Zankyou no Terror – 04
You win a twin-tailed Loli!
Another week and another exciting episode. The animation and direction has been consistent to the point that I’ve forgotten to gasp on how crisp and beautiful everything is. Of course, somewhere in my mind the thought still lingers but I get busy following the events and plotline on screen rather than the outward beauty. Every episode has been quite engrossing and this is not a surprise anymore.
Dialogue
It’s like harping on the same thing weekly but it’s a fact that our young terrorists are quite intelligent. The way they have snaked around the web (Yay, amazon and online ordering!), for most of their purchases, leaving zero clues. Authorities are simply left picking up the pieces. At least Shibazaki followed the only physical lead for covering all the bases, but even that didn’t pull up any follow-up leads. Sure, he knows that Nine was brought up in a cold area and he’s anti-social but that’s nothing new. Sadly, the only time he shows any emotion is after having a nightmare or scary daydream.
This week’s timed yet information-bombed riddle was interesting to the point of being an actual digital campaign with a perfect message delivery of VOOOOON! Having RL background in digital, I highly appreciate how the anime staff brought in a mix of digital mediums for Sphinx to launch their assault on MPD like any regular brand of this day and age. They were already using NND/youtube, but now they added a microsite (sphinx-pretty-room.jp), including a legit moe mascot and a twitter bot (@MPD_peepokun), to boot! I swear I got a kick out of trying to find them online and I would have given hats off to them if they existed but they still get it because of this app. This is a campaign site for ZnT in cooperation with Japan MENSA, to challenge the viewers to riddles every week an episode airs. I found out about it while trawling the official site after third episode so I was only able to solve the third and fourth riddle but I loved the fact that the seiyuu for Nine (Ishikawa Kaito) and Twelve (Saito Souma), record a new video every week! The riddles are not too easy either but it’s fun just getting involved (use Chrome translator to get some meaning out if you can’t read Japanese like me).
What I liked most about the episode was the actual dialogue between Sphinx and Shibazaki. From the previous outburst of Shibazaki on their previous stunt, Nine and Twelve tailored their current riddle to play into the investigator’s intellect. However, I have a feeling it was more of a test rather than actually playing him. From what we know till now, all of their riddles have a message and the current one simply says, “Listen to us (don’t try to hoodwink us because we know all your tricks), we don’t mean any harm (note: no deaths still), but we need your assistance in uncovering something huge (pay attention to that VON).” If only the others followed Shibazaki’s train of thought, they could have salvaged the hacked investigation information from public eyes but nope. The youth of the country are already idolizing these geniuses in one-upping the MPD, things are going to get serious on all counts.
New Roommate
I was never annoyed by Lisa rather I was curious about her role. From what has transpired after her running away from home and Twelve taking in her as a stray cat; things should get interesting soon. Till now, we have been just following the plot threads shown to us and even when we know our duo is deadly dangerous, both of them possess a vulnerability of their own. One covers it with music, while the other covers it with a smile. I think Twelve’s smile is sadder than the steely visage of Nine because a sorrow hidden in a smile is even more painful. I assure you, I know. We, the audience, might already be playing into the hands of Twelve by that heroic rescue of Lisa just before she was stopped by cops. However, I only saw a little boy, who suddenly remembered his childhood, when he wished just like Lisa, for someone, anyone to come to his rescue and take him away from that crazy place.
And however Nine might scoff, the Lisa problem is not going to go away soon. She followed them as an extreme choice but now that it is done, I’m curious to see what results her overstay and even cooking for them is going to bear. Will Nine trust her and however much pity Twelve feels for her, he will never let his guard down around her. So, is there going to be any character development? This situation has the potential to result in interesting chemistries so let’s wait and see before judging.
