Now and Then, Here and There

About Now and Then, Here and There

Here is what Now and Then, Here and There (今、そこにいる僕) is about, retold in plain terms: an adventure, drama and fantasy anime by AIC (1999). At its core: Shu is a typical Japanese boy, but has an unbeatable, optimistic and determined attitude. However, when he sees an unexplained girl with strange eyes named Lala-Ru up on a smokestack, he is soon pulled into a peculiar desert realm.

Beyond that: Shu soon discovers the true terrors of war, which includes genocide, brutal torture, hunger, thirst, and child exploitation. Now Shu is striving to save Lala-Ru, as well as his hard earned, and often relunctant, new allies from the insane dictator, Hamdo. Whether Shu can possibly accomplish saving those he cares about while still holding up to his values remains to be seen.

In an adventure series like this, exploration, new locations and a steady sense of momentum drive the story. Voice work is led by Akemi Okamura as Shuuzou Matsutani and Kaori Nazuka as Lala-Ru. If you count yourself among anyone who enjoys travel-the-world storytelling, put it on your list. The run is 13 episodes in total, so you know what you are signing up for.

Production & Appeal

Production sits with AIC, which means the visual identity of Now and Then, Here and There follows that studio's craft. Because it leans on adventure, exploration, new locations and a steady sense of momentum drive the story. At 7.3/10 it earns a solid reception, a safe pick for fans of the genre. Voice casting, including Akemi Okamura as Shuuzou Matsutani, adds to the appeal for fans who follow seiyuu. Released in 1999, it competed with that season's other new series for attention.