Horizon in the Middle of Nowhere

Horizon in the Middle of Nowhere (境界線上のホライゾン, Kyōkaisen-jō no Horaizon, literally Horizon on the Borderline) is a Japanese light novel series written by Minoru Kawakami and illustrated by Satoyasu. The series is set in the distant future when Japan has been conquered by other countries and divided up into feudal territories. The series is part of a six-stage (particularly the fourth one, called "Genesis") chronicle universe, with Minoru's other light novels (including Owari no Chronicle, the series pre-prequel) encompassing the other five. A 13-episode anime adaptation by Sunrise aired between October and December 2011. A 13-episode second season aired between July and September 2012. Both seasons have been licensed and released on DVD and Blu-ray by Sentai Filmworks in North America and Manga Entertainment in the UK. A video game adaptation for the PlayStation Portable titled Horizon in the Middle of Nowhere Portable (境界線上のホライゾン Portable,, Kyōkaisen-jō no Horizon Portable) was developed by Tenky, and was released in Japan on April 25, 2013.^[1]

Plot

In the far future, humans abandon a devastated Earth and travel to outer space. However, due to an 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 the returned populace. In order to find a way to return to outer space, the humans begin 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, and the refugees of Japan now live in the city ship, Musashi, which 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 happened after 1648. Taking advantage of this situation, Tori Aoi, head of Musashi Ariadust Academy's Supreme Federation and President of the student council, uses this opportunity to lead his classmates and try to regain their homeland.

Terminology

General terms

Testament

A history book that records the history of the former earth. To ensure mankind's eventual return to space, the original History is recreated by reenacting its main events in the chronological order with selected individuals reprising the role of historical figures of said events. For some reason the recreation of History is halted in 1648 with the last event predicted to be reenacted being the Peace of Westphalia. There are rumors that this occurs because the apocalypse is set to happen after these particular events. In these events, the Far East currently play a neutral role as by that time in the original History, Japan was under the Shogunate of Tokugawa, isolated from the rest of world, thus having little to no participation at all in events occurring overseas.

Harmonic Divine States

Administrative divisions ruled by different countries in the Testament era. The Harmonic Divine States are the Far East (ruled by Japan), Tres España (Spain and Portugal), K.P.A. Italia (Italy), Hexagone Française (France), England, Qing-Takeda (China), Sviet Rus (Russia), P.A. ODA (Ottoman Empire), M.H.R.R. (Holy Roman Empire), United States of India and the Africa Union. Several areas were left undeveloped by purpose to be occupied in the future as the recreation of History continues, like the New Continent (Americas).

Maus

A miniature contractor god that can enhance the user's fighting capabilities.

Divine Transmission (通神, Tsūshin)

The way of wireless communication in this era. It's a pun with the word 通信 (Tsūshin), which means communication.

Haiki (拝気)

The energy used to use abilities in the series.

Ether (流体, Ryūtai)

The basic substance that gives form to all existence. Mankind at that point is advanced enough to harness the Ether itself and use it as energy source and to construct materials directly from it. It is believed that the impending apocalypse is to be caused by a strange phenomena that recently appeared that consumes all Ether it comes in contact with and upon taking heed of it, the Harmonic Divine States start working together to keep it from spreading, to the point of sharing all research they make about it.

Armaments

Armaments (武装, Busō) are technology used in this era.

Ships

Musashi

A quasi-behemoth-class ship. Composed of eight individual ships, it essentially serves as a flying city and also as an independent territory of the same name. Overall managed by an automaton of the same name with eight automatons that compromise the other ships under her.

Asakusa : First port ship. Freighter ship with four derricks installed.

Murayama : Second port ship. Serves as the administration, diplomacy, and tourism sections of the Musashi.

Oume : Third port ship. Contains Musashi's residential and industrial areas.

Shinagawa : First starboard ship. Same as Asakusa.

Tama : Second starboard ship. Same as Murayama.

Takao : Third starboard ship. Same as Oume.

Musashino : Center leading ship. Holds the "Inadequate HQ" command center of Musashi.

Okutama : Center trailing ship. Holds the Musashi Ariadust Academy, student dormitories, as well as the Remorse Way.

God of War

A God of War (武神, Bushin) is a gigantic mechanized unit controlled by either the pilot (as data through disintegration) or through remote. Mass-produced or custom-built, these units can replicate human reaction times in real-time, therefore making it the most superior among all mechanized units. The Gods of War are classified based on their overall weight (i.e. light, medium, and heavy).

