Ooyukiumi no Kaina - Episode 1

"Ooyukiumi no Kaina" or "Kaina of the Great Snow Sea" is a new anime series animated by Polygon Pictures and written by Tsutomu Nihei, known for his works "Blame!", "Knights of Sidonia," and "Aposimz." The series is set in a new world covered by a sea of snow, where the trees have grown so large that they have formed a canopy over the earth. The protagonist of the series is Kaina, a young boy who hunts a space beetle to bring it back to his village to feed his older friends. The village is located in a tree that no longer produces the resources necessary for survival, and the elders are worried that Kaina will be left alone when they are gone.

The episode begins with Kaina's hunt for the space beetle and then introduces a mysterious old man who speaks in riddles and refuses to explain practical details. The viewer is left wondering what the old man's intentions are and what he wants from Kaina. Later in the episode, Kaina meets Liliha, a girl who has made a pact with a tribe on the surface to reach a "Floater," a type of balloon they must attach themselves to. The episode raises questions about the relationship between Kaina and Liliha and what their shared journey will entail.

The episode also includes a lot of background information about the planet's history and its past. The viewer learns that in the past, there were gesture readers who taught others how to read, though this information is not entirely clear, leaving the viewer with questions. The episode leaves the audience wanting to learn more about the world, the characters, and their journey. It also creates a sense of intrigue and mystery around the series. Overall, the first episode lays the groundwork for a fascinating and mysterious adventure with many questions to be answered in future episodes.