Horizon in the Middle of Nowhere

境界線上のホライゾン

7.01(68K votes)

Ranked #4768Popularity #1452

episodes

Type

Status

Finished Airing

Aired

Oct 2, 2011 to Dec 25, 2011

Studios:Sunrise

ActionFantasySci-Fi

Synopsis

In the far future, humans abandon a devastated Earth and traveled to outer space. However, due to unknown phenomenon that prevents them from traveling into space, humanity returns to Earth only to find it inhospitable except for Japan. To accommodate the entire human population, pocket dimensions are created around Japan to house in the populace. In order to find a way to return to outer space, the humans began reenacting human history according to the Holy book Testament. But in the year 1413 of the Testament Era, the nations of the pocket dimensions invade and conquer Japan, dividing the territory into feudal fiefdoms and forcing the original inhabitants of Japan to leave. It is now the year 1648 of the Testament Era, the refugees of Japan now live in the city ship Musashi, where it constantly travels around Japan while being watched by the Testament Union, the authority that runs the re-enactment of history. However, rumors of an apocalypse and war begin to spread when the Testament stops revealing what happens next after 1648. Taking advantage of this situation, Toori Aoi, head of Musashi Ariadust Academy's Supreme Federation and President of the student council, leads his fellow classmates to use this opportunity to regain their homeland. (Source: Wikipedia)

189,323 Members

Worth Watching? — Global Verdict

7.6/10

Average Review Score

85%

Recommend It

Reviews Worldwide

International Reviews

Veronin

Recommended

"Horizon in the Middle of Nowhere" is a very difficult anime to describe. It synthesizes humor, action, and romance together into a series where each element is an irreplaceable part of the dynamic and story. Because it combines many different elements together at once it can easily bewilder the viewer and leave them in a position where they have little clue of where it is going. For some this may be a significant flaw and hold back their enjoyment while for others it may pave the way for an interesting and unpredictable story. This is definitely not an anime for everybody. The story begins in adistant and somewhat bleak future. Humanity previously ascended into space but was forced back to Earth after fighting and warring beyond their limit, only to find Earth itself in an equally devastated condition. With Japan the only hospitable and habitable area remaining on Earth, humanity is split into the Harmonic Divine States where each administrative district is ruled by an individual country. It's then that humanity uses the Testament, a book detailing the events of past human civilization, as a guide to regaining their former glory by the means of reenacting human history. Unfortunately for the Far East—originally Japan itself— conditions are less than ideal as they are forced out of the country by the other ruling nations. A sizable portion of the Japanese refugees flee to the flying city ship "Musashi", which is where the story of the anime takes place. "Horizon" boasts an interesting and unique array of characters, ranging wildly in terms of personality, appearance, and gender. Most notably is the protagonist Aoi Tori, a happy-go-lucky and heavily perverted teenager holding a strong preoccupation with erotic games and a propensity to grope the tender regions of the females around him. On paper this likely makes him seem a very annoying character but in the actual show his interactions with the characters are nothing short of hilarious and as the series progresses he develops into a genuinely likable character. His perversion is not so much a running gag as it is a defining and inherent part of his personality, one which makes him stand out more than any other character in the series. In a medium where bland self-insert protagonists are the mainstay, it’s a really great and refreshing thing to be able to see a protagonist with his own personality and a likable one to boot. It’s this behavior that also conflicts and contrasts well with the object of his affections, Horizon, a girl that he sets out at the beginning of the series with the objective of confessing his feelings to. Their relationship by the end of the series comes across as very endearing and heartwarming, something that would never be expected at first given the nature of his personality. Dozens of other interesting and likable characters fill the rest of the story and create a sense of camaraderie. Most of the more important characters receive significant character development in proportion to the length of the anime, such as Suzu and her relationship and crush on Tori, and Tori's older sister Kimi and the past surrounding their relationship. Giving all of the characters sufficient screentime and developing them to any significant extent is difficult given the short length of the anime, but Sunrise does a good job of helping the audience at least feel connected to most of the characters on-screen with their own individual plights and teamwork as a group. Unfortunately, the anime begins with very slow and inconsistent pacing which may initially put off viewers. Sunrise has personally admitted to the difficulty of adapting the early parts of the novel and it really shows in the first three episodes. While they aren't by any means bad episodes, they are definitely slow-paced and it takes a while for the anime to actually take off and set its feet into what makes it such an entertaining anime in the first place. After these episodes, Horizon really begins to shine and show what it does best, and that is the engaging action sequences and comedy between the characters. It’s a silly and lighthearted series where the characters fool and mess around in even the most climactic sequences but it never feels forced or out of place and the serious moments never fail to deliver either. These comedic traits in the characters are an inherent part of their personality and to remove that would likely lead to them feeling out of character and for the tone of the anime to sharply contrast in itself. And for that reason, people that are expecting the anime to be serious and dramatic throughout are likely in for a world of disappointment. This isn't necessarily thought-provoking and there isn't an abundance of thematic depth to be found, but it’s rather simply an entertaining and amusing anime. If that’s something that you aren't personally fine with then you would be doing yourself a favor by avoiding the series. Perhaps the largest flaw can be attributed to the complex and sometimes convoluted story. Aside from passing mentions and a few minutes of infodump during the credits of the first episode, the audience isn't left with much idea of the setting for the entire duration of the series. To have even a basic grasp of what is going on with the story it’s nearly mandatory to spend time online reading up on and researching the series. For a visual medium and an adaptation where reading the source material should not be a requirement, this is a massive detriment to the series. There’s no doubt that it would have been hard to convey all the details of the setting but I can’t help but feel like Sunrise could have done something a little more, even spending just a fraction of an episode to explain the basics to the audience. There’s some great worldbuilding here but it’s hampered by a convoluted and confusing presentation. One thing that Sunrise should be commended for is the fantastic music used in the anime and the application of these tracks. A few of them in particular verge on stunning and they stand out almost immediately; and with the use of some tracks during the climax they essentially become a defining aspect of the series itself, being as irreplaceable as the characters and the setting. Whatever your disposition towards the anime, it’s nigh impossible to criticize the music. Ultimately, the most important question in determining whether or not this anime is for you is quite simply this— do you enjoy silliness and are you willing to accept a story that you may not fully understand? While it’s certainly flawed in some significant ways, "Horizon in the Middle of Nowhere" is still a very entertaining anime that stands out from its competitors and has some fairly interesting details going for it. It’s unlikely that it will make its way onto your list of favorites or become something you remember for years and years to pass, but for what it is, it’s an engrossing and sometimes compelling series that should at least be given a try beyond the mostly lackluster and non-representative introductory episodes. It's just unfortunate that so many people will choose to disregard a potentially great title based upon the first episodes.

