A few questions about Here and There, Now and Then*Spoilers*

EvaXephon · Post by **EvaXephon** » Thu Jul 07, 2005 1:41 am

I just finished watching 'Here and There, Now and Then,' and I have to say that it was probably the best anime I have ever watched. I was left with a few questions at the end - nothing that took away from my enjoyment from this amazing show, but a few things that made me think.

Why was such a simple, and, dare I say it, childish, look applied to an anime that was so serious, and sometimes very dark? It left me with a very distinct impression of the show, and looked very different from other series I've watched, which was welcome, but why was it decided to go with a simple, cartoonish look given to the anime?

The box art and DVD cover art was more realistic and grim looking. Why was there such a sharp contrast when it came to the looks of the cover art and the actual anime?

Who, or what, exactly was Lala-Ru? She was thousands of years old, could control water, and faded away at the end. Was she some sort of physical embodiment of water itself? It would sort of make sense. What happened to her at the end? I know that she got weaker as she used her power, and that returning water to Earth would probably drain her of all her energy, but was it death for her?

Is there any sort of sequel to this anime? A movie or a short spin-off? Maybe a manga? I'd love to know what happened to all of the characters after the end of the show. Is there any information available about that?

What did the poem at the beginning of each episode mean? "Because 10 billion years time is so fragile," etc.

Was Shu from a different world, or a different time? If I'm correct, it would take 10 billion years for the sun to grow as large as it did in the anime.

Can someone present me with a timeline of events in the anime between Shu's time and the others' time? What happened in those 10 billion years? How and when did King Hamdo become a king, how and when did he construct Heliwood, etc?

And, lastly...was it Abelia who flooded the teleportation chamber with water, killing King Hamdo? I would love it if she were the one who killed him. That would be so...right! XD

Vancore · Post by **Vancore** » Thu Jul 07, 2005 2:02 am

Well, I'll try to answer a few of those questions cause I liked the anime as well. I haven't heard of a sequel, but I thought the anime ended well enough without needing a sequel. I don't know of a Manga. The childish look wasn't that bad, I've seen other anime like it even more childish and darker (Alien Nine.. the last ep). Thats debatable tho..

I always saw Lala-Ru as a mother earth figure, the girl who could make water and created the earth. On that train of though I saw Shu coming from the same world in the future (She's the blonde haired girl right?) and the boy as well.

And I didn't think Abelia flooded the teleportation chamber.. rather it flooded itself and she stoodbye and did nothing. Which is like killing him in a way.

madbunny · Post by **madbunny** » Thu Jul 07, 2005 2:29 am

EvaXephon wrote: Why was such a simple, and, dare I say it, childish, look applied to an anime that was so serious, and sometimes very dark? It left me with a very distinct impression of the show, and looked very different from other series I've watched, which was welcome, but why was it decided to go with a simple, cartoonish look given to the anime?

I think it was to create a focus more on the story elements. The story was pretty grim in a lot of ways, some parts of it were quite detailed, and as a whole the chracter design worked well.
One of the things that the show managed to do was to portray the child soldiers as actual children. Child soldiers isn't a new concept (it's rampant in Africa today for example) and it's probably difficult to portray them well.

Who, or what, exactly was Lala-Ru? She was thousands of years old, could control water, and faded away at the end. Was she some sort of physical embodiment of water itself? It would sort of make sense. What happened to her at the end? I know that she got weaker as she used her power, and that returning water to Earth would probably drain her of all her energy, but was it death for her?

I sort of saw her as a water elemental given a human (trapped in?) form. Did she die? Probably, I got the impression that she was tired of living and being used.

Was Shu from a different world, or a different time? If I'm correct, it would take 10 billion years for the sun to grow as large as it did in the anime.

Can someone present me with a timeline of events in the anime between Shu's time and the others' time? What happened in those 10 billion years? How and when did King Hamdo become a king, how and when did he construct Heliwood, etc?

Who knows. It's one of those things the show doesn't really need to explain. All that stuff is just a vehicle for the story to take place. Given the decrepit state of Hellywood, and Hamdo's complete lack of care on the subject we can assume that he either took it over from the previous ruler, or that is was simply a fortress that was passed down over time to rulers. The show never really seemed to get into the state of the world other than just in general.

