Sentan Island is a small island surrounded by the Yuden Sea. It exists in a state of dreamlike tranquility, cut off from the war between the Northern Government and the Southern Continent Free Zone. Our hero, Akiyuki Takehara, lives on Sentain Island along with his mother Fusa. He is currently separated from his father, the town doctor Ryuzo, but the bond between father and son remains. One day, after taking Ryuzo the lunch that Fusa has made for him as usual, Akiyuki arrives at school, where he is caught up in an explosion along with his friends, Haru and Furuichi. The explosion produces a mysterious light, which enters Akiyuki's arm, causing him excruciating pain. He's given no time to understand it, however, as the white-haired girl who rode on the bus with him guides him to a power unlike anything he's ever known.
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Comentários
agentsmith
As many people have already said, this anime is produced by the same people who brought you Eureka 7. Keep that in mind if you plan on watching this anime. First off, check out the OP. Holy jebus it's sweet. Catches you instantly, and gets you all excited for what looks (judging from the animation quality) an awesome show. In some respects, this is a let down. While the animation is superb, the soundtrack is hauntingly good, and the characters are generally quite fleshed out (just enough info for you to find them interesting)... the story is near random. This anime seems confused as towhat it's trying to say. On the one hand, we are basically following Akiyuki on his journey becoming a Xam'd, which is done quite well in terms of painting a comprehensive picture of the trials he endures.
Then it falls apart. The world as it is presented is split into two warring hemispheres, with some kinda naturalist "Tessik" tribe caught in the middle. No justification is ever given for this war, and for some unknown reason the Tessik are ostracized by everybody. As the series progresses, I was torn. In some regards, it's amazing: The characters are brought to life fully. You understand their hopes and dreams, and why they may be sabotaging their own attempts to reach them. In other regards, it's confusing and disappointing: Things keep happening to Akiyuki with no background reason, and the whole concept of a Xam'd is some kind of forbidden topic. Also, side stories seem to be the order of the day. A LOT of episodes are devoted to Nakiami's side trips, where she always seems to be preventing some poor sap from being engulfed by the Xam'd in him. (They also never explain the nature of a Xam'd... that's for you to decide. And good luck figuring out what the deal is with Human-form weapons...)
Conclusions? Well, it was a fun series to watch, but you'll get MUCH more out of it if you focus on a character driven storyboard. Pay attention to character interactions over actual plot, and you'll be much more satisfied. Otherwise you'll end up like me, wishing the creators had decided to actually make the 50 odd episodes that would have barely been sufficient to explain the story they threw at you, instead of cramming way to many (admittedly interesting) ideas into a mere 26 eps. Bottom line: If you found Eureka 7 too slow, but liked the ideas... you'll have a good time with Xam'd: Lost Memories. But you'll still wind up with a couple wtf moments and an abrupt ending.
Looseshooter
I just finished watching this anime through the second time, and it has great replay value. The story is very intricate and interconnected so don't expect to grasp all of it the first time through, but the overall messages and themes are impressively powerful. It's got action, don't worry. Lots. I suppose I'll start with the story first, STORY: The beginning of the series is very focused on a few characters, and slowly branches out to include more and more characters in the plot until towards the end all of the characters are being covered but the focus is where it should be. Things start rather slowI think in the beginning, but the other elements really hold it together and make it worth sticking around for. I don't think many people will fully understand the resolution, so the tip I can give you without spoiling the show is to understand Akiyuki's connection to Xam'd. Pretty vague, huh? Well if you really string together various scenes and points of view of many of the characters the entire world really comes together rather complete and stunning. For anyone who likes depth in story I strongly reccomend Xam'd: Lost Memories. It might be a bit unknown in terms of popularity but that's because it's a very character driven story along with many, many scenes in a single episode so the faint of heart might not like the jumps between settings so quickly. Especially when the story crosses dialogue from one character with scenery from someplace completely different. The show has a very individual look on people and life in general, which made the plot intensely likable for me. Don't worry, the ending doesn't upset in my book.
Next up, PICTURES, lots of em!
This anime has really fluid and clean animation. The characters move cleanly around and interact with their world on such a personal level you get drawn in very easily. This just makes the fighting scenes much more intense because of the level of detail that's been drawn out in every picture. There's also alot of symbols and objects that have many meanings and connections to the characters making the picture that more meaningful. For example: whenever a character is giving advice or helping someone else they'll often throw something at them and they'll catch it. Pretty nifty bit I thought. Anyhow, the machines and the mechas (I call them bio-mechas) are really interesting and one of a kind looks. They really make the world very alien and yet believable in the context. (All flying machines are powered by stones that create a cool rainbow effect when ships take-off) Don't worry that didn't spoil any plot. The characters expressions are also spot on all the time like most animes, and there's so much interaction in these stunningly beautiful shots of landscapes and skylines that it's hard not to be a little passionate when you write a review on the art style.
Sorry, did you say SOUND?
I'll make this one short, since you can't describe sound with words as well.
Volume: Great!
Environment: Pretty good!
Weapons: Satisfying
The Fwoosh Rainbox Sky-Ship Sounds: FWOOSH!... Tink!
Voices: Really, really good.
Disturbing/Strange: Unexpectedly familiar yet different
Timing: Spot on!
Who's a CHARACTER?
All the characters are really dynamic and many of them end up changing towards the end of the show, or coming to some sort of realization. That's what makes this anime really special in my book. All of the characters are pretty dynamic and interactive. The world feels really alive and ever-changing. Sure, there's always characters with flaws, and there's characters that are supporting, and there's ones you see more often. But when you see a character, you'll think of them specifically because they're really well defined. All of them have differences and individual personalities. I could say the only exception is the standard soldier-type person in this show, but that's believable in the context of things. Everyone also gets a bit of the spotlight as the plot goes on, so if you don't see much of a character in the beginning or when you first see them, expect them to show up in the future because the anime pretty even-handed when it comes to show time. (Of course Akiyuki overwhelmingly has the most show time, being the protagonist and all) For those who don't like the vulnerable parts of characters especially, this show isn't for you. One of the main themes is showing the weaknesses in people and how they overcome their flaws. If that isn't a powerful enough message for you I advise moving on to a different review.
