Terror in Resonance (Japanese: 残響のテロル, Hepburn: Zankyō no Teroru; lit. 'Terror of the Echo'), also known as Terror in Tokyo, is a Japanese anime television series produced by MAPPA. The anime was created and directed by Shinichirō Watanabe, with character designs by Kazuto Nakazawa and music by Yoko Kanno. It was broadcast for eleven episodes on Fuji TV's Noitamina programming block from July to September 2014.
Contents
Plot
Two teenage boys who go by the names Nine and Twelve steal a prototype atomic bomb in an apparent terrorist attack. Calling themselves "Sphinx" (スピンクス, Supinkusu), they upload a video onto the Internet and threaten to destroy Tokyo unless a cryptic riddle can be solved. They are two of the survivors of a secret experiment by the Rising Peace Academy to develop orphaned children with savant syndrome into human weapons. They befriend Lisa, a lonely high school girl, who becomes caught up in their plans to expose the nefarious activities of the organization.
Characters
Main characters
Nine (ナイン, Nain) / Arata Kokonoe (九重 新, Kokonoe Arata)
Voiced by: Kaito Ishikawa (Japanese); Christopher Bevins (English)
A secretive young man with a bright mind and calm demeanor who moves to Tokyo and attends high school alongside Twelve under the name "Arata Kokonoe". He is one of the masterminds behind Sphinx. He and Twelve are survivors of a secret experiment by the Rising Peace Academy to develop 26 highly intelligent orphaned children into human weapons.
Twelve (ツエルブ, Tsuerubu) / Tōji Hisami (久見 冬二, Hisami Tōji)
Voiced by: Sōma Saitō (Japanese); Aaron Dismuke (English)
An apparently childish young man who is the second member of Sphinx. He is kind and caring, and befriends the lonely schoolgirl, Lisa. He uses the civilian identity of "Tōji Hisami" and is skilled at operating vehicles like motorbikes and snowmobiles. Twelve has synesthesia; that allows him to see sound as color.
Lisa Mishima (三島 リサ, Mishima Risa)
Voiced by: Atsumi Tanezaki (Japanese); Jad Saxton (English)
A high school girl with a problematic life both at home and school. She is befriended by Nine and Twelve who save her from bullies at her school and she becomes caught up in their plans.
Kenjirō Shibazaki (柴崎 健次郎, Shibazaki Kenjirō)
Voiced by: Shunsuke Sakuya (Japanese); Robert McCollum (English)
A detective of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department who used to be an ace of the police force's investigations division, but was demoted to its records division after continuing an unauthorized investigation. He is highly intelligent and is called back into the force to investigate the terrorist group Sphinx.
Supporting characters
Kurahashi (倉橋)
Voiced by: Hideaki Tezuka (Japanese); Sean Hennigan (English)
The chief of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department station, who heads the investigation into Nine and Twelve's bomb threats.
Hamura (羽村)
Voiced by: Keisuke Aigasa (Japanese); Ian Sinclair (English)
A passionate, young police officer who collaborates with Shibazaki even after he is suspended.
Okano (岡野)
Voiced by: Kunpei Sakamoto (Japanese); Kent Williams (English)
Kinoshita (木下)
Voiced by: Yūsuke Kuwahata (Japanese); Anthony Bowling (English)
Mukasa (六笠)
Voiced by: Mitsuaki Kanuka (Japanese); Jeremy Inman (English)
Shibazaki's co-worker from the records division who helps him solve Sphinx's riddles.
Shimada (島田)
Voiced by: Yutaka Aoyama (Japanese); J. Michael Tatum (English)
The head of Shibazaki's team and later the chief.
Hamada (浜田)
Voiced by: Yasuhiro Takato (Japanese); Kenny Green (English)
Release
The anime was created and directed by Shinichirō Watanabe, with character designs by Kazuto Nakazawa and music by Yoko Kanno. The anime began airing on Fuji TV's Noitamina block on July 10, 2014, and its final episode aired on September 25, 2014. In total, it was made up of 11 episodes. Funimation acquired North American streaming rights and released an English dub on DVD on January 19, 2016. Anime Limited and Madman Entertainment acquired streaming rights for the UK and Australia, respectively. Funimation premiered the series at Anime Expo on July 5, 2014.
Soundtrack
The soundtrack for the series was composed by Yoko Kanno and released before the anime aired on July 9, 2014, by Aniplex. The opening theme song is "Trigger", composed by Kanno and performed by Yuuki Ozaki from Galileo Galilei. The ending theme song is "Dareka, Umi o." (誰か、海を。, lit. 'Somebody, the Ocean.'), composed by Kanno and performed by Aimer.
A later soundtrack titled "Terror in Resonance Original Soundtrack 2 -crystalized-" was released after the series ended on October 22, 2014. In addition to the new tracks, it contained the opening and ending songs. The artwork for the soundtrack was designed by Ingibjörg Birgisdóttir from Seabear.
In an interview with Otaku USA magazine, director Shinichirō Watanabe stated that the music of Icelandic post-rock band Sigur Rós was the inspiration for the show and its soundtrack. When I was listening to Sigur Rós, I got the visual image of two boys standing in the ruins of a destroyed city and that led to the idea of Terror In Resonance. ... we actually went to Iceland to record our music ...
Reception
Critical response
Nick Creamer of Anime News Network gave the anime series an "A", and described it as "the direction is basically flawless, and the semi-realistic art design keeps the show grounded while also offering consistent moments of larger-than-life beauty. Overall, Terror in Resonance is just short of a masterpiece. When it comes to ideas and execution, the show is absolutely bulletproof, a gorgeous and cutting meditation on the contradictory complexities of modern society. Its characters rage at a system that no one truly wants, caught up in cycles the show frames as tragically inevitable. In the context of its well-earned cynicism, its few moments of honest human connection feel all the more precious, brought home by expert framing and brilliant use of music. A rich and passionate meditation on modern society that is elevated by some of the finest music and visuals in anime".
In 2015, the Chinese Ministry of Culture listed Terror in Resonance among 38 anime and manga titles banned in China. Officials stated that the aforementioned series "include scenes of violence, pornography, terrorism and crimes against public morality" that could potentially incite minors to commit such acts as reasons for the ban.
Accolades
Terror in Resonance was awarded "Anime of the Year", "Best Original Anime of the Year" and "Mystery or Psychological Anime of the Year" at the 1st Anime Trending Awards in 2014. The series has won the French award "Daruma d'or anime" at the Japan Expo Awards 2016. It was part of the Jury Selections at the 18th Japan Media Arts Festival in the Animation category in 2014.
