500WL - Jinrui wa Suitai Shimashita (Anime)
500 words long (500WL), because you’re in a hurry, and I can’t articulate my opinions and thoughts completely
Jinrui wa Suitai Shimashita or Humanity Has Declined (in English) is an anime adaptation of the on-going novel by the same name. The synopsis of the story I read so far, however, does not introduce you to the absurdity that you will be seeing. A better word will be to call the synopsis a preface or foreword.
If I am to give a summary, I will state the preface plus mention that it is an absurdist fiction; elements such as satire, incongruity and the abasement of reason are largely present. This is all thanks to our fairy friends who are in search of endless fun and enjoyment. Such is a good example of a fine line between insanity and genius. And their plastered smile on their face doesn’t aid with their characterization either.
Started without knowing what I am getting myself into, I nearly wanted to give up at episode 2 when humans are running after naked chicken that can talk, walk and smoke cigar. Such is the declination of humanity (pun intended)
The “unconventional” method of storytelling does not help to clear up the air either on what the hell am I watching but on thinking back, I realize it could not have been done either ways 1. Thankfully I decided to give it another go at episode 3 and was glad that I did. The “unconventional” method of storytelling coupled with not knowing what you will be thrown into next makes me look forward to each episode, just as how Alice got curious and wondered into Wonderland.
The episode on the meeting of the assistant and the story of her childhood are two good story arcs (my fav too) on what it is like to be human; we seek external validation, at times we hold unrealistic demands etc. The questions brought up were “Who am I?” and “Can I meet people at where they are and love them at the level they want to be loved?”(Bishop T.D Jakes 2)* These were shown through various form of interaction between the people and the thoughts that were running through the main character’s head.
All in all, you may find yourself wondering what if I were the main character and the world is declining. After all she known as Watashi which means ‘I’ in Japanese. For me, I think I will agree with her, that my treasures will be my relationship with people that matters to me.
Summary Highlight:
Creative and somewhat disturbing worldview.
Meeting of the assistant
Monologues of the main character (Ms Sweet)
Relationship between the main character and those people that matters to her