Summary: Leaving Mamoru and Maria behind, Saki and Satoru return to the village, only to be taken in for questioning by the Board of Education

Aqua‘s thoughts: Leave it to From The New World to stuff a lot of content into an episode that seems to be about nothing. My yuri fanboy heart breaks as Saki and Maria are split up, probably only to meet again in 12 years after the imminent timeskip. Then again, I’ve very often pronounced that their hookup seemed to be the result of a healthy dose of brainwashing, which was finally confirmed in this episode. Sure, Saki and the others were not fully brainwashed like the others, which assures that Tomiko is taking this whole “Saki will succeed me” thing very seriously. That is, if she ever dies.

This episode also made apparent just why the seemingly gentle Tomiko is basically the big boss of everything: She has attained immortality through her Cantus. I was glad there was a reason to her youthful appearance despite her being Satoru’s grandmother… until it turned out that she is allegedly still supposed to look 67. Dear whoever the hell is responsible for the character designs in From The New World: This is not what a 67-year-old woman looks like. Or sounds like, for that matter.

Anyways, From The New World remains truly fascinating. Looks like next week will be Queerat Wars Episode II: Attack of The Fake Samurai. Yay.

Zigg‘s thoughts:  Every time I think From the New World is going to begin unraveling some of its mysteries, it instead just spools out more and more. This was an excellent episode, one which significantly shifted the already shaky status quo of the show into an entirely new area. Firstly, i think it’s important to acknowledge the change in relationship status between Mamoru and Maria. Whether she was hiding it all along or only realised it when Mamoru went missing  it’s clear they’re a couple of sorts now, and Maria takes the pretty major step of agreeing to stay with Mamoru throughout his exile, which at that point appeared to be the rest of his life. Though we get the obligatory shot of her and Saki sleeping naked together, it seems very much as though that relationship is over. I have a feeling Maria is going to be pretty pivotal in the near future of this plot – remember waaaaay back in the second episode where the narrator said it would have been better if she hadn’t lived?  That may come back around soon.

What’s perhaps the most significant revelation in this episode is that Saki and company’s curiosity and free reign isn’t just a convenient character trait – it’s actually something that genuinely distinguishes them from other members of society. While they’ve clearly still received some of the obligatory social conditioning (Satoru still displayed the ‘death reflex’ for example, and they’re prone to their sexual canoodling) the terror of the unknown that has held this facade together all these years hasn’t been implanted in them, which clarifies a lot of their past exploits and the leeway which has been given to them. In all of this – the role of the mysterious Tomiko looms larger and larger, and it increasingly looks like she’s the mastermind behind everything that’s happened so far. But to what end? She seeks a successor, but as we’ve learned in this episode she’s functionally immortal, so why begin now?  Her use of her power is another indication of just how far reaching mankind’s ability has become. This isn’t a case of augmented humans anymore, this is (potentially) a race of bona fide gods.

Ultimately, it still remains unclear which side she’s on. Is this a gambit to free society from restrictions, or to double down on them? It’s telling of the murky ambiguity of the show that she might be the main villainness, a mentor for our young heroes, or anything in between.  I’ve come to realise my affinity with New World is similar to that which many people had with Lost – the destination might inevitably be disappointing, but the richness of possibility generated by the events that unfold make the journey worth having.  We’ll probably be wrapping up this second main act at some point in the next few episodes, and it looks from the preview that the Queerat armies will be returning. I’m doubtful that Saki and Satoru’s quest will end well.