May 13, 2021

To Your Eternity – Episode 5 Review: A “Happy” Ending

Updated: Jun 3, 2021

Freedom is close for March and her friends, but those who want Fushi aren’t letting the immortal go without a fight.

“And he completed the first task in his process of growth: becoming aware”

The woman from Yanome, arrow and bow in hand, ready to shoot at March and Parona — Hunting for immortals

The last time we saw March and friends, she was still stuck in the cells of the Yanome. With no hope, and only the future of living as a prisoner, things seem bleak for their little group. Until Parona manages to escape, and sets them free. Now their greatest challenge is to escape the city unscathed. But the Yanome are tough. They don’t let things go easily. And with the chance of having a powerful immortal like Fushi with them, they were willing to do anything to keep him from escaping.

And Fushi? He’s just waiting for the next event to initiate his evolution. And it might come sooner than he thinks.

“I want to do everything a grown up can”

March presenting mud balls as a "Treat" to Parona — Time to eat!

There’s nothing else to say for this episode except…

Bravo! Bravo for once again making the entire audience cheer, cry, and hope for a better tomorrow. To Your Eternity has once again reminded us that our pain is its own pleasure as it finishes the latest chapter in the story of Fushi. In weaving the final chapter of the story of the girls from NInnanah, To Your Eternity showed the audience the richness of its world and the horror and beauty it carries. All in the name of its philosophical themes, the almost roundabout approach of the story still achieved it’s goals in the end. Which is to finally grow the skeleton of who Fushi would be. The seed of his personality finally sprouting to show the person Fushi can grow into. And how the lasting effects of his time with the young March will stick with him.

“Growing up means knowing everything, right?”

The ghost of March and the great Oniguma in the wreckage of the destroyed city of Yanome — Why did this happen...

One of the most beautiful aspects of the Ninnanah arc is in how it teaches the innocence of childhood won’t always protect you from the real world. How ‘home’ and ‘safe’ aren’t always the same. March really learned this lesson first hand. And it’s a lesson that hits hard for any sheltered individual, whether young or old. Watching the foundation of what you thought was comfortable crumble and leave you to the wolves is a painful process indeed. And it seems that the show wants to go with a theme of “the destruction of home and childhood”. If it did, the arc could have been way edgier, way darker, and not as emotionally satisfying. But thankfully, To Your Eternity has more to say than that. More than just edgy stories with historical violence and blood (and boy does this show have lots of it). Because it still all about how inevitable life works, and how wonderful and terrifying it can be.

With March being taken away from her home as a sacrifice to their ancient deity, meeting a being that could count as a god itself, finding herself on an adventure that took her far from home, she has found herself seeing more about the world than she ever could if she stayed at home. She learned that other communities existed. She discovered letters, and new food. She made new friends along her journey. And this sense of wonder despite the hardships seems to be one of the arcs themes.

Because despite her suffering, she still managed to grow by knowing more. If growing up meant knowing more, then she certainly did even just a little bit.

Of course, that doesn’t mean that positivity is the only thing the show wants to do. Tragedy is intrinsic to the story telling manner of To Your Eternity. And Fushi seems to always be in the center of tragedy every time. Fushi and Parona at least.

While March’s whole story was linked to her childlike wonder clashing with horrible realities around her, Parona seemed to be finding the comfort of a child in a cold world. A reflection to March, perfectly matched and aligned. Because Parona is a survivor thanks to the sacrifices of others. Every single time, she feels a sort of responsibility to her life thanks to these sacrifices. And with the decision she made to go and save March, this is obviously what drives her arc and ultimately leads to a tragedy of its own. A theme of the unpredictability of life can be seen here, which is balanced with the theme of how the decisions we make for ourselves and others is what ultimately matters more. And ultimately, Parona will always carry that burden of the choices others made for her, and will always push her to be stronger for others as well.

With Fushi, he’s all about becoming human. Ever since March decided to be a “mama” to Fushi, it is also connected to the childhood innocence of March. He’s even more innocent than March, knowing only the pain of the world, but with no capacity to understand it. With March, he finally understands empathy and kindness. Think How To Train Your Dragon except bloodier and more motherly. Because Fushi is just an immortal Toothless that can change shape. And with stories like these, it always brings the best tragic drama, which the show exploits deliciously.