Weapons

Divine Armaments

Divine Armaments (神格武装, Shinkaku Busō) are the general weapons with abilities. They have 2 activations: Normal Activation (通常駆動, Tsūjō Kudō) and Superior Activation (上位駆動, Jōi Kudō). They have an ether limit which needs to be filled when empty and thus prevents them to constantly use high level activations.

Tonbokiri (蜻蛉切)

Normal Activation: Cut anything physical reflected by the blade

Superior Activation: Cut the concept imagined by the user

Tadakatsu Honda's Divine Armament, before his end he gave it to Gin which later she gave to Futayo.

Argent Chaîné (銀鎖 (アルジョント・シエイナ))

Normal Activation:

Superior Activation:

Mitotsudaira's Divine Armament, it has a consciousness and will act by itself if Mitotsudaira is in danger. When it wants to express its feelings it uses the chains to shape out words.

Mortal Sin Armaments

Mortal Sin Armaments (大罪武装, Taizai Busō), known as Logismoi Óplo (Greek: Λογισμοι όπλο; Japanese: ロイズモイ・オプロ, Roizumoi Opuro) are weapons of destructive power, powered by the power of sins. They are made using Horizon's emotions, thus stripping most of Horizon's personality by the completion, with only the feeling of envy left. They have Normal Activation like Divine Armaments, but instead of Superior Activation they have Overdrive Activation (超過駆動, Chōka Kudō). In addition, all Mortal Sin Armaments have another activation called Soul Activation (魂の駆動, Tamashii no Kudō), which is only limited for Horizon to use. However, to use Soul Activation, she will need Tori's ability. Reclaiming all of them is Musashi's goal of the series. As of volume 4C of the novel, Horizon has 3 in possession, with the exception of Olos Phtonos. The user of any Mortal Sin Armaments are referred as Eight Great Dragon Kings (八大竜王, Hachidai Ryūō), with the exception of Horizon.

Lypē Katathlipsē (リピ・カタスリプシ, Ripi Katasuripushi) (Greek: Λύπη Κατάθλιψη; Japanese: 悲嘆の怠惰, Hitan no Taida)

Motif: Anguish (part of sloth)

Normal Activation: Cut anything reflected by the blade

Overdrive Activation: Destroys anything 3km in front of its cannon blast (wheel-like).

A gunblade-type armament used by Muneshige Tachibana of Tres España. It was recovered by Futayo when she defeated Muneshige.

Stithos Porneia (ステイソス・ポルネイア, Suteinsu Poruneia) (Greek: Στήθος Πορνεία, Breast of Lustfulness; Japanese: 淫蕩の御身, Intō no Onmi (Embodiment of Lust))

Motif: Lust

Normal Activation: Anything it touches with an attacking will are neutralized. Also dismantles weapon type armaments.

Overdrive Activation: Same as Normal Activation, but affects everything within a 3 km radius.

A mace type armament used by Galileo and Innocentius of K.P.A. Italia. Tori was disappointed that he couldn't recover this when Innocentius fled.

Akēdia Katathlipsē (アーケデイア・カタスリプシ, Akedeia Katasuripushi) (Greek: Ακηδία Κατάθλιψη; Japanese: 嫌気の怠惰, Iyake no Taida)

Motif: Dejection (part of sloth)

Normal Activation: Unknown

Overdrive Activation: Binds the opponents to the part/s of themselves that they dislike about the most.

A longsword-type armament used by Juana of Tres España.

Aspida Phylargia (アスピザ・フィラルジア, Asupiza Firarujia) (Greek: Ασπίδα Φιλαργυρία, Shield of Avarice; Japanese: 拒絶の強欲, Kyozetsu no Gōyoku (Avarice of Rejection))

Motif: Greed

Normal Activation: Defense

Overdrive Activation: Transfer the pain inflicted onto the user into ether

A shield type armament used by Thomas Shakespeare of England. Later recovered by Toussaint Neshinbara.

Phos Hyperēphania (フオス・ハイペリファニア, Fuosu Haiperifania) (Greek: Φως Ὑπερηφανία; Japanese: 傲慢の光臨, Gōman no Kōrin)

Motif: Pride

Normal Activation: The user is invincible as long the user continues to be full of pride upon activation

A twin club type armament used by Louis XIV of Hexagone Francaise. It does not have an Overdrive Activation because the motif was split in two, weakening the power of the weapon.