Enjoyment:
I watched the show twice, I liked the show more the second time I saw it. I probably wouldn't see it a third time because I understand pretty much the whole story now.
Highlights:
-Akiyuki growing as an individual through the whole story
-Akiyuki's parents
-Midori/Haru
-Every single fight scene
-Every single fight scene 2nd viewing
-Climaxes of secondary character plots
-Climaxes of secondary character plots (Especially)
-Revealing of the truth of Xam'd towards the end the 2nd viewing, because I grasped most of the point behind events
Loved the story
Loved the animation a bit less, still loved it
I never focused on the sound because it was so flawless in my book, totally believable
The characters WERE the story, and I loved the story
OVERALL First view: 8.5
OVERALL Second view: 9.5
Watch this anime! Maybe not twice, but more people should definitely check it out. It's beautiful storytelling on a fast paced and intense level.
Lil' Note:
I must warn viewers that if you don't understand what's going on and get lost or confused, you will probably get frustrated with the choices that characters are making, even under their respective personalities. But, if you follow the plot you will really understand why a character does or doesn't do something, or what the heck just happened and where they are you'll love the show by the end, guaranteed. I found this out in my second viewing that I liked the choices characters made the second time through because I fully understood the show and where it was going.
BarnacleBlister
In order to watch this show, just sit back and take in the visuals. Don't concern yourself with the plot or characters otherwise you'll have nothing to hold onto. This is a tremendously creative series set in an intriguing world with beautiful animation. Unfortunately, nothing about the story or characters even comes close to matching the show's outward beauty. This isn't a boring show; it constantly shows the viewer new locations, characters, confrontations. Locales include a pleasant island community, Himalayanesque mountains, and much more sumptuous scenery. Character designs are all equally creative from the military uniforms to the Zanbani's rag-tag crew to the various culture's depicted."Xam'd" also earns points from me for some of the most creative monster designs I seen. Every bit of eye candy propels the show briskly through its 26 episodes.
Beyond that, there is nothing. Those who have seen "Eureka 7" will instantly recognize some of the characters and possibly carry over some attachment from that show, but really, "Xam'd"'s characters are simply hollow pawns to the story.
A story that is no more intriguing than any of its characters. Honestly, I would be hard-pressed to even give a plot synopsis. There are many good ideas in "Xam'd," none of which are developed to fruition. There's a war; however, I couldn't tell you who was on what side or what the cause was. There are things called Xam'd or hiruko or something; I have no idea what they are after even after watching the show. There are a hundred examples of this.
This damn thing takes so many directions, incorporates so many details, and continually adds to the fracas that nothing is ever given its proper gestation time. It almost feels like an abridged version of a larger series.
I still recommend "Xam'd" to people who enjoy quality art and good animation; however, don't frustrate yourself with the finer details of the story -they aren't all that fine anyway.
Nvrtry
"Everyday I wake up thinking it'll be okay. 'Cause you promised me that, you'd come back some day. My heart is throbbing but I will wait. And I'll strive... to stay strong..." Try as I might, I cannot think of a song that matches the content of a series better than the first ED of Xam'd: Lost Memories. If you wanted to, you could probably put these lyrics as the synopsis of the series and have it hold the same effect as the current. Xam'd is not a series that everyone will enjoy. At first glance, it would appear to be another action series that people watchto see intense fight scenes and fast pacing. While the action scenes that are included are displayed beautifully, this is not what I, or anyone else, should classify as any other action-adventure. If that is what you are looking for, Xam'd may not be the right fit.
However, if you want to watch a series that will make you think, or perhaps are looking for a hidden gem that will tug at your heart-strings, you should seriously consider picking this up. It is not fast-paced, and I cannot stress that enough. You have to be able to think and decipher hidden messages in the plot to enjoy Xam'd to its full extent.
Set in a world where the two major continents, the North and the South, are fighting a bloody war that is beginning to take civilian lives, Xam'd does a brilliant job of displaying the devastation, loss, and beauty of war. The story, while confusing, accurately depicts the fight between two warring factions who both believe are doing the right thing. Let's get this straight. War is NOT simple, and in a world as complex as the one Xam'd is situated in, it is even more complicated.
I am not going to explain any part of the story in detail, because I believe that one of the major attractions of this series is being able to discover for yourself what is going on. I will say this however; if you find yourself lost, do not hesitate to re-watch certain episodes, especially ones around episode 20, where the story really begins to get serious. The show goes from a more light-hearted mood to very serious rather quickly, and begins leading the viewer down a twisted path where you WILL find yourself lost at least once or twice. But such is a story of love and war.
Akiyuki, the main protagonist of Xam'd, at first seems like any other shallow MC that the industry spits out 10 times a season. While he is similar to many MC's in the past (Especially Renton Thurston, another one of BONES' brain childs') he has one major thing going for him.
Akiyuki has a heart, and an undying love for his friends and family, especially his child hood friend, Haru. This heart of Akiyuki's will guide him on a quest across his world to discover why he was chosen to lead a new life as a Xam'd, but to find his passion for the ones he loves.
If there is one negative aspect of this show, it's that it brings in A LOT of characters, while only truly developing a handful throughout. The three main protagonists are quickly pinned as Akiyuki, Nakiami, and Haru. With them, however, each protagonists brings in more characters that the viewer my find difficult connecting to.
Akiyuki brings his parents, who get a lot of screen time with most of the development coming with his father.
