[Anime] Kami-sama no Inai Nichiyoubi/Sunday Without God: Ep 1

Valley of Death (1)

Ai, the little girl protagonist doesn't follow the usual magical girl tropes despite having what appears to be a magic shovel. She doesn't simper or whine or burst into comical tears. She does her duty and deals with the hand dealt her. It's pretty refreshing in that aspect.

Anyway, there's this super mysterious stranger in town and he kicks her in the face, because, you know, that's totally legit to do to small children. Especially after murdering the whole town. Yep.

Except, in a flashback, we find out that the world doesn't work that way. Instead of actually dying, people still roam around with hideous wounds (think the last season of Torchwood). God has abandoned the world, no one can die or have children. For fifteen years, the only solace and escape from the world was through burial by a grave-keeper. They alone have the magic to send the soul on.

Ai, who's mother was a grave-keeper, takes up the mantel after she passes. She was told that her father was the mysterious Hampnie Hambart (seriously, what sort of name is this?) and that he would come visit some day.

The mysterious stranger, of course, after this revelation, reveals that his name is, in fact, Hampnie Hambart. Ai's claim that he is her father is met with opposition after which, Hampnie asks her to accompany him in order to dig some graves and bury some people.

Some people happens to be the whole town, as mentioned above. She has an encounter with one villager who, despite missing half his face, is still mobile and carrying on a decent, albeit creepy, conversation.

This leads to the encounter from earlier in the episode, in which Ai is kicked in the face and knocked unconscious. Upon waking, she decides that Hampnie is a big douchebag and not her dad. She does her job, and buries the entire village as he watches. Afterwards, she follows him, having really no other course of action left to her. He tells her that she can't be a true grave-keeper. Ai has feelings and parents, both things which grave-keepers lack. Hampnie then introduces her to a real grave keeper who holds a monochrome scheme and none of Ai's vibrancy.

This anime is really good, you guys. If you haven't started watching it, I urge you to at least attempt it. There are only seven episodes so far, but you won't regret it.