Please be warned that my review contains spoilers.
NTHT is an excellent anime, and its creator has demonstrated a strong understanding of human nature, specifically people's capacity for violence and cruelty toward their fellow man. Shu is a perpetual nuisance, but that aspect of his presence is critical to the show's themes regarding the stubbornness, moral simplicity and idealism that often come with childhood. I'd argue that NTHT has one of the better portrayals of children in terms of how children respond to and initiate reprehensible acts.
My complaints seem to derive less from the show itself and more from other audience members, but first, a few words on other characters. I disagree with the popular interpretation that Lala Ru sacrificed herself out of some sense of kindness or affinity toward humanity. Lala Ru explicitly expresses her contempt for humanity several times, and she rightfully argues that humans pointlessly drive themselves toward destruction despite initially having the best intentions. I can't settle with the notion that Lala Ru relinquished her human form to "save" humanity. Rather, she grew tired of the squabbling and finally decided to part ways with a relatively trivial pursuit. I don't hate Lala Ru as a character. I enjoyed her, but I'm wary of the belief that a supernatural, thousands-year-old being is going to be all that sympathetic to human suffering, having seen this same pettiness repeatedly.
And there is the infamous pregnancy dilemma with Sara and Sis. Others have made valid complaints about Sara's initially unwanted pregnancy and how Sis attempts to dissuade her from an abortion. Simply put, that aspect of the series was not handled well. I would have appreciated it more if the other characters had backed off and let Sara decide for herself. And please don't tell me that Sis wasn't being intrusive or self-righteous. If you have any experience with the burden of raising a child (food, education, shelter, etc.), you should be able to see how Sis's and Shu's rhetoric regarding "a new life" is a bit insulting and unrealistic, given the austere environment they're in.
Overall, I enjoyed the characters and their world because it faithfully reflects what kinds of people would exist in such a horrible place. Parts of the real world are already like the one in NTHT.
Good Show (Spoilers Contained)
Please be warned that my review contains spoilers.
NTHT is an excellent anime, and its creator has demonstrated a strong understanding of human nature, specifically people's capacity for violence and cruelty toward their fellow man. Shu is a perpetual nuisance, but that aspect of his presence is critical to the show's themes regarding the stubbornness, moral simplicity and idealism that often come with childhood. I'd argue that NTHT has one of the better portrayals of children in terms of how children respond to and initiate reprehensible acts.
My complaints seem to derive less from the show itself and more from other audience members, but first, a few words on other characters. I disagree with the popular interpretation that Lala Ru sacrificed herself out of some sense of kindness or affinity toward humanity. Lala Ru explicitly expresses her contempt for humanity several times, and she rightfully argues that humans pointlessly drive themselves toward destruction despite initially having the best intentions. I can't settle with the notion that Lala Ru relinquished her human form to "save" humanity. Rather, she grew tired of the squabbling and finally decided to part ways with a relatively trivial pursuit. I don't hate Lala Ru as a character. I enjoyed her, but I'm wary of the belief that a supernatural, thousands-year-old being is going to be all that sympathetic to human suffering, having seen this same pettiness repeatedly.
And there is the infamous pregnancy dilemma with Sara and Sis. Others have made valid complaints about Sara's initially unwanted pregnancy and how Sis attempts to dissuade her from an abortion. Simply put, that aspect of the series was not handled well. I would have appreciated it more if the other characters had backed off and let Sara decide for herself. And please don't tell me that Sis wasn't being intrusive or self-righteous. If you have any experience with the burden of raising a child (food, education, shelter, etc.), you should be able to see how Sis's and Shu's rhetoric regarding "a new life" is a bit insulting and unrealistic, given the austere environment they're in.
Overall, I enjoyed the characters and their world because it faithfully reflects what kinds of people would exist in such a horrible place. Parts of the real world are already like the one in NTHT.