Now and Then, Here and There (NTHT) is not only one of the best animated series I have ever seen, but one of the strongest pro-life films I have seen in any language. Now, I write this not just because of one its scenes deals directly with abortion, but also because the main character’s, Shu, complete refusal to survive at the cost of anyone else’s life.

This is remarkable in that Shu is a young teenage boy from Modern Japan whom one day on returning home from kendo practice is suddenly transported to a hellish war torn world. This is a world where survival not only depends on fighting and killing, but where one is rewarded for it. That Shu expresses a strong moral resolve against the world he is in is not what is surprising here; it is the fact that he is willing to sacrifice himself to save everyone he meets, even those whom have tried to kill and torture him. His simple and pure faith in the face of true evil is simply an amazing witness to the power of human spirit.

On this site I intend to come back to this series for a deeper review and tried to explore more the motivations and backgrounds of both the director and writer of this wonderful anime series.