Nakiami brings an entire ship full of characters with her, of which, only three (Raigyo, Ishu, and Yango) get a true development to the point where the viewer will connect with them on a certain level. Along with the crew, Nakiami also brings Lady Sannova, the white-haired children, and also her village of Tenjo and Tessik peoples, some of which are not thoroughly explained. The whole religion aspect of the story is an extremely weak point of the story, as it does not truly get proper development.
Haru brings her family and good friend Naruichi into the story, of which her sister Midori is the only to get a decent level of development.
The military comes in without a true explanation as well, but the viewer will quickly pin Toujirou and company as the main antagonists of the story. Throughout the show, you will need to re-watch certain parts to be able to understand what exactly the whole military-versus-religion thing is really about. Not until the end will you really be able to understand, so don't fret if you get to around episode 23 and still aren't too positive about what's going on.
Akiyuki is without a doubt the main character of the show, and a beautiful one at that. On his journey from his home island of Sentan to the Northern continent, he has many struggles to deal with. He handles them quite well, from his love and want to be reunited with Haru, to understanding a war which he has been thrust into unwillingly. You will find a quick connection with Akiyuki, and share his tears, as well as smiles.
Nakiami, however, is a more difficult character to understand. She goes VERY late into the story without getting a true explanation of who exactly she is, and why exactly she has such a connection with the Xam'ds. She is a character completely shrouded in mystery, but one that will steal your heart regardless. It is tough not to grow to love her as the story progresses, and by the end, you will shed a tear or two if you have watched the series correctly.
Haru is a girl that has experienced great loss in her life, and with her sudden and even greater loss of Akiyuki, this character will tug at your heart-strings like few characters are able to. You will find yourself rooting for her with every action she takes, and although I will admit I was FUCKING PISSED when she cut her hair (what's with BONES and having female leads cut their hair half way through? First Talho and now this), she was my favorite character when I finished the show.
These three MC's, as well as the several side characters that get an actual development (Raigyo, Yango, Midori, Ryuzuo, Toujirou) will bring you on a ride that I can guarantee you will not soon forget.
As beautiful as the story and characters are, it is the sound and animation that really bring this series to life. I am a huge fan of BONES' choices for the OST. The ED's and OP's are awesome, and the music that plays throughout is beautiful and heart-warming.
The animation is on another level when compared to other series of the same genre. While the character designs are quite unique and vibrant, it is the design of the world as a whole that makes this story beautiful. You will find yourself pausing to admire the amazing detail this studio put into making this series a real winner.
As the series comes to its end, you may find yourself struggling to hold back a few tears. The ending is beautiful, and I'll admit that even thinking about it clouds my eyes. A word of advice for the ending, Ishu is not rambling some incoherent poem in the background as the final credits begin to roll. Listen to (or in most peoples case, read) what she is saying and pay attention to what is being shown to you. It is only then that the true power of this ending with touch your soul.
As I said before, Xam'd is not for everyone, but if you close this review with even a slight interest in the story, characters, or art, then please, check out Xam'd: Lost Memories. It is not often that you can find a series as beautiful and moving as the tale of Xam'd, and the opportunity should not be passed up.
Personal Note: This is my first ever review. Please help me out with suggestions, tips, and constructive criticism through messages, or feel free to send me a friends request and post on my wall. Thanks everyone.
yumedarling
What a disappointment. I expected a lot out of this show as it was done by BONES but it definitely falls apart at a certain point in the series. There were a lot of things that were done well in the show. The animation was quite beautiful and remained at a high quality all throughout. The music worked although they repeated some themes one too many times. The OP is pretty nice although I think others are better. The concepts they introduced in the first half of the series were quite interesting as well. But a ton of problems aroseas the series went on. The characterization was shallow, and this was surprising coming from BONES. Even at the end of the series, it's hard to sympathize with any of the main characters. The presentation was dramatic without being able to create any drama because the audience just never learns enough about anyone, even Akiyuki. The minor characters (especially Ishu and her crew) were there but you never feel like you know them that well either. When characters cried, I could barely understand why they were crying save for the part about Haru's mother. The most well-developed character was probably Nakiami, although she had less screentime than Haru.
Another issue was the world that Xam'd was set in. There is a war and there's apparently a North side and a South side but it never really matters because it's only ever important in relation to the military experiments with the Xam'd. I didn't care about any of the "suffering" or people affected by the war because it seemed to be there just to try to make the war more important. The military also makes a big deal out of the Humanforms, but those are pretty much useless in the grand scheme of things. In fact, many aspects of the show end up being pretty useless in the grand scheme of things including Ishu's postal ship, Ishu in general, Kakisu, Akiyuki's parents (who are shown in a ridiculous amount of scenes with absolutely no effect), and Raigyo.
There were so many interesting ideas and concepts, but the strangely dull presentation and slow pacing don't deliver them to their fullest potential. Everything up until about episode 14 was just fine, but it seems that every decision they made in the plot after that just contributed to less of anything being explained in the series. In my opinion, they should not have separated Akiyuki and Nakiami for the second half of the show.
It's bewildering to me how much I ended up disliking a lot of what happened in this series after such a charming first episode and beginning but I suppose BONES just hasn't been too successful with any of their original plots not based on a manga.
explicit707
Bounen no Xamdou is one of those series that took me by surprise. It was on my to watch list for a while, and I really trudged my way through a few misses before I found this one. It's hard to get a gist for what you're going to see by reading a synopsis, because it is a character driven story from start to finish. The overall story isn't bad, but it's really about the people in the story and their relationships with eachother. I was impressed, and it had a satisfying ending as well. Definitely this was a great series. It starts our looking likeyour stereotypical mecha, post war, children of war, superpowered series. I thought I was in for the same song and dance I've seen over and over again. I was surprised to find that this wasn't the case. After the main character is wisped away and his friends are left in the aftermath, the real story begins. The story does a good job of following all characters, and you are given plenty of time to develop an emotional bond to them all. There are not a lot of action filled scenes, but the ones you get are satisfying. It's pacing isn't too slow, but it definitely is never rushed either. All in all it's done really well.
