I don't mind having The Beyond be the game changer. Instead I would be proud if Fafner's sacrificing cycles could finally be wiped out, with condition implied that they, the staffs and production team have to put a great care for the aftermath. And unfortunately all I got from this final patch was the half-assed way of dealing with the old cast, especially Kazuki here. The Beyond carried a lot of potential therfore a longer duration is required. But they messed it up themselves by chosing the 12 episodes format to deliver the most crucial ideas, which could also cause some divided opinions among longtime fans. I do not view this as a bold step up, I rather believe its production team tried to play it out safely but failed horribly since. What is the meaning of Kazuki's character anyways. And also do not just dump all the unfit things in other materials and expect to get understanding from fans. We need animating for a reason.