Fafner in the Azure THE BEYOND - A thorough review of the moving sequel

Fafner in the Azure THE BEYOND

■ Public Media

theater

■ Original Media

Anime Original

■ Release date

May 17, 2019 - November 5, 2021

■Distribution company

Movic

■Frequencies

13 mins

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 12

■Original Story

XEBEC

■ Director

Takashi Noto

■ Production

・Animation Production: XEBEC

■Works

©XEBEC・FAFNER BEYOND PROJECT

■ Story

The battle between humanity and the Festum continues, becoming more complicated than ever.

Under the name of "Operation Azure Fifth," Makabe Ikki and the Ryugujima unit board the humanoid weapon Fafner to reclaim their stolen comrades and engage in fierce combat with the Festum.

"Someone has to sacrifice themselves so that someone can live. Let's leave that world behind and live."

"I'll return you to where you belong"

What was taken away was something irreplaceable to the people of Ryugujima. But the same was true for their rivals. And for humanity as well...

A world where an endless war continues. And now, a new story begins...

■Explanation

The original animation series "Fafner in the Azure" depicts young boys and girls risking their lives to pilot the humanoid weapon "Fafner" to protect the people of the peaceful isolated island of Ryugujima from the unknown life form "Festum" that suddenly attacks the island.

The first season of the TV series, "Fafner in the Azure," began airing in 2004, followed the following year in 2005 by the TV special "Fafner in the Azure: Right of Left," which unravels the unknown past battles. In 2010, the movie "Fafner in the Azure: Heaven and Earth," depicting Minashiro Soushi's return to the island, was released. In the second season of the TV series, "Fafner in the Azure: Exodus," which aired in 2015, the boys find themselves embroiled in a new, even more complicated battle.

Now in 2019, the 15th anniversary of the series, their destiny begins to move once again.

■Cast

・Soushi Minashiro/Kohei Kiyasu

・Ikki Makabe/Makoto Ishii

・Maya Tomomi/Marika Matsumoto

・Kasugai Koyo/Irino Miyu

・Misao Kurushige/Ryohei Kimura

・Miwa Hino/Sumire Morohoshi

■ Main staff

・Original work: XEBEC

・Series Composition/Ubukata Tou

・Character design: Hisashi Hirai

・Mechanical design: Naohiro Washio

・CG animation director: Eiji Inomoto

Art Director: Masanobu Nomura, Yumi Horikoshi

・Art design: Kaoru Aoki

・Color design: Mitsuko Sekimoto

Director of photography: Takuma Shioka, Ryudai Koshida

Edited by Junichi Ito

Music: Tsuneyoshi Saito

Performed by the Warsaw National Philharmonic Orchestra

・Sound Director: Masafumi Mima

・Executive Producer/Go Nakanishi

・Producer: Kotaro Sudo

・Animation Producer/Yuko Akemi

・Director: Takashi Noto

・Production/FAFNER BEYOND PROJECT

■ Main Characters

・Minashiro Soushi

Born on November 23, 2151. He is the reincarnation of Minashiro Soushi, who was assimilated by the Festum during Operation Blue Sky 4 and was shattered. He has a different personality from the Minashiro Soushi before his reincarnation. After being discovered as a baby, he was raised on Kaijin Island by Makabe Ikki, and appeared as an adult, but...

・Ikki Makabe

Born September 21, 2131. As an ace pilot of Alvis's Fafner, he has fought many fierce battles with the Festum alongside Soushi Minashiro, saving humanity. During the battle, he reached an extreme state of assimilation, but with the blessing of the Mir of Ryugujima, he became a being that transcends the cycle of life and death.

・Tomomi Maya

Born November 11, 2131. A childhood friend of Ikki and Soushi, he is the only active pilot of his generation. He has excellent sniping skills, and when piloting a Fafner, he shows extraordinary composure due to his altered state of consciousness. During Operation Fourth Soukyuu, he manifested his SDP, gaining a multi-dimensional field of vision that allows him to recognize multiple targets at once and accurately capture targets at long distances.

・Kasugai Koyo

Born May 7, 2131. A Fafner pilot of the same generation as Ikki and Maya, he was assimilated and fused with the Festum. Even when he lost his body, he saved Ikki and the people of Ryugujima countless times. After regaining a body and returning, he overwhelms the Festum with the black blades created by the poison of the SDP that manifested.

