Towa no Quon 1 starts off displaying its greatest strength - action. In the very first scenes we are introduced to our two main competing factions in the story in the heat of battle. A militaristic, secret organization is targeting a terrified child running for his life in a brutally efficient manner, sending orders from a command HQ to multiple specialized units in the field. The music kicks in and delivers a pulsing beat and epic backdrop - the situation is tense as suddenly the child's body starts mutating and glowing with power, sending orbs of energy off randomly. Just as he appears to be doomed with the approach of the militarized attacks, another person with superpowers comes in to save him, fighting off an entire unit in epic style.
This is Quon - the quintessential hero of the tale. And he is introduced in absolutely beautiful, stylized action. The scenes are fast paced, full of small explosions, packed with intensity, and masterfully animated. The show often takes its time to go into slow motion to show off particle effects to make Quon look even cooler. The entire sequence is punchy and non-repetitive, yet manages to last for a satisfyingly long time. This is how the action in Towa no Quon plays out, and is the heart of the show. Future fights play out with less flair but are consistently good and escalate in danger. I can't wait to see where the series takes them in the next episode.
The sound is as good as the animation, which is necessary in a good action show. The background music is suitable but never over-stated, and shines during moments of intensity. I also found the ending theme that played during the credits ("Reckless" by LAZY) exceptionally fitting for the action vibes with its gritty hard rock vibes and good guitar solo. It made me watch the credits all the way to the end, which is rare for me in anime as I usually can't wait to start watching the next episode.
The voice actors all do a good job at portraying the characters they've been billed, but there's not any time yet for any of them to shine. This episode is mostly an introduction to all the characters, to allow us to establish where each of them fit in the world and their relations to each other.
Thus, the characters mostly feel straightforward and dull. Even Quon can only be seen as caring/sympathetic, who is steadfastly focused on saving as many "Attractors" as he can from the evil organization. We are given an introduction to characters on both side of the conflict, and I imagine that this will be used to elicit sympathetic reactions later on. But this is only the first episode in the series, so I believe all the characters are introduced acceptably for development later.
Since I did not research this show very much before I started watching, I was expecting it to be more serious and targeted for a slightly older audience (similar to Ghost in the Shell). This is not the case, as the show carries a lighter tone targeted at a younger teen audience. Most of the "Attractors" (the 'good' guys) are either children or young adults, and the members of the secret organization are all older. It definitely has the feel of "us against the world," with the theme of outcasts from society banding together to live and survive.
Overall, by itself this episode is a solid introduction to a promising series. It has excellent and serious action scenes with a superb audio. It is more light-hearted than dark, but it has potentially serious themes and sets up what may become a heavy conflict between the underdog and a villainous defender of society and rules. While it may not be amazing on its own, it is certainly an enjoyable watch, and will give a good taste for anyone considering watching the whole series.
