This isn't your typical protagonist who is going to save the world and defeat villains with plot-armor and character development.
This is a blunt, creative, absolutely tragic and beautiful critique of how the US is the world's #1 asshole (I jest - but not really ;__;)
****
Let's be brief.
Art was stunning. Absolutely gorgeous - it's been a while since I've seen anything animated as beautifully and the fluidity of the characters' movements was very nostalgic.
Story had its flaws, but it was incredible. It was dark and straightforward.
"Music from a cold land" - Sigur Ros anyone? Enhanced the show.
Characters - I have some misgivings on Five and Lisa mostly, but I'll get to that later.
Enjoyment - I finished it in one sitting so major love.
Overall 10/10.
****
Thoughts:
Story:
The emotions were so cold, and the story was very bleak and being such a short series (only 11 episodes) there were instances when some plots were wrapped up loosely and I never got the closure that I wanted. However, this makes sense.
This anime is an earnest attempt at being realistic. There are events in our lives where we will never obtain that closure that we want and desperately need. Life is guessing game and we're always in the dark. Especially regarding questions dealing with society as a whole. Politics, social constructs - so many complexities that would take more than a lifetime to unravel. Various connections and an infinite possibility of outcomes. The lack of closure reflects our uncertainties, and the regret and misgivings attached to that is something that we've learned to cope with. Life goes on.
I personally felt like the writing was a reflection on how society has recovered from WWII. The victims from Japanese war crimes (Unit 731) was touched with the Athena project. The atom bomb was a nod to Hiroshima. US government interventions and their approach at foreign policy was accurately portrayed (US just f**ks everyone over for our benefit).
Also a nod at the rebellious spirit of youth and the changing generations.
Characters:
Not much to say about Nine and Twelve (love them dearly) besides what drove their actions was that they want people to remember that they lived. Viewers can decide for themselves. I feel like I should address the characters that were hated.
I loved Lisa. I understand the hate she gets because I was personally frustrated with her the majority of the story as well and how she seemed to have little to no character development.
This makes sense to me in a twisted way. I view Lisa as someone I can relate to. An average girl, dealing with bullies and an emotionally unstable mother. Not to mention I'm a teenager which is already hard enough. Now I'm forced to be an accomplice with terrorists who blew up the government building and are actually geniuses because of human experimentations. Seeing how this show tries to be realistic, how many people mature and grow in such a short time span in a ridiculous setting such as that? Try as I want, I know I couldn't bring myself to blow up an entire airport or follow a plan that I'm not fully knowledgeable of when I couldn't even stand up to the girls bullying me. She's an anchor in the show, something that was constant in a whirlwind of political secrecy and explosions and someone I could relate to - and this show needed that, especially after they introduced Five.
Five was vital. So vital. She was introduced as an antagonist, and I hated her. I hated how dramatic she was; how ruthless she was towards Nine, Twelve, and her perfect English speaking partner. However, when her arc neared the end I realized that I couldn't bring myself to hate her and I have to admit I cried a bit.
She was necessary show the results of how the experiments affected the children. She had the capabilities of a genius, but in return she was socially impaired. She never fully understood her actions, and everything was a game that continued all those years prior between her and Nine. The competition between those two was her only enjoyment. She was the only one who survived, and the first one shown to die. From that moment on, you knew that the experimented children had a limited time frame. It's what Five, Nine, and Twelve all hinted at.
The show also explains Savant syndrome where you excel in a certain area, but you also are affected in others. Due to her isolation she ended up like this and this is what the show wanted you to think. Also, when she dies, she chose not to kill Nine, and ended up dying herself which ruins her image as the ruthless villain. She was just a victim. Just like Nine and Twelve, she was used by not only the Japanese government, but the US as well.
Which leads to the ending of the Japanese government being exposed and everyone deciding that the US was a major prick because of what they did to Twelve.
****
Ending thoughts:
I feel like Twelve had the potential of living a long life. He was the one who knew happiness because of Lisa, the one who knew the feeling of betrayal, love, doubt, and fear that was not directed towards him, but someone else. He knew humanity. Twelve and Nine were so similar, so I feel like Twelve saw himself in Nine since they both suffered together. However, throughout the show you never saw Twelve suffer from the side effects of experimentation which makes me wonder if it weren't for 'Merica.....
All in all, I feel like this show could have been more and could have done more if there were more episodes. A part of me regrets that I couldn't know more.
Why didn't they talk more about Twelve and Nine's past? Why didn't they show the reactions to their deaths immediately after or the process?
But that makes sense.
We unraveled their past along with the detective. Just like reality, we can only know about the bits and pieces. We can never fully realize the extent of their fears and desperation. We won't understand their entire past. We can't see the entire process of something happening. There will never be closure.
However, there was closure with Twelve and Nine and just that little slice of peace is enough to make me content.
See You, Sphinx.
