Zankyou no Terror (Terror in Resonance): Season 1/ Episode 8 "My Fair Lady" – Overview/ Review (with Spoilers)

Overview

With Shibazaki damn near getting fired, Hisami wanting to tap out, and then Five still trying to draw the boys out, the beginning of the end is here.

Review (with Spoilers)

As retribution for Shibazaki’s interference in the investigation, he is put on an indefinite suspension. However, with him having this insatiable thirst for knowledge, he doesn’t stop his work just because he doesn’t have a badge. If anything, getting rid of the badge frees him up quite a bit. However, as he finds freedom, it seems Five puts Kokonoe and Hisami into a tighter cage, one which Kokonoe damn near kicks Lisa out of. Making this girl who already has some form of depression, really feel pushed toward the edge.

Topic 1: Poor Lisa – Lisa & Hisami

I have used “Poor Lisa” as a topic title now 3 times, and really that is all you can say about her. For while she has been seen in damn near every episode, we haven’t learned hardly a thing about her. No word on her dad nor her mom, and while Hisami seems to worry about her, we rarely seem them talk so she has remained the pale canvas she was when we first met her. Which I say despite everything she has been through because, at the end of the day, most of her decisions weren’t really done by choice. Either it was do as I say or die, or Hisami pushing her decisions. Making it so outside of her cleaning and cooking, a product of her having no place to go, she really hasn’t done, said, or been much to the show. Making for when Five kidnaps her and calls her as insignificant as an ant, it is hard to argue, story wise, she isn’t.

Topic 2: The Unofficial Investigation – Shibazaki & Hamura

All of the force who participated in interrupting Five’s plans at the airport were suspended for three months. However, being that Shibazaki was the senior of the situation, and obviously a key player, he gets an indefinite suspension. Thus leading him and Kurahashi to having a conversation about Five in which we learn, as usual, very little. But what is uncovered is that she works for the US ISA (Intelligence Support Activity), and seemingly is mostly there due to the plutonium. This is despite the assumption that Sphinx making a bomb would be highly difficult without experience, education, and machinery [1].

But while Five’s past largely remains in the dark, there is a bit more uncovered about Kokonoe and Hisami. If just in terms of the Rising Peace Academy, something Shibazaki, with the help of Hamura, investigate. First by blackmailing a Democratic Liberal Party candidate, who took part in the Rising Peace Academy seminar and was a part of the Athena Plan. Now, from what we are told, the Athena Plan was created to find some of the best and brightest orphans in Japan and then between doctors and pharmaceutical companies, it can be assumed a lot of testing and drug administration was done. Thus explaining the twisted nature of 5, Hisami’s personality when he snaps every now and then, as well as Kokonoe’s nightmares.

However, what we don’t learn is how everyone got their number [2], and we don’t learn why the program ended, much less what happened to the kids during the decade between now and when the Athena Plan ended. Which is a shame because with the nightmare we kept seeing of Kokonoe and Hisami running away, with 5 not too far behind, it makes you wonder if the building really did go up in flames or is that just imagery? Either way, it seems Kokonoe’s possible plan, to get Shibazaki to investigate what happened and expose it, seems to be working. However, there remains the issue of that plutonium.

Topic 3: Come Out, Come Out Wherever You Are! – Five, Kokonoe, Lisa, and Hisami

Between Five’s jealousy, and her trying to match wits with Kokonoe, she blows up the loft they were living in. Something which leads Kokonoe and crew to move to an abandoned arcade. But despite Kokonoe talking about moving anyway, he makes sure Lisa knows everything is her fault. Thus leading to her running away and with Hisami already on the fence about continuing their bombings, even if they speed things up and do the big one, it seems his loyalty to Kokonoe and their mission is flailing. Then, to really push the idea he is done, or nearly done, Hisami abandons Kokonoe, and Kononoe’s plans, to go find Lisa.

And while, at first, he doesn’t seem to have an idea where to go, Five provides him an idea and even if it is a trap, Hisami seems like he would sacrifice himself for Lisa. Which, of course, leads me to wonder how Hisami sees Lisa? Does he like her romantically or sees her like a sister? Is she perhaps some form of redemption for Hisami, like he thought she could be for Kokonoe? Who knows? Either way, as Five continues to pursue Kokonoe and Hisami, she is being warned by her handler Clarence that she needs to show more restraint. For while they have the Japanese police at bay, for now, her blowing up buildings is pushing the limits to his power. Though with her focusing on the results and not really how she gets them, she pretty much shoos him off.

Things To Note

So says Shibazaki’s daughter who we meet.

Maybe there was a ranking system?