overthink to much and try and make it sound deeper than it actually is.

  So I guess I enjoyed this show honesty of the content it gives to you.

  Overall, 7/10

  When I think about this show isn't for everyone it's more of the type of show that people who wants somethings smarter or like sci fi elements in there shows will probably dig.
  So if you into shows like ergo proxy , lain, or Shinsekai yori.
  This of probably a show you may like and may want to check out.

  But at the same time this show is quite old and very dated in quite a few aspects.
  And if you more into flashyness or the petty colours.
  Then probably stay away unless you want to try and branch out a bit.
  Because if you want to get into more out there titles or just want something a little smarter this is probably a good place to start.
  So in that regard it a good entry level show.

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• 

  Lokyaziis

  97/100
  Simply outstanding... A mind-altering experience! (French Review)

  Noein - To your other self, réalisée par Kazuki Akane (Escaflowne, Birdy the Mighty Decode) et produit au sein du studio Satelight en 2005 est un anime de science-fiction très particulier tant au niveau du visuel que du scénario... Avec une gestion graphique 2D impressionnante et de la 3D superbement réalisée, c'est un vrai chef d'œuvre graphique.

  _"Dans une dimension ressemblant à la nôtre et très similaire à la dimension La'cryma 15 ans auparavant. Yuu, jeune garçon de 12 ans, décide de s’enfuir de chez lui pour échapper à l’attitude tyrannique de sa mère, en compagnie de son amie d’enfance Haruka, 12 ans elle aussi... C’est alors que celle-ci voit une étrange neige bleutée..."_

  Ce qui frappe de prime abord, c'est son chara-design très particulier signer Takahiro Kishida (Arjuna, Serial Experiments Lain, Spring and Chaos) et son animation tout aussi particulière, très efficace et bien fluide lors des scènes de combats intenses, en rendant même certaines d’entre elles éblouissantes de dynamisme et de rapidité.

  La mise en scène est digne d’Escaflowne, dans la veine de ce que fait Kazuki Akane. Noein est très classique d’un point de vue réalisation, il se démarque essentiellement par sa technique, la gestion de ses personnages et son scénario. Il est d’ailleurs à noter que scénaristiquement, Noein est très similaire à Escaflowne et même si il semble beaucoup plus complexe au départ, cette situation se décantera vers la moitié de l'anime et on verra le script se rapprocher de celui de son glorieux aîné, surtout sur la forme, jusqu’à avoir une conclusion très proche dans le sens aussi bien que dans le déroulement.

  _"Noein conte l'histoire d'une guerre qui prend place dans le futur, où des dimensions s'affrontent. La'cryma est menacée d'absorption par Shangri-La et au travers de technologies quantiques avancées, cherche à combattre cette menace qui annihile des dimensions tout entières. Pour cela, il lui faut mettre la main sur un puissant artefact quantique ayant le potentiel de stopper Shangri-La et rétablir les dimensions altérées. Une élite appelée "chevaliers dragons" dont la structure a été modifiée pour être 100% quantique afin de voyager à travers les dimensions partent à la recherche du précieux objet dont les traces ont été détectées dans une jeune fille nommée Haruka..."_

  Pour ce qui est du scénario, c'est à la fois le point fort et le point faible de l'anime. Le principe de base, qui repose sur des univers parallèles, n'est pas très original, et malgré la difficulté de rendre cohérent un sujet pareil, Kazuki Akane s’en est sorti à merveille, en créant une des histoires les plus puissantes et variées jamais pensées dans ce domaine.
  La trame principale est relativement ordinaire à première vue (une gamine qui doit sauver le monde), on se rend vite compte qu'en réalité tout est plutôt complexe et demande même parfois pas mal de connaissances, notamment en physique, car tout est basé sur les théories de mécanique quantique, sur les dimensions parallèles et l'existence même de la matière.
  Mais malgré tout, le scénario se révèle touchant et très philosophique, grâce à la psychologie des personnages et à la maîtrise parfaite de l’univers et de la gestion narrative entre les différents temps et différentes dimensions qui est très aboutie et apporte une complexité et une profondeur supplémentaires à l’anime.

  Basé sur un concept type multivers, où chaque espace-temps diverge des autres à partir de chaque fourchette de possibilités, de telle sorte que toutes les possibilités existent chacune dans au moins une dimension espace-temps. Noein se réfère à de nombreuses interprétations de la physique quantique, notamment celle de Hugh Everett. Souvent présentée comme l'Interprétation de Copenhague, la théorie établit que tout observation ou mesure détermine de façon importante la décohérence de l'état quantique, entraînant l'effondrement de la fonction d'onde de la particule observé et l'avènement d'une probabilité.
  L'un des épisodes revient sur l'illustration de ce concept au travers du paradoxe du chat de Schrödinger, tout en alliant une citation imputée à d’Albert Einstein: "Dieu ne joue pas aux dés". Il en résulterait que toutes les possibilités coexistent, mais dans des dimensions parallèles qui divergeraient à l'infini sans jamais converger.
  Dans l'anime, lorsque l’artefact (Haruka) observe une dimension, elle reconnait son existence et "autorise" sa continuité. En tant qu'observateur quantique, elle influe sur la dimension observée et toutes celles qui en divergent. Noein propose qu'une convergence de dimension (si tous les possibles coexistent) dans "notre futur" et ses conséquences sur les dimensions concernées, voire toutes les dimensions soit possible.

