Kyoukai no Kanata (TV)

[Buffalobiian]

http://img600.imageshack.us/img600/3993/mhez.jpg

Alternative title:
Beyond the Boundary
Kyōkai no Kanata
境界の彼方 (Japanese)

Genres: fantasy

Plot Summary:

-MAL-
The dark fantasy follows a high school sophomore named Akihito Kanbara. Although the boy appears human, he is half youmu and invulnerable to wounds because he can heal quickly. One day, Akihito meets freshman Mirai Kuriyama when it seems she is about to jump from the school rooftop. Mirai is isolated because of her ability to manipulate blood, which is unique even among members of the spirit world. Disturbing events begin to unfold after Akihito saves Mirai.

-ANN-
Akihito Kanbara is a high school sophomore in the literature club who believes himself to be a "Meganest", and although he appears to be human, he is actually half Yōmu, which makes him invulnerable to wounds, due to the fact that he can heal so quickly, and also immortal. One day, Akihito meets freshman Mirai Kuriyama when it appears as if she is about to attempt suicide by jumping off of the school rooftop. Mirai is isolated because of her ability to manipulate blood, which is considered heresy even among other members of the underworld, so she is shunned. Soon after Akihito saves Mirai, disturbing events begin to arise.

Links: ANN (http://www.animenewsnetwork.com.au/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=15546), MAL (http://myanimelist.net/anime/18153/Kyoukai_no_Kanata)


[Mezashite] Kyoukai no Kanata - 01 [C5710894].mkv (http://www.nyaa.se/?page=download&tid=479040)
[Commie] Kyoukai no Kanata - 01 [8AFF69A3].mkv (http://www.nyaa.se/?page=download&tid=479062)

[Kraco]

I couldn't help but think that the director had played Skyrim when Mirai stood up from the wreck of the locker with her head inside a bucket, and she couldn't figure out what was going on, being so suddenly blinded.

While this looks much more interesting than most KyoAni shows of late, I was still slightly disappointed by the sort of lethargy and passiveness the two main characters displayed. As if they were content being the victims of the fate caused by their own higher than normal powers. I personally find that an annoying setting in fiction, even though I do recognize in the Japanese culture being different, even if you are different by being more awesome, is still a bad thing - simply because you are different and that's it. So, instead of forcing their way through and creating their own destiny, they try to play it low and practically disappear from the face of the Earth, hoping the petty, jealous people around them will let them be if they worm low enough.

I hope those two finding each other will break that self-made curse. At least the dude is already going against the recommendations.

[shinta|hikari]

I find the usual KyoAni art combined with the more serious action scenes jarring. It is mainly their fault for associating that style with moe crap, but it is also a fact that they can use different art styles more appropriate for this theme (FMPSR, Haruhi). The comedy was great though, even if that is really odd for this type of show. In a sense, this series is a serious venture for the studio, combining their usual comedy direction and delivery to a more serious plot.

I really dislike tennen megane characters, so I am mostly watching this hoping for some better characters to show up.

[Ryllharu]

I find the usual KyoAni art combined with the more serious action scenes jarring. It is mainly their fault for associating that style with moe crap, but it is also a fact that they can use different art styles more appropriate for this theme (FMPSR, Haruhi). [snip]

I really dislike tennen megane characters, so I am mostly watching this hoping for some better characters to show up.
Bleh. Couldn't disagree with shinta more.

Mirai's character design is straight out of a Kawashita Mizuki (http://www.mangaupdates.com/authors.html?id=42) manga, which in and of itself is awesome. Personality-wise, she's not bad either...and in fact all the girls we've met so far are on the sociopath spectrum.

Art wise, I think it works great. The animation isn't quite as fluid and natural as Tamako Market's was, but the acrobatics and bloodswordplay was entertaining to watch. It was well done, as was the multiple tripping incidents. If they can keep up this level of well-framed action sequences, I think KyoAni will have proved that they can still do action.

[shinta|hikari]

Don't get me wrong, the action scenes were great and the rest is also animated well. KyoAni is really good at using subtle movements and direction to improve the impact or delivery of a scene. My gripe is a personal issue of me associating the art style to comedies that the studio usually makes. It isn't a K-ON clone, but you can definitely see the likeness.

[Buffalobiian]

HS - Episode 02 (http://www.nyaa.se/?page=download&tid=481322)


-----------------









Action scenes were fluid. The only thing there is that I'm now starting to lose my suspense of disbelief regarding her clumsiness. That's some amazing coordination display that can't be done by someone who can't respond to several falling brooms. The character can be forgetful or not have an eye for detail, but clumsy and acrobatics/swordplay just don't co-exist.