One thing that I was really impressed with is that some characters started out villainous and then seemed less and less evil as the story progressed. Others started out seemingly ok, but then became more and more villainous. Not one character was ever truly evil, and I felt most were likeable in their own way. As I said, this was character driven story and it was done extremely well.
I'll say the artwork and animation were pretty good, but the music and voice acting were top notch. The music was typically right on, and it really fed to the emotion in each scene. They really did a fantastic job. The voice actors hit their mark just about every time and it made for a great experience.
If you don't mind story/character driven anime series with less action than character development then give this series a look. I thought it was great and would highly recommend it.
dbaranyi
Well, "Bounen no Xamdou", aka "Xam'd Lost Memories", aka "Why the F**k Do We Need a Story?" has finally finished. In one sense I must admit that the final episode was consistent with the rest of the anime; and I mean that in the most damning sense because the entire series was without substance. Let me be a bit clearer - the original TV ending to "EVA" was significantly more imaginative, original and meaningful when compared to the ending of Xamdou. I don't really care how much effort and money was spent on the animation - Xamdou failed terribly as a story. We were never givenany inkling of why there was a war, why there were competing apocalyptical forces at work, what the "Emperor" was, why the audience was supposed to empathize with terrorists, and worst of all, why so many characters that should have been very dead showed up again in the epilogue.
No matter how many times during the series I gave the writers the benefit-of-the-doubt they returned again and again to metaphysical b.s. that drove my suspension-of-disbelief screaming and running away. Characters pulled their motivations out of their butts at random. The pseudo-science and technology of the world was all eye candy and totally devoid of substance or purpose. Pointless sub-plots crawled out of the depths of triviality to waste any opportunities to provide any consistency to the story.
I definitely want back the 13 hours of my life that I wasted on this series.
supermario23
This series reminds me of a very elegant and beautiful mansion on the hillside. A most grandiose house amidst the whole perfect ambiance of the forest surrounding it. But, as you venture inside, you find the whole house empty. No residents, furniture scattered around, walls tattered, curtains ripped...there isn't even a single rat scattering about. You are then filled with grave disappointment as you realize that with just the right amount of good care it could have been the best sight you could have ever seen. Xam'd Lost Memories is just this. It delivers very well on the aesthetics, but it tries too hard to deliverits plot that it ultimately falls flat on its face. This is disappointing, especially coming from BONES which is one of the production studios I respect(along with Production I.G)that hasn't succumbed to the 'moe' infection in anime today.
Story-wise, Xam'd had a lot of things going for it. Interesting concepts were abound, good settings and solid foundations for a great universe. However, the problem here lies in the execution. It starts off on a high note, but it increasingly becomes dragged down with too much exposition. Too many terms were dropped with hardly any of them getting adequate development. BONES is highly notorious for this. The Xam'd universe then became too convoluted for a 26 episode series and left me with more questions than answers. This inhibits the viewers to empathize clearly with the characters as they are often left confused as to why those characters are even in the story itself. Pacing issues and poor planning greatly hindered this series from achieving what could have been greatness.
Xamd's art is great, though. Backgrounds are detailed, with each place having its own motif. Character design is good. Every character has his own unique look and feel--especially the Xam'd. The many different Xam'd designs are innovative, reflecting the fresh approach the series had. Animation quality is top-notch, which is expected from every BONES series. From the visual department, Xam'd delivers perfectly well. Sound is also good; it delivers the right tracks at the right moments without ever sounding bland and dry. The OP and ED are fantastic--the OP being a very exciting and energy-filled song befitting the action-y feel of the show and the ED a somewhat mellower one to ease the tension, so to speak. Aesthetically, Xam'd is many leagues better than its counterparts.
But the visual and auditory greatness of a show is easily forgotten if the essentials are lacking. Such is the case for Xam'd's characters, who are relatively interesting at first, but are soon engulfed in the dreariness of the plot. The protagonist, for instance, is a copy-paste hero from every action anime. What depth his character had feels tacked on and he doesn't really put out something new. The only good character the show had was Nakiami, who was also shortchanged at the end. Supporting characters felt artificial, they had really no significant part to the plot. Some of them were even put there just to die meaningless deaths. The characters' uselessness is personified in the blonde military secretary who was just there too look hot and say snappy comebacks and one-liners. Haphazard character development definitely damaged this series.
Cookie-cutter characters, meandering plot progression, incessant and unnecessary exposition shouldn't really stop you from enjoying Xam'd though. You can just look at the well-animated fight scenes and the unique fantasy feel of the series or just listen to the OP song all day long on repeat(RUN AWAY RUN AWAY RUN AWAY, anyone?).The aesthetics should be enough for the casual anime watcher. For the more experienced and those looking for substance though, if you can get over the series' major flaws, you can definitely have fun watching the show--albeit with your brain turned off.
Overall, Xam'd Lost Memories isn't a bad watch at all. In fact, it could have been one of the decade's best anime series. It's just too bad that it shot itself in the foot with poor execution, terrible pacing and forgettable characters(I even forgot the doctor's name even though he was semi-important). Just like the beautiful mansion, just looking at it from the outside should be enough satisfaction for anyone. However, if you want substance and would want to look inside,turn away now. Disappointment awaits you just as you walk through the front door.Or even better, just RUN AWAY RUN AWAY RUN AWAY RUN AWAY RUN AWAY...
