Xam'd: Lost Memories

Xam'd: Lost Memories
Image from the opening theme sequence
亡念のザムド
(Bōnen no Zamudo)
Genre Fantasy, Mecha, Romance
Original net animation
Directed by Masayuki Miyaji
Written by Megumi Shimazu
Yūichi Nomura
Music by Michiru Oshima
Studio Bones
Licensed by
Released July 16, 2008 – February 3, 2009
Runtime 25 minutes (each)
Episodes 26
Manga
Junreisha no Compass
Written by Masahiro Kawanabe
Published by Kadokawa Shoten
Demographic Shōnen
Magazine Ace Assault
Shōnen Ace
Original run December 9, 2008 – July 26, 2009
Volumes 1

Xam'd: Lost Memories, known in Japan as Xam'd of the Forgotten Memories (亡念のザムド, Bōnen no Zamudo), is an anime series, conceptualized by Bones and co-developed by Sony Computer Entertainment, Aniplex and Bones, which made its debut on Sony's inaugural launch of the PlayStation Network (PSN) video download service at E3 in the United States on July 16, 2008, in Japan on September 24, 2008.[1]

The series received its television premiere across Japan on MBS, CBC, Tokyo MX and other Japanese broadcast networks from April 2009, featuring new opening and ending theme sequences.[2] Xam'd: Lost Memories spanned a total of 26 episodes. On its launch week, its pilot episode was the most downloaded video on the PlayStation Network at E3.[3] On June 24, 2010, Sentai Filmworks announced that it had sub-licensed the series for home video distribution across North America, where the first half season set will be on DVD and Blu-ray Disc on September 21, 2010.[4] The second set was released on November 9, 2010 on DVD and Blu-ray.[5]

Plot

Sentan Island exists in a state of dreamlike tranquility, surrounded by the Yuden Sea, cut off from the war between the Northern Government and the Southern Continent Free Zone. Akiyuki Takehara lives on Sentan Island along with his mother Fusa. Despite his mother's strained relationship with his father, Ryuzo, the town doctor, the bond between father and son remains strong.

One day the island's tranquility is shattered, when Akiyuki, along with his best friends Haru and Furuichi, are caught up in an explosion on a school bus by a mysterious pale, white haired girl named Nazuna. The explosion produces a mysterious light which enters Akiyuki's arm and a blue gem appears. With no time to understand what has happened, and a brief exchange between Nazuna and Akiyuki is transformed into a creature called Xam'd. As Xam'd, Akiyuki uses his newfound powers to fight off monstrous invading forces to save Haru, only to be stopped by a mysterious girl who offers him a choice: come with her and live, or stay and turn to stone. Accepting her offer, Akiyuki embarks on a journey of discovery that will take him to new lands, and help him understand the connection between himself and the world of Xam'd.

