Beyond the Boundary: I'll Be Here - Past
Synopsis
The first part of a two-part movie. The story is a recap of the TV series. Mirai Kuriyama is the sole survivor of a clan of Spirit World warriors with the power to employ their blood as weapons. As such, Mirai is tasked with hunting down and killing "youmu"—creatures said to be the manifestation of negative human emotions. One day, while deep in thought on the school roof, Mirai comes across Akihito Kanbara, a rare half-breed of youmu in human form. In a panicked state, she plunges her blood saber into him only to realize that he's an immortal being. From then on, the two form an impromptu friendship that revolves around Mirai constantly trying to kill Akihito, in an effort to boost her own wavering confidence as a Spirit World warrior. Eventually, Akihito also manages to convince her to join the Literary Club, which houses two other powerful Spirit World warriors, Hiroomi and Mitsuki Nase. As the group's bond strengthens, however, so does the tenacity of the youmu around them. Their misadventures will soon turn into a fight for survival as the inevitable release of the most powerful youmu, Beyond the Boundary, approaches. [Written by MAL Rewrite]
Audience Consensus
Audience reception is heavily divided. Fans of the original series find it a passable recap but criticize its poor compression and lack of new content. Newcomers are strongly discouraged from watching, as it fails to provide sufficient context. Many feel it's a pointless rehash that doesn't justify its existence.
Strengths
- Good recap for those who have seen the original series.
- Same high-quality animation and sound as the original series.
- Focuses on the core relationship between Akihito and Mirai.
Weaknesses
- Poorly compresses the 12-episode series into a movie, omitting key details and character development.
- Unsuitable for newcomers; incomprehensible without prior knowledge of the original anime.
- Feels like a literal edit of the series with little to no new animation.
- Unnecessary and serves as a rehash of existing material.