Xam’d: Lost Memories is an anime series by Aniplex and Sentai Filmworks. The story revolves around Akiyuki, a normal high school student living on Sentan Island. The world has erupted into a war between the northern and southern continents. However, Sentan Island has been left alone although it’s in the free-fire zone. This all changes one day, after a girl supposedly from the northern army bombs the school bus Akiyaki was in. The explosion turned him in Xam’d, a mysterious being with strong but uncontrollable power.
Xam’d has one of the greatest storytelling I’ve ever saw to date. Although the plot may be confusing at first, and lots of terms jump at the viewer without meaning, all that will become clear in a short amount of time. Also, the story development is very steady, with no major plot twists. It also comes to a spectacular, and bittersweet finale and ending.
The music of Xam’d is truly a masterpiece. The music and soundtrack are just excellent, as they accompany the storyline, and gains more and more emotional power as the story progresses.
The artwork and animation for the series never fails to impress. Everything, from the characters to the backgrounds to the floor are all detailed in the same way, and it seems that the artists haven’t skipped out of the details. The only thing I have against it is that sometimes the characters will look like they’re sleepy due to the way their eyes have been drawn, but that’ll wear off after a couple of episodes.
The character development for this series is really strong, and it shows how people easily change, and how one’s feelings could destroy friendships, bring havoc to entire cities, or reunite couples who were separated. If you’re a fan of steampunk, military, action, or a good emotional anime, Xam’d is one not to miss. Even if you’re not a fan of any of the above, you’ll still find Xam’d a fun, strong, and definitely enjoyable journey.