This review contains spoilers.
Anime Name: Terror In Resonance (Zankyou No Terror) Genre: thriller My score: 6.5/10 – okay (Lisa is, though, a 10/10)
Introduction
After having read some pages from Death Note manga, I was looking for some thriller, and found myself watching Zankyou No Terror during the night. I was actually expecting something else: a complex plot, competition in case development, and, of course, thrill.
Terror In Resonance was, though, something different. There were a couple of things that disappointed me, although it was a good show as a whole. I think the second part was actually better than the first. Well, let’s get into the main positive and negative points, from my perspective.
To Be Heard
This is the driver of the anime. With this in mind, it may be more enjoable, actually.
The protagonists share a terrible past: intelligent childs that were taken from their families to be grown up as laboratory guinea pigs. Their voice was never heard, as the government hid the
Their aim from the start is to etch in the memory of japanese people the shady truth that ruined their lives. They do not uncover the reasons of their action directly, but give the police progressive hints to reach that truth. The story’s ace detective is the man, as he solves all the riddles the way the protagonists expect, and also comes up with the truth.
In the end, there is a wonderful moment in which Nine (if I remember correctly) asks detective Shibazaki to remember them, not only their message, but them as persons. The need of being remembered as human beings is universally understood and exists since
Sorrow Results
The climax introduces a new character, Five, who lived with the protagonists in the research lab in her youth. She challenges them, trying to make their non-lethal actions dangerous. Differently from the protagonists, she is less worried to hurt others. Her objective is to draw Nine’s attention. She has no interest in impacting society in any way.
After that, we have three forces:
The two protagonists, who try to build an increasing sense of fear and helplessness to be heard by society
The police detective, who draws near to the truth, thanks to the guidance given by the protagonists
Five, who simply needs attention.
This is reasonable, and makes the anime better, as it introduces conflict. In the first episodes we have unconnected attacks and riddles, which, in my opinion, is a bad beginning.
I also see no coherence of the suport Five receives from FBI. Her acts are dreadful.
There is, though, some sense in displaying the results of sorrow: the boys struggle to change the world while avoiding violent actions (which are still bad, of course), while the girl just tries to compensate with the power she happens to have.
In the end, Five ends up destroying herself, Twelve is killed by FBI and Nine dies because of the effects of the laboratory drug. They all manage to reach their aim, though: Five finally meets Nine, and the boys make an atomic bomb explode in the stratosphere, making it work like EMP on the entire Japan (I think they exaggerate, but still).
This is, of course, a sad and pale ending, which is perfect for a story like this. There was no way for the story to turn good. There was no future for the boys from the start, due to the degenerative effects of the drug on the boys. This ending carries this message to the viewer. It is moving and meaningful, and way better than the beginning.
Lisa, Love, Loss
I personally loved Lisa’s character. I actually never mentioned her until now. Doesn’t this sound strange?
Lisa accompanies the protagonists in their quest. She tries to help them, but end up being spotted, caught and tied to a bomb. Twelve manages to save her by revealing the atomic bomb’s location, while Nine still manages to get it reach the sky and explode.
Okay. Well. I think it’s all.
Yes. And this is an issue, at least for me. I say this at least for a couple of reasons:
At the beginning Lisa (who is bullied by some random girls) says that Twelve’s smile remember her of something, like a summer sunny day. There is no development for this consideration, though, neither metaphorical nor plot-related. Lisa is just a common girl living with an (clinically) apprehensive mother, who decides to run away from home. There is no connection in background, and no development for this feeling’s motives.
When twelve decides to take Lisa for a ride, she feels free, her face in the fresh air of night. It was a wonderful, heartfelt moment. Again, there was no further reference to her need of freedom. There is no evolution on this either. This is bad: as the detective, she can have a future. It would have been interesting to see character evolution in that sense. In the end I only see her visiting the boys’ graves. She meets the detective, he says that he’d help her if she needs him. Nothing else. How is Lisa evolved? How has she managed to “escape” from her sad, ill world? We don’t know. For us, there is no character development.
Twelve hangs with Lisa after he saves her. Then, he makes up with his brother and meet altogether. When the helicopter shoots at Twelve, Lisa is not desperate. Why? There is no development on this topic, other than her visiting their graves. This may be functional to the “helplessness” feeling the anime want to communicate, though.
The relation between Lisa and the detective would have been a nice way to close-up. To give some hope for the two characters. Shibazaki lost his work, Lisa actually “lost” her mother (as she’s toxic for her). I hoped the show would give some d
In general, there is some lack of involvement regarding feelings throughout the anime.
Yes, these may be more than a couple of reasons. The fact is that I liked Lisa so much, and I think there was still much to say about her. I was so happy when she was together with Twelve near the end, and when the brothers were together with her, for the few moments of normality the show gave me. I just hoped, and am still sure, that there was something else to be said. Maybe, though, it was not in the style/aim of the anime.
Freedom
There is still one thing I actually want to say about Terror In Resonance: as introduced in the previous chapter, there is a scene in which Lisa takes a ride with Twelve. She feels air on her skin and hair, and says that she missed that so much. I really enjoyed the moment, and it let me think about a thing: in our life, even if our conditions are difficult, precary, we can still find instant of real happiness. I’d say that we can notice happiness better when life is harsh. The anime conveyed this feeling into this brief scene, and did it with exceptional deepness.
As said, I hoped for more of these moments, but the anime atmosphere, together with this longing, made me enjoy this so much.
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