Zankyô no teroru

Re-entering a period of anime obsession, I honestly couldn't ask for a better start. Everything about this series is so well written, composed and planned out: The plot is unique and catching from the very beginning, humoristic and dead serious, the music is fantastic; so unusual yet emotional, and despite the characters being a little stereotyped, they didn't fail to amaze me with their strong personalities and relationships. It's been a while, since I watched an anime that really 'got' me the way that Zankyou no Terror did, and unfortunately it makes it hard for other thriller-anime to compete. Call me a fan-girl, but I am so stunned from the show at the moment, that I can't watch another one without feeling that Zankyou keeps mocking them down immediately. Repect. What a masterpiece. What a clean masterpiece.

When I saw the poster advertising this show on the internet I was immediately intrigued. I googled the show and then saw it was directed by Shinichiro Watanabe (of Samurai Champloo and Cowboy Bebop). Knowing then that my initial interest was well founded, I began to watch. From the opening minutes the thing that struck me most was the art. It is absolutely gorgeous. It's so vivid and beyond anything I have seen before. On that front this show is perfect

Story-wise this is also very strong. Far from shonen anime, this is deeply rooted in reality and the present day. It features terrorism, a topic not usually explored in this medium and it is refreshing to find it so well done.

This series started amazingly and had me hooked, but as the episodes went on I found myself watching out of habit rather than eager anticipation. The plot was rushed and REALLY could have done with at least 25ish episodes rather than the meager 11 we got. Also, Lisa Mishima as a character is mostly predictable and even annoying throughout the series. When learning about her home-life, I thought we would get a 3 dimensional character, not a snivelling weakling who ends up causing trouble for everyone.

In fact, most characters are pretty standard. There aren't really any characters apart from Five who are actually that interesting. Overall, this is a high quality anime, but lacks in a few areas which holds it back from greatness. If you are expecting Death Note 2.0, you are going to be disappointed. It is not as complex and thrilling as DN, although it looks much better and doesn't have a shitty second half like DN had.

Good Points: Art Style, Story, Ending Bad Points: 1Dimensional Characters, WAY too short

"Zankyou no Terror" is truly a masterpiece. It handles moral ambiguity and anti-heroism with rarely seen grace. It is respectful to the characters, fleshing them out, highlighting the good, the bad, and the ugly alike. It is respectful to the viewers, allowing them to come to their own conclusions about the characters, or the moral justification of their actions. It is powerful enough on its own to allow the viewers to feel emotion naturally, rather than forcing the characters' emotion onto them. The plot is beautiful and excellently executed. The ending leaves the viewers with a sense of satisfaction and hope, rather than leaving them feeling like there was more to be done or said. The voice acting is wonderful, minus failed attempts at "Engrish" a number of times. Elements of the animation, such as the dynamic lighting and imperfect "camerawork," give it a very realistic atmosphere. The soundtrack is excellent, complementing the atmosphere of each scene flawlessly. "Zankyou no Terror" is a work of art that should not be missed!

I almost gave up on this anime, because it starts off very slowly, and requires patience to get through the first half, but if persevered, the second half more than makes the whole watching experience worthwhile.

At first, this anime appears to resemble a typical cat and mouse chase of criminal masterminds, but the second half reveals that much more complexity and helps you develop more empathy and connection with all the characters involved.

Overall, I feel that it could have been structured a lot better if more character development and contextual hints were revealed earlier in the plot, but I guess this way, the ending feels even more surprising and satisfying in a strange way.

A really enjoyable anime, especially for those who like psychological anime. The characters were complex and mysterious and I liked the humanity in them. The ending was sad. The art really good as well was the action scenes. I do wish there was another season though. So eight out of ten.