WorldEnd: What are you doing at the end of the world? Are you busy? Will you save us?

WorldEnd, officially known as "Shūmatsu Nani Shitemasu ka? Isogashii Desu ka? Sukutte Moratte Ii Desu ka?", which translates to "What do you do at the end of the world? Are you busy? Will you save us?", is a Japanese light novel series written by Akira Kareno and illustrated by Ue. The series was adapted into an anime television series which aired in 2017. The premise is set in a world riddled with desolation and the remnants of a great and terrible conflict that has left the human race virtually extinct.

The story takes place hundreds of years after mysterious beasts, known as "Beasts", have driven humanity to extinction. The remaining races now inhabit floating islands in the sky, out of reach of the monstrous threats that lurk on the surface. These islands are the last bastions of life, floating above an eerie and forsaken landscape. In this post-apocalyptic setting, where the melancholic backdrop gives way to a sense of enchantment and wonder, a complex story unfolds.

The protagonist of WorldEnd is Willem Kmetsch, a disenchanted and emotionally scarred young man who once fought as a brave warrior against the Beasts but was petrified and consequently has lost everything dear to him. Now, five hundred years after the great war, he wakes up from his petrification to find that he is seemingly the last surviving human. Willem's struggles to come to terms with this new reality, his sorrowful past, and his search for a place in a world that has moved on without him, is a central theme throughout the series.

In his pursuit to find purpose, Willem gets a job as a caretaker for a weapons warehouse. However, these "weapons" are not the inanimate objects one would expect; they are, in fact, a group of young, leprechaun-like girls who possess the ability to wield powerful swords capable of confronting the Beasts. These girls are Fairy Soldiers, children born with the ability to fight the Beasts, and although they are seen merely as tools of war, Willem sees them as something more. The girls, ignorant of the true nature of their existence and the grim fate that awaits them on the battlefield, form bonds with Willem, who takes on the role of their guardian and father figure.

One of the Fairy Soldiers is Chtholly Nota Seniorious, a lively and cheerful girl who develops a particularly close relationship with Willem. Chtholly's bright personality and her determination to make the most of her life in the face of daunting circumstances provide an emotional anchor to the series. As their relationship deepens, Willem's desire to protect the girls becomes more intense, setting the stage for a poignant narrative of love, loss, and the yearning for something to protect in a world where almost everything has been lost.

WorldEnd weaves its story with a blend of drama, romance, and fantasy elements that challenge the characters' understanding of life, duty, and destiny. The intense emotional arcs of its characters, combined with a meticulously developed setting filled with myth and mystery, offers a narrative that is both deeply moving and thought-provoking. It tackles profound questions about the nature of sacrifice, the pain of letting go, and the strength required to make the hardest choices.

The anime distinguishes itself with its attention to world-building, creating an intricate and engrossing backdrop for the characters' journey. The art and music go hand in hand to produce a melancholic atmosphere, accentuated by vistas of haunting beauty and a soundtrack that stirs the soul. It's a series that doesn't shy from plunging its viewers into a well of bittersweet emotions, all while providing bursts of action that are both thrilling and laden with narrative significance.

The viewers are led to explore themes of what it means to persist in the face of insurmountable odds, the significance of memories and the past, and the various forms love can take in a world bereft of hope. The complexities associated with the fleeting beauty of life, and the existential weight of their daily existence, challenge the characters in WorldEnd to find their own answers to the questions proposed in the title.

As a series that deftly combines the light and darkness of its world, WorldEnd stands as a contemplative and emotionally resonant experience that invites its audience to ponder the value of existence and the myriad ways in which we find purpose amongst despair. It is a tale that lingers long after the final episode concludes, a story rich with emotional depth and fantastical elements that entwine to tell a tale that is at once unique, tragic, and undeniably human.