Shoujo Shuumatsu Ryokou:
"Remember what you said earlier in the dark, Yu? That the afterlife is dark just like that. Maybe these people didn't want to think that, so they made all those statues and bright lights to put themselves at ease."
"At ease, huh... If anything. I felt way more at ease when I found you in the dark, Chii-chan."
Story, Writing & Character: 10/10
Picture a snow-laden wasteland, stretching as far as the eyes can see. Rain falls. The revving of engine stops. Two girls park their Kettenkrad motorcycle outside and take shelter under a pile of rubble. One reads. One collects a bunch of tin cans and puts them under where the raindrops drip.
The sound of rain is accompanied by a cacophony of metallic noises.
"Maybe this is what they call 'music'."
A beat and rhythm starts to form. They hum and sing a tune to this beat.
They don't even know what music is.
As you can tell, 70% of this show's story is told through its unbelievably thick atmosphere. Every time I sat down to watch an episode, I would enter into a trance-like state, where a flood of emotions would well up from within, submerging my higher brain functions like noodles in broth. These emotions are not intense, but mellow and tame.
Shoujo Shuumatsu is in equal parts surreal as it is funny and cathartic. Chito and Yuuri just don't give a fuck. With childlike wonder and vigor they ride their motorbike across what remains of civilization, looking for their next meal and climbing to the top of the futuristic multi-layered city.
But.
As soon as you've settled into the show's mellow atmosphere, it nonchalantly slaps you across the face with some grade-A existential commentary on life, death, and how people can keep on living through the worst of times in the most destitute of places. The shadow of the Old World follows Chito and Yuuri everywhere they go in this post-apocalyptic world, and as the show goes on, they will discover that many things about the meaning of life, the human experience, and the bond they have with one another. Never do they wallow in melodrama or angst; they confront these dark themes in a very carefree way, only to then continue on their journey. After all, as Yuuri puts it:
"You can't live if you're afraid of death, Chii-chan."
The sound of rain, a fish, an old camera, and each other's company are a few among the many things that makes life in a cold and dead wasteland not so bad after all.
Art: 10/10
Minimalist, and equal parts cute and lighthearted as it is haunting and beautiful; needless to say, the artstyle of Shoujo Shuumatsu Ryouko is extremely unique. The cute and cartoony design of the two girls starkly contrasts with the bleakness of the post-apocalyptic urban landscape around them, which ranges from derelict buildings to metal tunnels to crashed planes to former warzones littered with weapons and vehicles. The show's color palette also reflects this bleakness by having mostly very dull and dark colors for the backgrounds and buildings, while giving the girls a slightly brighter (but not by much) palette compared to their surroundings. All-in-all, interesting and ingenious art design.
Sound: 10/10
The soundtrack is amazing. First off, both the OPs and the EDs are extremely unique and catchy. They capture the show's innocent and whimsical tone so well that it's baffling. The background music in the individual episodes is nothing to scoff at either - from calming piano and harp instrumentals to angelic vocal tracks. The entire show is jam packed with music from start to finish, making the entire show feel lively and energetic so as to mirror Chito and Yuuri's journey itself.
All-in-all, the soundtrack is amazing: sometimes melancholic; sometimes cathartic; but always maximally atmospheric and fitting.
Enjoyment: 10/10
Every single thing this show does hits all the right notes for me. I don't remember liking a show this much since I watched Re:Zero and Baccano a year or two ago.
Overall: 10/10
The sheer amount of text that I have written about Shoujo Shuumatsu Ryoukou in this review should tell you to how much I liked it. Beautiful, minimalistic, surreal, haunting and all-around sublime; Shoujo Shuumatsu Ryouko stimulates the senses in all the right ways, while still managing to be an unbelievably relaxing show.
Tldr? Just watch it lol.
"Remember what you said earlier in the dark, Yu? That the afterlife is dark just like that. Maybe these people didn't want to think that, so they made all those statues and bright lights to put themselves at ease."
"At ease, huh... If anything. I felt way more at ease when I found you in the dark, Chii-chan."
Story, Writing & Character: 10/10
Picture a snow-laden wasteland, stretching as far as the eyes can see. Rain falls. The revving of engine stops. Two girls park their Kettenkrad motorcycle outside and take shelter under a pile of rubble. One reads. One collects a bunch of tin cans and puts them under where the raindrops drip.
The sound of rain is accompanied by a cacophony of metallic noises.
"Maybe this is what they call 'music'."
A beat and rhythm starts to form. They hum and sing a tune to this beat.
They don't even know what music is.
As you can tell, 70% of this show's story is told through its unbelievably thick atmosphere. Every time I sat down to watch an episode, I would enter into a trance-like state, where a flood of emotions would well up from within, submerging my higher brain functions like noodles in broth. These emotions are not intense, but mellow and tame.
Shoujo Shuumatsu is in equal parts surreal as it is funny and cathartic. Chito and Yuuri just don't give a fuck. With childlike wonder and vigor they ride their motorbike across what remains of civilization, looking for their next meal and climbing to the top of the futuristic multi-layered city.
But.
As soon as you've settled into the show's mellow atmosphere, it nonchalantly slaps you across the face with some grade-A existential commentary on life, death, and how people can keep on living through the worst of times in the most destitute of places. The shadow of the Old World follows Chito and Yuuri everywhere they go in this post-apocalyptic world, and as the show goes on, they will discover that many things about the meaning of life, the human experience, and the bond they have with one another. Never do they wallow in melodrama or angst; they confront these dark themes in a very carefree way, only to then continue on their journey. After all, as Yuuri puts it:
"You can't live if you're afraid of death, Chii-chan."
The sound of rain, a fish, an old camera, and each other's company are a few among the many things that makes life in a cold and dead wasteland not so bad after all.
Art: 10/10
Minimalist, and equal parts cute and lighthearted as it is haunting and beautiful; needless to say, the artstyle of Shoujo Shuumatsu Ryouko is extremely unique. The cute and cartoony design of the two girls starkly contrasts with the bleakness of the post-apocalyptic urban landscape around them, which ranges from derelict buildings to metal tunnels to crashed planes to former warzones littered with weapons and vehicles. The show's color palette also reflects this bleakness by having mostly very dull and dark colors for the backgrounds and buildings, while giving the girls a slightly brighter (but not by much) palette compared to their surroundings. All-in-all, interesting and ingenious art design.
Sound: 10/10
The soundtrack is amazing. First off, both the OPs and the EDs are extremely unique and catchy. They capture the show's innocent and whimsical tone so well that it's baffling. The background music in the individual episodes is nothing to scoff at either - from calming piano and harp instrumentals to angelic vocal tracks. The entire show is jam packed with music from start to finish, making the entire show feel lively and energetic so as to mirror Chito and Yuuri's journey itself.
All-in-all, the soundtrack is amazing: sometimes melancholic; sometimes cathartic; but always maximally atmospheric and fitting.
Enjoyment: 10/10
Every single thing this show does hits all the right notes for me. I don't remember liking a show this much since I watched Re:Zero and Baccano a year or two ago.
Overall: 10/10
The sheer amount of text that I have written about Shoujo Shuumatsu Ryoukou in this review should tell you to how much I liked it. Beautiful, minimalistic, surreal, haunting and all-around sublime; Shoujo Shuumatsu Ryouko stimulates the senses in all the right ways, while still managing to be an unbelievably relaxing show.
Tldr? Just watch it lol.
No comments:
Post a Comment