To Your Eternity (2021)
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To Your Eternity Review
To Your Eternity is a 2021 anime fantasy television series that consists of twenty episodes. It’s an uneven, but very moving show.
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“I want you to do something for me.
Remember me forever“
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The story is about an immortal being, Fushi, who takes on multiple forms, including that of an abandoned white-haired village boy and his white wolf in order to stimulate as it learns what it is to be truly human. This series will forever be famous for its high-stakes and a staggering amount of deaths in it. Literally almost everybody that we meet and start to care for is a goner by the end of it, which was done for better and for worse.
On the one hand, that changing nature of the narrative, setting and characters made for an overly episodic storyline, but on the other hand, that high-stakes narrative was realistic and it made for a heartbreaking, highly emotional viewing experience. The first episode was particularly impressive at crushing the viewer within these twenty minutes.
The series instantly reminds you that it’s gritty and mature in its themes and stakes, but ultimately I wanted more of those spiritual elements and themes of life and death. Those were there for sure, but the second half of the series came as a disappointment after the stellar first half.
That’s because the entire prison and tournament arc was very disappointing. It was weaker in animation, narrative and thematic resonance, which was a letdown after that amazing beginning. The characters also ranged from highly memorable to very forgettable with no interesting new addition arriving in the second half.
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Fushi is terrific and the mythology surrounding him was fascinating. The same goes for Nokkers. Another highlight was definitely March. This young girl developing a friendship with Fushi was the most beautiful part of the show and her death was deeply felt in the most tragic episode of the season. The animation is also stupendous, at least in the more ambitious sections, while the score, sound and voice acting are all very competent.
Overall, To Your Eternity was a bit disappointing in its second half arc, but the first half was great and the main characters were phenomenal. The themes were interesting, but I wanted more of them in the second half. The most memorable aspect of the show is its high-stakes narrative with a staggering amount of deaths.
Worst Episodes: The Boy Who Wants to Change and Monster Brothers.
Best Episodes: The Last One and A Rambunctious Girl.
