Now & Then, Here & There: Discord & Doom

Featuring the first five episodes of Akitaro Daichi's 13-part anime series Now & Then, Here & There, this two hour compilation introduces Shu, a student and kendo enthusiast (whose spirit exceeds his skill), who finds himself in an alternate world where kidnapped children are used as army fodder by the evil King Hando to fend off Hellywood's attackers (honestly, that's what the kingdom is called). While Shu is being forcefully indoctrinated into a fighting squad, he also struggles to help a captive young girl named Lala Ru, who holds the secret to replenishing Hellywood's diminishing water supply. Rather graphic for a childish story, Now & Then, Here & There was reputedly compared to Roots by its screenwriter Hideyuki Kurata (although the connection--beyond enslaved children--is not immediately clear, at least in the opening episodes; the remaining episodes are slated for release on DVD in March and May). DVD extras include character, mechanical, and background sketches, as well as storyboards and an art gallery. Sporting unremarkable animation, this slow paced, intermittently interesting saga is an optional purchase for larger anime collections. Aud: P. (R. Pitman)