When I first saw this show, I never fell for hype behind this. Yeah I know... as a self-recluse introvert, I live in a cave and I don’t follow anime on a seasonal basis, but a friend recommended this to me after a long hiatus. I later found out about the director being Shinichiro Watanabe, the same one who made the classic Cowboy Bebop, Samurai Champloo and the fairly popular Kids on the Slope. Still, I wasn’t excited for it, but I certainly thought it was cool.
** Take this review with a heavy grain of salt when you don’t mind the negativity or want to see why some don’t like it. I do have some mild spoilers, but most of the time, the facts deal with the premise. I will notify if it really goes into a heavy spoiler. **
Story- 4/10
*Mild Spoilers*
Various buildings and infrastructure were destroyed by a pair of teenagers named Nine and Twelve. Their motives are yet unclear as they broadcast themselves as terrorists under the alias as Sphinx 1 & 2. Giving out riddles for each of their targets, they provoke the police as the gifted detective, Shibazaki Kenjirou, trails on them.
However, the two have a mysteriously troubled past and have brought a timid yet bullied high school girl name Lisa Mishima as their accomplice.
In an 11 episode series, I probably wouldn’t expect much of a plot as the first part of the series was rather formulaic. Our high school students plant a bomb, post a video about a mythological riddle on what appeared to be Youtube and Shibazaki gains a eureka moment to solve each passing puzzle. However, each riddle lacked relevance towards advancing the plot and further expounding the mysteries of the two characters. In another case, Oedipus Rex addresses a deeper meaning, but that was only towards the end.
In addition, the concept of destroying buildings without any casualties appears impractical, requiring a large suspension of disbelief- while technically, casualties also account the injured. Even if there are no deaths, people would lose jobs and the reparation costs would indirectly affect the citizen’s personal lives. It doesn’t have the realistic repercussions as it would appear to have and it makes a much more drastic event such as 9/11 seem watered-down and even harder to compare, aside from seeing an iconic tower get blown up.
9/11 is a sensitive and a complicated topic to discuss, filled with various motives and conflicting emotional reactions towards that event. People of different backgrounds have, to some extent, (whether ambiguously right or wrong) justifications for their beliefs. But I don’t see those same gray areas in ZnT. Now back on track. Nine and Twelve could have simply blown up abandoned buildings and it wouldn’t make much of a difference. Casualties and property damage would be even less likely (since no one’s there) and to a lesser extent, the attention would still be drawn out by the media.
The second half of the series appeared to throw out the realism with this anime as Five was ridiculously added. There were questionable actions when the FBI could have restrained her. Worst off, the story could have easily progressed without her. However, I’ll give credit when credit is due as ZnT ties most loose ends, but it pushes back most of its answers instead of giving a consistently sound structure overall.
Characters-4/10
Within the main cast of the high school adolescents of Nine, Twelve, Five, and Lisa Mishima as well as detective Shibazaki Kenjirou, it seemed a bit flat. Their characterization is done by the bare bones and their character development seems shaky.
Twelve is the brown haired jokester and serves as a foil to the more reserved Nine. However, outside their massive intelligence for software hacking, name memorizing, and grenade chucking, it’s somewhat difficult for me to describe the main characters (in a more negative fashion.) Their motives for terrorism have been pushed aside until the end when it was fairly simple, to begin with. Their past was flimsily expounded when it should have been used to really explain their current behaviors and beliefs. In addition, they lack interactions with other people (besides Lisa) that normally would shine their personalities from different perspectives and asserting its flaws and strengths. However, one may say that they lack in interactions as a part of who they are, but that maybe a crucial mistake when their cat-and-mouse chase with Shibazaki felt disjointed and rather alienated, even when their screen time are close to each other. I mean within the entire half of the series, there was not a direct confrontation between them and it was mostly behind the recorded (or live) electronic screen.
Regardless, possibly the most interesting character in the story would be Shibazaki. He provides a clear motive, based on a troubled past, to apprehend both Nine and Twelve. His habit of smoking helped compliment his overall personality and ambition. Though a minor detail, when he lights a cigarette in the no smoking zone of the police station, it suggests his ideals to follow a sense justice, not the formal law (you can see that applicable in the latter half). His background brought more historical relevance and topics that could be discussed further. Unfortunately, the progress has been stymied due to the monotonous riddles and Five.
Five may have been the most apparent “nail in the coffin” when it comes to ZnT. Her outlandish behavior requires a large amount of suspension of disbelief and it felt unnecessary to have her as part of the cast. I can say the same for the rest of the police who appeared fairly one dimensional.
On the other hand, Lisa could have been a better-utilized character, but the plot served her to be a klutz and a damsel in distress. It is a shame the over protective mother could have been an interesting avenue for some sort of development, but it is never presented properly.
