Xamd: Lost Memories/Bonen no Xamdou (2009)
We are in a future state, where war is reality and quite ordinary. Check-ups is made frequently, even when you go on and of the school bus.
Akiyuki is a regular guy with normal problems and a life like anyone elses. He lives on the island "Sentan Island" which lay separate and cut from the war, between the north government and the south free zone.
He lives there, alone with his mother. Since his father is never home, as he is the towns doctor. But despite that, Akiyuki keeps a strong relationship with his father.
The quiet life as they know it takes a rough turn one day, when Akiyuki and his friends steps on the school bus like they always do.
Thanks to faith and the kindness that Akiyuki gives to another person, everything and everyone is put into danger. And nothing is like it use to be, anymore...
A weird explosion tears the entire bus apart, with ray of light which is streaming everywhere - without logic. Akiyuki can't do anything else, then throw himself on the ground for cover.
He doesn't even have the time to react, until these light beams go right through his arm. Without any insight and understanding for whats happening, he becomes something called Xamd.
He gets through town, without any control of him self. He brakes everything in his way, with his new body. A kind of war brakes out on the island.
All of a sudden a woman stands in front of the boy who ones was Akiyuki, and stops him. While he struggles to main conscious inside the Xamd body, she utters the words - "Come with me, and live. Or stay and die."
Genre: Action, Fantasy, Mecha, Romance, Sci-fi
Episodes: 26
Characters:
Akiyuki Takehara - The male protagonist, who it's mainly about. He gets involved in something he never could have expected. From start a very usual, enthusiastic high school student with good friends. But thanks to the change around him, he also have to change inside. He have to develop and grow up quickly from his ways.
He have an amazing character development, and is easy to feel sympathy with.
Nakiami - The female protagonist. She is strong and outward, but more sensitive than what it looks like. She reminds me about Princess Nausicaä with the love for all living things.
She helps Akiyuki when he is an Xamd, since she knows a lot about them.
Haru Nishimura - Well, you can say that she is the second female protagonist, in the background.
She is Akiyuki's friend and one of them who is always on his side. She takes enrollment in the military, just so she can find him again.
Overall I find her kind of exaggerating sometimes, but it might level up in the end.
Furuichi Teraoka - Akiyuki's second childhood friend. He is one of those necessary characters for the storyline. But I would not mind if he had disappeared, in the beginning. A person who is suppose to be all smart, but ends up being utterly stupid when it counts.
He takes enrollment at the same time as Haru, which have all kind of different reasons.
Then we have Akiyukis mother Fusa and his father Ryuuzou. Haru's littlesyster, Midori also takes a part. And the people on the airship as well, where Akiyuki lives most part of the series. Everyone plays a pretty big role in the anime, even if it's just for a moment.
Thoughts:
In whole, I loved this anime. The story takes a hold of you and make you engaged in whats happening. And also make you feel what they feel. I sat like on needles and wondered what was going to happen in the next episode.
I can admit, it was a few episodes in the middle which became a little bit dull. But that was needed to get the build-up. The series builds up a good start to get the anticipations up. And then when it levels out, all of the sudden you think it moves on a little bit to slow, when you're use to the fast pace in the beginning.
Well, do not despair. Because this anime is worth the while in every way.
This is also the kind of anime that you have to think about. Seeing it over a night, when you are going to school/job the next day, will not work. Because then you will sit like a questionmark in the end. It is probably needed to see it twice... It took me a while to put all the pieces, you get through the animes course, together - until I could figure it all out.
Music:
OP; Boom boom Satellites - Back on my feet.
I remember, I got caught the first moment I heard it. The nice video for the opening, also did contribute for that reaction.
ED; Kylee - Just Breathe and Over U. I think it suits the ending a lot. And I like Kylee's voice.
Animation:
This anime is well-made and expensive, and it shows. They invested a lot on the animation and it really made worth of it. The transformation between Akiyuki and his Xamd-form was overtaking the first time. I thought it was truly gorgeous.
The detail work is amazing, and they think about most of the things trough-out the series. The nature and background visions is beautiful, and the characters gets their own charm.
Rating: 98/100
Director: Masayuki Miyaji
Producer: Bones
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