Reviews for ACCA: 13-Territory Inspection Dept.

Ever feel like you just want to slouch on your couch and savor the taste of vintage fine wine? That's what the suave, stylistic ACCA feels like. It has a very sweet, but calming taste, it's never sharp, and is striking because of it. And on top of keeping such a presentation the show offers a perspective of many cultures and how they affect society. It's a road trip in aesthetic, but extremely political in essence. If raw exposition about political power moves and stances are not to you liking, then you won't like this show. To keep perspectives as they are, it is veryimpartial to all of them, and therefore very monotone. The most emotional engagement aside from a dry coup d'État intrigue plot, is the cute little sister with little screen time. And that's fine by me!

ACCA doesn't have an obvious selling point. It is what it says on the tin. Our protagonist goes to other districts to check up if they are doing everything within regulations. It's all about absorbing each district's unique flavor and atmosphere, how it has affected people's lifestyles and behaviours. How it softens them, how it hardens them with different resolves and different priorities.

The coup d'État plotline is merely used as an overarching subtext to have all these pieces come together into one who at the end. And it's all done through exposition dialogue that feels as natural as it can be. Everyone is an adult who is keenly aware of their situation, as much as the viewer at least, and slowly, people start revealing their hands and desires behind the masks of courtesy.

The characters are rather dry unfortunately. They are professionals and each one of them has a specific role to play.

Our protagonist, Jean embodies this as well. His seemingly apathetic attitude is to give a grounding for the viewer, so we can intimately share his perspective. He doesn't offer his opinions much, he asks for them instead. Just like the viewer, he's absorbing the culture he's visiting. He doesn't want to influence it in any way. He's given a few badass points for being damn good at his job and sharp on the clues that are given to us. We know how the state of things are as he does, along with the twists and turns.

Nino serves as a shadow of Jean, an old, reliable buddy he can always be comfortable with and share his worries and troubles without any reprehension. Nino also plays a big role in the story, but he's always a loyal friend to Jean first and foremost.

Lotte is the cute girl that fills any scene with happiness and fluffiness. She relieves whatever tension there is from the coup d'État plot and its developments.

All the other characters are very much background dressing, and they are so many. Showing the show's commitment to its own fiction, giving it a face, a grounding for us to see people as they are, not as just human resources on a paper.

At worst, Jean and a few other characters are impenetrable, meaning, they don't emote, they simply fulfil their roles with little qualms or reaction. Due to that monotony of exposition dumps with small emotional subtext, it gets frustrating that there's seemingly nothing happening to anyone, no one is troubled, no one seems overly concerned to build some kind of actual tension or a motive you can get behind. And all the revelations are reserved until the latter half of the show.

Presentation is what truly holds the show together. The chill atmosphere, the slender character designs animated in a softer fashion. The watercolor backgrounds giving a very surreal, yet enamouring aesthetic from the urban district to the desert district. Again, all to underline the show's confidence in its own setting and writing. The character animations give them quite a bit more life and personality than usual, everyone has a certain movement, a tell to who they are and what they represent, besides their looks, or their roles.

Audio directing is on point throughout the show. Music helps set the mood of each scene and district, while the sound effects still provide for an immersive setting. The voice acting is monotone on purpose, but for once it feels like actual adults just exchanging daily words, keeping things professional, if impartial. Oh and let's not forget the smokin' OP. The ED is a good relief for a chill show that just went by with no effort, yet all the cerebral engagement of how every piece fits in the jigsaw puzzle that is the coup.

At the end, ACCA is a pure cerebral experience, held by its chill attitude and suave aesthetic. It doesn't offer much in terms of emotional engagement, but it's not a bad price to pay for a show that is mentally engaging, yet weirdly comfy. It's very easy to appreciate its commitment to world building and an intrigue narrative. And I loved every second of this experience.

ACCA was a nice change of pace from the usual. It was slow, but interesting. You can chill and watch, but if you chill too much, you might miss out on all the little details. 7/10 story: Story isn't complex or anything, but it still keeps you guessing. You at times wonder where the story is going and who to trust and who not to trust. What is this guy planning? What about that guy? As a viewer, I felt like Tony Soprano at the end of The Sopranos. Paranoid as fuck and kept yelling at the screen,"No, don't trust that guy!" and then when itturns out my guess was wrong, I'd turn to the next character and be like,"Oh, hell no! Definitely don't trust that guy!" This anime felt like something that could of happened irl and I enjoyed it.

8/10 art:

The animation is pretty consistently well done. I like the character designs and etc. Nothing else to really say, but if you're not convinced, it's animated by Madhouse.

9/10 sound:

There were quite a few good openings this season, but this one was just so damn catchy! The osts and everything. Even the ending song. Every sound this anime made got my ears attention. This anime had the best sound out of any anime I've heard this season. I put the volume way higher whenever I came back to this anime weekly.

6/10 character:

There's quite a few characters that were interesting. Like Jean, Niino.. Actually, there's quite a lot of characters that had interesting traits. Jean's not give a fuck attitude, Niino had the is he best friend or just a job thing going on, a lot of people were schemers, and a lot of people liked bread lol. But with such a huge cast of characters and the focus always shifting to Jean, I tend to forget some characters.