Splitter
Xam'd: Lost Memories starts with gorgeous visuals and a great score, a staple of any good Bones anime, but Eureka Seven this is not. Rather Xam'd feels so confident in itself that it forgets how to tell its story, and what the viewer is left with is a hodgepodge of plot devices, sudden character and relationship development, and twists that run on no backing whatsoever except that we didn't see it coming. There's only two judgments that can be made from Xam'd: Either it was planned as a 50 episode series or they made it up as they went along. These aren't judgments I make lightlyeither. Characterization is a huge point to be made here. So focused this anime started with its characters with enigmatic pasts and unspecified mysterious connections, but some of these pasts aren't even explained, and most are barely even touched upon. Xam'd filled its cast list too full with too many promises of pasts and relationships that it couldn't cash all the checks it wrote early on. Relationship that aren't thrown to the gutter, such as Akiyuki and Haru's, flourished quite well, and Nakiami's past, while not incredible, was well-done and justified. The problem then is not that the series doesn't develop characters and relationships well, but that it didn't make enough time to explain everyone's character and the nature of their relationships.
The story however is inexcusable. For such a simple "lone hero must unite the world" plot, this series flooded itself with unexplained terminology (I'm still not entirely sure what the hell a Xam'd even is) and splinters off into so many subplots that the core of it becomes lost in the shuffle. Likewise, some of the subplots don't even connect in the end and the ones that do don't do so in any fulfilling way. I loved the character of Yango, but seriously, what was his purpose? He wasn't necessary for Nakiami to make her evolution, yet the story felt the need to carry his character to the end regardless. Never finding its own personal voice, this series tries to compensate by settling the series on an epic scale, but because there is no cohesive element to allow it to do such, it just looks sprawled out, messy and disconnected. In short, Xam'd loses itself in its own expectations for itself.
Technical aspects are standard Bones and of course that means its near bar-none. Richly painted and vast landscapes blend wonderfully with the conventional but uniquely appealing character designs. Likewise, the animation flows fantastically without flaw.
The music is also very suitable with some fitting BGM ranging from average to above-average but never below. The OP may not fit for some, but there's a great ED in the mix. Voices are decent but no one really stands out. Rather, the cast list looks like a vocal experiment with an actual little boy playing Yango and Yuko Sanpei playing a girl for once. There are places where it works and places where it doesn't, but the overall result is appealing.
I would ultimately call Xam'd a glorious failure. I liked it and there's no denying it didn't try to be great, but with multiple pacing problems, characters left unexplored and useless subplots, Xam'd spreads itself so thin that it falls apart. It looks great, it sounds great, but it's not great. Maybe next time, Bones.
Overall, I give Xam'd: Lost Memories a 7 out of 10.
domofication
“Memory is a way of holding on to the things you love, the things you are, the things you never want to lose" (Kevin Arnold). Beneath the romantics, action, and tragedy in Xam'd lies a simple message: the importance of identity, which is perhaps one's most treasured possession. Memories, friendships, relationships, and the power of a name are all components tied into one's identity, which Xam'd examines closely. Story - 7 This was, unfortunately, the most acknowledged fatal flaw in Xam'd that prevented this artwork from being a masterpiece. While it was original, creative, and innovative, the writers made the plot overly complex, creating too many complicatedtechnicalities, making the story difficult to follow and comprehend. However, the general concepts of the plot were understandable, and only mechanical details tripped the story's flow. The setting was brilliantly laid out; the militaristic society in which the story took place was well defined. The cultural and racial conflicts and discrimination in Xam'd were especially a plus to the structure of the plot, aiding in the characterization of the situations. This was one of the main catalysts for the drama in Xam'd, which was definitely one of its greatest features, realistic but in a fictional universe. Overall, the plot was envisioned to be a smooth progression of exciting events, but the theory was not executed as perfectly as planned, leading to its own entanglement.
Artwork - 9
The animation was smooth, the colors were silkily vivid, and the overall image of Xam'd is magnificent. There is little to critique in the artwork of Xam'd, as it was definitely not an eyesore. Although not as overly detailed in art as Guilty Crown, nor as originally creative as Bakemonogatari, Xam'd was free of major flaws in the animation, while keeping the setting detailed and pleasing to the eye, constituting "great" artwork.
Sound - 10
The most fitting part of Xam'd is the brilliant sound. The OST is one of the most perfectly matched for an anime. Original and upbeat opening really catches the attention of any viewer. The orchestral background music was well applied to the setting and drama of the story. Music in Xam'd eases the viewer and is soothingly calming; stringed instruments were great to incorporate into the anime. Bravo to whichever genius decided on the soundtrack of Xam'd.
Character - 9
While the story line was lacking a fine, strong foundation, the characters were a dynamic factor in the construction of Xam'd. The strength of the structure of the characters was all about the realistic embodiment of each individual, despite the fact that the story took place in an extremely fictional setting. Especially appealing were the dialogues between all the characters, smooth and natural. The conversations were not at all awkward, and they broadened the characters' relationships beyond appearance and race. The character development was strong, and even though it focused on multiple individuals and groups, Xam'd succeeded in giving insight to the viewers on the characters. Not only did they emphasize the pasts and mindsets of all the characters to the point where sympathy can be held for any character (good or "evil"), but they also developed the relationships between the many groups of characters, all connecting to the main, Takehara Akiyuki. Although he is the AVERAGE high school student, there could not have been a more dynamic substitute for him; the relations he had with Benikawa's mail crew were another well developed aspect of Xam'd. His charismatic nature leads into the plot development and progression so well, especially as the main factor of this anime is identity. The characters' connections of Xam'd can be visualized as a base, Akiyuki, branching off to a few segments, which branch off to even more characters, which all the relationships were shed light upon. If Xam'd had been a more character-driven plot, there would have been much greater success. The ending, however, was still made magnificent because of the work that had been put into the characters.
