This Ugly Yet Beautiful World

Infobox animanga/Header
name = This Ugly Yet Beautiful World


caption =
ja_name = この醜くも美しい世界
ja_name_trans = Kono Minikuku mo Utsukushii Sekai
genre = Comedy-drama, Science fiction, RomanceInfobox animanga/Anime
title =
director = Saeki Soji
studio = Gainax
licensor = flagicon|USA ADV Films
network = flagicon|Japan TBS
network_other = flagicon|United States Anime Network
flagicon|United Kingdom Propeller TV
first = 1 April 2004
last = 16 June 2004
episodes = 12Infobox animanga/Manga
title =
author = Gainax (original creator)
Ashita Morimi (art)
publisher = flagicon|Japan Hakusensha
demographic = Seinen
magazine = Young Animal
first = August 27, 2004
last =
volumes = 3

nihongo|"This Ugly Yet Beautiful World"|この醜くも美しい世界|Kono Minikuku mo Utsukushii Sekai is an anime television series created by Shouji Saeki and Hiroyuki Yamaga. It was co-produced by the Gainax and Shaft animation studios.

The series aired on the Tokyo Broadcasting System from April 1, 2004 to June 16, 2004, totaling 12 episodes. A manga adaptation, illustrated by Ashita Morimi, was serialized in Hakusensha's "Young Animal".

Plot

Takeru and Ryo are two high school students who work doing deliveries for the former's uncle. One night, the two go to investigate a mysterious light in the woods only to find a young girl. Takeru and Ryo are promptly attacked by a strange alien monster, which is defeated when Takeru unknowingly transforms into a powerful and strange looking beast himself. The girl, who the boys name "Hikari" (light), is taken in by Takeru when she confesses to having no memory of who she is.

They are later joined by: Jennifer Portman, an American scientist with an interest in the boys and Hikari; Aionios, a shape-shifting robot loyal to Hikari; Kuon, a little floating alien; and Akari, Hikari's "sister". The series follows the daily lives of its characters as they learn about the human condition and face the incoming monsters.

Characters

Main characters

;Takeru TakemotoTakeru Takemoto is the series' main character. He comes off as a lazy and unmotivated teenager, but is really just unsure of his place in the world. He found and named Hikari in the woods in the first episode. After finding Hikari, Takeru gains inexplicable new powers which allow him to transform into a powerful, yet primal being. Takeru eventually develops a love interest in Hikari, ultimately convincing Hikari to spare the world for their love.

;HikariA mysterious girl who 'fell from the sky', Hikari fell in love with Takeru at first sight after being found in the first episode. She is very cheerful and thinks that almost everything is beautiful. While she can not remember anything before the day Takeru found her, it is later discovered her purpose is to destroy Earth. Hikari has split personalities, and her appearance changes depending on which one is dominant; her "good" personality is characterized by red hair and green eyes, and her "evil" personality is characterized by pink hair and red eyes. By the series' end, she decides to destroy the earth, but Takeru stops her with his love for her. In the end of the anime, Hikari instead lives with Akari in the stars.

;Ryo NinomiyaRyo Ninomiya is Takeru's best friend and is favored by many of the girls at school because of his gentle nature. He is consistently called "Ryo-sama" by Sakurako and Amika. He is the one who found Akari and throughout the series develops feelings for her. At the end of the series, he was about to kiss Akari, but his efforts fall short when Akari stops him and says they are family. Ryo smiles and gently kisses her forehead.

;AkariAkari is a young girl that appears just as mysteriously as Hikari. Ryo finds her in the forest and makes her part of his family. She considers Hikari her older sister, and she grows very attached to Ryo and Kimi. Akari is revealed later that she and Hikari are actually one being and that they were split into two during their landing. The part of Hikari's personality that doesn't want the earth destroyed is manifested in Akari. In the end of the anime, she and Hikari wander the stars with only each other.

Supporting characters

;Mari Mari Nishino is Takeru's cousin, While she nags Takeru for various reasons, Mari harbors jealousy of Takeru and Hikari's relationship. Although she denies her feelings for him early in the series, Mari falls in love with Takeru.

;Jennifer PortmanJennifer Portman is a crazy American super-scientist who came to Japan to study the "Extended Definition", a species' ability to prevent its own extinction. She moves in with Takeru, Hikari, and Mari. She's rarely to be seen without some kind of alcohol and is somewhat of an exhibitionist.

;Shinichi Asakura and Daijirou MatsumuraShinichi Asakura and Daijirou Matsumura are schoolmates of Takeru who seem to always be dreaming up some kind of perverted fantasy, especially once they met Hikari.

Shinichi anime voices|Atsushi Kisaichi|Bobby MartinezDaijiro anime voices|Hideki Hagiwara|Chris Patton

;Sakurako Urushima and Amika KurebayashiThese two girls love Ryo, or "Ryo-sama". They made Hikari's and Akari's clothing. They also egg on the love triangle between Takeru, Mari and Hikari.

Sakurako anime voices|Manabi Mizuno|Lesley TeshAmika anime voices|Yumi Kikuchi|Ditzie Hightower

;Itchō and Sumie NishinoItchō and Sumie Nishino are Mari's parents. They took in Takeru when his mother abandoned him at a young age. Currently, they run two business ventures: a delivery business and a boarding service.

Itcho anime voices|Dai Matsumoto|Bob ParkeSumie anime voices|Tomoko Kotani|Anne Armogida

;Kimi NinomiyaKimi is Ryo's loud-mouthed younger sister who takes care of the housework when her brother is out. She was the only person living with Ryo until Akari came.

;KuonKuon is the little creature that takes care of Akari. He looks like a specter with two luminous eyes but no defined body shape, except by his clothing. He is capable of levitation and apparently has some sharp tentacles, as he is seen carrying a watermelon with them which he later uses to remove the rind from the watermelon. Towards the end of the series, Kuon and Aionios turn to mud and become a crystal. Koun becomes a chip of the crystal which is probably why Kuon was small and Aionios was big.

;IoneosAionios is like Kuon's "older brother," as he and Kuon are created from the same type of magical crystal. However, Aionios' appearance and size are much larger and sleeker than Kuon's because he is comprised of an entire crystal, save a small chipped fragment which Kuon is made from. He was sealed inside of one of the school's stone pillars until Hikari accidentally released him during a routine fire drill. The entire school was subsequently demolished after the blast following Aionios' release. Jennifer nicknamed him "Oniita," saying that his original name was too long. In the end, Aionis turns into mud along with Kuon and become crystals. Kuon being the little chip and Aionios being the big crystal. Jennifer puts them on a necklace and wears the crystal.

Design

Themes

"This Ugly Yet Beautiful World" explores the nature of interpersonal and intimate relationships in the face of the impending obliteration of life on Earth.Fact|date=April 2008

Media

Episodes

# Dawn is the Dividing Line Between Light and Darkness
# You're My First
# Two In the Shade of a Tree
# Life From Now On
# School Days
# Lingering by the Water's Edge
# Prelude to a Kiss
# This Wonderful World
# Wish Upon a Star
# False Heart
# Flowing Along With Time
# My Heart's Song

Music

Soundtrack composer: Tsuyoshi Watanabe

;Opening song::"Metamorphose" by Youko Takahashi

;Ending song::"Natsuiro no Kakera" by Youko Ishida

External links

* [http://www.gainax.co.jp/anime/konomini/ Gainax's official "This Ugly Yet Beautiful World" website] jp icon
* [http://www25.advfilms.com/titles/thisugly/ ADV Films's official "This Ugly Yet Beautiful World" anime official website]
*ann anime|id=2836|This Ugly Yet Beautiful World