I usually do not like post-apocalyptic shows, as it always presents the fall and demise of society; however “Sunday Without God” certainly goes in a different direction than you surmise. But there is a big problem with the logic and physics of this dying world we find ourselves in.

It is the future. Fifteen years earlier, God abandoned the world, but initially, didn’t tell anyone. The world made two discoveries: no one was dying and no one was being born. God later came down to say that Heaven was overcrowded (What? Really? And God couldn’t do anything about it?) and that there would be no new admittances and that we were on our own. But it’s like “Death Becomes Her”, in that you have to take care of your body. You can still die, but you just kind of hang around as your body rots away.

In this village of no given name, we find 12-year-old Ai Astin (dead center). Her mother was a gravekeeper, but since she was the last person who could really die and did so, Ai has taken over the position. She tends over the 134 graves in the village, ready for the day when she has to use them. A stranger comes into the town and proceeds to kill everyone, as he looks for this mysterious Hana. His name is Hampnie Hambart (to her right). Since she has no reason to stay in the village and he has places to go, they set out on a journey to try and find Hana and even to help Ai in her quest to save the world God has abandoned.

Along the way, they encounter a lot of folks. Aside from acquiring friend and rival Julie Sakuma Dmitriyevich (it’s a guy’s name and that’s him to the far left), the also pick up Scar (second from left). She is also a gravekeeper, but has been doing it longer and, in theory, does a better job. Yes, gravekeepers are given that marvelous shovel. We also discover the mysterious Alice (another guy’s name and that’s him to Ai’s left) and Dee, Alice’s girlfriend.

This is one of those shows that could easily keep on going, as the basic stories are not resolved and could also easily dissolve into the ‘Who Can We Save This Week” kind of approach. The ending arc tale was unsettling, as it raised more questions than it could answer, but it also did nothing to conclude the explanations. Both intriguing and aggravating, it does earn its chops for taking on an unusual concept. There is an OVA, which is more three brief tales and it is the only place you get any real degree of fan service. Yes, Scar possesses a nice set of tombstones, but it appears to be done more to emphasis she is a woman (as opposed to the pre-pubescent Ai) than anything more ecchi. Oh, and the guys get to flex their beefcakes as well in that OVA.

But, back to the logistics. I never really got an adequate explanation as to people dying. If no one can honestly die, they how do they die? If we inter them, do they just lay there, as if they have the worst case of insomnia? Wouldn’t it get boring? Would TV be nice, even if it is “Teletubbies”? I came up with a theory on my own. There are these light zips that flitter and flutter about. What if this is the soul? The person has had to leave their body, but since Heaven has the “No Vacancy” sing hanging out, they hover in the atmosphere. Possible? Just askin’, folks!

On a scale of 1 to 10:

Artwork 7 (They make the girls too cute)
Plot 8 (Holding its own, despite the logistics)
Pacing 7 (Moves along consistently)
Effectiveness 7 (Things just aren’t explained)
Conclusion 7 (It reaches a ‘coupler’, but hasn’t ended)
Fan Service 2 (A similar show would be “Okamisan”)

Overall 7 (I wished for a bit more bite)

And remember, it’s first run until you’ve seen it. I will save humanity.