If she changes her personality during battle like Sattelizer does then that's fine.

I'm much more interested in the Mio (http://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=7&cad=rja&ved=0CEMQFjAG&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmyanimelist.net%2Fcharacter%2F195 66%2FAkiyama_Mio&ei=vsVWUvvxFciOlQXbrYD4DA&usg=AFQjCNFgNIH4JKvUaHeSqVI-XA5hfIUMRg&sig2=4QZYZmo-5985yUfODDMRCQ&bvm=bv.53760139,d.dGI) look-alike, and already rather despise the Noumi (http://accelworld.wikia.com/wiki/Seiji_Noumi) look-alike.

[Kraco]

Episode 3 - HS (http://www.nyaa.se/?page=download&tid=483543)




- - - - - -- -





This is a KyoAni show alright. Although technically there's stuff happening, even in multiple places, I still can't really come up with anything to say about it. Maybe the next episode will change that, as it looks like they might try to destroy the big bad shadow monster by letting it possess Kanbara, and then Mirai "kills" him, resulting in the death of the youmu. Since Kanbara himself is an immortal bastard, he will actually survive the ordeal. Even if he turns into a sponge due to all the puncture wounds.

I like the club president chick a lot more. She's a bit cold, but I guess it can't be helped, being surrounded by idiots and everything.

[shinta|hikari]

I find it funny how immortals in fiction are treated like they are fine with getting killed. Getting killed hurts. People are traumatized by near death experiences. Actually dying is much worst, especially if you do it over and over again. The pain does not lessen, even if you say you get used to it. Getting used to dying can be seen as a form of mental trauma and insanity. I actually want to see how this is explored, but unfortunately, this show isn't going that road.

[Kraco]

I thought Kanbara did complain about it to Mirai, that it hurts. But maybe I'm remembering wrong.

[shinta|hikari]

Yeah, but is was treated as comedy and he kept getting killed like it was no big deal.

[Kraco]

Yeah, but is was treated as comedy and he kept getting killed like it was no big deal.

Considering how he acted like a pure weakling and hardly put up a fight, I'd say it was really no big deal. A persecuted person with an amazing power really should learn to fight and stand up for themselves, just like Mirai does, even though she's carrying another kind of burden. Otherwise they are an insult to all persecuted people who have no means of fighting back even if they wanted.

Since Kanbara didn't really fight back, aside from occasionally running, I'd guess maybe he's a super-M, who actually enjoyed it, but (fortunately) not shameless enough to show it?

[shinta|hikari]

Well, someone who actually enjoys dying (not merely downplaying the consequences) might be interesting.

[Ryllharu]

Kyoukai no Kanata - 04 (http://www.nyaa.se/?page=download&tid=485888)



----------------

This is easily KyoAni's best show in years. The combat scenes in this episode were good, they didn't go overboard with any gloopy tears and Akihito and Mirai are both absolute monsters. When her ring is removed, her caustic blood annihilates everything and brings an end to anything living. He is a demon in the purest sense once his youma side awakens.

It's nice that the two of them can sympathize, and that Kuriyama finally realized that he did understand her. While she has great control over her own cursed blood, he has no control, and has to hope that the others can keep him from slaughtering everyone nearby. Worse, he has evidently been getting stronger each and every time.

Shindou Ai, the young youma, appears to be a nekomata (albeit a cutesy KyoAni one), so I assume her sister is the same.

Total bullshit that they stole the Hollow Shadow from her. It would probably be worth at least a few million yen.

I guess that the youngest Nase sister is on the level, but the other two siblings in the Nase family are in on whatever evil scheme they have.

Don't know what to make of the little Inami sister yet. For someone so angry, she fled awful fast.

[Kraco]

Nobody's going to make a living out of that profession if a monster like that gets you 200 yen, the price of a WcDonald hamburger. Even if they were scammed, it changes nothing. If they scam people who bring in better stuff, they probably do it with lesser stuff as well, and nobody can live with such earnings. I somehow doubt the spirit warriors can go ebay the stones either, so they are stuck with the scammers. The so far unknown organization really found a way to destroy spirit warriors by making the trade economically impossible. I suppose the only way for the spirit warriors to recover would be to stop selling the stones (to their enemies) and instead charge affected outsiders for the exorcism.

Well, assuming anybody does it for living. But if they don't, then why would they do it in addition of their real, ordinary jobs and then bother to sell the stones?

A damn fine episode in any case, for reasons Ryll already mentioned.

[shinta|hikari]

I merely browsed through your comments, but you guys raised my expectations way up now.

Lessee.

[Buffalobiian]

Total bullshit that they stole the Hollow Shadow from her. It would probably be worth at least a few million yen.

