I was highly intrigued by this anime as I had saw numerous people use it in AMVs, but I didn't fully understand what it was about. Actually, I didn't know ANYTHING about it. For all I knew, I thought it was a dance anime for I had only seen the dance routine that the main characters performed in front of what seemed like a perverted monster (later to discover it actually had a name, Youmu). Basically, this anime was not what I thought it was going to be, but I was pleasantly surprised. It made me laugh, as well as cry, and that is what
...
I believe a great anime should do. I am never going to forget it, and here is why;
STORY (9/10):
Apart from the beginning being a little confusing, I found the story to be a fascinating one. There were a lot of terms that were thrown at us in the first couple of episodes, it was hard to keep up, but once you understood them all you were set on a beautiful train-ride of emotions. I am not going to write a full blown summary of the anime here due to the fact that my description can not simply do it any justice. You will just have to go and watch the series yourself, as I highly recommend you do. Kyoukai no Kanata is only 12 episodes long, but they surprisingly make it work. It's a fun, enjoyable anime to watch that leaves you wanting more, but in a good way!
ART (10/10):
The art style is absolutely flawless. KyoAni stuck to what they know best, "kawai", and it worked for them yet again. They did a perfect job on making the story come to life through it's visual design and detailed characters. I know Kyoto Animation best for their immaculate visual attention-to-detail and how realistic they can make their series look. It's definitely not sore on the eye. With it's vibrant colours and incredible looking creature (Youmu), I feel as if I am there in the story. The people who came up with the appearances for the Youmu are very creative, they must have very broad imaginations to come up with such intricate designs. They definitely used "Blue Ocean Thinking" when developing these "monsters".
The animation is so smooth, as I was extremely impressed with how the series opened (the viewer gets a first person, bird's eyed view of the city in which they live, I believe it's Kanto, as the camera guides us to the roof of a building and rushes us through Mirai's hair blowing in the wind). They didn't hold back on splashing in the cash in terms of design and I thank them for it.
One thing I also have to comment on are the battle/fight scenes. These scenes were executed perfectly. I admire Kyoto Animation for coming out of their comfort zone (making "moe" slice-of-life anime) and trying to create a series which could definitely considered to be in the action genre. They did a great job in experimenting with fight scenes in Chuunibyou, so it is refreshingly sweet to see the company try something different and succeed so amazingly. I have read some reviews where people disagree with this view but I personally commend KyoAni for their efforts. More companies need to try to branch out and experiment, there are too many anime that are similar in multiple ways, I'm just glad Kyoukai no Kanata stands out from the bunch. At least to me anyway.
SOUND (10/10):
I haven't stopped listening to the ending song of each episode, STEREO DIVE FOUNDATION'S "Daisy", from the anime since I finished the series a matter of days ago. It is such an addictive listen. I love it. I have now officially broke the replay button on my phone. It is one of the best songs I have heard come out of an anime. With it's techno beat and soothing instrumentals, you're sure to fall in love as well as fall deep into your imagination, as you create an entire world in your head when listening. The song is about re-doing mistakes and amending love in broken relationships. It is extremely touching, which makes it one of the highlights of the entire show.
I also really appreciated how the ED started in the background as the final scene was still playing out. This was an original idea which extremely worked in their favour, as it built up suspense and helped the flow of the anime. The singer's voice is also fantastic. Basically, you need to open up a new tab and listen to it as you read this right now. It's the right balance of happiness and melancholy, all at the same time. It's a song that helps resurface beautiful memories.
The music throughout the anime was also exceptional. Unlike other anime I have watched, the music didn't take away from what was going on or the atmosphere surrounding the characters. It built on their emotions and complimented them beautifully. I loved the song that was being played as Mirai was "disappearing" in one of the later episodes. It actually made me start to cry.
I also just want to quickly add that the Voice-Acting was of great quality. I could hear the emotion clearly in each of the Actor's/Actresses voices, which greatly benefited my viewing experience. It was a super talented cast. Phenomenal casting decisions.
CHARACTER (9/10):
I really liked the characters, and I mean all of them. The protagonists were fascinating to watch and it was a delight to see their relationship develop. Akihito's mother (Yayoi Kanbara) was hilarious to begin with, though her fetishes and behaviour did start to get a bit annoying/repetitive as the series progressed. Though this is one of my only problems with the entire anime, not worth docking any marks for.
Hiroomi was a funny character, I also liked his "No-homo" relationship with Akihito. Many people found parts of their friendship irrelevant and an annoying addition to the series, though I found it quite entertaining. Both Akihito's and Hiroomi's fetishes were funny, particularly Akihito's as I would laugh every time his obsession "took over him". How unpleasant, Mirai might say if she was here right now! I also liked Ai's character. Being a Youmu who can transform into a human being is an interesting concept that KyoAni introduced rather well. It adds to the story, and it makes me like the "Shindou" family even more. How very convenient for Akihito, the Shindou's just so happen to have a photo studio on their premises. Poor Mirai! How unpleasant for her... *wink wink*
ENJOYMENT (10/10):
I think it's safe to say I enjoyed every aspect of this series. From the music to the acting to the story line itself. It was a unique viewing experience, and an anime that I would definitely recommend to a friend. Many people didn't like the anime's comedic side, though I loved it. It wouldn't have affected the story line greatly if it would have been left out, but I thought it added to the anime in a big way. It's always nice to hear a joke now and then, anyone with a sense of humour appreciated it, I'm sure.
OVERALL (10/10):
What's not to like? This anime totally surprised me in the best possible way. Do I regret losing 5 hours of my life to this anime? Of course not! If anything, it's added it my own life. It's definitely an anime I won't forget, and one I'll be proud of saying I have watched. Even though I loved it, I would not like a sequel it fear that what I cherish could be butchered. Instead, I hope there will be an episode some time in the future that will show us where all the characters are in their lives now. Akihito is immortal but from what I know, Mirai isn't so I'm a little worried for their long-term future together. But apart from that, that's the reason I'm holding out for an OVA.
Thanks for reading my first ever review on MyAnimeList, I hope you found it useful! Please watch this anime, it is awesome!
All (2)FriendsAlso Available atRSS Feeds |
Dec 7, 2015
Kyoukai no Kanata
(Anime)
add
I was highly intrigued by this anime as I had saw numerous people use it in AMVs, but I didn't fully understand what it was about. Actually, I didn't know ANYTHING about it. For all I knew, I thought it was a dance anime for I had only seen the dance routine that the main characters performed in front of what seemed like a perverted monster (later to discover it actually had a name, Youmu). Basically, this anime was not what I thought it was going to be, but I was pleasantly surprised. It made me laugh, as well as cry, and that is what
...
|
