Sentai Filmworks Licenses Beyond the Boundary Anime

North American anime licensing company Sentai Filmworks announced on Friday that it acquired Kyoto Animation's Beyond the Boundary (Kyōkai no Kanata) television anime series. The anime "will be available soon through select digital outlets with a home video release to follow in 2014."

The dark fantasy follows a high school second-year student named Akihito Kanbara (KENN). Although the boy appears human, he is half Yōmu and invulnerable to wounds because he can heal quickly. One day, Akihito meets first-year student Mirai Kuriyama (Risa Taneda) when it seems she is about to jump from the school rooftop. Mirai is isolated because of her ability to manipulate blood, which is unique even among the Under World Warriors. Disturbing events begin to unfold after Akihito saves Mirai.

Taichi Ishidate (episodes of Clannad After Story, Hyōka, K-ON) is directing the anime at Kyoto Animation, and Jukki Hanada (Gakuen Alice, Chūnibyō demo Koi ga Shitai!, Steins;Gate) is in charge of the series scripts. Miku Kadowaki (The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya, K-ON! movie animation director) is designing the characters.

Minori Chihara is not only part of the voice cast, but she is also singing the opening theme song, "Kyōkai no Kanata." Hikaru Nanase (Infinite Stratos, Zone of the Enders, Scrapped Princess, Polyphonica, Galaxy Angel) is scoring the music.

The anime premiered in Japan this month, and Crunchyroll is streaming the anime into several countries as it airs.

Nagomu Torii's original Kyōkai no Kanata light novel received an honorable mention in the novel category of the Kyoto Animation Award program in 2011. The studio released the first volume last year, and the second volume shipped in April.