Izumi would be the one to do any stealing, that's my guess. I don't think they routinely rip people off. I'm also not sure what she means when she says that the Warrior Society will be "stalled". I don't think they mean financially, but who knows. We know nothing of who ultimately buys the stones and for what purpose.

[shinta|hikari]

Excellent episode.

KyoAni really is excellent at subtlety. The small hand movements, the quick peek at the very end, all these add up to deliver something that feels like (and actually does) have a high degree of completion. I think this is the most valid criticism towards anime in general. It is simply not polished enough, even in the BDs. Who would have thought that having this attention to detail in an action show would produce such great results (I did, and always waited for KyoAni to do something like this, and it paid off)?

What the hell was she eating at the very end? Was it liver stir fried with spring onions? Made me hungry dammit.

I hate megane tennen characters, but I have to admit I found her cute this episode.

EDIT: Just watched til the end, and they really did steal her kill. I thought you guys were just assuming. This is made all the more horrible by the fact that she actually needs cash to eat, and that eating is directly related to her survival, not just in the usual sense but also in combat.

[Kraco]

Too bad they both, for their own personal reasons, are probably such big goody two-shoes that they probably wouldn't even dream of fighting back. So, the scammers can scam Mirai all they want, till she drops dead from hunger, all the time thinking she surely deserves such a gruesome end. But I suppose I can trust in KyoAni to give her a happier ending than that.

[David75]

That ep felt like an ending with the way everything happened. But it isn't... and since it's hard to believe they can maintain that quality... or even improve, I wonder what we'll get in the eps to come.

[Buffalobiian]

HS - Episode 05 (http://www.nyaa.se/?page=download&tid=488224)

---------------------------------------














Izumi the multi-face. Brutal, confident and... seductive? I wonder why she acted that way.. there wasn't any real advantage to it, unless it comes with the package of being caring. Mitsuki threw me off for a good part of the episode as well and had me wondering why she was acting all weird. Turns out it was because Kuriyama's her first female friend.

Somehow I knew the 2nd job would be a maid-uniform job, even though I didn't see the photoshoot part coming.

[Kraco]

Damn, Izumi is a super bitch. First she steals the most likely highly valuable stone from Mirai, and now she takes away her license despite the fact Mirai is nearly literally starving from lack of money. And as if that wasn't enough, she even tells Mirai to be more careful [if she doesn't want things like this to happen again]. If she hadn't stolen the fricking stone, Mirai could probably afford a month or six no problem.

I don't care if Izumi is Mitsuki's (and Mr. Siscon's) older sister. Something bad needs to happen to her for the sake of justice. She's plain evil. Although more than that I'm annoyed by the meek attitude Mirai and Akihito have. If you have a power others fear, then let those others treat you normally like they would treat anybody else or have a taste of that power.

[Ryllharu]

True, she is a super bitch, but I must know why she is a super bitch. They have some plan, but we don't know what it is. That's even more disturbing.

I get the feeling that Izumi really wants to kill Akihito, but doesn't because of the backlash that will happen with her siblings. I'm glad Mitsuki was able to have her own little personal rebellion here, and finally join in their little community. I was afraid earlier that she was taking after her bitch sister, but that doesn't appear to be the case. They finally humanized Mitsuki.

But I really can't forgive Izumi for stealing Mirai's stone. She (and Akihito) accomplished something that no other Spirit Warrior has even dared to do for apparently decades. She deserved that reward.

I'm also interested in what is done with the stones that are given to the to two youmu sisters. They appraise them, exchange them for money, but what happens after that? We saw the little chainsaw sister Sakura absorbing the stone directly into her weapon, presumably giving her the power to continue to use it against youmu (since it was said she has no power of her own). It may give us hints as to what Izumi and her grandfather(?) want to use the Hollow Shadow stone for.

edit:
I eagerly await seeing Shindou Ayaka's true youmu form.

[shinta|hikari]

Mitsuki = Mio, at least in this episode. Doesn't help that the first syllable sounds the same.

[Ryllharu]

Kyoukai no Kanata - 06 [HorribleSubs] (http://www.nyaa.se/?page=download&tid=490557)

HS has no lyrics on the insert song, so maybe you want to wait for a different group.



---------------------------



This was a delightfully stupid episode. The main cast went into full-blown idiot mode in the compulsive way that only good anime comedy can provide. They went far beyond what they actually needed to do to succeed, and as a result...failed spectacularly.

All they really needed to do was retry the first plan using Mirai as the attacker and Mitsuki as the bait. Instead we got some good comedy mostly at Mitsuki's expense and some high quality and very fluid animation sequences.

