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ACCA: 13-Territory Inspection Dept. What an incredible piece of art. What seems like a simple story, a kingdom separated into 13 districts looked after by the organisation known as ACCA, manages to keep you guessing on how exactly everything is going to turn out. We follow Jean Otus, second-in-command of ACCA's inspection department, who travels to each and every district to make sure that any signs of corruption is discovered and prevented quickly. Starting off slow to introduce characters and some world building, the story steadily opens up to what can only be described, in the most non-spoiler way possible, as a quiet but planned out struggle for peace threatened by a higher power.
What seems predictable at first, (oh a plot twist happens, I can see where this is going) continues to surprise you as you can never guess what is actually happening until the very end. The calm and cool atmosphere that surrounds most of the series lulls you into a sense of knowing more than you actually do, allowing it's unpredictable nature to continuously keep the show interesting. Secrets are revealed, plans are put into motion, multiple opposing views wait their turn to make sure that events are headed towards their favour. It's a perfect example of the phrase "Don't judge a book by its cover."
Jean Otus is a simple but slightly mysterious man. Known by others as the "Cigarette Peddler", he's often seen with a lighter in his hand a smoke in his mouth. Not much is really known about Jean at the start. His only real goal that is revealed to us is that he wants to get a transfer to a different department. What could be seen as a dull and boring personality, this character manages to give off a feeling that he's much more intelligent than he seems. We see glimpses of his unique mind at work as he deals with some problems he faces in a few districts, showing off that he's actually more than meets the eye.
Nino is also pretty mysterious. Reporter by day, he often joins Jean for a drink and a talk about their hard days at work. He could be seen as quite charismatic and a smooth talker, always hanging around our main and his sister Lotta. Not much is known about him at first, but slowly his secrets are also revealed to showcase a truly interesting character with a simple motive. Look out for the Otus family.
It's hard to talk about every character due to the large amount we are introduced to every episode, as Jean travels from district to district, and the fact that many of the main cast's characteristics may lead to accidental spoilers. While character development is usually focused on only a select few of frequently reoccurring faces, every person we meet along the journey is able to feel interesting. Although most fall into the background, each character has their own personality and goals for their own district and for ACCA as a whole. There enough development left over that is scattered to various members of the supporting cast that it feels like everyone Jean meets has a sense of realism that is hard to achieve in most animes.
The animation is oddly unique yet similar to other shows at the same time. With a slight sketchbook like appearance, the art style really matches its relaxing atmosphere. It's not anything eye-popping, but it really adds to the show's mood of peacefulness. Even the hairdo of each character is special, as most districts have their own distinct hair colour. It's a subtle clue as to some important parts of the story, hidden incredibly well so only people that already know how the story progressions will be able to spot it.
It's not often you find a show that has such an amazing story, drawing you in with each episode that passes. This show does take a bit of patience as it doesn't dive into the actual plot right away, but if you don't mind a slow but interesting series, then I highly recommend this.
