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AMAIM Warrior at the Borderline (TV) (all seasons).




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Stark700



Joined: 30 Jan 2012
Posts: 11762
Location: Earth
PostPosted: Mon Oct 04, 2021 9:33 am Reply with quote


Season 1 - AMAIM Warrior at the Borderline (TV)
Season 2 - AMAIM Warrior at the Borderline (TV 2)

Genres: action, science fiction
Theme: mecha

Plot Summary: In 2061, Japan is under a state of occupation by multiple states. The world, including Japan, has been consolidated under the rule of four trade blocs. The entire archipelago is now the frontline of conflict. The Japanese people live under a state of constant occupation and oppression, with humanoid war machines called AMAIM patrolling its streets.

A young introverted boy named Amō Shiiba has a chance meeting with the autonomous AI Gai, and his acquisition of the AMAIM Kenbu begins a story that will see him attempting to take back Japan. Gashin Tezuka is a reticent and frank 16-year-old member of the Japanese resistance who pilots the AMAIM Ghost to avenge his father.

S1 - FUNimation
S2 - Apr. 12, 2022 (Tuesdays; Crunchyroll)
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camseyeview140



Joined: 26 Jan 2021
Posts: 241
PostPosted: Tue Oct 05, 2021 2:27 pm Reply with quote
I'm mixed on it. On one hand, it's nice to see a new mech anime this season.

On the other hand, yeah I agree with how gross the setting sounds. The action is great, but the plot is wildly problematic.

I guess if I had to give it a rating, it would be like a 3/5. It's not great, but I have found some more repugnant than this one, but it's looming around in my worst so far.
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ACxS



Joined: 03 Aug 2019
Posts: 961
PostPosted: Wed Oct 06, 2021 9:50 pm Reply with quote
1:

NOT GUNDAM NOT GUNDAM NOT GUNDAM
NOT GUNDAM NOT GUNDAM NOT GUNDAM
NOT GUNDAM NOT GUNDAM NOT GUNDAM

I can't. I'd be lying if I say it doesn't have Gundam vibes at all. But there are some important distinctions to be made here. The scale of the story is much smaller compared to most Gundam titles; it's just Japan versus... the world? UN mercenaries? I haven't watched all the Gundam series, so I'm not much which exactly is this show most reminiscent with (any Gundam fans, feel free to fill me in).

But I must admit, the setup feels nostalgic. Kid who likes gadgets and doesn't want to be part of the war, gets thrown into a fight to save his friends, one thing leads to another, and eventually he gets roped into the war. How would this not feel awfully familiar?

I'm not sure if this show is a tribute to mecha shows of yesteryears, because it really feels like one. Maybe it is; the AMAIM feels like an obvious nod to Gundam. But it feels nice to watch a mecha show that isn't too heavy with the theme (at least not yet). And it's very polished so I give it that.

I'll sit back and watch.
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Animegomaniac



Joined: 16 Feb 2012
Posts: 4158
PostPosted: Thu Oct 07, 2021 4:06 am Reply with quote
Productionwise, it's good. Conceptually, it's bad. Does Amo steal an AMAIM? No. Is he forcible recruited into a revolution? No. He stumbles across a fully functioning repair depot from a war of occupation that happened years earlier with a mostly complete AMAIM that's more advanced* then present models which are "now" remote controlled like drones.

"Oceania", twisted Miranda rights as well as "You're guilty until proven innocent"... wow, I wonder who the first occupier could be? But that's not the problem, the problem is that the Boundary War started during a joint humanitarian effort that ended with the warring four powers each with that own piece of Japan, each with their own grasp on Japan's natural resources.

Hey Japan, remember why you started, I mean, "took part" in WWII? Your nation doesn't have natural resources. Code Geass worked because it was "Not Britain", a nation known for rampant Imperialism. But four blocks fighting over a piece of land that's more trouble than it's worth? This show makes the geopolitics of Heavy Object look positively brilliant.

* More "awesome"? If you can control them remotely then just control them remotely. Also, making the older model "bullet proof" just adds idiocy on top of stupidity.
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ACxS



Joined: 03 Aug 2019
Posts: 961
PostPosted: Mon Oct 11, 2021 11:02 pm Reply with quote
2:

This really feels like a Sunday morning cartoon.

You know what, I'm not going to pay attention to the plot. At all. The "continents fighting on Japanese soil" doesn't make sense at all, so why bother pointing out the flaws of a plot if the whole plot is garbage? In fact, it doesn't even feel like the show's putting that much effort in the plot; it's focusing more on moving the plot forward.