It is interesting to see the stark difference between the two Nase family daughters. Izumi is deadly serious, probably evil, calculating, cold, distant, and unfriendly yet professional. Mitsuki, now that she's more engaged with Kuriyama, is playful, good-natured, thoughtful but occasionally overthinks things, cool yet still friendly, easily engaged in their activities, and playful while still generally getting the job done (though they didn't do it this time).

[shinta|hikari]

That is how you do parody.

[Archangel]

I feel silly for hoping KyoAni had actually adapted something with any texture to it

[shinta|hikari]

Texture?

[Buffalobiian]

Mistranslation for substance?

[Archangel]

Mistranslation for substance?
In Portuguese they're synonyms, but yeah ok substance.

[Ryllharu]

Give it time Arch. We come back from a few darkerish and serious episodes, so they give us some comedy relief.

Given that the vengeance-consumed little sister is next, it fits fine. This is how a narrative is supposed to be written. It's not like Kill la Kill didn't do the same when it gave us a really farcical episode right after it got awesome.

[Archangel]

Give it time Arch. We come back from a few darkerish and serious episodes, so they give us some comedy relief.

Given that the vengeance-consumed little sister is next, it fits fine. This is how a narrative is supposed to be written. It's not like Kill la Kill didn't do the same when it gave us a really farcical episode right after it got awesome.

The problem is this seems to be shaping up to be one of those shows with serious arcs at the beginning and end in between a lot of filler and fluff.

[shinta|hikari]

I don't really mind the fluff and comedy since it is done well, as expected of KyoAni.

I think the serious parts we've had so far can already be considered substance. It isn't the most original plot, but at least it has one.

[Ryllharu]

Kyoukai no Kanata - 08 [horriblesubs] (http://www.nyaa.se/?page=download&tid=494950)
[FFF] (http://www.nyaa.se/?page=download&tid=495083)

-----------------



A particularly dense episode, to the point that the pace actually felt a bit rushed.

Things I liked:
- Aya is left alone not because she assesses and pays for youmu rocks, but because, as a kyuubi, she would be able to kill most spirit warriors who try to "subdue" her, even when substantially weakened during The Calm. I suppose it helps that she and Ai the Nekomata are generally friendly.

- Mitsuki being treated as "the baby of the Nase family," and actually showing a little affection toward her brother, especially when he protected her and when he appeared to have been blown up.

- Izumi being even more of an evil bitch than we had expected, but the other dude still somehow worse.

Things I was kinda ambivalent or even negative about:

- Sakura going for murderous rage in the last few episodes to super best friends with Mirai as if nothing had happened. I know the whole previous episode focused on them making up, but it felt kinda abrupt to me.

- The pace of the episode in general, made it rather hard to follow the rather large revelations in this episode.

- Akihito's mother is just annoying. I have a strong distaste for characters like her. Their eccentricity comes off as disgustingly fake.

[shinta|hikari]

- Akihito's mother is just annoying. I have a strong distaste for characters like her. Their eccentricity comes off as disgustingly fake.

This.

Izumi is an ass, but also a bad one.

[KrayZ33]

Akkey dead soon
its going to be awesome when they just move on from there with akkey being dead, forever
plot wise of course, not because I didn't like him
the ending starts to make more "sense" now too

I really look forward to what is going to happen
ep8, 9 and now the preview for 10 make me yearn for more

Stuff from earlier episodes are starting to get fishy too
Izumi rescued Mirai in the past and kept meeting her several times during the show(festival + roof + café)
now the "it was your plan to kill him from the start" part....

[Kraco]

Akkey dead soon
its going to be awesome when they just move on from there with akkey being dead, forever


It wouldn't even surprise me. The characters are kind of passive in this show. Mirai would have kept believing she's cursed for all eternity if Akihito hadn't convinced her otherwise. Akihito himself was hiding such a beast within but never did anything with all that potential. Mitsuki seemed pretty happy remaining in the dark even in the matters of her own family. Hiroomi at least was a bit more active, though I wonder if it isn't a bit too late for him as well.

But then again, I guess only the following eps will show if the main characters simply keep swallowing unchewed everything the scheming bastards above tell them or if they decide to crack some skulls finally. Both the spirit warriors and the Nase family are no good, though I suppose Mitsuki and Hiroomi are in a more difficult position as they would need to decide whether to become schemers themselves to honour the family tradition or to change a thing or two, opposing Izumi. Especially Mirai should do something. Her power seems unstoppable compared to most, so she should use it and not just let others play her like a cheap tool. In the end if she was mentally capable of skewering her love interest, surely she should be able to cut anybody.