Although, if LaLaru gave up all her water it was most likely a wasted gesture, since if the sun had altered the climate to that degree it the world probably couldn't support a stable ecology anyway.

Keeper of Hellfire · Post by **Keeper of Hellfire** » Thu Jul 07, 2005 2:29 am

EvaXephon wrote:If I'm correct, it would take 10 billion years for the sun to grow as large as it did in the anime.

Umm, it depends from when it's counted. It's estimated that the hydrogen resources of the Sun last around 9.6 billion years. If the hydrogen is "burned", the Sun starts to grow, which will last an additional billion years and will end with a diameter larger than the orbit of the Earth. After that the Sun collapses. At the moment we are around 5 billion years away from the end of the Sun.

Scintilla · Post by **Scintilla** » Thu Jul 07, 2005 3:21 am

madbunny wrote:
Who, or what, exactly was Lala-Ru? She was thousands of years old, could control water, and faded away at the end. Was she some sort of physical embodiment of water itself? It would sort of make sense. What happened to her at the end? I know that she got weaker as she used her power, and that returning water to Earth would probably drain her of all her energy, but was it death for her?
I sort of saw her as a water elemental given a human (trapped in?) form. Did she die? Probably, I got the impression that she was tired of living and being used.

Well, she did say that she grew weaker every time she used her power, and that there at the end was a pretty impressive show of her power, so I assumed she finally just lost the energy to sustain her continued existence.

And about the 10 billion years thing, isn't that the expected lifetime of the Earth (before it gets burned up by the sun)?

Knowname · Post by **Knowname** » Thu Jul 07, 2005 11:35 am

didn't you just ask this then I showed you my video than you were like... *oh*... well either that or *get away from me freak* cuz the guy never got back to me lol.... anyway I don't have the hosting for my beta no more so you just gotta wait like everybody else.

Anyway other than that worthless drivel...

>Why was such a simple, and, dare I say it, childish, look applied to an anime that was so serious, and sometimes very dark?<

cuz Abelia ROCKS!! More pics of her in panties ;p

No, but the answer that you seek is opinionated, there is no real answer. First of all... kiddie?? the circular eyes rather than watermelon eyes? It's a drawing style, see Last Exile. Colorfull like Elfen Leid??

<The box art and DVD cover art was more realistic and grim looking. Why was there such a sharp contrast when it came to the looks of the cover art and the actual anime?>

Abelia and Inoue (Bleach) are the best, most dynamic, charachters ever!

Honestly? cuz oil paint looks terrible animated... ever played Chrono Cross??

>Who, or what, exactly was Lala-Ru?<

My theory is this he's sufforing from Wizard of Oz syndrom, LaLa Ru is the girl he was gonna ask out... he actually slipped on the ladder or never woke up after he got clocked by the hanging pole. Hamdo seems a bunch like Emperor Hirohito commanding a death camp to me *shrug*. Yeah, she was an earth sprite... thing. Don't EVAngelionize it... quit. NOW.

>Is there any sort of sequel to this anime? A movie or a short spin-off?<

Fruit Baskets! Abelia's not in it.

>What did the poem at the beginning of each episode mean?<
>Was Shu from a different world, or a different time?<

Yes and Yes.

>What happened in those 10 billion years?<

Armageddon?? do they explain the Wizard of Oz?? It's a freakin dream!!

>Can someone present me with a timeline of events in the anime between Shu's time and the others' time?<

see The Postman (hollywood movie) it rocks. Maybe check Kino's Journey out (anime) it either looks like King of Theifs Jin (anime, not sure of the name, not a bad anime but not dramatic... rather Tim Burton-ish) or The Postman. Neither looks like NATHAT, but The Postman takes place in a nearly identicle world, I just got off on a tangent lol.

>And, lastly...was it Abelia who flooded the teleportation chamber with water, killing King Hamdo? I would love it if she were the one who killed him. That would be so...right! XD<

Abelia didn't want to, she just can't help but ROCK!

EvaXephon · Post by **EvaXephon** » Thu Jul 07, 2005 6:21 pm

Ah, thank you, all, your answers have helped me.

Knowname, I detect that you favor Abelia, don't you?

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