As they done with previous episodes, the intros are most likely going to be small flashbacks. Starting from "modern day" to 500 years later then to 570 years later. I didn't get to cover the "500 years later" scene but it was about a ceremony of a Lord with Joryoku rising up into power or the crowning of the new Lord. When the herald (the guy who was speaking) sacrifices the people in the crowd, this showed the Holly Cherry Blossom Empire's power and influence over its people. The "570 years later" scene of episode 3, it showed 3 men rebelling against the empire attempting to assassinate the current lord. The intros will most likely cover the events from the Kanto Period (500 years after) and to the Tanegawa Ibaraki Period (current time period that the show is on). What happens from modern day to the Kanto Period? I'll get to that later in the post.
The stories that Satoru tells are an example of the elders influencing the minds of the younger ones. Most of the stories' themes being "don't do this...", "don't go near that...", and etc. The elders remind me of the Church; as what the elders did, the church also controlled the mindset of their followers. Both the elders and the church influence their followers. They both have many secrets that they want to keep and instead most likely tell different "truths". This will something I might add to later on in the series, especially when there is more information to compare the two.
Episode 3 also developed the story and context more. Developing the relationships between characters, ie. boat scene with Saki and Shun and etc.; also showing more of the Joryoku.
Then... "bam!!", huge development in the story! The scene with the library robot (Tsukuba branch of the National Assembly Library) is going to be the start of the main plot of the story. What happens after this will most likely be the group of kids finding out truth which could be about the rise/history of Joryoku or secrets that the elders don't talk about. I'm guessing that the truth that the kids learn about will cover the time period of modern day to the Kanto Period. The series has a very compelling plot which keeps me interested in the world of Shinsekai and eagerly waiting for the next episode. With the main plot already starting, Shinsekai has a lot in store to show its viewers. Until next episode...
~Ouroboros