[KrayZ33]

the show was good enough, but that ending was too much of an ass pull

so bad...and forced

[shinta|hikari]

The no megane smile at the very end deserves the following caption:

TROLL FACE

[Kraco]

Although I don't belong to those who believe everything needs to be explained in a story, I still can't help but agree with the Sankaku commenters who thought this story didn't even try to explain many essential things and pulled a lot of crap out of nowhere in general. Of course Mirai mysteriously surviving was the biggest thing, but another thing I personally wonder about is the villainous Spirit Warrior dude. Why exactly did he want to destroy the world (and himself along with it)?

[Ryllharu]

I just assumed Mirai simply regenerated. The girl loses a tremendous amount of blood whenever she fights. A few beef bowls, ramen, and assorted noodles won't cover that, so she's always had that skill going for her. Furthermore, they mentioned that both she and Akihito are special beings. Her clan is the counterpoint to the Kyoukai no Kanata, an existence that resurfaces every few millennia, currently residing in Akihito. They showed that her sword poisoned Kyoukai no Kanata very easily in the mirrored world. It rumbled severely every time she simply touched it with her blood.

Given that she's also the last member of her clan (presumed exterminated), whatever force gives rise to youmu also needed to revive Mirai's cursed bloodline. That part didn't bother me at all.

I'm also a little dubious how much of an "end" this is. I assumed the novels continue, and they are ongoing. KyoAni animated what's out there. The third volume only came out this October.

Think of it this way. In Haruhi's well-received first season, how much was left unexplained? How much is still left unexplained? I don't need everything wrapped up perfectly to enjoy a series. There should always be a little hook left over to keep people craving more, or leaving it up to their imagination/interpretation.

The only unexplained part I was really left wondering about was what kind of youmu had partially absorbed Izumi. The evil dude's was obvious, and it had clearly consumed his soul, leaving him to want little more than destruction and ruining lives wherever he went. Izumi is the opposite case, where she is still cognizant of her actions, and continuing to deliver the will of the clan and even allowing a coexistence with friendly youmu (Ai and Ayaka).

As an aside, Ai is also surprisingly useless as a nekomata. She's utterly harmless. It is fortunate that she has Ayaka taking care of her.



All in all, I really liked this series. It had consistent pacing, solid animation throughout, interesting...enough characters, and left me wanting to know more. But the real takeaway is this:

KyoAni has proved they can still do sustained action sequences, not just the minute-long budget burners before settling back into Moe-Cliché-Moneysaver Mode. This means that they actually still retain the talent to accomplish action series, real action series. It gives me hope that they'll still try to do Full Metal Panic. The demand is out there, and they know it from the response to the troll-promo image that turned out to be Free.

[shinta|hikari]

The ending really felt like it was screaming a second season. I would not be surprised if something like that is already in the works, or at least in a plan somwhere.

[Buffalobiian]

K-ON was better.

[Ryllharu]

Nice troll attempt, except you can't even compare the two series.

One is slice of life with basically zero character development, this was always an action show with elements of a comedy-romance, with plenty of character development. Let's not pretend that the incremental reveal of moe traits among five girls and their teacher is the same thing as actual character development.

Akihito, Mirai, Sakura, and Mitsuki all got a good amount of character development. We learned more about them over these 12 episodes than we did 36 episodes and a movie for the K-ON cast. With ample room for more.

edit:
Mitsuki might have been the most interesting one, since her character arc was subtle and took place mostly in the background. We saw most of her cool and confident façade ripped away at one point or another, in varying degrees and in a different way each time depending on the other character.

[Buffalobiian]

I'm comparing the two solely on enjoyment, and picked K-ON because it's the one responsible (or widely held responsible) for making the moe trend seem worthy of adaptation.

I'm also comparing the two because both of them started out pretty enjoyable for me and also maintained some sort of goal. Both shows lost that partway through (K-ON because the characters stopped caring for their musical goals, KnK because things went ?????). Given the way things ended up, I still enjoyed watching K-ON's derailment over KnK's. This is largely because K-ON still had their main attraction (moe) while KnK lost its (story and revealing the conspiracy/world). If you were just after a showcase of smooth action scenes and subtle facial features to show how good at animation KyoAni is, then KnK wouldn't have have disappointed you.

KnK got the individual character developments in there as you say. To me it didn't matter to the overall story however. The individual parts were better than the whole. As for K-ON, I'd tend to say that the opposite is true.

[Ryllharu]

while KnK lost its [main attraction] (story and revealing the conspiracy/world).
I have absolutely no idea how you believe this to be true.

KnK just didn't give the audience all the answers yet, and I covered why that's okay in a previous post.