- Updated on: July 23, 2022
- by Ernie
Hello everybody! Here I am again to help you with another watch order guide. The protagonist of this blog post is one of the best pieces of KyoAni and one of the cutest series I’ve ever watched. Continue to read the article if you want to know what I’m talking about! I’m sure that the picture below will above you.
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How To Watch Kyoukai no Kanata In Order
Table of Content
Beyond the Boundary Quick Watch Order Guide (Release Order)
I. TV series
Table of Contents
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- Beyond the Boundary (2013)
II. Specials
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- Beyond the Boundary Mini Theater (2014)
- Beyond the Boundary Daybreak (2014)
- Beyond the Boundary: I’ll be here – Past – Special (2015)
III. OVAs
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- Beyond the Boundary Idol Trial! (2013-2014)
IV. Movies
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- Beyond the Boundary: I’ll be here – Past (2015)
- Beyond the Boundary: I’ll be here – Future (2015)
Beyond the Boundary CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER
1. Beyond the Boundary Daybreak
2. Beyond the Boundary
3. Beyond the Boundary Mini Theater
4. Beyond the Boundary Idol Trial!
5. Beyond the Boundary: I’ll be here – Past
6. Beyond the Boundary: I’ll be here – Past Special
7. Beyond the Boundary: I’ll be here – Future
Note: Beyond the Boundary Mini Theater, Beyond the Boundary Idol Trial and Beyond the Boundary – Past Special don’t add anything new to the plot, so you can skip them if you want! Also, Beyond the Boundary: I’ll be here – Past is just a recap movie of what has happened in the animated series, so it’s not necessary to watch it.
PLOT & SUMMARY
1. Beyond the Boundary (2013)
Type: Anime series
Episodes: 12
Anime Storyline:
Kanbara Akihito, half human and half spirit, is invulnerable to injury due to his ability to heal quickly. One day, he runs into first year student Kuriyama Mirai, while she is about to jump off the roof of the school. The girl is kept at a distance from other students due to her ability to manipulate her blood. After Akihito rescues Mirai, the two create a strange relationship that revolves around the girl’s attempts in killing Akihito in order to prove her strength.
Akihito managed to persuade Mirai to join the Literary Club, of which he is one of the members, together with the Nase siblings, Hiroomi and Mitsuki, two spirit hunters and Akihito’s friends. The group becomes inseparable, while the dangers of the supernatural world force them to fight for survival as a powerful spirit called Beyond the Boundary threatens their everyday life.
2. Beyond the Boundary Idol Trial! (2013-2014)
Type: OVA
Episodes: 5
Anime Storyline:
These seven minutes episodes are set in a courtroom in which characters from the main series are judged for a questionable trait. The judges are the female characters dressed as idols, who perform their judgement dance to give their verdict on the charge of the defendant.
3. Beyond the Boundary Mini Theater (2014)
Type: Specials
Episodes: 7
Anime Storyline:
These are short episodes included in the DVD releases of Beyond the Boundary. Each episode consists of small stories that coincide with the events of the main series.
4. Beyond the Boundary Daybreak (2014)
Type: Specials
Episodes: 1
Anime Storyline:
It is a summary of the main animated series.
5. Beyond the Boundary: I’ll be here – Past (2015)
Type: Movie
Episodes: 1
Anime Storyline:
The prequel of Beyond the Boundary. Nase Hiroomi is on a mission to subdue the infamous half-spirit Kanbara Akihito. His sister Mitsuki, curious about the mission, follows him. The siblings meet Akihito for the first time, but soon they find out that they aren’t the only ones looking for the boy.
6. Beyond the Boundary: I’ll be here – Past – Special (2015)
Type: Special
Episodes: 1
Anime Storyline:
It is a music video of Beyond the Boundary: I’ll be here – Past. In Japanese, it’s called Yakusoku no Kizuna, which means “the ties of a promise”.
