Regardless, I knew as soon as I heard of it that Xam'd: Lost Memories was going to be a show that I'd have to at least check out. After hearing a little more about it- and having it compared to such titles as Last Exile and Eureka Seven- there really didn't seem to be an excuse not to look at it any more.
If you want the short version of this review, then my advice is this: Xam'd is one of the best adventure series I've seen in a while, and you should seek it out. If you want a little more detail, read on.
Please note that this review will contain spoilers, all the way up to the end of the series. If you want to avoid them, please skip to the ending paragraph. And I advise that you do; it's a pretty good story.
The story opens in a strange hall, with ponds and waterfalls running throughout. A group of white-haired children stand before an old lady, who fishes a strange green object from a jar, and feeds it to one of the children. It soon cuts to a ship, flying through the clouds. A red-haired girl seems to be conducting some sort of experiment on board, growing strange creatures from seeds. A woman sits reading poetry, until she notices a fleet of ships coming up from behind. The ship- revealed to be a postal ship- prepares to take action, but they opt instead to land and avoid any hostilities. The nearest suitable location seems to be Sentan Island, and the crew prepare to land. The red-haired girl, Nakiami, mounts a smaller craft and takes off to scout ahead.
Next, we see a teenaged boy, Akiyuki, getting ready to leave for school on Sentan Island. As he leaves, his mother reminds him to deliver his father's lunch. It seems his parents are separated, but they still remain on good terms with one another. He delivers the lunch to his father, the island's doctor, and runs to catch the bus to school, managing to arrive in the nick of time, much to the consternation of his friends Furuichi and Haru. In the queue ahead of him is a white-haired girl, who isn't wearing the regular uniform, nor the armband that is required to board the bus. Akiyuki manages to trick the guard, and the girl gets onto the bus. As they are travelling along, we hear a little about the world; Sentan Island is essentially a neutral zone between the warring North and South continents.
Soon they reach school, and people start to disembark, but the girl pulls out a bomb and detonates it, exploding most of the bus and sending people flying. A strange light hovers above the wreckage, and shoots into Akiyuki's arm. He climbs into the wreckage of the bus to search for the white-haired girl, and finds her dying at the back of the vehicle. The wound on his arm grows into a blue jewel, and as the dying girl touches his forehead, a white mask envelops his entire face. His arm suddenly expands, becoming white, and a white liquid gushes over his entire body, as spines erupt from his back. Within moments, he has completely transformed into a monster, coloured white with orange markings- Xam'd. As Haru and a soldier clamber aboard to come face-to-face with Akiyuki's new form, a group of ships hovers overhead, and releases giant, house-sized objects that fall down towards the island.
And so the first episode ends, with a sizable chunk of plot to digest and a fairly gripping cliffhanger. In the next episode, the airdropped objects are revealed as giant "Humanform" weapons, and they target Akiyuki. But just as Akiyuki is destroying the Humanform, Nakiami appears and spears him through the arm. As he reverts back to his original form, she carries him back to the ship, and there begins to treat his arm.
I won't go into too much detail with the story, as there is so much to cover. We follow Akiyuki, as he travels the world, learning what it means to be Xam'd, and what his new purpose is. Losing his identity, and finding it again, he realises what he has to do in order to defeat the Hiruken Emperor, the mysterious leader of the North.
Sentan Island becomes occupied, and Haru and Furuichi join the military. Haru is determined to find Akiyuki again, and devotes herself to his memory. Furuichi is certain that Akiyuki won't return, and, as Haru fails to respond to his advances, begins to harbour hatred towards his former friend. Furuichi was also embedded with a Hiruko- a seed that grows into Xam'd- but nurtured with hatred, it turns him into a crazed monster. This leads to a fantastic showdown between Akiyuki and Furuichi, which ends with Furuichi recognising his sins and worthlessness, and choosing instead to end his own life. Without sounding overly morbid, this particular scene was fantastic.
Nakiami eventually returns to her home, Tessik, hidden away in the North. Here she meets her half-sister, Kujireika, who became the head of the village in Nakiami's absence. Kujireika has developed a way to artificially become Xam'd, and demonstrates it to devastating effect, but it still is not enough to save Tessik when the South invades. As with Furuichi, hers is a story of downfall, although this time with redemption in sight.
As for Nakiami herself, her journey takes her to the same place as Akiyuki; the Quickening Chamber. This vast cavern is filled with people waiting for their souls to be saved, and they all await the arrival of Lady Sannova, the mysterious woman whom we saw right at the start of the series; the originator of all Xam'd. We learn about Nakiami's past, and how she found that she was unable to serve Sannova.
Honestly, I've only started to describe the amazing sequence of events that Xam'd: Lost Memories presents us with. I haven't even mentioned the stories concerning Akiyuki's parents; about how his father comes to terms with the man whose life he saved becoming a cruel killer, culminating in another fantastic scene. The story of how his parents learned to see past their differences, and returned to one another was also touching, because it didn't feel contrived or forced, it was just a story about ordinary people getting past a difficult time in their relationship.
