One of the newest anime to come out this season is AMAIM Warrior at the Borderline. This mecha series may be made by Sunrise and Bandai, but it isn't related to the Mobile Suit Gundam franchise. Instead, it combines mecha action with a nationalistic story and cutesy-looking animal creatures that would fit right in with Pokémon or Digimon.
Its mix of mecha and digital pocket monsters, as well as its already anticipated model kits, might be the only things going for the somewhat controversial AMAIM. The rather jingoistic nature of its story hasn't jived well with either Western or Chinese viewers, given that the show has even been banned in the Middle Kingdom. That's to say nothing of its actual quality, which has so far failed to amaze. Here's a look at the series so far and whether or not the sales of its model kits can push it to become a success.
What Is AMAIM Warrior at the Borderline About?
The story of AMAIM has Japan, once aided by foreign nations due to its declining birthrate and workforce, now invaded and colonized by these same countries. In 2061, these countries all fight for control of Japan using AMAIM mecha, carving Japan into a fiefdom as it's caught in the crossfire of outsiders' ambitions.
Amo Shiiba, a teenage gearhead, comes across an abandoned AMAIM, as well as an AI named Gai. Gai and others of its kind are strange-looking animal AI -- something that has led some viewers to compare them to Digimon or Pokémon. With these technological advancements at his disposal, Amo hopes to give Japan a fighting chance to assert its own destiny.
Why Has AMAIM Been Controversial in China?
The storyline of AMAIM has been criticized by some in the West for its seemingly isolationist, anti-immigration stance, coming off more as more propaganda at times than a story. It doesn't help that these themes of nationalism and foreign occupation aren't particularly well-done, making the show at its best come off as a poor man's version of Code Geass. Thus, with the central themes not fleshed out as they should be, the propaganda criticism is only strengthened.
AMAIM isn't just controversial with Western viewers, either. One of the nameless nations shown antagonizing Japan in the series has been noted for bearing more than a passing resemblance to China in some ways. The representatives of this country even have inhuman-looking, goblin-like ears, again recalling dehumanizing propaganda. This supposed "portrayal" of China, which also involved themes of human trafficking, was explicit enough that China responded by removing the series from streaming platform Bilibili.
The show as a whole is also just plain generic, receiving mediocre at best reviews from many who have seen it. Criticisms have ranged from the aforementioned themes, including how poorly handled they are, to how plain and simply run-of-the-mill everything looks compared to many of Sunrise's previous productions. The presence of the Pokémon-esque creatures has also caused viewers to scratch their heads, as they really don't mesh well with the vibe, tone or even the target audience that the series is going for. These creatures could seemingly be there purely for marketing and potential merchandise purposes, although ironically, they are nowhere to be found in what might become AMAIM's claim to fame.
How Gunpla Can Make AMAIM Into a Success Story
Despite not being a part of the immensely popular Gundam series, Bandai is pushing AMAIM in the plastic landscape just as hard. The series has several Gunpla-style model kits already released, with more on the way in early 2022. The line is littered with incredibly unique and original looking mecha, further setting it apart from Gundam or other familiar mecha like those from the Macross franchise.
Even those who haven't yet seen the show have had their interest piqued online by these figures, which again offer an alternative to Bandai's usual fare while still being in a similar wheelhouse. This could help to push the series beyond the controversial and middling affair of the anime series, and potentially into a further franchise of its own. After all, Gundam was originally saved by the success of Gunpla, seeing Bandai and Sunrise continue the series due to the popularity of the initial merchandise. If AMAIM kits sell well enough, Bandai may propose another season that fixes the issues of the first, or simply a broader franchise that features the same design schematics.
Of course, if the kits fail to move units, AMAIM is likely a one-and-done series, which could be for the bests. Still, as much as the anime might not be setting the world on fire, its toys are so far beyond cool, and it would be a shame to see that creativity fail to be used again going forward.
