AMAIM Warrior at the Borderline EP 14: Ominous Beginning

Hi Irina and people one and everyone I forget. Also, happy Easter. It seems like we are back after a one week break. A bit of a genre shift this time as we moved back into Mecha anime. Doesn’t mean there won’t be some BL in it though. I saw some of those looks that Gashin and Amou gave each other. You never know…

Hi Scott, hi everyone! Wow it’s nice to be back. I can’t believe it’s been three months since we last watched this show together. Time sure flies these days. And it’s looking like it’s going to be a mighty fine season of anime. I hope you found a few titles to enjoy as well, Scott.

I’ve honestly felt like too many anime series for this season. One of my favorite shows from a decade ago has a sequel, so I’m very excited for Tiger and Bunny Season 2 even if I am a bit cautious. Also some sports anime and just a lot of cool stuff. On top of the older series that I am watching, I might be watching too much again so…please help. But we are focused on one anime series today. 

For now, let’s talk a bit about the second cour of AMAIM or Kyoukai Senki for the pursuits!

You know, I wasn’t expecting to just perfectly slot back into the show. But as soon as the first scene started playing, I immediately remembered exactly where we were, what happened last season and who everyone is.

I know it’s only been 3 months but there are shows where I can’t keep that straight even though I’m watching them every week. That’s pretty good. How about you Scott, did you have any trouble getting back into the action?

Oh no, I didn’t have any trouble at all, Irina. Especially they kept the cast in this first episode very small with people who we know a lot about compared to a lot of the cast there too. I remembered the setting and all of the stakes easily. No problem at all. That felt like a smart thing to do.

I mean, this was a time skip episode and yet it all makes sense in some way. I mean, the open narration helped a lot by making so much tension into it in a believable way to make the entire world of the series feel small. So some smart crafting here that made it incredible. 

Oh and there’s a new OP this cour. I like it. I know I should say more but I can’t quite explain why I like it. I just do. It gave off a classic anime feel. 

Agreed. It’s very early 2000’s style which is something that I love and am deeply nostalgic for it that time period too. 

So in this first episode, we pick up a few months from where we left off. Amou has disappeared and the resistance is in a tight spot. The American army has gained a huge tactical advantage and is slowly taking over Japan and seemingly no one can stop them

This first episode focused a lot of the political backstory of AMAIM and I think that was a good move.

I get that it might not be the most exciting thing (we’ll get to that) but I feel like the entire political aspect of the story was always way too vague for a plot that depends so heavily on it. I couldn’t quite get invested because I kept forgetting who was on who’s side and what they were fighting for. 

I think that clearing up that aspect, and cleaning up that side of the plot will actually make the entire show better.

Not to mention that we now consolidated the antagonist in one specific enemy which also tightens the focus a bit. There are shows that do great with multiple antagonists or no clear sides, but for this one, I find that a more clear cut storyline works better.

I agree and yet don’t agree at the same time. Are the antagonists consolidated a lot? Well yeah, only North America and our Brad Wyatt are in control. But we don’t know about the other parties as much because we are with the Japanese terrorist cells. So simplified, yes.

But I see a lot of opportunities for people joining forces which would be very fun. Especially since we still have the enemy commanders still around as far as we know. I can honestly imagine a lot of fun team ups and interactions as all sides try to get what they want. A lot of serious yet goofy antics and I think that would be better for everyone maybe.

Or not. Who knows? You know, as long as those commanders we met are still alive.

I also found that I enjoyed the episode more than I thought I would. Not that I thought I wouldn’t like it but I actually was really happy to see these characters again.

Same, I missed these characters a lot even if they are very simple. 

The last third of the episode went into high action and oh boy. First it was quite tense. I know this is actually episode 14 and not episode 1 but I still felt like they were throwing us into the deep end. I was holding my breath for a while there.

They really did the same trick they did with Code Geass and Gundam OO when they were Sunrise and not Bandai Namco Productions, where the next part of the season is a time skip that re contextualizes the world itself. I do and do not like it as long as they are handled well.

I really liked how they were **SPOILERS** betrayed. I’m trying to make it as unspoilery as a spoiler can be. But that plan was really great in my opinion. It made perfect sense, I understood why they needed to have it done and I got why the guy went along with it. It’s so nice when one of these anime plans actually makes sense when you think about it. So often I think, sure it was a fun trick but they didn’t have to do any of that.

And the simplicity of it was what really sold it for me. Good scene!

I have to say, watching civilians scramble over a war torn terrain does have a very different impact now than it did the first time we reviewed this show. 

Yeah :(.

Of course, we got the triumphant return of the hero at the last minute. Oops spoilers again I suppose. Not gonna lie, I was cheering when he did return. And his mech is the prettiest of all of them. It’s actually quite a pretty robot.

I liked the simplicity of this whole episode, but that the reveal was pretty cool. The black to the normal colors was so simple and yet so excellent that I cheered too. It was perfect after all the tension in this episode. A good plot reveal for all of it there

But he looked so sad in the last scene. And there are sooo many questions now! I’m looking forward to getting some answers.

It’s going to be a long week isn’t it? Man…