Studio: Mappa
Director: Watanabe Shinichirou (Cowboy Bebop, Sakamichi no Apollon)
Writer:
Main Cast:
Tanezuki Atsumi as Mishima Lisa
Ishikawa Kaito as Nine
Saitou Shoma as Twelve
Character Design: Nakagawa Kazuto (Samurai Champloo, Kuroko no Basket)
Music: Kanno Youko (Cowboy Bebop, Escalfowne, Macross Frontier, Aquarion, Darker than Black)
If there was one director in televised anime that I could say I implicitly trust, it would be Watanabe Shinichirou. Each show he has directed I would say is good, at worst. So, the fact he is making an anime original show about terrorism has me very excited. Because if this were literally any other anime director, it would be terrible. This sort of material requires a deft hand, one that knows when to be serious without being heavy-handed, and when to add some levity without being flippant. And Watanabe is the man for the job. I should also add that if Zankyou no Terror had sucked, I would be sobbing in the corner while considering whether or not to just give up on anime and delete this fucking blog. And since you are reading this blog, you can correctly assume that it does not.
The story of Zankyou no Terror is about a pair of boys, known as Nine and Twelve, who make up the terrorist duo known as Sphinx. They place bombs around the city, and give clues in the form of riddles that have to do with the ancient Greek tale of Oedipus. While on their first bombing operation, a girl named Mishima Lisa gets involved with them. It’s clear that while she was coerced into becoming their accomplice, she is considering joining their cause. This is not a surprise, given her life currently consists of being bullied at school and harassed at home by her possessive mother. The police are being led by a former detective turned archivist, who seems to be the only one to solve Sphinx’s riddles. So far, the show is a cat and mouse game, with the police already suspecting what the end game is for Sphinx. Given that this is Japan, most people won’t need more than one guess. Their motivation for the two boys probably has something to do with their history at some mysterious government facility, but the specifics are still shrouded in mystery.
It’s important to point out that while thire close relationship, intellectual brilliance, and probably tragic backstory make Sphinx a sympathetic pair, I can’t really root for them. The use of imagery that evokes the most famous September day in American history sees to that. As for the police, they aren’t overly stupid, but aside from one guy they are always one step behind Sphinx. And this is where the deft hand of Watanabe I mentioned before comes into play. He has set up both sides, Sphinx and the police, so that it is kind of difficult to pick who to root for. Do I side with the charismatic kids who are using horrible means or the much more dull cops trying to stop them. I think that is why Lisa is in this show. She represents an easy person to root for, whether its getting back at her bullies or getting away from her mother. She is an innocent, and if anyone comes out on top in this game, I hope it is her.
Now, while I do love Zankyou no Terror thus far, I have a minor quibble. Things have proceeded a bit too predictably for my taste. First, Sphinx bombs a couple of targets, and now the police have just stopped them for the first time. It is a basic set up for a sort of cat and mouse game and I’m afraid I can see where the show will probably end up. Now, if it goes the route I’m guessing, it will still be very good, probably even a great show. But, I like being caught off guard, and if this show can go in a direction that I don’t think that it will, it could be remembered for years to come. This one is an easy pass, and one no anime fan should miss.