7/10 enjoyment:

It was slow, but the sound, guesses on what's what, relaxing type anime really made me enjoy this anime for what it was.

8/10 overall:

This is the type of anime where I probably wouldn't watch again because guessing what would happen is a huge chunk of the fun, but for a first watch it was pretty damn fun.

The concept of a coup de’tat, in which a plot is developed to overthrow a populace’s own government, has been around for centuries. In fact, the history goes back as far as 870 B.C. in which an Israeli commander Zimri killed his own king to commandeer the throne for himself (he later committed suicide due to talks of being overthrown by his own subordinate- karma’s a bitch, eh?). Most recently, our Lord and Savior, Studio Madhouse adapted a little known manga, ACCA, which primarily centers itself around this historical theme. With rather mixed impressions, ACCA attempts to overthrow anime stereotypes with its atypical approach whilealso looking to become a future cult classic.

The story follows Jean Otus, an inspector for ACCA, an organization created after an ugly coup de’tat dismantled the previous country Dowa’s authority. He's tasked with performing a short-cycled audit of each of the countries 13 regions, recognized for his supreme skill to uncover even the faintest trace of malpractice. Jean has to deal with the stress of auditing in addition to lofty rumors that he may be involved with some deep rooted plotting of his own. What follows is a slow burning story of politics, royalty, deception and secrecy. ACCA is most certainly an anime to be overlooked by the casual viewer, due to its passive nature. But underneath the political rhetoric and lack of action is a gripping plot to note. It has a marked plot twist, which caught me completely off guard without being unfounded. The characters have deeper agendas not worn on their sleeves, and nobody is who they appear to be. I thoroughly enjoyed dissecting the intricate details of each scene looking for clues to the next story turn.

Although I personally enjoyed the approach, many will be quick to disregard the series based on its slow, methodical episodes. Not a lot seems to be purposeful on the first pass through, but the copious amounts of foreshadowing and allusion to other events make it worthwhile in the end. It's an anime best watched in one big chunk like an extended film rather than week to week, one of its greatest downfalls. In addition to the pacing, if you're looking for action for this Winter season past a stern one way conversation… I'd advise you look to Youjo Senki or Kobayashi Dragon Maid to get your fix. ACCA, as previously mentioned, is a slow burning anime putting the cerebral first, while flashy, fast-paced scenes take a firm backseat.

The parallels to modern day government and royalty can be easily made, however the setting for ACCA appears to be entirely unique to our world. Some normal commodities in our countries (cigarettes, sweets) are quite rare in Jean’s world, and being deemed as “the cigarette pedeller”, he finds himself the topic of much scrutiny wherever he travels. Having previously served in the military myself, I could sympathize with a lot of the procedural and inspection-based lingo present within the more militant scenes. The writers also did a rather accurate job of emulating the true feel of exhaustion emoted by Jean as he traveled through the many regions to perform his duties. Often turning to drink despite his inability to hold his liquor, Jean’s languid nature is catalyzed when alcohol is involved. His best friend Niino, whose association is a mystery, often keeps Jean company amidst his various endeavors.

Jean Otus as a main protagonist is rather uninteresting. He doesn't get excited about much, his appearance is rather plain and he doesn't have many friends. He's your typical introvert, who would rather spend a weekend at home in tranquility than trek around bars with his coworkers (I can totally relate to this). His parents died in a tragic train accident several years ago, and was obligated to be the primary caretaker for his younger sister Lotto, due mostly to her much younger age and maturity level. Much like you would expect from a hermit like Jean, his feelings are shown rather than told to the viewers, resulting in a higher difficulty to relate on an emotional level to him throughout the anime. Although I won't give too much away, there may be a deeper reason the writers chose Lotto is flighty and carefree, often subdued by the appearance of a doughy pastry or cake, but she stands by Jean’s side despite their stark differences.

The side characters, though not fully explored due to a lack of air time, have their fair share of mysteries as well. Whether it's the secret meetings Jean undergoes with the Director-General or the convenient “business trips” Niino travels to, each episode unveils another small piece of the pie. I do wish some more time would've been spent on the side characters in order to fully understand the story, but I'm often overexpectant in 12 episode anime. Nothing new here.

I will say that I like the art style Madhouse had the freedom to use in ACCA. Though not “great” by modern anime standards, the animation is consistent, which is more than I can say for some other action oriented shows out there. And even though I normally despise this comment, “it stayed true to the manga”. The character designs, including the incorporation of the military uniforms were reminiscent of my younger years. Unique, but familiar enough to invoke some slight nostalgia.

The OP might be my favorite of the season. It incorporates a jazzy beat with a powerful and catchy chorus. The added collage of vivid images almost tells us a story of how the anime unfolds. I would imagine that Mother’s Basement guy from YouTube would get his jollies from interpreting this opening. The ED is pretty standard and delicate, and I often found found myself skipping it altogether. The background music had some serious Speed Grapher/Bebop vibes, and were certainly better placed than the first of those anime. Seiyus did a decent job providing some convincing in their portrayals, but really no breakout performances here.