Enjoyment - 9
What could make a story more exciting than its plot? Drama. It creates suspense and keeps people at the edge of their seats, unable to stop themselves from marathonning the entire series in one sitting. In fact, the enjoyment of Xam'd is probably what causes people (such as myself) to rewatch the series multiple times in hopes of understanding the plot more. The drama, the tensions, and the relationships are what allows us to overlook the flaws and simply enjoy the anime itself.
Overall - 9
Despite the nagging feeling that there is something unsettling or unknown about the plot, Xam'd was very enjoyable. The characters are very likable and the setting was creative, with good art and a very strong OST to back it up. I would highly recommend this to anyone who likes any genre of anime, because Xam'd has a lot of content packed into it.
kurisui
I was very excited to see Xam'd, Bones is my all time animation studio and I was looking forward to something amazing. The Animation was some of the best I have seen for a very long time, and did not disappoint. The story on the other hand I have a hard time liking, there was a enough substance to keep me watching till the end, but after it was over, and the initial flare from the ending had left me (as quickly as it had arrived) I realized I was deeply dissatisfied with the whole thing. It felt like the most of the anime was very nicestory related filler, with no substance, adding very little to the characters, even though if felt like it was trying to. The ending left with little to no closure. There was a mixture of happiness, sadness, confusion, and a deep sense of being cheated out of a decent ending.
I'd recommend watching Xam'd if you like great animation, or if this genre suits you, but for a seasoned warrior in the anime world, it won't leave a deep impression.
Zergneedsfood
On a ship headed for unknown destinations, cast against ethereal clouds and a violet sunrise, a raven haired beauty reads aloud. Her voice echoes with a mixture of sobriety and apathy. Behind its ostentatious opening and impressive spectacles, it is this somber tone that reveals Bounen no Xam'd's profound humanistic elements and its trust in the resilience of the human spirit. For Xam'd, the destination is often as important as the journey itself. While its story begins in the independent civilian center, Sentan Island, Xam'd brings our characters to foreign lands and war ravaged towns, cities turned into industrial waste and forest of stone creatures. Evenwithout explanation, Xam'd's imagery brings to mind a very visceral illustration of the world our characters traverse, and manages to build a mysterious but enthralling place often quite different from our own.
It is within this world that Xam'd has an incredibly compelling story to tell, rich between the lines, while sparing its audience needless explanation. Many fault the show for having little to no plot, but Xam'd is challenging, and confronts us with a story from the perspectives of characters who are either unwilling to reminisce on the past or have not been alive long enough to experience it. In many ways, Xam'd "of the Lost Memory" is quite literal in its description of the show's approach to the story, but that is not to say that Xam'd does not adequately explain the questions that arise throughout. The origins of the Hiruko, the history of aggression between the North and the South, racism and the exile of the Tessikan people, all coalesce not just to bring the world of Xam'd to life, but to craft a set of resonant ideas and themes.
The characters are likely what will stand out to most people. For one, the cast is rather large, but there is a great variety of interesting faces, many of whom get their fair share of attention and detail. While their pasts are not often fully explicated, there is a strong sense of realism to these people. Be it their struggles or aspirations, many of them are brought to life purely by how flawed they are as people. Whether it's being stuck in the past or unable to speak one's mind, these simple traits turn out to be rather complex and make for great interactions between each other. Even if the story of Xam'd does not catch one's attention, the drama between the characters feel real and organic and are worth it for that alone.
Include an atmospheric soundtrack and great visuals for its age, and Xam'd is a great recommendation for a tough but captivating science fantasy adventure. The show is, at times, incredibly ambitious with the story it sets out to tell, so much so that it's fair to fault it for reaching too much. However, for all its imperfections, the show is both a gripping drama and intricate in its lore.
erickpaini
It's a great work. At first I even thought about stopping to watch, but when the story began to develop I was very surprised. The story has totally changed direction and characters that at first seem unimportant, began to gain ground and become very important for the work. The OST is very good, especially the opening. The art itself did not please me much, but it did not spoil the anime. I recommend this anime to everyone, it really is an anime that is worth watching.
ap1001
What did I just watch? Bounen no Xamdou is one of those show where you watch it to the end hypnotized by the pretty visuals and then when it finished you realize you have no idea what the hell the entire thing was about. I have to check two wikis to get a rough understanding of the plot, cause BONES suck at exposition and thought cryptic means good. The only thing I got was confusion out of the entire thing. Story - ? The story is about a war between two countries with one having some organic weapon cult thingy? I think? The reason I say this isbecause the entire show can't seem to decide what it want to be, at first it seems like a story about a young man dealing with the fact he became a monster-thingy and need to learn to control it, but then there is this weird cult and war thing added in and then it became Ultraman with a big fucking doomsday monster showing up related to the cult and it was defeated by giving it a name?
I got no freaking clue and the world with the steampunk mixed with highschool mixed with culty-cult look didn't help, it felt like the entire thing was created by hacking stitching three very different show together and hoped to create something even better but the result was this Frankenstein monster show.
I got no idea why the war is important, how the Xamdou soul thingy works, why or what the coo-coo cult are trying to accomplish, and why is the tech level all over the place.
Character - Good, I guess? (7?)
They certainly have a lot of character and angst, but with the confusing context, they just couldn't engage me. The ending had the MC and the red-hair die or sealed for 9 and 1000 year respectively, and all I felt was "Cool animation, they really spent a lot of money on this." I guess they were trying to go for a philosophical "Who am I" thing, but I felt this is the dumbest philosophy to ponder about (you get more mileage debating with 8-year-old on youtube comment section then consider this).
But regardless, the characters have background, development and conclusion , so you might get attached to them and care (though I personally didn't). Even if it is all buried underneath a confusing world/plot and a pointless pretentious philosophy.
Art, Sound - 9, 9
Gorgeous and amazing, you don't see this level of quality anymore, a relic of past time when the industry hasn't start sucking its own fart and began getting brain damage.
