Nov 10, 2020
As much as I love anime for what it is, the shows that stick with me usually break the mold in some way. ACCA 13 is all that and a bag of chips- let's break it down:
Story:
This is basically the closest anime comes to John Le Carre-esque spy fiction despite not being an out and out spy show. At every turn, we are asked to guess at the motivations of a broad cast of characters. Miraculously, the show builds a dense and reasonable network of motivations in the span of 12 episodes. Reveals are doled at a pretty consistent pace instead
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of being bunched up at the end, but my interest was consistent. Not only that, there are some really surprising twists and turns- just really well thought-out.
Art: I'm can't speak on technical terms here, but I did find the show really attractive, crisp, and well-animated. The style, much like everything else in the show, is not the anime typical, with a stylized but mature feel. Character designs were distinctive and well-adapted to the characters themselves without relying overmuch on tropes. There's not much call for action, but the animation serves the story's needs exceptionally. The OP and ED are also really well done- I watched them most eps instead of skipping.
Sound: If the story is John Le Carre, the music accompanying it is closer to '60's style Ian Fleming (James Bond). The mood alternates between the intrigue at the heart of the story and lighter cues for more character development. It's not quite an OST I'm rushing out to listen to outside the context of the show, but it feels natural and inseparable in retrospect. And again, the OP and ED are top shelf.
Character: It doesn't make sense that a show with this many characters packed into 12 episodes can accomplish so much on the character front. Just about the entire cast is likable, and the story maximizes efficiency with a couple of subplots/motifs to create sympathy with some of the more important minor characters. And the fact that viewers care about the characters makes a few of the later twists really pop.
Who is this show for? I've seen others call the show a slow burn. It's hard for me to see that. I've seen plenty of slice of life shows that, yes, I struggle through over a longer period of time (even if I think they're quite good- like 3 gatsu no lion). But 13 ACCA doesn't really let go of the main plot and keeps you constantly guessing as to A) what's going on and B) how the characters will resolve the conflict once they figure things out. So I think if you're the type of person who like spy/mystery/heist type movies and books that play cat-and-mouse with your head, you're going to love this.
This one will stick with me and has no business being rated as low as it is here on MAL.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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