Kyokai no Kanata was one of the few anime series I followed at real time, and I remember myself wondering which direction the series would take the next week. To be sincere, this series was not the anime of the season, nor a groundbreaking thing - in fact, it was pretty formulaic, pretty unoriginal for the saturated light novel market. I was told that it was an attempt by Kyoto Animation to turn Darker and Edgier, and I said, well, if this is the darkest and edgiest they can do... But it did have some strange quality which made me follow it. It was not very good, but it had some grace. The qualities of Kyokai no Kanata were as uncommitted as the series's color style, with all those soft pink, orange and blue. They seem to fear to compromise to being overtly romantic, or overtly dark, or overtly intense. They were... indecisive.
Then it came the last episodes and the ending. They were confusing, bizarre and openly effectist, especially the infamous final twist at the last moment. I did not care very much, because at that point I was watching it out of curiosity, but I was a bit disillusioned. I expected the movies would do something to paliate it. And they did it, only that not exactly what expected. The first one summarized everything and added another twist more, and the second one followed the twist, but none of them explained the first. Heck. So I resumed with the new line per se I was... well, indecisive.
Considering that the last novel published of the saga was in 2013, it is difficult to say if we will ever see more of Kyokai no Kanata, but as the smart reader can imagine, I don't know whether I will tearily miss the continuation of the series or I will simply leave a rose on its tombstone and move along. For casual anime viewers, this series could be an interesting option - not a bad one, but neither an option to follow if they have a stronger alternative. If you want to see it, go forward, but remember it is a Kyoani work after all - expect blue skies, not-so-tranquil lives and maudlin fights. I will pray to the god of anime so you will not be as indecisive as me.
Indecisive opinion, indecisive series
Kyokai no Kanata was one of the few anime series I followed at real time, and I remember myself wondering which direction the series would take the next week. To be sincere, this series was not the anime of the season, nor a groundbreaking thing - in fact, it was pretty formulaic, pretty unoriginal for the saturated light novel market. I was told that it was an attempt by Kyoto Animation to turn Darker and Edgier, and I said, well, if this is the darkest and edgiest they can do... But it did have some strange quality which made me follow it. It was not very good, but it had some grace. The qualities of Kyokai no Kanata were as uncommitted as the series's color style, with all those soft pink, orange and blue. They seem to fear to compromise to being overtly romantic, or overtly dark, or overtly intense. They were... indecisive.
Then it came the last episodes and the ending. They were confusing, bizarre and openly effectist, especially the infamous final twist at the last moment. I did not care very much, because at that point I was watching it out of curiosity, but I was a bit disillusioned. I expected the movies would do something to paliate it. And they did it, only that not exactly what expected. The first one summarized everything and added another twist more, and the second one followed the twist, but none of them explained the first. Heck. So I resumed with the new line per se I was... well, indecisive.
Considering that the last novel published of the saga was in 2013, it is difficult to say if we will ever see more of Kyokai no Kanata, but as the smart reader can imagine, I don't know whether I will tearily miss the continuation of the series or I will simply leave a rose on its tombstone and move along. For casual anime viewers, this series could be an interesting option - not a bad one, but neither an option to follow if they have a stronger alternative. If you want to see it, go forward, but remember it is a Kyoani work after all - expect blue skies, not-so-tranquil lives and maudlin fights. I will pray to the god of anime so you will not be as indecisive as me.