Overall - 5
Great show for seeing how anime used to be very great and try hard (even if this appears to try too hard and ended up breaking its back), with beautiful animation and music, a good cast, and a plot that try to be meaningful and deep (though it failed but at least it tried).
NeverKnowsBest26
Xam'd: Lost Memories is a sprawling fantasy from acclaimed animation studio Bones. In the tradition of the grand adventures like Full Metal Alchemist and Eureka Seven; Xam'd creates a vast fantasy world, complete with a big cast of characters and an intricate mythos. It also touches on themes of identity and the tole of war. Xam'd tries to accomplish a lot, in fact maybe too much for its 26 episodes, as the show becomes uneven as it reaches its conclusion. Despite this, Xam'd is certainly worth taking a look at. The story takes place in a world in conflict. There is a war between theNorthern Empire and the free lands in the South. However, the war is far from high school student Akiyuki Takehara's mind, as his home Sentan Island has remained tranquil. That is until a sudden attack thrusts the island into the conflict; Akiyuki is transformed into a monstrous being (called Xam'd) in the ordeal and taken from the island by a mysterious girl named Nakiyami. He is taken aboard an airship where he must train to master the monster residing within him. Meanwhile, his friends back on the island join the military in order to find him.
Xam'd has a lot going on, from the big conflict of the war with the North to sacred sacrifical rituals. However, it is the character drama that proves the driving force of the series. Each character has there own personal struggle, such as Akiyuki learning to co-exist with the Xam'd residing within him and Nakiyami having unfinished business with the past she ran away from. The complicated relationships between many of the characters also adds to the drama; most notable is the one between Akiyuki and his two friends from Sentan Island, Naru and Furuichi. The show explores complex themes of identity and personal relationship through the characters and their struggles. This makes Xam'd a compelling and multi-layered drama that kept me involved from beginning to end.
The world of Xam'd is vast, which is both a blessing and a curse. On one hand, the world is highly intriguing; one thing that kept me engaged in the story was the fantasy elements continually provided interesting twists and turns. The themes of the story were also accentuated well through the supernatural, further enriching the show's drama. At the same time, if you are looking for detailed explanation, then you are out of luck. Things like the existence of of Xam'd and Humanforms (the North's living weapons), and why the war is even being fought get only the vaguest of explanations, and sometimes do not completely make sense.
The big issue this series runs into is in its second half; there is simply too much going on at once. The show splits its attention between four different story lines. This, of course, means that you will have to pay close attention to know what exactly is going on. Even then however, the story comes across in a somewhat confused and contrived manner. Moreover, juggling around story lines inevitably means that some characters who had heavy focus earlier are pushed aside until the plot needs them again. This makes any catharsis they might have feel forced and not as meaningful as the ought to have been. The show manages to tie the different story lines together well, which is certainly an admirable feat, but is somewhat marred by a lackluster final episode.
Studio Bones is known for the high production value of its shows, and Xam'd is no exception to the rule. Character designs and backgrounds are sharp, well detailed, and distinctive. The animation is crisp and fluid, doing the colorful art justice. The art style itself has a similar flare as Eureka Seven (minus the boarding mechs, of course), especially regarding the Humanforms which are reminiscent to the Coralians from Eureka seven in their otherworldly appearance. However, Xam'd also feels a bit more grounded in reality, featuring less cartoon-ish faces and body language; and of course is more fantasy themed, where Eureka was Sci-fi. There are a few times where character rendering is a bit rough, but the animation is solid for the most part. The music is equally as good, fitting for the epic scope the show aims for. The music supports the show well through its quite moments and grand battles.
Xam'd is a flawed work, but by no means a bad one. The characters' struggles with identity and relationships makes for some very compelling drama. The battles are equal parts exhilarating and horrifying. Despite being somewhat muddled, the story is still very engaging and really does have a few moments of greatness. All in all, a pretty good way to fill up a few hours of your time.
On a side note: Nakiyami is clearly inspired by Hayao Miyazaki's character Nausicaä; from her appearance to her respect for all living beings.
guhthix
Do you want to experience a very deep story with good romance, drama, action as well as art along with exceptional characters? then, this anime is for you. Presenting you a masterpiece by the creator of Eureka Seven Story (9/10):Its about a boy who goes into a misadventure without his own will. a story about the extent of the bond called friendship, and he troubles he faces in order to survive. the story was Dark, but it was pleasant. there were times when you actually laugh and actually cry. i found the story quite realistic. the anime explains all the emotions that a person may experience whenthey are in a bind, which includes from jealousy to fear. the spoiler of the ending is explained below if you are interested to know how it all ends. Incase you dont understand what happened ( will mostly happens), you may read the spoiler below after completing the anime.
[SPOILER]
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i should not say anything about the ending, however these kind of anime tend to turn out to be a sad ending, or an open ending which holes your heart forever...... however this is not in this case. the ending was preety good, though it's hard to understand what actually happened. the anime leaves a kind of open ending which is left up to the viewers to imagine what happened. this is what i understood:
Route 1 (happy end): the protagonist completed his days being a stone and finally returned back to his beloveds.
Route 2 (open end): the female protagonist goes near his location, and imagines his talking to him, however this presents a happy open ending where it is made sure that he will return back to her "someday"
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[SPOILER END]
Art (8/10): what else can you expect from the creators of Eureka? its animation quality is same as eureka 7, assuming you have already watched it. the action scenes, and facial expressions are superb.
Sound (8/10) a fitting sound for a dark themed anime. the sound especially, made it eerie. when you are watching it along with the sound, you experience the sorrow expressed in the scenes, however giving you hope that it will all turn out good sometime.
Characters (10/10) what can i say, OUTSTANDING. its been a while since i watched an anime which presents such realistic characters.
