Zankyou no Terror (Terror in Resonance): Season 1/ Episode 3 "Search & Destroy" – Overview/ Review (with Spoilers)

Overview

With Shibazaki living up to his legend, it further pushes you to question what Sphinx’s ultimate goal is and will they get it?

Review (with Spoilers)

To be honest, I found the episode dull. For with Hisami not playing a large role, nor Kokonoe, we are left with watching Shibazaki solve the latest puzzle and Lisa dealing with her issues. Neither of which made for good entertainment. However, we are given a glimpse of the facility Kokonoe and Hisami were in which was perhaps one of the few treats of watching this episode. More details about the overall episode below.

Topic 1: Got to Get Away – Lisa

Between the bullying and Lisa’s neurotic mother, it seems she is ready to run away. Making me hope Hisami just brings her on the team since you can tell he is really invested in her, even if just because he likes messing with her head. Also, with Kokonoe realizing the police are piecing things together, who better than Lisa to throw them off in case the boys need more time.

Topic 2: Touching On The Past – Kokonoe and Shibaski

In the episode, it is revealed a conspiracy theory Shibaski came up with is why he was demoted to working in archives. But, from what it seems, with his current work with Kurahashi he is posed to make a dramatic rise back to the top! With some help from buddy Mukasa. As for Kokonoe, once more he has a flashback but this time we see the facility they were running from as well as the person who reminds Hisami of Lisa. The person’s hair is pure white and honestly, the girl does kind of look like Lisa, but being that girl seemingly got consumed by fire I doubt Lisa and that girl are one and the same. Either way, Kokonoe remains haunted.

Topic 3: This Week’s Riddle – Shibaski

Once again an Oedipus riddle is used and while Shibaski was too late last week, this time he makes it right on time and surprisingly Kokonoe isn’t mad at all. Heck, even when Shibaski verbally lashes out at Sphinx he doesn’t get upset. If anything, he is sort of happy. Leading to the question, once more: What is the end goal? They have nuclear material, set up bombs which deal with Oedipus in some form or fashion, and seem to have money at their disposable from sources unknown.

And just to show you how much money they have, they gave 2 million yen ($19,661.14) to a guy for helping them cut the power to the government building in episode 1. So, as much as Shibaski is making strides and possibly getting somewhere, at the same time it still feels like these two boys are still utter mysteries. For the facility we are shown, which is mentioned in topic 2, doesn’t seem like they were training terrorist. It certainly seems cult like, especially since most of the kids were abandoned and likely brainwashed, but there doesn’t seem to be classes in making bombs and hacking government system. Though maybe I am speaking too soon?

Things To Note

From what it seems, Hisami is still keeping tabs on Lisa but isn’t trying to stop her bullies from torturing her. In this episode, they throw her shoes into a pool.

Shibaski’s demotion came due to him investigating a Diet secretary’s suicide which he thought there was foul play in. His investigation led to the part leader of Diet, who had power over the police force, and with this, he got a major demotion from ace detective to bs’ing around most of the day with Mukasa.

It seems that Shibaski’s main beef with Sphinx, despite them generally being one of the few terrorists who value destruction of property over body count, is to just end their games before someone actually does end up hurt.

I’m starting to wonder if Shibaski maybe Lisa’s dad.

A detective named Hamura seems a bit jealous of all the attention Shibaski is getting, and doesn’t fully understand why he is being thrust into the Sphinx investigation. But, by the end of the episode, I think he fully understands why Kurahashi has full faith and trust in Shibaski.