One thousand years later, humanity, as Rousseau had predicted, returned to its origins. People abandoned machine civilization, leaving only the minimal technology necessary for a comfortable life at the level of the early twentieth century. There is no central authority—inhabitants live in small towns and villages in harmony with nature. Oil and atomic power are no longer needed—every community has masters of "dzuryoku," a mysterious force that we would call telekinesis. A holder of such power can perform any physical labor or use their strength to protect fellow citizens. The gift, which can be awakened by rituals resembling ancient magic, manifests around the age of twelve. It is at this age that the main characters of the series enter… Saki Watanabe lived in the town of Kamisu‑66, unaware of problems. Her father was mayor, her mother the chief librarian; at magic school the girl met childhood friends Satō, Mamoru, Maria, and Syun, and soon the friendly quintet ventured far beyond the program. The curious kids then raised their first "troublesome questions": why do adults dislike leaving the town? Where did the race of intelligent rats—bakēnadzumi—come from, supposedly loyal servants of humanity? Where do children disappear to, and who truly owns the world? Answers to these and other mysteries led the young heroes to shatter their delusions and exile, but they also revealed a truth that Rousseau would later articulate in another classic: only those who are worthy of life and freedom, who fight for them every day, deserve it.
A-1 Pictures Inc. Japan