  Le tout est magistralement porté par les musiques orchestrales d'Hikaru Nanase (Beyond the Boundary, Chrno Crusade) qui sont simplement extraordinaires (digne d'un film Ghibli) et qui colle parfaitement à l'ambiance générale.
  Au final, on obtient un grand anime, très original sur le fond et surprenant sur de nombreux points, très immersif et qui mérite d’être vue par tous les amateurs de science-fiction !!

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• 

  GreenRevue

  90/100
  Noein: a need for empathy and connection, for coming to terms with the past and hoping for the future, and so much more

  
  Noein is ultimately a story about relationships and connections and empathy. Validating the existences and difficulties of others. Being there to help people, and allowing ourselves to be helped. It is about surviving the past, and hoping for the future. Noein is about a lot, be it its huge scope sci-fi narrative and quantum physics, or its many emotions and important themes to that effect. It's a grand show in both ways. A big show with a big heart.

  Noein is a messy show for sure, but ultimately quite fantastic. I would definitely place it in the realms of Lain and Eva for its sci-fi existentialism, themes, and conclusions. Yet despite similarities it is very much its own thing, with copious amounts of genuine heart.

  Firstly, to get the audiovisuals out of the way first, it is visually quite gorgeous despite some definite occasional inconsistencies. The CGI stands out but works, with the house model being the only main thing that occasionally feels weird. The creatures are all alien and scary and their difference through CGI works within the multiple world structure. Part of me mildly wonders if they influenced Land of the Lustrous, with similar shapes when cut too, but it's very unlikely.

  

  Continuing on, the show’s general art direction aesthetic is quite nice, with a softness to it and hints of pastel that come with Akane’s works. Of course, this aesthetic changes wonderfully when necessary towards greater stylisation, with saturated reds and blues coming in a lot, and with other stark or striking colours or atmospheric busyness to the backgrounds coming in at times when effective.

  

  Of course Kishida’s character designs are super unconventional but so personable and really good. I really like these very angular and interesting character designs. The designs lead to very expressive work in general, with some great poses and sharp animation work. The most notable thing about this though, despite the overall wonderful art direction, unconventionally great character designs, and good direction/ storyboards in general especially in key moments, is the animation.

  

  The animation is a really early example of artists at the forefront of digital animation, or maybe digital action animation is a better term, I’m unsure. Ryotimo and Norio Matsumoto pull off wonderful feats, which are even more consistently applied to Akane’s next directing work on Tetsuwan Birdy Decode (where Shingo Yamashita turns up and does wonderful work). Anyways, this is not about Birdy Decode! For example, the first episode and last episodes of Noein are wonderfully animated in very expressive and malleable ways, courtesy of not only Kishida’s designs and animation, but also other animators unafraid to abstract and move away from them, and Akane’s allowance of that. Episode 12 is perhaps one of the most impressive feats of animation I have seen especially in TV, as sketchy linework as well as elastic animation create superb action scenes from Ryotimo and others. Moreover, the overall episode just has great character acting such as from Norio Matsumoto or what may be his AD corrections. Perhaps my favourite action scene in anime in this episode. Wonderful stuff.
  Mild spoiler:

  Also talking about audiovisuals, I cannot miss the audio part. The sound design seems very effective at many points, such as in memories and dimensional movement and such. Moreover, the music by Masumi Itou can be wonderful be it lighthearted and catchy music for slice of life parts, or deep or powerful orchestral swells, some of which have chanting, and so on, for other parts.

  NOW! Enough of the audiovisuals, lets get on to the exceptional plot and wonderful characterisation. Sadly this is all spoiler territory so will be marked as such.

  Amongst all the grandiose (quantum dynamics, past and present and future, different versions of people, infinite dimensions and possibilities, and so on) Noein is ultimately a story about down to earth things. The grandiose if anything reinforces how fragile, precious, and small yet large those human connections, relationships, and existence validations are. Those slice of life moments interspersed. There are lots of slice of life moments in parts of this, or at the very least a clear focus on these children being together (even if the relationships can get strained, and importantly grow and remain) throughout. They all have distinct and likeable personalities to match their distinct and likeable character designs, and this focus is essential to the rest hitting and having true meaning.

