Amaim Warrior at the Borderline (境界戦機) is an original Japanese anime television series animated by Sunrise Beyond. A photonovel series titled Kyōkai Senki: Frost Flower has been serialized in Hobby Japan's Monthly Hobby Japan magazine since July 2021. The series aired from October 2021 to June 2022.
Plot
In the mid-20th century, as a result of the economic crisis and a collapsing birthrate, Japan was on the verge of becoming a failed state. In response, foreign nations sent forces to intervene. However, foreign intervention quickly became a foreign occupation, and the competing foreign nations started the destructive Boundary War, fought with autonomous drone mecha called AMAIMs.
By the year 2061, the Boundary War has ended but Japan has been divided into four occupied zones where native Japanese are treated like second-class citizens. In the wake of the resulting social upheaval and unrest, a young boy named Amō Shiiba stumbles across an abandoned AMAIM called Kenbu and a rogue autonomous AI named Gai. With Kenbu and Gai, Amō has the opportunity to change the course of history for both himself and the entire nation of Japan.
Characters
Main characters
- Amō Shiiba (椎葉 アモウ)
- A 16-year-old boy orphaned by the Boundary Wars, he became a mechanic after discovering an abandoned AMAIM workshop, in which he found a left-over human-piloted, interface-comtrolled AMAIM unit, whose name Gai identifies as "Kenbu", and later becomes its designated pilot. While shy and kind, he enjoys any new experiences he makes.
- Gashin Tezuka (鉄塚 ガシン)
- A mecha pilot ace for the Japanese resistance group Yatagarasu. His father was the previous pilot of his AMAIM unit "Jogan", but he was killed, leaving Tezuka embittered about Japan's occupation.
- Shion Shishibe (紫々部 シオン)
- I-LeS Gai (I-LeS ガイ)
- An autonomous AI unit with a grandiloquent but loyal personality. After he is rescued by Amō, he finishes assembling the Kendu for him and acts as the AMAIM's control computer. He is linked with the military and public information and communication networks, an asset which saves Amō more than once. His onscreen avatar is an over-fluffed, scarlet red Komainu.
- I-LeS Kei (I-LeS ケイ)
- Tezuka's AI control unit controlling "Jogan". Her avatar is a white kitsune.
- I-LeS Nayuta (I-LeS ナユタ)
- Shion's ANAIM AI control unit. His avatar form is a purple Jakalope with hooves.
Yatagarasu
- Gōken Kumai (熊井 ゴウケン)
- The leader of Yatagarasu Special Forces Group Two.
- Risa Kōzaki (甲咲 リサ)
- A friendly leading member of Yatagarasu whose family was killed in a crash with an Asia Entente car, whose drivers were unjustly cleared of any wrongdoing. She is killed when the Ghost attacks the camp shortly after Amō's arrival.
- Eiji Umasaki (馬﨑 エイジ)
- Misuzu Maki (槙 ミスズ)
- The Special Forces Group Two's chief mechanic.
- Takeru Muramatsu (村松 タケル)
- Kiryu Udou (宇堂 キリュウ)
Arahabaki
- Anna Takayanagi (高柳 アンナ)
- Takeru Konno (今野 タケル)
Confederation of Oceania
- Jeffrey Wilson (ジェフリー・ウィルソン)
- A ruthless Oceania officer who despises his duty in Japan and therefore seeks to reap merits by any means necessary.
- Kate Byrne (ケイト・バーン)
- A female Oceania lieutenant and Wilson's subordinate.
- Simon Tate (サイモン・テイト)
- Oliver Martin (オリバー・マーティン)
North America Coalition
- Brad Watt (ブラッド・ワット)
- A captain of the North American Coalition. An exceptionally skilled military analyst, he is intrigued by the concept of piloted AMAIMs.
- Raymond Hardy (レイモンド・ハーディー)
- An American warrant officer, and Watt's subordinate and friend.