Episodes (13)

Filler Recap

Click an episode to read its synopsis.

Community Discussion

Yemi_Hikari

Recommended

This particular Anime started off on the wrong foot but in the end left me looking forward to the second season. The first four episodes are heavy handed and will be a challenge for some to get through. The best way to put it is, this Anime is set up like most Historical dramas are. The start of the storyline is about setting up the history for those who don't know anything about the history, because otherwise the viewer would find themselves confused. However, unlike most Historical dramas just about any fan of Historical Fiction will be left in the dark because this particular showcreates its own history. Which is rather ironic because there is this constant talk about recreating history running through the entire show, yet it hasn't become clear to me yet which part of history they've been trying to recreate. This has left me wondering if we'll ever find out or if the characters only think they are recreating the history that is down in their books. Which would be a definite satirical about how people have tried to recreate history over the years. The art work for the Anime is spectacular despite the fact the artist has a tenancy to exaggerate the female chest area. The drawings are filled with detail and there is a wide variety of character designs. You also have buildings that look very much like the historical buildings you would see in Japan mixed in with intricate technological designs. On top of this, the sound track for the Anime is beautiful, particularly when you get to hear Horizon sing. The characterization is another place that people will find themselves struggling to get through during the first four episodes. In truth, the first four episodes are about setting the characters up. One ends up with snip-its of their personalities through out the first four episodes. When the plot begins to really unfold, then to do the characters begin to come out in their full capacity. Of course, a good deal of the male characters come across as perverts. On the other side the characters that tend to be this way are high school who are still learning about life which is interesting in its own regard. As for my actual enjoyment, this is the kind of show that I enjoyed more after I finished watching it rather then during. It wasn't until after I finished that I could appreciate the complexity of the storyline and the elements that were chosen to be placed into the dynamic.

105 found helpfulJan 4, 2012

TurnipGod

Recommended

Kyoukaisenjou no Horizon. This anime definitely went under radar and is one of those that is not easy for the viewers to get into.It has a large terminology that is just thrown at you such as "Tes" and "Jud" as well as a massive cast of characters and a fairly complex background that would leave most viewers more confused after the first episode then Guilty Crowns plot holes. However despite all this, I can't stop loving this anime. Story: The main story arc in Horizon is pretty straightforward and simple. The best part about the story is the "battles". The battles in Kyoukaisenjou no Horizon isby far the most unique ones I've watched. It ranges from typical shounen fights to debates and mechs. Art: The art is decent. It's not horrendous, but it's no Guilty Crown. It definitely stands strong although some character design are a little bit strange (Kimi's "balloons"). Although the art does do a good job of making all the character distinguishable despite it's massive cast, and in turn makes it a little bit easier for the viewers to familiarize themselves with the cast. Sound: This soundtrack is amazing. Every part of it fits well into the anime itself ranging from sweeping orchestral to electone beats. The OP I think is a hit or miss for people, but the 2 different ED do a good job in adding more atmosphere to the anime itself (I'm a sucker for those parts where they start playing the ending before the anime cuts to the credits). Character: Here is where this anime shines the brightest. The characters are easily identifiable(thank you artwork) and have unique personality. All the characters did not overstay their welcome and their unique personality did not become something that was unique to something that would become annoying. However, the reference in the anime to famous historical figures (Gin Tachibana, Muneshige Tachibana) actually does hurt the anime a bit because of the lack of explanation for the different relationships. Overall the characters are what brings the entire anime together and throughout the anime they really do grow on you. Enjoyment: Awesome action. Great music. slapstick easy to understand humor, a solid story, and great characters. I could not ask much else from this anime except for more episodes. Overall: To sum up this anime, it includes basically everything and anything you can think of. This anime is basically "fan-fiction the Anime". It is a great watch and definitely should be given a chance

