From the abyss: No matter how dark the abyss is, do not be afraid, because you are shining

Finally, after watching this highly acclaimed work, let me say a few words

To conclude, this is probably the best TV animation of the year. The picture, music and plot are excellent. It’s your loss if you don’t watch it. After reading 13 words, I also went to find a comic book to see, the result is not beautiful color pictures and music bonus, only adhere to 20 pages of surrender, or just wait for the second season of animation. The following comments are based on the TV version of the anime season 1, which consists of 13 sentences.

Metaphor

The play is all about metaphor, and the whole story is divided into two levels:

There are two levels of characters. The surface characters are the two protagonists, Rook and Rag, and the explorers they meet in various levels of the abyss. On the inside level, those people are a metaphor for the entire human race, and the other opposite figure is the abyss, a metaphor for the entire external world that human beings have to face.

The plot has two levels. On the surface level, Rook is going to the bottom of the abyss to find her mother, while Rag is looking for his own life. On the inside level, it is actually a metaphor for human beings to find the source of their existence and the meaning of life. On the surface, the driving force of the plot is the bond of kinship, but actually the deeper driving force comes from human curiosity and desire to explore, as well as the natural convergence of freedom. As the Bible says, you should seek the truth; the search for the truth will bring you freedom.

Abyss

This is the true protagonist of the story, and the depiction of the abyss reflects the author’s inner world and the world view he wants to express. First of all, there is no god here. Although there are various incredible legacies and situations in the abyss, it is obvious that there is no unreasonable magic, gods and other forces in the internal logic of this work. Even the most mysterious curse of Abs is slowly revealed from the physical point of view through careful scientific observation experiments. In a work that seeks the source and meaning of human existence, if there is no place for god and religion, there is only nothingness in its place. From the abyss is from nothingness, which is inappropriate to say, a work of science 🙂

From the perspective of individual life, life is nothing more than the union of a sperm and an egg. From the perspective of the whole family of life, the initial life probably comes from a spin of a molecular chain of some element, which accidentally produces large protein molecules…… There can be no meaning whatsoever, everything is accidental and random.

However, From the Abyss is not a work of world-weariness and nothingness. The characters in the work choose to face the abyss and explore forward without leaving any way behind. This is a state of existence of human beings in the universe, a choice of attitude, and the attitude that the author intends to express. Though we all come from nothing, we still have to find the truth, no matter what cruelty awaits. Human nature is born to climb to the direction of Abs, this is the most valuable stubborn human bones, it and like a desperate general cold abyss constitute the tension core of the work.

Unlike the biblical world of people who were forced out of Eden and still longed to go back, still worshiping God and loving God, the human world in From the Abyss has already entered the “since God does not exist, everything is allowed” stage. Some people may completely lose their basic morality and humanity in order to go to the next level. The deeper the abyss goes, the further away they are from higher organisms, from the eons of antiquity at the beginning of life, and the closer they are from the cold and inorganic environment. The same is true for scientific exploration.

Of course, Li Mingling is the villain in the play, and the author also holds a critical attitude towards him. However, it is necessary to see that Li Mingling is consistent with everyone else in terms of motivation, and what drives his actions is the pure desire to explore down. On this level, the only object of tension faced by all the characters is —- Abs Abyss.

Free from the curse

The metaphor of the whole work is very clear, but it turns a corner in the cage of escape from the curse. Why does the author add a dead and resurrected setting for Rico? And that like was stillborn in the first place, wasn’t there some kind of gimmicky cruelty here? Let me take a long stab in the dark, but the actual history of human understanding of the world goes something like this:

Copernicus: Is the earth no different from the planets in the sky

Darwin: Man is no different from other animals

Einstein: Is there any difference between time and space

The Science of Modern Cognitive Intelligence: No difference between human intelligence and the transmission of electricity

Modern Life Science: What is the difference between life and non-life?

With the deepening of the research, the sacred coat fell off layer by layer, to the source of life, life and non-life are not uncross able, the author let Li Key is a stillborn should still emphasize the nihilism, at the same time depict Li Key lively and brave, resulting in dramatic tension.

With that said, the rest of the show should further highlight the conflict between the stillborn and the living seeker in Rico, looking forward to Season 2.

In the end, even if life comes from nothing, we can live bravely like Rico. No matter what the cost, our nature will tell us to seek the bottom of Nile, and when we take the first step, we have no intention of going back to Eden.