From the New World (novel)

Part I

Set in Japan, 1000 years after the modern era Shin Sekai Yori follows the life of Saki Watanabe, a girl from the town of Kamisu 66. In this age, all humans possess powerful psychic abilities, and live an idyllic life in agrarian villages. Despite her parents' fears that she may not awaken her powers, Saki gains her special powers at the age of twelve and joins her friends Satoru Asahina, Maria Akizuki, Mamoru Itou, Shun Aonuma, and Reiko Amano in enrolling at school to hone her gifts. However, the children are unaware that the village government is monitoring and evaluating them through the education system. Based on these evaluations, certain students are removed from society, whether it is for poor performance, such as with Reiko, or for cheating. These removed students are also forgotten by the other children; Saki and her remaining friends have no memory of Reiko. Later, during an unsupervised camping field trip, Saki and her friends encounter the False Minoshiro, a mythical animal revealed to be an ancient library robot. The False Minoshiro explains much of the violent truth of their people's history and what their special powers truly are.

In AD 2013, 0.1 percent of the population developed psychic abilities that allowed them to alter their surrounding environment. Soon after the powers manifest, many begin using them for violence and crime. This leads to a breakdown of modern society and a world war that devastates the human population. The conscious and unconscious use of these powers alter the wildlife and the environment. After the fall of modern society, oppressive, feudalistic regimes rise up over humanity. These regimes, too, dissolve in chaos due to the violence of the psychic humans. Eventually, the psychic endowed humans established a stable society where they control their powers by using genetic modification and social conditioning to make themselves incapable of violence against other humans (Attack Inhibition). If a psychic human kills another, a biological Death Feedback is activated, causing the murderer's organs to shut down and the attacker to die almost instantly. The villages also use genetically designed animals for various purposes. The mole-like Monster Rats resemble humanity, able to speak human language and living in a complex eusocial society ruled by queens. The feline Impure Cats are used to kill children at risk of developing one of the two dangerous disorders: the Karmic Demons (業魔, Gōma), who are unable to control their powers, and the Ogres (悪鬼, Akki), who can suppress the Attack Inhibition and Death Feedback and use their special powers against humans.

In the middle of interrogating the False Minoshiro, Saki and her friends are found by the monk Rijin. He destroys the False Minoshiro and seemingly seals away the children's special powers for associating with a demon. On the way back to be judged at the village, Rijin is killed by a rogue Monster Rat tribe while Saki and Satoru separated from their friends. They are captured by the rogue monster rat colony. Using objects found during their trip, Saki and Satoru are able to escape their prison. During their escape, they meet a Monster Rat, Squealer, of the Robber Fly colony who rescues them from their pursuers. Saki and Satoru help Squealer and his colony to defeat the rogue monster rats, later with assistance from General Kiroumaru and his Giant Hornet colony, a colony with an especially close relationship to humans. After regrouping with their friends with the help of Squealer and general Kiroumaru, Saki restores their powers, using the same hypnotic methods the village uses to control children, before returning to the village under the belief that the adults do not know of their transgressions.

Part II

Two years later, as Saki and her friends reach adolescence and develop relationships, Shun starts to distance himself from the others and eventually goes missing. Saki finds Shun in an abandoned house and learns that he has become a Karmic Demon and had been sent to die in isolation. After holding himself back for the duration of their meeting, Shun tells Saki to go while telling her the adults know of their transgressions two years ago before using his powers to take his own life. Soon after, unlike with Reiko, Saki and her remaining friends start to realize Shun's absence despite being unable to fully remember him. In time, Saki learns that the survival of herself and her friends has been orchestrated by the Education board and the Ethics Committee Head Tomiko Asahina, who sees Saki as a potential successor. Later, Mamoru and Maria run away after the Education Board tries to purge Mamoru. Squealer, renamed by the humans as Yakomaru as a reward for his usefulness, helps them by staging their deaths. However, after finding the Robber Fly queen lobotomized and that Yakomaru acquired a False Minoshiro, Saki begins to have dreams of a faceless child that tells her not to find Mamoru and Maria as they must die.

