0
0
Year: 2014
Genre: Detective, Mystery, Thriller
Episodes: 11
Rating:
Terrorism. What is it, and how is it defined in the world today? One explained the word as “the deliberate killing of innocent people at random in order to spread fear through a whole population and force the hand of political leaders. Webster’s Dictionary defines the word as the unlawful use of violence and intimidation, especially against civilians, in the pursuit of political aims.
The world has seen the rise of terrorist attacks and terrorism in the past 20 years. The September 11 attacks against the World Trade Centers and Pentagon sent a shock wave through the world. Showing the world that anything can happen and that terror was alive and well even for the world’s most powerful nation. Throughout the years, the rise of terrorism has increased more and more. Whether it is domestic terrorism like the Oklahoma City Bombings or international. Terrorism encompasses all aspects of fear.
What motivates terrorists to cause terrorism to people? Some attacks are used to draw international attention to the struggles of others in foreign countries. Some attacks are used to draw a purpose to their domestic cause. Some attacks are motivated by revenge against a government that has done them wrong. Whatever the means, all terrorist has a reason to perform the heinous act.
The game Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 explained it best with two sentences. One from the villain and one trying to protect from the villain. It defines the reason and purpose of terrorism through the eyes of one person who has seen heartache through war.
“It doesn’t take the most powerful nations on Earth to create the next global conflict. Just the will of a single man.” —Vladimir Makarov
“There’s a simplicity to war. Attacking is the only secret. Dare—and the world yields. How quickly they forget that all it takes to change the course of history…is the will of a single man.” — Price
Overview:
During a snowstorm in Japan, two individuals attack a nuclear facility. Though no injuries or lives were lost, the individuals paint in red, the word “VON” on the walls while taking plutonium with them.
In present-day Tokyo, six months after the event at the nuclear facility, a mysterious video is posted on social media. Two teenage individuals in masks referring to themselves as Sphinx 1 and 2 state that, “Tokyo will be enveloped by darkness after 3:00 p.m. and large sparks will fly, scattered around the Shinjuku area.” The teenage boys directly challenge the police, threatening to cause chaos, destruction, and mayhem across all of Tokyo. The government and police, unable to stop the mass panic that is quickly spreading through the city station, all forces on trying to figure out how to stop the attack.
Terror in Resonance follows the story of Nine and Twelve. The young men are two new transfer students to the area, along with being the masterminds behind Sphinx. They meet a young girl named Lisa, who is being bullied by classmates. Twelve stops the bulling and manages to catch the attention of Lisa. During a visit to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, Lisa wishes that everyone would disappear in frustration with her own life. Nine and Twelve set their plan in motion by first evacuating the building and setting up devices. Once they are cleared, they spread terror by blowing up the building, causing city-wide panic.
With this threat against the city, the government and police must play a deadly game with Nine and Twelve before the final deadline. Nine and Twelve believe the world has done them wrong and is corrupt. They will make their government finally acknowledge what they have been through in the past.
Review:
Terror in Resonance presents the idea of what terrorism can do to a country when people have a cause to fight for. The story of Terror in Resonance is an intriguing look into the topic and how it makes people think of hurting others, along with causing full spread fear. Nine and Twelve, steal plutonium from a nuclear facility while giving the clue of “VON” spray-painted on the wall of the facility. What I thought was right about the story was the idea of presenting tapes on social media to spread their message. Nine and Twelve make videos of where they are going to bomb. What made it very interesting was the fact that their video was a clue using the Sphinx as the main topic. If you knew the story of the Sphinx, then the police had a chance of trying to stop the bombing. I also like the idea of keeping the background stories of the main characters a mystery. It propelled the story because you never knew why they were bombing or wanted revenge, but you knew something happened to them in the past. As the story progresses, the introduction of Five comes into play. The story picks up because it seemed it was someone that Nine and Twelve knew but also had no regard for other human life. She showed that she would do anything to capture her prey. The story takes its time to finally reveal why Nine and Twelve are doing what they do to free their country from corruption.
The anime does a great job with the characters. Nine and Twelve complement each other very well while also being complete opposites from each other. Nine is presented as a stern and stoic person. He seems to be a genius when coming up with schemes and covering up his tracks to him and Twelve. As you watch the anime, you can see that Nine is in great pain as he grabs his head when he has a panic attack. Twelve, on the other hand, is the typical jokester. He keeps everything light-hearted and energetic, no matter the situation. Even with this personality, he is capable of being ruthless when the situation arises. What makes them unique is their background story. We never know what it is until the end. We see that they were gifted children sent to a facility with 26 other kids. They were given numbers as names and subjected to experiments.
Other characters drive this anime but one. Shibazaki Kenjirou is the perfect police detective to try and stop both Nine and Twelve. He has the appearance of being lazy and reluctant to do any work. When people’s lives are on the line, he is quite smart, quick-minded being able to solve many problems that arise. The other character that drives the story is Five. When she shows up, you just know things won’t end well. She has sadistic purple eyes and doesn’t care about anyone but her game with Nine. She and Nine belong to each other. The character I didn’t like was Lisa. She didn’t move the story and seemed to add more problems to Nine and Twelve. I didn’t know what her role was for this series. Was she supposed to be a form of compassion? A type of weakness in humans? I just didn’t know.
The animation is on the level with what you should expect in this anime. It is not over the top but doesn’t fall short of expectations. Some of the characters are drawn in a way that shows their personalities. Nine is drawn with ice-cold, calm eyes with dull calming colors while Twelve is drawn with bright colors that enhance his bright eyes. Five is the best drawn of everyone. She has purple eyes that show nothing but malice and a sadistic side like no other. Many scenes are drawn to enhance the feel of the characters. During the hot summer months, we see the images of the hot sun and the heat from the streets baring down on the characters. Other scenes that are well-drawn is the backstory of Nine and Twelve. It is in black and white as a memory, but you can sense the pain of the characters. They were children that were subjected to experiments to try and help a higher cause. You see the pain but determination when they ultimately escaped with the bright orange fire in the background coming towards them
Terror in Resonance pulls on the heartstrings of many when watching it. We have all viewed some form of terrorism. It shows why one group decides to do what they do, whether right or wrong, in the public’s eye. This anime is a great anime to watch with its excellent plot, use of characters, and use of clues to make you think on what building is about to be attacked.