7. Beyond the Boundary: I’ll be here – Future (2015)
Type: Movie
Episodes: 1
Anime Storyline:
It is a sequel of the main series. After the events of the last episode of the anime adaptation, Akihito reunited once again with Mirai, who seemed to have vanished after defeating Beyond the Boundary. However, the reunion is not so happy, because now she has no memory of her past, of her friends and of Akihito himself. The boy, who had a very strong bond with the girl, is devastated by Mirai’s condition, but he knows that Mirai has a chance to live her new life as a normal teenager, away from the supernatural society that criticized her. So, Akihito and his friends try to stay away from her for the sake of her happiness.
However, Mirai’s memories gradually begin to resurface, while a new group of enemies are coming after her. As the situation becomes more dangerous, it’s Akihito who is the one who has to fight to protect himself, his friends and Mirai, the girl he loves.
What is Beyond the Boundary?
Do you see the cute megane girl in the foreground of the picture above? She is Mirai, the co-protagonist of the anime Beyond the Boundary (境界の彼方, Kyōkai no Kanata). The main idea of the animated series came from the three-volume light novel written by Torii Nagomu and illustrated by Kamoi Tomoyo. Kyoto Animation produced the anime adaptation that was broadcasted in Japan from October to December 2013. Later, there were several OVAs and two film projects that premiered in theaters in March and April 2015.
I’m sure you already know about Kyoto Animation. That’s right. Unfortunately, it’s the studio that was the victim of the arson attack back in 2019, in which 36 were killed by the fire, making this incident the deadliest massacre in Japan since WWII. However, KyoAni is not famous just because of this disaster. In fact, it’s one of the best animation studios across Japan, thanks to its high-quality products like Free, Violet Evergarden, K-On, Sound! Euphonium or A Silent Voice.
Beyond the Boundary is quite different from the other KyoAni anime. While the others are usually slice of life in which watchers can witness the daily experiences of high school students in various contexts (swimming or music clubs or whatever), Beyond the Boundary tries to renew the old formula by adding a storyline, real antagonists, and fight scenes with supernatural elements in an urban fantasy atmosphere.
Even if the plot of the series doesn’t stand out for its originality or uniqueness, the reason this anime is so enjoyable is the characters and their interactions. Each of them shows its own personality and personal growth and, even if there are some clichés, these are not annoying, but on the contrary, pleasant and likable. Also, there is this mysterious tone in the entire story. There is always something hidden behind everything, and this does nothing but stimulate the viewer’s mind to solve the various puzzles. Only at the end will it be possible to have a complete picture of the situation and to understand the whole scenario.
From a technical point of view, the graphics are of very high standards as usual for a KyoAni series. The animations are of the highest quality and can finally exploit their full potential in the fighting scenes that are lacking in the other animated adaptations. The soundtrack is also good and fitting. In particular, I’ve loved the ending song Daisy by STEREO DIVE FOUNDATION. Even though I watched the anime a long time ago, I still listen to this song.
Let’s talk about the plot! In Beyond the Boundary, we follow the stories of the most renowned spirit hunters of the city. Among them are Professor Ninomiya, the three Nase siblings, in particular Hiroomi, with his embarrassing attachment to his younger sister Mitsuki, and our co-protagonist, the heroine Kuriyama Mirai. She descends from an ancient dynasty of hunters capable of manipulating their own blood and exploiting this ability in combat. Because of their power, they have always been hated by the supernatural society.
But now, Mirai has other problems: her purpose in life has become to defeat the half-spirit, Akihito, a longtime friend of the Nase brothers. He, among other things, as a half-spirit that he is, enjoys the privilege of immortality. Imagine Mirai’s frustration, unable to eliminate him despite all her attempts. On the other hand, Akihito isn’t such a formidable and frightening opponent, on the contrary, he is just an average and playful teenager. His life is not all roses and flowers. It can be said that it’s quite similar to the one of a spirit hunter from a cursed clan…
Which Watch Order Would You Like Next? Let Us Know In The Comments!
Beyond the Boundary is a good series, with an interesting plot, a supernatural scenario, and likable characters. The anime contains a well-balanced mix of comedy, drama, romance, and combat scenes that keep the viewer’s attention. It’s something different from the usual KyoAni series that revolves around normal high school students’ daily life. But like these ones, Beyond the Boundary keeps the high-quality graphics and animation, so that we can enjoy an actual exciting series to the fullest!