So thus, even though it feels like a Gundam tribute, it's not. It's more about "boy finds mecha, mecha finds boy, let's go save the world!". Short and simple (too simple, really). Don't bring in common sense, such as "why is Gai, an AI, incredibly irrational?" or "why is the world slugging it out in Japan, of all place?", into this show. WE DON'T WANT THAT.
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camseyeview140



Joined: 26 Jan 2021
Posts: 241
PostPosted: Mon Oct 11, 2021 11:31 pm Reply with quote
"Why bother paying attention to the plot at all?"

Because the show wants you to pay attention to the plot. The entire conflict and stakes are based on this anime's plot lol.

That's like asking "why should I care about answering a riddle that if I don't answer or get wrong, something will kill me?"

mech shows that aren't super robot shows are entirely based on and need you to care about the overarching plot.
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ACxS



Joined: 03 Aug 2019
Posts: 961
PostPosted: Mon Oct 11, 2021 11:58 pm Reply with quote
camseyeview140 wrote:
That's like asking "why should I care about answering a riddle that if I don't answer or get wrong, something will kill me?"

Except that there's no "right" or "wrong" way to enjoy something. I can just switch off when it comes to making sense of the plot, and just focus on Shiiba's blossoming partnership with Gai, and I would be just fine. And the production values and action sequences; they're pretty good, and not half-bad at all. In fact, I find the show a little more tolerable if I just focus on these two aspects. The show may "want" me to care about the plot, but it doesn't look like it's doing a good job at it.

Maybe the plot will become more interesting down the road. Maybe. Cross my fingers.
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camseyeview140



Joined: 26 Jan 2021
Posts: 241
PostPosted: Tue Oct 12, 2021 12:03 am Reply with quote
Like, normally, I agree that there is no right or wrong way, but if you are turning off your brain to the story and such, then that's a bad thing for the show to not have a plot worth keeping track or either due to it not being compelling or being told.

Yeah the action will be good, but after awhile, you will find an action show that will have both or something like Sakugan, which has both great production values and a great story.
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Animegomaniac



Joined: 16 Feb 2012
Posts: 4158
PostPosted: Tue Oct 12, 2021 7:15 am Reply with quote
Episode 2
I'm done, this show's dumber than dumb. A terrorist marked by Oceania gets marked as a target by the Asian group; "The enemy of my enemy is to be shot on sight". The show in its fervor to create an "Us" versus "Them" setting couldn't decide what sort of "Them" them actually are. You have three possibilities: Full cooperation, an uneasy peace with machinations behind the scenes or outright war; You can't smear "Them" across the three options, landing on one when its convenient.

A smart show would have had the couple poison Amou, not to sell him out to Oceania but a different faction. No, the show is very certain on who the "Us" are.... but then that makes "Them" the world? Man, talk about a persecution complex. I knew it was coming but to literally have "Oceania" at one of a body of water and "Asian" at the other end... the allegory is KIND OF LOUD, isn't it?
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Yttrbio



Joined: 09 Jun 2011
Posts: 3672
PostPosted: Mon Oct 18, 2021 3:28 pm Reply with quote
Episode 3:

I didn't come away from Code Geass thinking "if only the protagonist was more boring," but apparently someone did, so here we are.

I'm sure inspiring helpful big sister who doesn't show up in the opener is going to survive this surprise attack totally unharmed.
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ACxS



Joined: 03 Aug 2019
Posts: 961
PostPosted: Mon Oct 18, 2021 10:45 pm Reply with quote
3:

AH YES, the token brooding, emo guy. Of course!

The third member of the trio must be the polar opposite. Because you know, we need balance!
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ACxS



Joined: 03 Aug 2019
Posts: 961
PostPosted: Mon Oct 25, 2021 11:16 pm Reply with quote
4:

I lol'ed hard when Watt went into Sherlock mode and just "knew" what happened at the site. ORLY. You literally saw what happened because "the evidence speaks for itself"? Wow.
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ACxS



Joined: 03 Aug 2019
Posts: 961
PostPosted: Mon Nov 01, 2021 9:46 pm Reply with quote
5:

I lol'ed hard (again) at how the show tries to make the Deputy Governor as evil as possible. "Ooh look at how EEEEVIL I am! See my pointed ears and how I twirl my red wine, BWAHAHA".

This is what happens when you take a Gundam canon series and make it as kid-friendly as possible.
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