Another Mecha anime backlog that I finished recently and this one yet another of those Sunrise's failed potential. Back in early 2020s, I recalled this series called Kyokai Senki was one of the more ambitious project by Bandai and Sunrise studio, as the former invested quite a lot on Model Kits for this particular series. Overall I felt that Kyokai Senki failed to realize its potential despite having solid mecha designs due to severe Mismatch of Characters/Setting/Mechas.
On Hindsight, Kyokai Senki premise is a mix of Code Geass and Full Metal Panic featuring a setting of alternate Modern Japan which somehow got itself annexed by Multiple nations and have the populace live as 3rd class Citizens akin to Code Geass Elevens. The main protagonist is a Japanese Teen who had a fateful encounter with a powerful Prototype Mecha that comes along with Top of the Line AI and join the effort to liberate Japan from foreign military invaders while also fighting against mysterious Rogue Mecha that inflict many destructions on everything it came across.
Just like Muvluv series, Kyokai Senki competence at the Geopolitics department are abysmal and have too much wishful thinking, which is one of the main cause of the failure of the series to become a mainstream success. The series supposed to convey its main audiences which are Japanese Youths to keep persevere despite Japanese constantly declining overall presence and importance on global stage. Obviously given the how Kyokai Senki was poorly executed, it absolutely missed the target while also failed to appeal Global Audiences which are crucial for Bandai's Model Kit sales. I recalled the company I worked for which served as the local Distributors was forced by Bandai Gunpla Division to purchase large amounts of Kyokai Senki model kits which end up as Dead inventories until now.
Given the failure of the main series, Bandai actually still had a chance to salvage Kyokai Senki given that the short OVA which I probably will cover in the future showcase how the series could work out if executed properly. But I would say Kyokai Senki would be off better to start with alternate gritty settings which have no ties whatsoever to real world to have better shots for proper execution.