Extra Terror
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I really liked the exchange between Sphinx and Shibazaki this episode. Even when the oldman is playing right into their hands, it’s not going to stay like this forever as this is after all a chase. The score stands at 3-1 between Sphinx and Shibazaki but you never know if the Sphinx will keep leading. Next episode preview was quite ominous with glimpses of the albino girl (Five). She is shown at an interesting interval when VON is plastered all over the Internet. Have the big guys behind the secret institution finally woken up from slumber and taken notice? Sphinx was always a threat but this has gone over the national level. It seems the guilty will be setting in motion some reinforcements and their ace will be Five. However, what we’ll have to see is whose side she chooses once the reasons are revealed.
For now, Nine seems to be the most farthest from character development but yet again, preview shows promise. Even when I can’t take any perverse enjoyment in seeing him in pain because I have an affinity towards him, I’m curious to know what makes this guy tick. Not to mention, how long Shibazaki will keep playing with Sphinx under their rules and get used enough to find loopholes? See you all, next riddle time.
Preview
About Kyokai
The Boss lady of Metanorn, who makes it all happen. An animanga enthusiast, who watches/reads almost anything that strikes her fancy. Just beware of her Death Perception and always keep her happy. Regularly found at @KyokaiTM & #[email protected].
POWUH: 900-999 with 915 comments
I like Lisa’s character too, and even though I do think they will probably get closer, I’m pretty sure she will end up being their weakness, like the search for her will end up taking the cops to them. Twelve already exposed himself way too much in her rescue. She’s definitely end up causing their downfall.
But twelve rescuing Lisa was a great scene, seriously.
POWUH: Meta Team and Ringleader Extraordinaire~ with 6433 comments
Who knew Twelve will be a romantic? But that was indeed an amazing moment and the BGM just made it so much better. I love the ZnT OST more with new episodes airing. It’s so surreal and perfect for this theme.
I hope Lisa gives some human elements back to both Nine and Twelve with her influence but we shall see.
POWUH: 900-999 with 915 comments
I’m really disperse, so I hardly ever notice the OST from most shows except OP and ED themes, but I listened to all three and they were all amazing. I really liked the middle one.
It’s a shame the account got shut down by YouTube.
POWUH: Meta Team and Ringleader Extraordinaire~ with 6433 comments
The OST album is AMAZING. I’ve always loved Konno’s work and she can musically amazing, plus so relevant to theme. This OST is thematically perfect. Love all the tracks.
POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
Winning a twintailed tsundere loli…. now that is indeed terror…
POWUH: Meta Team and Ringleader Extraordinaire~ with 6433 comments
Riiight, we have a huge list of twin-tailed tsundere lolis rioting over many verses. Which ones are your top deadliest? Let’s hear it. 😉
POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
Really, is there any competition for the Top 5 spots? 😛
POWUH: Meta Team and Ringleader Extraordinaire~ with 6433 comments
Who knows? Let’s hear your picks 😛
POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
Seriously?
In any order; the TsundeRies. Only because setting a rigid order would ensure an untimely demise.
POWUH: 800-899 and Flying Sage with 856 comments
It’s not like I *wanted* to be #1.
POWUH: Meta Team and Ringleader Extraordinaire~ with 6433 comments
Oh DDG, I thought you’d come up with something original than the over-used KRies army! 😛
@ JJB, Oh so moeee! <3
POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
There is a reason she is the Queen of Tsunderes…
Okay then, let’s go through my personal picks of Twintailed Loli Tsunderes (excluding the Five TsundeRies): *fires up the excel spreadsheet list*
Takao: Twintail but not loli.
Rin, Tohsaka: Only in Fate Zero, not tsundere enough (yet).
Koboshi: Some episodes have twintails but only Tsun towards Misha and not her love interest. Voiced by… umm… *her*
Azuki Azuza: Not enough time in twintails, otherwise would pass.
Emanuella(Emi): Not dere enough.
Fate Testarossa: Not enough Tsun.
Nanoha: Not enough Tsun.
Arisa Bannings: Do short twintails count? Then again she’s voiced by… *her*
Kasugano Sora: Fulfils criteria. Fosh’s Favourite. 😛
Rin, Kokonoe: More like mischievous rather than tsundere.