Phos Kenodoxia (フオス・ケノドクシア, Fuosu Kenodokusia) (Greek: Φως Κενοδοξία; Japanese: 虚栄の降臨, Kyoei no Kōrin)

Motif: Vanity (Part of Pride)

Normal Activation: The user has unlimited defense as long the user continues to be full of vanity upon activation

A backsword type armament used by Terumoto Mouri of Hexagone Francaise. She battles together with her husband Louis XIV due to the nature of their armaments.

Pheugos Gastrimargia (フイオゴス・ガストリマルジア, Fuiogosu Gasutorimarujia) (Greek: Φεύγως Γαστριμαργία, Abandoning Gluttony; Japanese: 飽食の一撃, Hōshoku no Ichigeki)

Motif: Gluttony

Normal Activation: Unknown

Overdrive Activation: Unknown

A crossbow type armament used by Matias of M.H.R.R. While its activations are unknown, its arrows can overload the opponent's armament causing it to explode. Matias destroyed Futayo's Tonbokiri using this.

Maska Orgē (マスカ・オルジィ, Masuka Orujii) (Greek: Μάσκα Οργή; Japanese: 憤怒の閃撃, Funnu no Sengeki)

Motif: Wrath

Normal Activation: Unknown

Overdrive Activation: Unknown

A bow type armament used by Malfa Volekaya of Svet Russia. Its activations are unknown, but the user can create arrows powered by the user's wrath to strike an opponent in the heart. Unlike Pheugos Gastrimargia, which can hit multiple opponents at the same time, Maska Orge can only attack one target at a time. Later on Malfa returned this armament to Horizon.

Ólos Phthonos (オロス・フトノース, Orosu Futonosu) (Greek: Όλος Φθόνος, Entirety of Yearning; Japanese: 焦がれの全域, Kogare no Zen'iki)

Motif: Envy

Normal Activation: Enables the user to use Mortal Sin Armaments at 100% power (Soul Activation)

An OS type armament belongs to Horizon Ariadust of Musashi. Horizon's soul and automaton body are bound to this armament. The model number of this OS is Phtonos-01s (フトノースゼロワンエス), which was shortened to P-01s before Horizon's real identity was revealed.

Testament's Apparent Armament

Testament's Apparent Armament (聖譜顕装 (テスタメンタ・アルマ), Seifu Kensō, Tesutamenta Aruma)

Summit 5 Use Armament

Summit 5 Use Armament (五大頂専用武装) are Armanents that can be used only by P.A.Oda's Summit 5.

Media

Light novels

Horizon in the Middle of Nowhere began as serial light novel series run in Dengeki Bunko Magazine in 2008. Fifteen compilation volumes covering six separate arcs have been published by ASCII Media Works' imprint Dengeki Bunko. In 2012, it was #13 in the 2012 ranking of top-selling light novels by series with 409,949 estimated copies sold.^[2]

Manga

A manga adaptation illustrated by Hideo Takenaka begin serialization in the October 2011 issue of ASCII Media Works' manga magazine Dengeki Daioh. A second, four-panel comic strip manga, illustrated by Kuraun Hani and titled Kyōkaisen-jō no Horako-san (境界線上のホラ子さん), was serialized in between the January 2012 and November 2012 issues of ASCII Media Works' Dengeki G's Magazine.

Game

A videogame adaptation for Playstation Portable was developed by Tenky and released in Japan on April 25, 2013. The game is an RPG, the story is partially based on the anime and the novels but will also includes an original scenario, with more than 80 characters from both media making an appearance. The game sold more than 26,000 copies in its first week after launch.^[3]

Anime

An anime television series based on the light novel was announced in the March 2011 issue of Dengeki Bunko Magazine. Produced by Sunrise, the anime series debuted in Japan on October 1, 2011.^[4] The series has been licensed by Sentai Filmworks in North America and was simulcasted through the Anime Network on October 4, 2011, followed by a home video release in 2012.^[5] Sentai has also licensed the second season for streaming and home video release in 2013. The opening theme song for the first season is "TERMINATED" by Minori Chihara. The first ending theme used is "Pieces -Side Ariadust-" by AiRI and the second ending theme used is "Stardust Melodia -Side Horizon-" by Ceui. For the second season, the opening theme is "ZONE//ALONE" by Minori Chihara. The first ending theme is "Kanashimi wa Dare no Negai Demonai -Side Sunset-" (悲しみは誰の願いデモナイ -Side Sunset-) by Aira Yūki and the second ending theme is "Sora no Uta -Side Sunrise-" (空の詩 -Side Sunrise-) by Masami Okui.^[6]

References

External links

• Anime official website (Japanese)
• Horizon in the Middle of Nowhere (anime) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia
• Video game official website (Japanese)