3 friends, two of them followed their own routes. one turned out to be good, and the other bad. the third friend develops feeling for of of them, which turn the second one insane. a marvelous combination of emotions.
apart from the 3 main characters, the antagonists were on part with their uniqueness.
Enjoyment (9/10) : the anime itself is unique in its class, and i doubt anyone else can copy its elements. a true masterpiece, and truly enjoyable, however not a 10 because i wanted to see more than 26 episodes, and i wished that a few sidestories about the side characters were explained a bit more, which was definitely not possible in a mere 26 episode anime.
Overall (8/10) an anime worth watching if you enjoy dark and mature theme.
wlitsch
I don't want to rehash what other reviewers who found this anime wanting had to say. They were mostly right. It's a random mishmash of anime tropes and doesn't know what it wants to be. That mish mash is mostly an unintelligible admixture of Nauscaa Valley of the Wind, Princess Mononoke, and Eureka Seven. As a person who considers themselves an ecologist in spirit, a scientist by profession, and an advocate for human rights by hobby I must say that the morals of this show are as mishmashed illogical nonsense as the rest of it. I feel sorry for thechildren that might "learn" something from it.
There is a bunch of self righteous talk of treating the xam'd or hiruko parasite like a human with human rights, despite it having no intelligence whatsoever, but in actually fact all those who say such things hate people, are fine with murdering people indiscriminately (meaning they are terrorists), and attempt to save a mindless, parasitic, murder-hobo life form called a hiruko over helping other living sentient beings. How is that pro human rights or compassionate? That's like seeing a Nazi and then feeling compassionate for the poor Nazi so you let the Nazi go on a murder spree because you feel bad for it being hated all the time. Fuck that. Who wrote this shit. I pile of psychopaths is what I think.
These hiruko parasites are not natural. They don't eat, sleep, fuck, or reproduce. They simply try to murder whatever living being is around them without any reason. There isn't a single living organism on the planet that is that bad. These hiruko aren't something that can be lived with in harmony with nature. They are as anti-nature as you can get. It's like trying to live in harmony with a nuclear explosion or a giant oil spill. They are clearly alien invaders that are the antithesis of life on Earth or whatever planet this show takes place on and they rightly should be exterminated.
Gang_Orca
This show is the prime example of why the points scale for ratings on this site will never be able to reliably encompass the opinions of raters. The show has really good art and sound and for people that watch a lot of anime its hard to give shows like this poor average or poor ratings. You just see too much crap art to demean a show that goes the extra mile in the aesthetics department, But the plot is fundamentally flawed and stories make the show, no getting around it. Most negative reviews point out cliche stuff like shallow character development and poorly thought outending but this show just, ugh, it's just not right. The story's attentions is to diluted. Following characters for long periods that don't effect or convey the themes efficiently. There are a lot of flat out unnecessary characters. This is compounded by not streamlining the driving forces of the story. For example, fine you wanna spend time following some little kid for hours to show his difficulty with his upbringing and parent loss but then, instead of showing other characters issues with child rearing and relationships with parents the next scenes are that of some place getting bombed. They then will bring up questions involving existentialism and what no,t when all though that may relate to parenting they haven't began to tie it in to the theme of the plot. It'll be like one characters mom died, then a scene of someone unrelated to the character hvings their arm blown off, then they show the military performing morally questionable experiments and then they focuson potentially developing relationships between characters. NOT JUST LOSE ENDS, BUT A BUTCH OF SIMULTANEOUS SUBPLOTS THAT ARE NOT RELATED TO THE CORE STORY. In the end I don't know what the conclusion is supposed to bring, a end to the war, romantic relationships, uhhhhh, temporary fixes, or reflection for lost lives. What was Akiyuki trying to do this whole time? Really if you have and answer tell me. Save the world, save a girl, save a marriage, save a people? and which one of those was accomplished that warrented a definite conclusion? If I sound flustered its cuz I am. Whatever, just tell me what happened in the climax that resolved the major issue whatever it was?
Sanders_Man772
From the get go, when I started watching Xam'd, I thought of Howl's moving castle. Other who have watched this I'm sorry if you disagree with me, but the graphics, animation, fantasy story seemed so similar. Of course two different kind of stories, but I insist if you liked Howl's moving castle and its animation and its emotional journey and climb...You will like Xam'd :) okay talking about the my scoring... The story was amazing, I didn't think there was any unnecessary episodes that seemed like a filler you would see in many anime series. The story personally took me a while to understand what is goingon in this "world" but once I understood what was happening I fell in love with how the story took off :) For me since now I understand what is going on, a second time watching it will probably be more enjoyable than the first!
The art really reminded me of the style of Howl's moving castle. This is probably why I thought it seemed so similar. Well I loved the animation, it was well done and the action sequences seemed to flow well! wonderful work!
Wow the sound was great, I loved the Intro and ending songs on each episode. But looking back on the show, the music or sound during the anime didn't stand out. Its more of a I didn't notice any crummy sounds, or any amazing sounds so it must of been good. I think I might of been so worked up to the story that everything else seemed short to it. But I did notice a great usage in sound during climatic moment and emotional heartfelt times :)
Characters were well developed, funny and interesting. In this world of fantasy and magic I would say each character fills the parts and has a deep relationship with others. You notice tension right off the back with certain characters that make you want to watch more to see what will happen. They did a great job with the characters.
The Enjoyment factor was up there! I enjoyed the heartfelt moments, the comical parts, the sorrow and dreadful moments of the show. This show had all emotions of the pyramid and it used it well. It kept me uneasy for what was going to happen next and kept me more than entertained!
Overall this is a very solid anime! The Story were well above par, they had catching graphics that reminded me of Howl's moving castle. Sound were well in certain parts of the story. Characters were very heartfelt and the story as a whole was great! I see myself watching this series again and probably getting more out of it the second time around!
All I can say is Enjoy :D