In fact, I would probably say that the scene in which Akiyuki's father finally confronts Commander Kakisu (the aforementioned man whom Akiyuki's father saved; also the head of the occupying force) contains one of my favourite parts of the series. A very simple shot, of the lone man walking amongst gravestones in the early evening light, overlaid with simple piano music, somehow becomes strangely powerful. It's a fantastic cut leading up to the inevitable conflict, and I rewound it several times.
The story climaxes in a battle between Akiyuki- whose soul finally merges with the Hiruko to produce a proper Xam'd- and the revived Hiruken Emperor, in the skies above the Quickening Chamber. After a brief but fierce battle, the two stand face to face, and Akiyuki gives the Emperor his own name. In doing so, he frees the Emperor from his loneliness and confusion, but sacrifices his own identity to do so. Lost once more, he falls down to the top of the Chamber, and his body turns to stone.
In the epilogue, we have a "nine years later" scenario, which reminded me of the end of Gurren Lagann. This is because it gives a good sense of resolution to most of the characters, but also because it delivers an ending that people will either understand or hate. Having passed the stone remains of Akiyuki's body, Haru reaches the top of a hill overlooking Sentan Island. Here she discovers Akiyuki standing there, and is they are finally able to tell one another "I love you". Now, since we have already seen Akiyuki's death (and indeed, his fossilized body moments previously), this scene is clearly open to many different interpretations. Was it Haru's imagination? Did Akiyuki somehow come back to life? Did his memories take form? However you interpret the answer, it is a fitting end to the series (and there may be a small clue nearer the start of the last episode).
Comparisons, then, with Last Exile seem well-founded. There is the same sense of grand adventure, with flying ships and mysterious white-haired groups presiding over a world split between two warring factions. However, again like Last Exile, there is a lot that isn't explained in Xam'd: Lost Memories. If you want closure on everything you see in a show, then this will definitely irritate you. But as for me, I think it is to the show's credit. After all, the people we follow aren't gods or even leaders; they are just everyday people, caught up in events far grander than themselves. How can they be expected to know about every last detail of their world? It's a show about their personal stories, their struggles and triumphs; not a story about the world. Although there were a few things that left me confused, I've been able to reflect on this show for hours, and it is the hallmark of a such a great series that I myself have put- have wanted to put- just as much into my experience of this show as the creators have. Something that can keep you thinking long after the ending credits roll- now that is surely a fantastic series.
The art in this series is at once arresting and appealing. Animated by BONES, the studio responsible for such series as Fullmetal Alchemist and RahXephon, the style is refreshing, shunning stereotypical "big eye" anime styles for something a little more mature and realistic. Well, as real as flying ships and people turning into giant monsters can be, but you know what I mean. Characters are varied and easily distinguished, without being too over the top (about the most outlandish feature is Nakiami's red hair). The background art is similarly impressive, with detailed, imaginative scenery. It's clear that a lot of work has gone into designing an entire world, and it is always a joy to watch. Recurring images and visual themes further reenforce the messages of the series, and the careful thought that went into the overall presentation is evident.
I was similarly impressed with the musical aspects of Xam'd: Lost Memories. First off, the opening theme (Shut Up And Explode, by Boom Boom Satellites) is fantastically catchy and really sets the mood for a fun, exciting show. The ending theme isn't quite as awesome, but still fits well with the series' themes. Background songs range from pleasant but forgettable, to a particularly lovely simple piano theme, which accompanies the most emotional scenes. It's not the best song ever, but it works very well with these scenes, and I'm currently seeking out sheet music so that I can learn it myself.
I can't really find any major faults with this series, yet somehow, it doesn't feel as if it deserves a perfect score. It's one of those series that has been extremely well made, with obvious love (and high production values) from its creators, and I loved every second of it. Each week I was really looking forwards to the next episode, and when it ended, I was sad to have it finish, but I also felt a sense of resolution and satisfaction with everything I had seen. And, as mentioned above, it's one of those series where half the joy is figuring things out for yourself.
Xam'd has so far only been available over PSN, in Japan and the US. I guess this probably means that Sony have the US rights to DVD distribution as well, and I really hope they or someone else bring us the DVDs of this series very soon. High-grade adventure stories such as this are always popular, and I'm sure it'd do very well.
Overall, Xam'd: Lost Memories was a truly fantastic series. Although not destined for a place in the pantheon of anime classics, it is one of the best series of the past year, and I honestly cannot find any major faults with it. Epic and sweeping, yet still personal and intimate, it shows us the wonders of both a world and a person; the joy of living; the pain of loss and the light of redemption; the importance of self and the power of self-sacrifice. But more than anything, at its heart it is, like all great stories, a simple tale of love, and ordinary people. Something that will remain with me for a long time, I fully recommend it.
4 - 5 - 5 - 2
16/17 - Fantastic
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