Kyoukai no Kanata (TV)

[Buffalobiian]

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, MAL


[Mezashite] Kyoukai no Kanata - 01 [C5710894].mkv
[Commie] Kyoukai no Kanata - 01 [8AFF69A3].mkv

[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 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


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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 look-alike, and already rather despise the Noumi look-alike.

[Kraco]

Episode 3 - HS




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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



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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

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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.