19 found helpfulAug 5, 2013

techstepman

Recommended

ok lets review this...kyoukai senjou no horizon the basic story background from the novels as i found it on wikipedia: "In the far future, humans abandon a devastated Earth and traveled to outer space. However, due to unknown phenomenon that prevents them from traveling into space, humanity returns to Earth only to find it inhospitable except for Japan. To accommodate the entire human population, pocket dimensions are created around Japan to house in the populace. In order to find a way to return to outer space, the humans began reenacting human history according to the Holy Book Testament. But in the year 1413 of the TestamentEra, the nations of the pocket dimensions invade and conquer Japan, dividing the territory into feudal fiefdoms and forcing the original inhabitants of Japan to leave. It is now the year 1648 of the Testament Era, the refugees of Japan now live in the city ship Musashi, where it constantly travels around Japan while being watched by the Testament Union, the authority that runs the re-enactment of history. However, rumors of an apocalypse and war begins to spread when the Testament stops revealing what happens next after 1648. Taking advantage of this situation, Tori Aoi, head of Musashi Ariadust Academy's Supreme Federation and President of the student council, leads his fellow classmates to use this opportunity to regain their homeland." it appears the anime chooses to focus the story between aoi and horizon(his childhood friend and love) going against the world.The concept,not just the story but also the whole world,is very original.from the first moment you'll notice that they have very advanced technology but it comes in a weird format that looks like super powers and contracts with the divine or religion.At first i was really confused but after i watched it a second time it really fitted in.Now the first episodes can be very confusing especialy if youre not familiar with the novels.I really had no idea of the background even after watching it 2 times and i had to read the background in wikipedia.That said it really annoyed me but once you figure everything out everything comes into place and makes sense.Yes the anime on its own fails to establish its concept of the general story but at the same time while focusing on the couple aoi-horizon it keeps you interested cause it explains a lot through the first episodes,something that can be tiring to people that are not very good with fast pace anime and subtitles.But i think that even though it has its flaws its an anime that will win your attention if you dont quit from the first episodes. Now this anime has lots of action!fast paced combat may it be mecha,melee or whatever.There are many battle scenes that you'll wanna watch again and again just cause theyre so awesome!So no more comments on that!awesome combat 10 out of 10! Art...the animation is very good as expected from a modern action anime.the cg are great and the designs of the characters and everything else are very good.Great colours,great fps,very good editing and direction!You really understand the effort that they put in this anime.it has quantity and quality.At first you'll feel a little weird cause most of the female population in this anime has innormous boobs!!!O_O!!!oh yeah they are huge.but you'll get used to them cause they are not ment to be erotic as more to make the girls look extremely cute even though the character faces and eyes are more than enough to get hooked with them :P Sound!im pleasently suprised by this anime!great OST great sound effects and good voice acting that fits the characters.Just focus on the music score and you'll realise that they really did an outstanding job!and it fits so well with the action and the emotions. now the characters.Well dont expect indepth soulsearching.its an action anime.never the less the primary and secondary characters are introduced well enough,along with their backgrounds.There are however some characters that dont really have a place in the story(of the anime cause try to remember the story comes from a novel and there are too many characters involved for 13 episodes) but they wont annoy you much cause they are neccesary to support the mains in their battles.The main male aoi might suprise you cause we are not used to crazy happy guys as mains.As for horizon the "not so obvious from the begining" female proganist is not so well presented,i mean you'll get to like all the other girls from the begining and suddenly horizon appears.But i guess she has the standard "grey hair girl" appeal that few viewers are able to resist.overall the characters fit with their enviroments and the story and each one has his/her own style. enjoyment!its definately an anime you'll enjoy.its fast paced and actionpacked!great visuals and great sound!lots of unique characters!it will definately keep you interested through the first "difficult to digest" episodes and you'll totally enjoy whats to come until the end.Just search youtube and see how many different vids there are about the songs and the battles! one more thing.it has that very enjoyable tactics and intelligence you see in many masterpieces.its not the main focus but if you enjoy a blend of mild combat strategy,religion interfearance and politic games you'll find that this anime has its moments.its not code geass but it fits the whole conspiracy and strategy in the story and action pretty well.then again i say that its not the main focus,its just a piece of the whole. overall...its an anime that you'll enjoy very much the first time you watch it and the you'll want to watch it a second time.The second time you watch it you'll enjoy it even more!the last episode kind of leaves you hanging but remember that theres season 2 coming in summer 2012.so i expect to see more aspects of the characters,the story,the action and get more involved in the whole concept world of kyoukai senjou no horizon!and ofcourse get to know horizon better! many people are negative towards this anime.well it has flaws but its very good at what it does.if you enjoy other similar anime then this will earn a place in your heart.

16 found helpfulJun 20, 2012