ACCA: 13-Territory Inspection Dept.

PaladinAlchemist Apr 3, 2017

6

ACCA is a very strange show. The first half feel directionless. Our lead character, Jean, lacks any kind of drive that would make the story feel like it's going anywhere. However, it vastly improves once a reveal is dropped and the anime gets some kind of direction. In the end, it pulls off a great finish and ends on a high note.  Story: ACCA's biggest problem is that, for a while, you don't really know what the story is. Sometimes, this is made up with great characters or through world-building, but Jean is too low-key to make a big enough impression up front and the setting changes too quickly to feel fully immersive. ACCA feels like part of a larger whole, but you have absolutely no clue what that larger picture is until there's some vague mentions of political unrest. Even then, you really don't know why everyone's watching Jean or if the political unrest is a major plot point, or just another part of the setting.  Thankfully, a major reveal gives the story direction. Everything makes sense, and the anime vastly improves. While the first part is pretty weak, the second part is incredibly strong. Unlike so many anime, ACCA has a solid and satisfying ending. Animation: The character design looks a little different from today's standard style, but they're still interesting to look at. Personally, I like it when an anime has it's own style, so I liked ACCA's designs. If you liked how House of Five Leaves looked, you'll probably like this style too since the mangas they're both based on are written by the same woman.  The last episode had a clear drop in animation quality, but otherwise, it was solid all around.  Sound: I never struggled to hear anything and none of the voice acting irritated me. Everyone suited their character well. The opening and ending songs are both highlights. I've yet to hear the soundtrack, but it sounded pretty interesting at times. Overall, no complaints here.  Characters: ACCA's cast is one of the most chill and low-key in anime. It's a refreshing change from a medium full of zany and over-the-top characters. Because the characters are subtle, it takes a few episodes to get a good feel for them. This is amplified by the fact you're unsure what any of their goals are. By the end, I found I liked most of the cast. And even when I felt more neutral towards them, I never disliked or found any of them irritating. Overall: I'd recommend ACCA, as long as you have the patience to get through the first handful of episodes and believe the promise that, yes, it will all come together and when it does, it makes the early stuff almost worth it. 

ForeignFox Mar 14, 2017

10

The animation seemed a bit weird in the beginning, but after a while it grew on me and now I think it matches the anime perfectly. Great use of colours and scenery, adding up many different worlds (districts) in a way that none seems bleak. Every place is teeming with life and likeable side-characters. The story is top-notch and the twists are real. I'm a bit biased because it fits really well into my anime taste, but, overall, I think it is the single most overlooked anime of the year so far. Obs: Stylish aesthetics everywhere.

deli000 Jul 19, 2020

8

ACCA: 13-ku Kansatsu-ka is a mature show with style. Concerned with politics and culture, it delivers a steady story filled with mystery while also being wrapped with a relaxed atmosphere. Driven by an interesting assortment of characters and stylised by its colorful and vibrant animation, ACCA'S lack of explosiveness is replaced with all the right amounts of flair. Enter Jean Otus, an inspector in the ACCA Inspection Department, an aloof individual tasked with helping ACCA preserve the peace of the show's world. Along the way, conspiracies are shared, mysteries are hinted at, and somewhere along the line, Jean gets involved in a political mission that's much more than what it seems. ACCA's story is straightforward in its premise but clever and thoughtful in its execution. This is elevated with the likable cast of characters that have their own quirks that serve to create interesting interactions and dialogue as the plot thickens and mysteries are revealed. The vibrant animation helps in creating a relaxed and chilled aesthetic even when the more serious scenes take center stage. The way it balances both serious drama and its relaxed comedic moments is smooth, feeling realistic in a way that fits naturally into the show's concept. Given that most of the show is structured in a seemingly episodic fashion, the overarching plot at play is still given its needed focus while also allowing time for the audience to breathe. Even with the mystery aspects in mind, which are intricately presented and executed, there is still a lot to enjoy from the show's quirky sense of humour. It also makes the show's ending that much more fulfilling. The portrayals of all the various districts that Jean visits throughout the course of the show are properly realised in a brief but thorough manner, giving each place their own personality and distinct culture that sets them apart from each other. A lot of this is due to the animation which does a great job at executing the look and feel of the different districts. Given the various introductions to different places, ACCA has a very fun and comfy road-trip vibe that doesn't overstay its welcome and presents the viewer an interesting new setting to take in in the world of ACCA. A lot of what makes ACCA so unique and fresh is not only from its politically driven story and interesting characters, but also with its powerful and bright way of incorporating visual imagery and creating a wonderful overall setting with its animation. While ACCA does lack in giving fully-realised characterization, its characters still fill their role as interesting personalities, with its main duo being extremely likable and entertaining to watch. Jean and Nino make for the perfect partners, relaxed and aloof, and their interesting personalities establish a likable pair to invest in. The rest of the characters are also great in their own way, and even while a lack of screentime - especially with an anime that is only 12 episodes long -, may hurt the story, ACCA does a great job in handling its characters in a way that doesn't leave them underutilised. ACCA: 13-ku Kansatsu-ka is a show with style. A political mystery filled with likable characters and an equally captivating story, wrapped with a blanket of colorful animation, it delivers in its own unique way. And I loved every bit of it.