KyoAni has always been a studio that produces absolutely amazing slice of life anime. When I watch a KyoAni anime, I know to expect great art and cute, endearing characters, but I keep my expectations for plot progression low. It's not that the studio can't produce anime with good plot, they have, but most of the time, the plot only exists to maximally capitalize on the cuteness and the character interactions in the story.
When I started Kyoukai no Kanata, it initially hooked me into its plot. It seemed like a show that had a lot of potential for heavy world-building and rich story development. I was hoping this would be an exception to my aforementioned pattern. As I continued watching, it became readily apparent that it was more of a tug-of-rope between a deep and meaningful story and lame cliches that cater to the most common denominator.
This had to be the most un-KyoAni KyoAni anime I have watched, in multiple ways. I really disliked how it had just really strange characterization, with overly unneccesary focus on how much Akihito liked girls with glasses and how Hiro'omi had a thing for his younger sister. Both of these things would often be brought up at inconvenient times, ruining the mood, and then be nailed in further as if the writers wanted those to be the characters' defining and only personality traits. There were also numerous whole episodes seemingly written just for some piece of fan service, such as the episode with the dance choreography, or the one that had Mirai take fanservicey pictures.
On the other hand, it had a--generally--pretty great plot. I could sense some moments of brilliance, real complexity and depth, intense build-up, that contrasts with the typical slow-going laid back nature of most KyoAni works, something similar to the likes of Haruhi Suzumiya. Unfortunately, it kind of fell apart at the end, where it felt like the writers just gave up trying to make a fitting ending and decided to just go with the most impact they could. It was way too rushed, and it could have used an entire second season just for those last episodes along with fleshing out the world more. Nevertheless, it was an emotional story all the way to the end and something that I still enjoyed watching greatly.
Of course, even as the work that is least characteristic of KyoAni, it is still easy to tell that it is one of their anime: beautiful animation during both slice-of-life moments and intense action, a delicate and masterful treatment of the nuanced emotions of the characters, and great music. KyoAni could make an anime with a completely trash story and these qualities would still be present.
All in all, this was a show that still nailed the parts that the studio is known for, had a good plot with an unfortunately rushed ending, had unnecessary fan service, but was still very much enjoyable. Basically, the Darling in the Franxx of KyoAni.