If there is a go-to studio for anything moe then that title should be won hands-down by Kyoto Animation. They have done it time and again and proved it once more with their latest offering "Kyōkai no Kanata". Based on a light novel series by Nagomu Torii, the story is about two high school students, Mirai Kuriyama, a Spirit World Warrior who can wield her blood into a sword, and Akihito Kanbara, an immortal half-human, half-Youmo literature club member. We've seen KyoAni explore this familiar ocean of fantasy and action before from their successful anime Chuunibyou, albeit for a very short period. But I guess due to the urging of their insistent fan based and the warm reception from the said anime they have decided to expand their horizons and dive in to this not-so-new territory. When it comes to anything magical I could be a little biased about it because everything that has to do with that aspect is just my cup of tea, not unless they screw up the story big time. It is tad too early to judge Kyōkai no Kanata, but on the sole merits of its animation it would be too difficult to hate; just looking at the character designs and the special effects is already a visual eye candy that one must experience. The ending song by Stereo Drive Foundation is a love at first hear for me, to the extent of forecasting the song as a top contender for Best ED for my Fall roundup. With regards to the characters, most viewers have chosen Nase Mitsuki as their favorite, but I would stick to Mirai Kuriyama as my best girl for this series. I have a special affinity for socially awkward, clumsy, short-haired girls like her. What surprises me about Mirai is her tenacity and her headstrong personality despite of her sweet facade and poor social skills. Clearly, there is both light and dark in her character and I am curious and excited to see them unravel in the next episodes to come.