Part III

Now 26 years old, Saki works for the village government in the "Department of Mutant Management" which oversees the Monster Rats. Yakomaru's colony slowly ascends to power while conquering other colonies and wiping out the Giant Hornet colony, eventually attacking Kamisu 66 with what is believed to be an Ogre that the Monster Rats refer to as their "Messiah." This is later revealed to be the biological child of Mamoru and Maria who Yakomaru raised after murdering the parents. After evading the Ogre and learning that Yakomaru intends to steal more human infants to create an army to wipe out the human race, Saki and Satoru are joined by Kiroumaru who guides them to the ruins of Tokyo to find the "Psychobuster"; an anthrax-like anti-psychic weapon. With Yakomaru's forces surrounding them, Satoru attempts to kill the Messiah with the Psychobuster, but Saki destroys the weapon because its use at such close proximity would also have killed Satoru. With seemingly no options left, Saki eventually realizes that the Messiah is not truly an ogre, but actually a regular psychic like themselves, with one key difference: the Messiah considers Monster Rats as his kin which is what enables him to bypass the Death Feedback when attacking other humans. After having admitted his own disdain towards humans and their treatment of his kind, Kiroumaru asks for his colony to be spared the imminent retaliation of the humans against the Monster Rats and agrees to help Saki end the revolt. He disguises himself as a human and attacks the Messiah only to be killed by him, but upon realizing Kiroumaru's true race, the Messiah dies as well due to the Death Feedback response imposed by his kinship with the Monster Rats.

With the Messiah dead and his rebellion crushed Squealer is defeated. Renouncing the name the humans gave him, Squealer is sentenced to perpetual torture of the "Infinite Hell" where his body is simultaneously regenerated and destroyed using psychic powers. However, Saki is troubled when Squealer explains the reasons behind his revolt, claiming that his people are human. Later, Saki learns from Satoru that the Monster Rats are the descendants of normal humans whose DNA had been altered with mole rat genes to make it easier for the psychic humans to control them, since they will not trigger Attack Inhibition and Death Feedback. Now feeling sorry for Squealer, Saki secretly puts him out of his misery.

In the epilogue ten years later, Saki has married Satoru and they expect their first child. Both are positive that the world will be a better place by the time their child grows up.

Main characters

Saki Watanabe (渡辺 早季, Watanabe Saki)

Voiced by: Risa Taneda (12, 14 & 26 years old), Aya Endo (narrator, 36 years old) (Japanese); Emily Neves (English)Saki is the main character of the story. Initially, she is 12 years old, has short brown hair and argues a lot with Satoru while having a crush on Shun. Two years later, her hair now shoulder-length, she becomes Maria's girlfriend. Despite that, her feelings for Shun remain strong. After several incidents occur, she is eager to know the true secrets of the town. Tomiko also reveals that she has a strong mental stability capable of overcoming setbacks. After the second timeskip, she is 26 and now works at the Department of Mutant Management, investigating and regulating the Monster Rat colonies. In the epilogue, she marries Satoru and succeeds Tomiko as head of the Ethics Committee. Pregnant, Saki writes her experiences down so future generations would read in hope the world becomes a better place.

Satoru Asahina (朝比奈 覚, Asahina Satoru)

Voiced by: Kanako Tōjō (12 years old), Yūki Kaji (14, 26 & 36 years old) (Japanese); Greg Ayres (English)Satoru is the main male character and an energetic and mischievous boy who likes to argue with Saki. He is also observant, smart and skillful in using his telekinesis. After the timeskip, Satoru becomes Shun's boyfriend, but he starts dating another boy shortly after their breakup. After a second timeskip, he becomes Saki's partner and closest friend. He is adept at creating reflections, in the form of creating mirrors out of air - a skill that turns out to be incredibly useful. After the battle with the Monster Rats, Satoru also discovers the disturbing truth about the Monster Rats' origin and years later, becomes Saki's husband.

Shun Aonuma (青沼 瞬, Aonuma Shun)

Voiced by: Mai Tōdō (12 years old), Ayumu Murase (14 years old) (Japanese); Clint Bickham (English)Shun is the smartest and most composed of the group of friends and is able to think his way out of any situation. He is also very knowledgeable. Shun is also implied to be the most talented telekineticist of their generation. After the timeskip, he becomes Satoru's boyfriend, but later breaks up with him. Eventually he loses control of his telekinesis, turning him into a Karmic Demon (業魔, Gōma). It is also revealed that Shun had loved Saki since childhood, but he chose to avoid her due to his growing uncontrollable power. Near the end, he seems to have manifested a part of himself in Saki's consciousness, giving her crucial advice in order to change her decisions in the last few episodes.