  One idea Noein posits is people observing your existence, of it being set by observation, it's on the surface quite literal (quantum dynamics, physical existence), but when taken with a twist of emotions and psychology (which the shows also does here and there) it is far more abstract emotionally on top of being physical. It is almost a lonely idea, yet it can also be comforting in context. This idea of Noein’s kind of reflects the feeling of loneliness quite fully through something as seemingly emotionless and unsentimental as quantum physics; that urge to be accepted for who you are is reflected, the importance of connection affirmed, the worth of carrying on and being empathetic and caring stressed.

  The future may not be pretty, things will be lost, there are infinite possibilities. Many are bad, many are not. Whatever the case, you cannot throw it away like Noein tried to, you must live with hope and live with grief if that hope does not come to fruition. Karasu's pain became instead a reminder of what was worth saving by contrast.

  Importantly, we must keep acknowledging each other, caring for eachother, lest we cease to exist.

  As much as anyone can live solitary, there is a need for others to acknowledge us. Being seen helps validate our existence in this social world.

  Moreover, Atori represents these ideas and feels like a nice antithesis to the progression of Noein as a character, and also a comparison to the different Yuus. Atori is filled with hate, but loses his memories and instead becomes shaped by positive human connection. Even when his memories return, the connection remains, and his existence is validated, his hatred for the destruction and pain of the world shifted instead from wanting it all to disappear to wanting to protect others from it. Sometimes soft, but sometimes stern still once memories return, as he should be. Maybe both Atori's were observed, externally and internally, and thus both came to be.

  By comparison Noein has forgotten human connection in his pain. As the show says he has forgotten Haruka. Surely that doesn't make sense? Yet it's perfectly true. He became so stuck in his pain and suffering he forgot what he actually truly lost, and the positivity that was possible beforehand. Noein became clouded in his thoughts. For one, Noein forgot what she would want, his happiness and that of others. Furthermore, and very importantly, there is goodness in the world even if it is sometimes lost. We must keep living.

  For all the hell we may deal with, there are still an infinite number of possibilities, and our agency can steer us in one way or another. One world of nothingness is not a solution. Trying to merge all the possible emotions into one positive one, although seemingly good on the surface, merely removes all those other possibilities, all those lived experiences, with happiness and, yes, plenty of sadness. Many worlds that vary in pain are surely better than one sanitised one?

  You (or Yuu in this case) can refuse to become a bad person like Noein, to fall into misery and hate. Thus Noein is no more, his existence gone. Not validating the existence of such a possibility means it isn’t one for you. You can at least try and shape your future, decide how you deal with it, no matter what fated pain there may be, no matter if Haruka does come to die in the world the show ends in. Agency is there. Yuu decides not to become Noein and to remember Haruka and what that remembering truly represents no matter what. Of course there are hellish futures people cannot help, “fates”, but others around them and in the rest of the world can at least try and live. We have to try.

  In Shangri La, the world is a collective consciousness of sorts in Shangri La, or something similar. They noticed all these pains, and noticed suffering from miscommunication and such, and so they did this Eva-esque collective kind of thing. Yet even that group arguably refuses to let individuality be removed in the end, each dimension with their levels of suffering and happiness be merged into one personality devoid dimension of nothingness. They ask Noein to stop. Maybe they realised what they lost upon seeing the kids. Maybe they realised immediately upon creating their world. Maybe it's not simple.

  Through its focus on empathy and other themes Noein explores the hope for a good future.

  Don't fall into despair, keep fighting, and help your friends and family and other people to do the same. Haruka tells one future Isami to keep fighting to help Ai. Ai starts fighting to help Haruka when she comes to Lacryma. Yuu rejects Noein. Karasu and others reject their roles as knights. Haruka accepts her future in Lacryma for the sake of others and smiles. Haruka’s mother helps Yuu’s mother, and she becomes more empathetic and understanding (yet even then, the show is nuanced, Yuu is unsure what the future holds even when he regains freedom, as uncertainty is just how it goes for many). The bodyguard and scientist also help each other, and so on. In fact the bodyguard has undergone pain, and experienced horrible things, yet is still going and strong.

  Through its themes and narrative Noein also explores the pains of the past and living with them.

  Haruka accepts the way her parents divorce turned out, the pain there for herself and for them, a past she cannot change, a world where it doesn’t happen cannot be created for her. Yuu’s mother is part of this idea too, all the characters are. It’s a mix between past experiences and future experiences, and the show interlinks them and gives a positive message of hope. Another example is an episode on memories fading, focusing on Haruka, which is quite impactful. Noein is an important show. It deals with the need to deal with the past, to go towards the future, to appreciate the connections and positives and slice of life moments you may have in the present (or had in the past, or will have, etc). Noein gets quite dark, especially towards the end, but it is hopeful and empathetic.

  Keep going, everyone, as best as you can. It’s hard to keep going through pain, it is, but please try, try to reach some happiness. We should all try to make the world a less painful place.

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