Well, I finished "Now and Then, Here and There."
Over all this proved to be an incredibly deep, powerful series - sometimes very hard to get through as you feel for the main characters, and the horror is very real. For such a short series it has an appropriate ending, something very few anime are capable of pulling off.
The only thing that really nagged at me the whole time was Hamdo - it's no real spoiler, but this guy was nuckin futs, and what I was left wondering was "why was anyone, especially Abelia, so keen on following this waste of skin?" Suspension of disbelief was difficult in that area, and there were a few other small things that made me go "hmmm," but the major point of the show was clear. A little heavy-handed in parts, but the character's struggles were believable, even if Shu (the main character) was just too good, but he served his purpose in the allegory that this series obviously represents. The "other speak" of allegory is heavy here, nearly to the point of polemic, but considering what the argument is against - the destructiveness and amorality of war - it can be forgiven that foible. Hard to say if I would buy it - it is a very hard watch, but it is definitely a series worth seeing, and now having seen the English dub and the original with subs, I must say the English dub matches up almost perfectly, so no real flaw there.
Story: 9.5/10 A (super solid)
Characters: 9.5/10 A (highly engrossing)
Animation: 8.3/10 B- (super basic, even amateurish, but the color palette works very well, and the scenery is very atmospheric)
Music: 8.5/10 B (passable, but unexceptional)
Dub: 9.2/10 A- (very close for the most part)
Total: 9/10 A -
Highly recommended, but not for the overly light or faint of heart, nor for anyone too stuck on animation quality, but the mature story is worth it.