Maria Akizuki (秋月 真理亜, Akizuki Maria)

Voiced by: Kana Hanazawa (Japanese); Monica Rial (English)Maria has long red hair and is stated to be the most popular girl in her class. After the timeskip, she develops feelings for Saki and becomes her girlfriend, although she later forms a duty pair with Mamoru. She is particularly adept at matter movement (e.g. levitation). After Mamoru runs away, she leaves the others to join him. It is revealed that she was pregnant with Mamoru's child and was held by the Robber Fly colony before she was murdered upon her child's birth.

Mamoru Itō (伊東 守, Itō Mamoru)

Voiced by: Haruka Kudō (12 years old), Motoki Takagi (14 years old) (Japanese); Blake Shepard (English)Mamoru is the most timid and the least talented of the group. Following the timeskip, he grows to have a crush on Maria and eventually partners with her as a duty pair. After learning about the Board of Education's plans to dispose of him, he leaves the village and hides in the mountains. Maria promises him that they will never be apart again, subsequently joining him and leaving the others behind. After the second time skip, with Tomiko confirming it, Mamoru was killed by the Robber Fly Monster Rats and had a child with Maria that Squealer raised to be the Monster Rats' "Messiah".

Humans

Tomiko Asahina (朝比奈 富子, Asahina Tomiko)

Voiced by: Yoshiko Sakakibara (Japanese); Allison Sumrall (English)Satoru's grandmother and also the head of the Ethics Committee. She intends for Saki to succeed her position as she possesses a strong mental stability as well as the qualities of a leader. Because of this, she had asked the Board of Education not to dispose of Saki and her friends despite knowing about the true history. She also revealed that they were responsible for erasing their bad memories of the past to protect the minds of the townsfolk. With the ability to regenerate the telomeres in her cells, Tomiko has managed to extend her life, having lived for more than 250 years. She also had a close encounter with an Ogre (悪鬼, Akki) in the past.

Shisei Kaburagi (鏑木 肆星, Kaburagi Shisei)

Voiced by: Takanori Hoshino (Japanese); David Matranga (English)The adviser of the Security Council and also the village's strongest telekineticist. He wears a hooded mask and has double irises in each eye, capable of detecting and dispelling attacks from all directions. He also displays calmness and confidence in retaliation against the Monster Rats' attack on the village but is still powerless against the Ogre.

Hiromi Torigai (鳥飼 宏美, Torigai Hiromi)

Voiced by: Yuri Amano (Japanese); Luci Christian (English)Chairman of the Board of Education. She is the most anxious and cautious among the council representatives. She dies in the Monster Rats attack during the Summer Festival.

Masayo Komatsuzaki (小松崎 昌代, Komatsuzaki Masayo)

Voiced by: Kaori Yamagata (Japanese); Nancy Novotny (English)Vice-chairman of the Board of Education.

Koufuu Hino (日野 光風, Hino Kōfū)

Voiced by: Kishō Taniyama (Japanese); Rob Mungle (English)The representative of the Occupations Council. He was killed by a sneak attack in the Monster Rats attack during the Summer Festival.

Mizuho Watanabe (渡辺 瑞穂, Watanabe Mizuho)

Voiced by: Miki Itō (Japanese); Carli Mosier (English)Saki's mother and also the head of the library. She entrusted Saki with the mission to search for the last weapon of mass destruction "Psychobuster" to eliminate the Ogre.

Takashi Sugiura (杉浦 敬, Sugiura Takashi)

Voiced by: Hiroki Touchi (Japanese); David Wald (English)Saki's father.

Inui (乾, Inui)

Voiced by: Kōsuke Toriumi (Japanese); Andrew Love (English)A Wildlife Protection officer. He was tasked to annihilate the Robber Fly colony and its allies but his mission failed. He was saved by Kiroumaru and he later accompanied Saki's group to Tokyo for her mission.

Mushin (無瞋, Mushin)

Voiced by: Tamio Ōki (Japanese); Carl Masterson (English)An old, heavily bearded head priest of the Temple of Purification. He conducts the ritual for children entering adulthood.

Rijin (離塵, Rijin)

Voiced by: Tomokazu Sugita (Japanese); Leraldo Anzaldua (English)A high priest of the Temple of Purification who seals away the children's telekinesis for breaking the rules and escorts them to be judged. He is killed by a Balloon Dog (風船犬, Fūsen Inu).