[SPOILERS]
Hypothetically, Lisa’s father could have been a victim of terrorism. Her mother could have seen the news on what happened in the first episode (she never actually saw nor mentioned it) and this would give a better justification to be so overprotective and paranoid instead of a one-sided appeal that would weaken the strength of the analogy about the Japanese government's Prime minister and its surge of nationalism.
Lisa could have developed a distrust for Nine and Twelve based on her mother’s accusations, and yet also become conflicted to have the only people sensibly accept her be a pair of terrorists. Two sound sides would have its complexity and fair reasoning to develop her character as she slowly opens up to the two guys, learning that they haven’t committed any casualties and also bear that same experience of being ostracized.
[END SPOILER]
Art/Animation- 10/10
Simply put, this anime is gorgeous.
I have no qualms about this aspect and I can fully agree even to the fanatics of this show. The animation directing was fast-paced with slick animation presented on highly attentive detail for its art. The choreography was aesthetically well-done and body language projected differently from each character. There were various executed moments that studio MAPPA visually showed without being explicitly telling. I will praise it for that.
The color pallet and art style are different from your conventional anime, often utilizing more somber colors and realistic drawings. It is certainly highly budgeted, and for the most part, it is very consistent with its quality. There some goofs inevitably here and there, but I can't deduct points.
Now, the biggest downside to the art style would be that everything else doesn’t compliment to this kind of style. The outlandish events of the anime polarize the seemingly human presentation, making it more like a cinematic Hollywood spectacle with less sentimental value to it. Some may like it, but I personally don’t.
Sound- 9/10
The sound’s quality is parallel to the art. The opening, “Trigger,” sounds weirdly syncopated and doesn’t cleanly fall to people’s expectations that normally be within the beat. The same can be said with the some of the OST composed by Yoko Kanno. However, for the most part, they are fitting and of high quality for this anime. The main issues for sound for me were the jarring English voice acting for Five (however, the character itself was more questionable.) Fortunately, the dubbing amends that minor quibble.
Enjoyment- 4/10
Unfortunately, this is where my review follows more into an ugly subjective rant.
I came with the wrong mindset with this anime. I was expecting more realism on the aspects of terrorism, not some 11 episode thriller. It lacked the bite in dealing with terrorism, as the motives and target of the two characters should have been explicitly stated from the start to make me care more about the characters (especially when they are on a controversial position as terrorists.)
[SPOILERS]
There were many plot holes and illogical actions that really requires a large suspension of disbelief.
For example, the police normally do not solve literary mythology, but rather they should track down physical evidence and forensics. They should not follow the clues guided by the perpetrators, (to the point of making them incompetent) for the sake of making Nine and Twelve seem highly intelligent. Also video analysis from the aliases named Sphinx 1 & 2 should have identified the so-called terrorist to be fairly young and pale skinned; one with brown hair and the other with black hair. I mean they don’t even bother to cloak themselves. It is even to the point to make a safe assumption that they are high school students. The police could have done a background check on their alias as high school students and find the hidden bomb from the school locker. While I’m bringing this up, the point of being in high school for our protagonists was largely forgotten besides going to the Tokyo Metropolitan Governmental Office, reeling in Lisa (from the beginning) and stuffing the prototype bomb in the locker (near the end.)
There were problems that there wasn’t enough time to build character development in a series with only 11 episodes, but it exacerbated with that mystery because this show had numerous filler moments. Many of the episodic riddles could easily have been truncated and the events of Five seem shaky to even consider it as part of the plot. It really beat around the bush when it really didn’t have enough time for it.
Now, the point and theme of the story would possibly be the disconnection from the society. Those who are disconnected, they may share that common ground of separation and project their far cry towards the general norm with the hope that it will reach. However, the story lacks to address the majority who are connected with society. ZnT does not present that other side, in order to emphasize the stark contrast in the character’s isolation or at least give more meaning to it. Because of this, it really felt one sided and one noted.
[END SPOILERS]
Overall- mid 6/10 (Fair)
Its major shortcomings would simply be its presentation and focus. It's difficult to support a political statement going into the grey areas of polemic concern when a large part dealt with a thriller route. Well, thought-out characters struggle to have depth when a mystery covers them more often than not, while some of the most beautiful directed scenes in a TV series loses its value when character and plot are on the weaker end.
I do see some well executed moments on its lesser details and recommend it to those who prefer a highly fast paced crime-thriller. It certainly takes a step forward by presenting maturity and becomes a breath of fresh air in the anime medium that often features silly high school students riddled with goofy stereotypes (even though it doesn't hurt to like those anime.)
On the other hand, it does take a step back when it comes to dealing with the responsibilities of that maturity. It really disappoints me above everything else to see the wasted potential of fine directing and an intriguing topic when minor tweaks can greatly improve the glaring flaws. I will not recommend it to those who prefer a more concrete plot with character development and for those who would rather see terrorism be addressed more properly.