Main Characters

Akiyuki Takehara (竹原 アキユキ, Takehara Akiyuki)
Voiced by: Atsushi Abe (Japanese); Blake Shepard (English)
The main protagonist of the series, Akiyuki is an enthusiastic high school student who lives on Sentan Island. The son of the estranged Ryuzo and Fusa Takehara who are experiencing marriage problems, Akiyuki has a strained, but loving relationship with both. He attends the local school with his best friends Furuichi Teraoka and Haru Nishimura. He can be described as a caring and charismatic person, oftentimes willing to help others. He and his friends are launched into the world of Xam'd after being struck by a strange, mysterious light in his right arm when Nazuna bombs the school bus they are on. They exchange conversation and he morphs into a being called Xam'd when Nazuna touches the gem on his forehead before passing out. Unable to recall who he is in that state, he is chased by the Far East Autonomy, who persecute Xam'd and other humanforms. In a flurry of battles with enemy humanforms that have invaded Setan Island, he is discovered by the mysterious Nakiami, a Tessican who is able to subdue him after he admits to her that he wishes to continue living. Knocked out and reverted to his human state, Akiyuki goes through a drastic change in his personality when taken hostage by Nakiami onto the Zanbai, a postal ship. At first, all he wishes is to be returned to Setan Island, missing his friends and family. But as the series progresses, he quickly matures, becoming a strong main character, who wishes to find his place in the world as Xam'd.
Nakiami (ナキアミ)
Voiced by: Yuuko Sanpei (Japanese); Luci Christian (English)
The main female protagonist of the series, Nakiami lives on Zanbani, a postal ship commanded by Ishuu Benikawa. As the eldest daughter of the Matron and older sister to Kujireika of the oppressed Tessican people, Nakiami was raised to become the Tenjo or the sacrifice for when the Time of Quickening were to occur under the tutelage of Lady Sannova. But after viewing the death and destruction of the war between the Northern Government and the Southern Continent Free Zone in a nearby town, she realizes that her destiny lies in seeing the world. Abandoning the purification ritual to make her Tenjo, the Tessican people, and Lady Sannova, she wanders the countryside with Kabuko, the sole survivor of that same nearby town. During this time, Nakiami undergoes a great character change that can be seen as paradoxidcal. She wishes for a world bereft of conflict and full of happiness, however, she does not seem to express any emotion, describing her childhood as "stubborn and unyielding." She knows a great deal of the world of Xam'd because of her training and heritage as a Tessican and assists Akiyuki in controlling his powers.
Haru Nishimura (西村 ハル, Nishimura Haru)
Voiced by: Fumiko Orikasa (Japanese); Monica Rial (English)
Haru is a high school student on Sentan Island, and a childhood friend of Akiyuki's. As the eldest sister to Midori Nishimura and eldest daughter to her single father, she has been seen filling the role of her mother after she died in a tragic accident that left Midori crippled. Thus, she cares deeply for her family and everyone around her. She is launched into the world of Xam'd after Akiyuki is transformed into Xam'd by the Hiruko bomber Nazuna. The Far East Autonomy, the militia stationed on Sentan Island, realizing that there was invasion of humanforms and Xam'd, hunt Akiyuki as he is in his Xam'd state. Realizing that Akiyuki and the Xam'd are one and the same, she chases after him, asking him to stop. With the arrival of Nakiami to turn Akiyuki back into his human state and then being promptly knocked out, Haru is left with a void in her heart and many questions of Xam'd. She joins the military as a result, hoping to find Akiyuki again and return the armband she found in the aftermath. Haru can be described as a sensitive and thoughtful person, oftentimes zoning off or voicing thoughts that are not coherent with the conversation she's having. As the series progresses, her outlook and demeanor changes drastically, becoming more aloof and brooding, an opposite to her original characterization presented in the beginning of the anime.

Production

  • Director: Masayuki Miyaji
  • Animation director: Masashi Okumura
  • Original character design: Kenichi Yoshida
  • Character design: Ayumi Kurashima
  • Xam'd mechanical design: Seiichi Hashimoto
  • Mechanical design: Kimitoshi Yamane
  • Humanoid weapons mechanical design: Kenji Mizuhata
  • Music: Michiru Oshima
  • Music production: Aniplex
  • Art director: Takashi Aoi
  • Color settings: Hiroko Umesaki
  • Photography directors: Yōhei Miyahara, Tōru Fukushi
  • Editing: Kumiko Sakamoto
  • Animation production: Bones
  • Production: Sony Computer Entertainment, Inc., Aniplex, Bones

Music

The score to the series is composed by Michiru Oshima, known for her work on the Godzilla movie franchise and the Fullmetal Alchemist anime series. For both the 2008 PlayStation Network download distribution and the 2009 television broadcast, the Japanese electronic rock band Boom Boom Satellites performed the opening themes while Japanese-American vocalist Kylee made her debut performing the ending themes. For the PSN distribution, the opening was "Shut Up and Explode" from the Boom Boom Satellites' 2007 album Exposed and the ending was "Vacancy". For the syndicated TV broadcasts, the Boom Boom Satellites' 2009 single "Back on My Feet" was used as an opening theme and Kylee's songs "Just Breathe" and "Over U" were used as ending themes. For the TV broadcasts, both the old PSN and new TV themes were used in different combinations, each with different animation sequences.

Adaptations

Manga

The manga adaptation of the series, written by Masahiro Kawanabe, began serialization in Ace Assault and Shōnen Ace since December 9, 2008, after it began release on PSN Japan.

References

  1. ↑ "Xam'd: Lost Memories episode synopsis" (in Japanese). Bones. Retrieved September 24, 2008.
  2. ↑ Newtype. Kadokawa Shoten. April 2009. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  3. ↑ "Xam'd: Lost Memories Debuts at #1 on PLAYSTATION Network". Sony Computer Entertainment. July 22, 2008. Retrieved September 24, 2008.
  4. ↑ "Sentai Acquires Xan'd, Hell Girl Season 3 Anime, Adds New Dubs". Mania.com. 2010-06-24. Archived from the original on June 26, 2010.
  5. ↑ "Section23 Films Announces November Slate". Anime News Network. 2010-08-17.
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