The Relative Worlds (also known as Ashita Sekai ga Owaru to Shite mo) is a sci-fi anime film from 2019, directed by Yuhei Sakuragi. It takes place in a near-future Tokyo, where two different worlds start to overlap. The story mixes action, romance, and big ideas about identity, loss, and how far people will go to protect loved ones.
Story and Themes
The main character, Shin Hazama, is a high schooler who’s been distant and sad since his mother’s death when he was young. His life suddenly changes when he meets Jin, a version of himself from a parallel world. Jin explains that his world has a government sending “doubles” (or identical people) to Shin’s Earth to try to erase them. This setup leads to some intense confrontations between characters from each world.
One major theme in The Relative Worlds is about who we are and what makes us unique. The idea of doubles makes us think about identity: if someone just like you existed with a different past, would they still be you? The film also explores how loss and grief shape us, shown through Shin and Jin’s different personalities. It raises questions about how our experiences influence who we become.
Animation and Visuals
The animation style is very different from most anime, as Studio Craftar used a mix of 3D and 2D animation. This unique style makes the film stand out. Some scenes, especially the action sequences, look impressive and have a high-energy feel. The backgrounds are also very detailed, giving a dark, futuristic look to Tokyo that fits the story’s serious tone. However, fans of traditional anime might find the CGI style a bit stiff or less expressive.
Characters
While the story concept and visuals are interesting, the characters themselves feel a bit flat. Shin’s personal journey is understandable, but his relationship with his friend Kotori (who he’s also in love with) lacks depth. Kotori mostly serves as a character who needs saving rather than someone with her own story. Because of this, some parts of the story feel predictable, and it’s hard to feel deeply connected to the characters.
My Thoughts
I think the story idea was fascinating, but I wanted more from the characters. The concept of parallel worlds and doubles meeting was cool, and I thought the film could have explored deeper questions about identity and self-discovery. For example, more emotion and growth between Shin and Jin would have made their rivalry and journey more impactful.
As for the animation, while the CGI style was bold, I found it didn’t always capture emotions as well as hand-drawn anime. However, the look of the film added a futuristic, sci-fi feel that matched the storyline.
Overall, The Relative Worlds is an anime that tries new things with its story and animation style but doesn’t fully deliver on character development. If you like sci-fi stories with some action and don’t mind simpler characters, it’s an interesting watch, especially for the visual experience and themes. But if you’re looking for strong character connections, you might find this movie a bit lacking.