Reiko Amano (天野 麗子, Amano Reiko)

Voiced by: Yui Horie (Japanese); Brittney Karbowski (English)Reiko is the sixth member of Saki's group at the beginning of the story. Due to her weak performance in class, she was the first student to be killed by an Impure Cat.

Monster Rats

The Monster Rats (バケネズミ, Bakenezumi) are humanoid molerat mutants who live in colonies and appear obedient to the humans to the point of referring to them as gods. However, during the attack on the humans by Squealer, it's revealed that the Monster Rats disdain humans for the way they're treated. Saki eventually learns to her horror that Monster Rats are actually the descendants of normal humans who were genetically modified with molerat DNA to enable the humans with special powers to subjugate those who don't suffer the Death of Shame, whom they would otherwise be defenseless against.

Squealer (スクィーラ, Sukwīra) / Yakomaru (野狐丸, Yakomaru)

Voiced by: Daisuke Namikawa (Japanese); John Kaiser (English)Starting off as a lowly member of the Robber Fly colony who once offered help to Saki and Satoru, Squealer eventually attains knowledge and gains political clout to become the supreme commander of the Robber Fly colony, earning the name 'Yakomaru' while exhibiting a machiavellian nature. Despite being a weak and small colony initially, the Robber Fly colony grew to rival the Giant Hornets colony after the second timeskip. He initially appears to be faithful to the humans, but secretly learned the truth of his kind's origin, after which he planned to wipe out the human population and liberate all Monster Rats. The opportunity came when he had the runaway Maria and Mamoru murdered to obtain their newborn child to raise as both one of his own and as the Monster Rats' "Messiah". Squealer's plan was thwarted by Saki and he was later sentenced to suffer the 'Infinite Hell', consumed by his own nervous system and in agonizing pain. However, upon learning the truth behind the Monster Rats, Saki secretly gives Squealer a merciful death.

Kiroumaru (奇狼丸, Kirōmaru)

Voiced by: Hiroaki Hirata (Japanese); David Wald (English)The supreme commander of the Giant Hornet colony, he risked his own life to let Saki and Satoru return to their friends instead of executing them. Much later on, Kiroumaru's colony was decimated by the Robber Fly colony with the aid of their "Messiah" and he ended up at the Temple of Purification. After being released by Saki, Kiroumaru leads her and her group to the ruins of Tokyo to obtain the Psycho Buster to thwart Squealer's plans. After the plan with the Psycho Buster fails, revealing his own distain for humans, Kiroumaru asks Saki to spare his colony from the humans' retaliation as he sacrifices himself to defeat the "Messiah".

Squnk (スクォンク, Sukwonku)

Voiced by: Kanehira Yamamoto (Japanese); John Swasey (English)A member of the Goat Moth colony. Saki saved him from drowning when he fell into a river. Two years later, he repaid the favor by saving Mamoru after he fell off a cliff. He gives Saki a letter from Maria.

Novel

The novel From the New World was written by the Japanese author Yusuke Kishi and published by Kodansha. Its original publication was on January 23, 2008, in two volumes. It is believed that the author has remained "silent" three years prior to publishing the novel. On August 7, 2009, it was re-released as a single volume under the Kodansha Novels imprint and again on January 14, 2011, as three volumes under the Kodansha Bunko imprint.

Manga

A manga adaption of the novel, drawn by Tōru Oikawa, was serialized in Kodansha's Bessatsu Shōnen Magazine. The first chapter was published in the June 2012 issue on May 9, 2012, and the final in the July 2014 issue on June 9, 2014. Additionally, the series has been collected in seven tankōbon volumes under the Kodansha Comics imprint, released between October 9, 2012, and August 8, 2014. In 2013 the series was licensed in English by Vertical Inc, who released the first six volumes between November 12, 2013, and September 9, 2014.

Anime

An anime adaptation by A-1 Pictures aired between September 2012 and March 2013. It has been licensed by Sentai Filmworks in North America. The anime does not have an opening theme but theme songs that are played during the closing credits. "Wareta Ringo" (割れたリンゴ, lit. Sliced Apple) by Risa Taneda was used for episode 1 through 16, which was replaced by "Yuki ni Saku Hana" (雪に咲く花, lit. The Flower Blooming in Snow) by Kana Hanazawa starting in episode 17. During the episode incidental music quotes the Symphony #9 by Antonín Dvořák, which is subtitled "From the New World".

Reception

In 2008 the novel received the 29th Nihon SF Taisho Award.