- Charley Orley (チャーリー・オーレイ)
- Roger Young (ロジャー・ヤング)
- Sofia Louis (ソフィア・ルイス)
- Joe Spears (ジョウ・スピアーズ)
- Tony Blanc (トニー・ブランク)
- Elliot Knox (エリオット・ノックス)
- Roy Walker (ロイ・ウォーカー)
- Gregory Cartland (グレゴリー・カートランド)
- Mike Weaver (マイク・ウィーバー)
Asia Free Trade Entente
- Ho Guan (ホウ・グアン)
- Sun Chong (スン・チョン)
- Liu Fu (リウ・フウ)
- Xin Haoran (シン・ハオラン)
- Zhao Kweihua (ツァオ・クェイワァ)
- Nadeck Elam (ナデート・イーラム)
- Luang Thanarat (ルアン・タナラット)
Federation of Great Eurasia
- Alexei Zelenoy (アレクセイ・ゼレノイ)
- Dahlia Lvov (ダリア・リヴォフ)
- Boris Gretkov (ボリツ・グレツコフ)
A.R.E.S
- Collin Dialo (コリン・ディアロ)
Brenson Corp
- German Gobert (ジェルマン・ゴベール)
Others
- Takuto Ōnishi (大西 タクト)
- Tsubasa Mishima (三島 ツバサ)
- Ken Tanasaka (田名坂 ケン)
- Gen Sakuma (佐久間 ゲン)
- Yoriko Sakuma (佐久間 ヨリコ)
- Tokuji Iwata (岩田 トクジ)
- Yūsei Suenaga (末永 ユウセイ)
Media
Photonovel
A photonovel series titled Kyōkai Senki: Frost Flower (境界戦機 フロストフラワー) began serialization in Hobby Japan's Monthly Hobby Japan magazine since July 21, 2021.[2]
Anime
Sunrise Beyond and Bandai Spirits revealed the project on March 16, 2021. The series was directed by Nobuyoshi Habara and written by Noboru Kimura. Character designs were provided by Kenichi Ohnuki, while Rasmus Faber composed the music.[3] It aired from October 5 to December 28, 2021, on TV Tokyo, MBS and BS11. Blank Paper performed the series' opening theme song "enemy".[4] Funimation licensed the series outside of Asia.[5] Just right after the first part ended, a second part was announced, and it aired from April 12 to June 28, 2022.[6][7]
On April 11, 2022, Crunchyroll announced that the series would receive an English dub, which premiered on April 25.[8][9]
Episode list
Episode list
Original net animation
An original net animation spinoff series titled Amaim Warrior at the Borderline: UltraSteel Ogre-Gear (境界戦機 極鋼ノ装鬼) is also produced by Sunrise Beyond and will premiere in Bandai Spirits' YouTube Channel on April 10, 2023.[13] Masami Obari will direct the series alongside returning staff from the previous anime handling the writing (Noboru Kimura), music (Rasmus Faber) and mecha designs (Ippei Gyōbu, Kanetake Ebikawa, and Takayuki Yanase).
The opening theme is "Yobukoeganaruhougakue" by Organic Call.[14] The ending theme is "I'll Be There" by Linkl Planet.[14]
Reception
Anime News Network felt the main protagonist was generally unoriginal and uninspired. They were also critical of the story, calling its political aspects poorly-executed.[15] In their review, Anime Feminist felt that the anime contains content of nationalism and anti-immigration ideas. They felt the introduction part of the anime's first episode can be summarized as "we let foreigners in and they outbred us, and now the True Japanese People are being subjugated by the foreign powers they heralded".[16]
External links
References
- AMAIM Warrior at the Borderline - The Fall 2021 Preview Guide Anime News Network, October 4, 2021, retrieved November 13, 2021^
- https://animageplus.jp/articles/detail/38323 Animage Plus, July 21, 2021, retrieved October 3, 2021^
- Rafael Antonio Pineda. Sunrise Beyond, Bandai Spirits Unveil Kyōkai Senki Project With Fall TV Anime Anime News Network, March 16, 2021, retrieved October 3, 2021^
- Egan Loo. Sunrise Beyond, Bandai Spirits Post Kyōkai Senki Anime's 1st 11 Minutes, More Staff Before October 4 TV Debut Anime News Network, July 21, 2021, retrieved September 15, 2021^
- Nicholas Friedman. Sunrise Original Mecha AMAIM Warrior at the Borderline Comes to Funimation Funimation, October 2, 2021, retrieved October 2, 2021^
- Alex Mateo. AMAIM Warrior at the Borderline Anime Gets 2nd Part in April Anime News Network, December 29, 2021, retrieved December 29, 2021^
- Alex Mateo. AMAIM Warrior at the Borderline Anime Part 2 Streams 1st 11 Minutes Online Anime News Network, March 17, 2022, retrieved March 17, 2022^
- Alex Mateo. Crunchyroll Streams English Dubs for Aharen-san wa Hakarenai, Estab Life: Great Escape, Kaguya-sama: Love Is War -Ultra Romantic-, The Rising of the Shield Hero Season 2, More Anime Anime News Network, April 11, 2022, retrieved April 22, 2022^
- Alex Mateo. Crunchyroll Reveals English Dub Premieres, Casts for Aoashi, AMAIM Warrior at the Borderline Anime Anime News Network, April 22, 2022, retrieved April 23, 2022^
- Sutōrī|Kyōkai Senki kyoukai-senki.net, retrieved July 23, 2021^
- AMAIM Warrior at the Borderline Funimation, retrieved October 4, 2021^
- Hōsō Haishin Jōhō|Kyōkai Senki kyoukai-senki.net, retrieved October 4, 2021^
- AMAIM Warrior at the Borderline Anime's 6-Episode New Work Premieres on August 10 Anime News Network, 28 August 2023^
- PRESS RELEASE 株式会社 SUNRISE BEYOND www.bandainamco.co.jp, 2023-07-21, retrieved 2026-03-29^
- Nicholas Dupree. AMAIM Warrior at the Borderline Episodes 1-3 Anime News Network, October 19, 2021, retrieved December 28, 2021^
- Vrai Kaiser. AMAIM Warrior at the Borderline - Episode 1 Anime Feminist, October 5, 2021, retrieved November 13, 2021^
- Haoran Huang. 【宅熱話】日本 SUNRISE 境界戰機動畫疑辱華 遭大陸下架 E-zone, November 3, 2021, retrieved December 28, 2021^