Al Azif: Fulfils criteria (Legal Lolis count). Bonus points for being the Nekomimicon.. I mean Necronomicon.
Hiiragi Anri: Fulfils criteria. But Happiness! is definately a trap!
Etna: I believe has twintails from memory. Quite legal too.
Unlike most people, my top-xyz lists tends to be static unless the newcomer can prove themselves worthy of breaking into the pantheon. Which means no one has yet dethroned #1: Dejiko-sama. Izuna has sneaked into joint 2nd by virtue of Puchiko-chan.
POWUH: Meta Team and Ringleader Extraordinaire~ with 6433 comments
Wow, that’s quite an extensive list! 0_0 Kudos to you! I am surprised that skylion and Fosh haven’t pounced on the claim game here. xD
POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
Not as extensive as it could be. My list of watched shows is rather short compared to most people’s.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Sphinx’s material was bought over Amazon of all shopping sites. The owner must be pissed. Amazing what you can get from the internet these days. No wonder it’s referenced as the underworld in the riddle.
The authorities are getting careless. A new message from Sphinx and they’ve let it broadcast on every available device… They must’ve not gotten it in their heads that’s enough incentive for a full scale panic from the masses. I wouldn’t have taken that risk. They are pretty much screwed now with all information of their investigations out in the open. Love to see what happens next. The next episode can come quick enough.
Lisa has been a wild card for the most time. She’s like a blank canvas steadily filling in so I’m wondering how much she’ll be influenced by our two terrorist leads now that she’s basically given herself to them. One thing is certain: her life so far has given her a rather nihilistic outlook if she’s comfortable with the idea of them destroying the world.
POWUH: Meta Team and Ringleader Extraordinaire~ with 6433 comments
It’s almost funny how niconicodouga (NND), was renamed but amazon was not. They are too famous for their own good!
Just check what Hamura said, ‘Stop playing with kids because they are kids.’ NOT! That was the biggest mistake MPD did and now they are paying a huge price of losing their face in front of the whole country. I pitied the megane-guy but damn, they should have known better.
You have the simile correct for Lisa. She’s ready to be filled up with colours but which ones is dependent on her and her influencers. We shall see but I’ll give her a benefit of the doubt on that comment, which was uttered with a child-like wonder rather than bad intention. She hasn’t really felt another person’s warmth yet and her mother’s been smothering her for a while. She feels alienated from everyone but hopefully that will soon change.
POWUH: 800-899 and Flying Sage with 856 comments
I’m glad Lisa has been brought into the cabal. I was feeling pretty bad for her at the end of episode 2.
POWUH: Meta Team and Ringleader Extraordinaire~ with 6433 comments
Same here. Nobody deserves that. I hope there are many excitements for her in the future. 😉
POWUH: and Athenaeum Châtelaine with 2212 comments
Another absolutely great episode, and I love how 9 and 12 have gotten Shibazaki and the police into the riddles as well.
Shibazaki knew what to do to go and hunt the boys down, and this time they sent another Oedipus riddle for them to solve, and again, his chubby friend helped him solve it. However, the rest of the police were so gung ho and thought they had found them out, not knowing that these kids are so smart that they actually planted that video evidence deliberately to be found and use it to lead the police on a merry goose chase.
As for Lisa, I’m glad that she’s finally getting into the story. She made a nice speech there with more words than I think she’s spoken all series so far. However, seeing her and 12 on the bike together was great as she’s finally enjoying herself, even if she’s in the midst of terrorists. Twelve has a heart somewhere in there I guess. However, they now have to get Nine to agree. And Lisa, exhausted and probably hungry from walking the streets, fainted at just the right time.
That info “bomb” was an awesome change of pace. The police are really are in such a hard place. Now that all the police reports have been sent to the internet, what are the police to do? They really need some help.
Also what did 9 mean that they are running out of time? Is something going to go down soon?