・Mission

A being born from the influence of a Sphinx-type Festum that understands the human heart. He is the core of the Borealis Mir and lives aboard the aircraft carrier Borealis as its master. He manifests an SDP that allows him to perceive the flow of time in 0.00000001-second increments, and is able to see his surroundings in slow motion.

・Hino Miu

Born on April 1, 2147. The first child born naturally on Ryugujima. With the best Esperanto in humanity, she has excellent communication skills with Mir and the Festum. Her mother is Hino Yumiko, and Maya is her aunt. She does not want unnecessary conflict with the Festum, and tries to avoid combat by "talking" to them as much as possible.

■Subtitle

・Episode 1: Operation Blue Sky

・Episode 2: Child of Paradise

・Episode 3: Vessel of Destiny

Episode 4: The Powerless

・Episode 5/Student

・Episode 6: Next to It

Episode 7: The Man Who Never Returned

Episode 8: Telling the story of those left behind

・Episode 9 / Second L Project

■ Related works

TV anime "Fafner in the Azure"

TV anime "Fafner in the Azure EXODUS"

■ Theme songs and music

・OP

・"Shout"

・angela

Review and Recommendation

"Fafner in the Azure: The Beyond" is the latest installment in the series, a theatrical animation that was released between 2019 and 2021. This work is a new chapter in the "Fafner in the Azure" series that has captivated fans for many years, and is sure to appeal to new audiences as well as existing fans.

Story and Themes

"Fafner in the Azure: The Beyond" is a story that revolves around the "Fifth Operation Azure." The battle between humanity and the Festum that has been depicted throughout the series has evolved into a more complex and profound theme. As the story depicts the fight to recover lost comrades, sacrifice and salvation, life and death, and the meaning of human existence are called into question. In particular, the line "Someone must sacrifice themselves so that someone can live. Let's abandon such a world and live" symbolizes the core theme of the work.

Additionally, the line "I will return you to where you belong" expresses the determination to rescue the stolen beings and the depth of human relationships. The stolen beings are irreplaceable to the people of Ryugujima, and the same goes for the Festum and humanity. This point makes the theme of the work even deeper and broader.

Characters and growth

Each of the main characters in this series grows and changes in their own way. After being assimilated and shattered by the Festum during Operation Fourth Azure Sky, Minashiro Soushi appears as a reincarnation with a different personality. His growth and new personality symbolize a new development in the series. Meanwhile, Makabe Ikki, as an ace pilot of Alvis's Fafner, transforms into a being that transcends the cycle of life and death while continuing to fight the Festum. The growth of these characters moves and inspires deep empathy in the viewers.

Characters such as Maya Tohmi, Kouyou Kasugai, Misao Kurushige, and Miu Hino each have their own unique abilities and personalities, enriching the story. In particular, Miu Hino's ability to communicate with the Festum shows a new approach to avoiding combat, further deepening the theme of the work.

Visuals and Music

The visuals of "Fafner in the Azure THE BEYOND" are the result of XEBEC's high-quality animation production, with beautiful, realistic battle scenes and character expressions. In particular, the Fafner mechanic design is maximized for visual appeal thanks to the outstanding design sense of Naohiro Washio. In addition, the skills of CG animation director Eiji Inomoto make the battle scenes more dynamic and realistic.

Musically, Tsuneyoshi Saito's composition and performance by the Warsaw National Philharmonic Orchestra provide a magnificent and moving soundtrack. In particular, the opening theme "Sakebe" by angela strongly expresses the theme of the work and the feelings of the characters, moving the viewer's heart.

Director and staff

"Fafner in the Azure THE BEYOND," directed by Takashi Nodo, produced by a team of talented staff including series composer Tou Ubukata and character designer Hisashi Hirai, is a work that can be said to be the culmination of the series. The skills and passion of each staff member are brought together to provide viewers with deep emotion and satisfaction.

Recommendation

"Fafner in the Azure: The Beyond" is a must-watch for fans of the series, and a fascinating story for new audiences too. I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys deep themes, character development, beautiful visuals and inspiring music. I also recommend it to anyone who likes sci-fi and mecha anime.

By watching the related TV anime series "Fafner in the Azure" and "Fafner in the Azure EXODUS," you can gain a deeper understanding of the storyline and character development of the series as a whole. By enjoying these works together, you will be able to experience the world of "Fafner in the Azure" in a richer way.

"Fafner in the Azure: The Beyond" is a new chapter in the series that will deeply move and sympathize with viewers. Please experience this moving story for yourself.