I feel like I'm in the minority when it comes to my enjoyment of ACCA. Modern anime is laden with goofy, bombastic characters, glitzy action and panty shots galore. The best part? ACCA has none of these. So, if you're looking for a show that breaks the mold in almost every possible way, or are growing tired of the gimmicky cash grabs pilfered at anime fans, I'd recommend checking it out. It is a great candidate for a “hidden gem” if given the proper care while watching it, and a series I'm glad I picked up this season. As always, thanks for reading and be sure to check out my other Winter ‘17 reviews!

Story-7

Art-6

Sound-8

Character-6

Enjoyment-8

Overall-7.2

From the start of the season this was the thing I was the most excited about. While it did have its good points, it ultimately became the thing that most disappointed me of the Winter 2017 season. I will now proceed to tell you why in EXCRUCIATING detail. Our setting is the Kingdom of Dowa: a continent/kingdom made up of many districts, shaped like a bird, and populated by gangly noodle-people. Our hero is Jean Otus, a blond guy who smokes cigarettes, wears jackets, and works in the titular governmental organization ACCA as some sort of district inspector. This is about all we know abouthim. Also he has a sister and a friend with blue hair.

Jean is tasked with visiting the various districts of Dowa and "auditing" them, which consists of 50% looking through file cabinets at papers in a very boring way and 50% coincidentally stumbling into dramatic events that all seem to center around Jean while somehow also not involving him at all. Superficially tense political games and a lot of talking ensue.

Pros:

A.) It looks awesome. ACCA has a very distinct visual style, managing to be both vibrant and relaxed. It has the feel of a watercolor painting: colorful but also a bit ethereal.

B.) Both the OP and ED are great, the first being a fun cool colorful romp and the second a stunningly animated tranquil dance scene.

C.) I mostly really like the characters, with Jean himself being the notable and unfortunate exception. He is either very subtle or very boring, and unfortunately we find out by the end that he is very much the latter. I ended up having to look up his name to write this review, because I couldn't remember if it was "Jean" or "Jin." All the side characters are fun and interesting, so that’s something.

Cons:

A.) As mentioned before, Jean himself. Everybody in the show itself seem to think he is the greatest most interesting shit in the world. Either he is a secret genius who is playing his cards SUPER close to the vest and not showing us any of it, or he isn't and is actually the most boring man in the world whose only personality trait seems to be that he is a smoker.

B.) The pacing is garbage. It is SLOW and feels SLOOWER.

C.) Like Mushishi it is not in a rush to get anywhere, but unlike Mushishi it ultimately never does. The story immediately lags and it gets boring quickly.

D.) It is not in the least bit exciting. There have been moments of charm that have made me want to get more, but they are not frequent enough to make me instantly want to watch another episode.

The biggest problem with the show by the end was that nobody changed or developed in the slightest. They are all exactly the same at the end of the show as they were at the start. The sad truth is that the character that underwent the most development was the coddled prince’s servant Magie, whose development consists of him learning that he likes bread.

A lot of anime get criticized for being nothing but talking, but beside eating bread and smoking cigarettes more or less nothing else occurred in 12 episodes. It was constant exposition that ended up settling up nothing. It is a crying shame because the characters look great and the world is super cool, but the show reminded me of a Kardashian in that it looks pretty and very effortfully crafted but is ultimately unengaging because it is devoid of any depth or interest.

SPOILER ALERT AHEAD

It doesn’t matter anyway because you shouldn’t watch the show, and it won’t ruin anything because there is nothing to ruin, but I though I’d warn you. It seems only polite.

Most of the previous complaints I have about this show disappointed me, but this one pissed me the f off. The only “bad” people in this show are brown, and the only brown people in this show are “bad.” The show also does a great job of very pointedly not calling them “Arabs,” which just serves to call attention to the brown skinned, oil wealthy, immoral, racist elephant in the room. Literally the only people of color of any significance in this entire postulated world are portrayed as greedy manipulative villains. In the end they choose to just go away and sit in the corner so all the white people can resume their blissful perfect lives. I will also add that I, myself, am white as the driven snow. I am not saying this out of any feelings that the show has attacked me personally. It was so blatant that it made me, not a target of the seemingly intentional demonization of a group of people, feel EXTREMELY uncomfortable. Do better guys. We are better than this.

So Jean is, in fact, playing a long game, but unfortunately that long game turns out to be Monopoly: the most tedious, dialogue heavy, longest game of all. His master plan is literally designed to ensure that nothing will change, and that the huge amount of narrative debt that the show has built up after 12 episodes of stoic talky political drama is entirely unpaid. Every single problem presented throughout the run of the show is wrapped up in a neat little bow with no bloodshed or ill will. Except, of course, on the part of the brown people, but as we have previously established they do not matter due to the fact that they are brown because they are evil and evil because they are brown. It is so painfully contrived and saccharine that it made me a little embarrassed to watch on behalf of the writer.

As if to drive my point home, the last line of dialogue in the show is “We really haven’t changed, have we?,” with the feeling that it is being delivered directly to camera with a cheeky wink. No, ACCA, you have not. But I have. At the beginning I kind of liked you. Here at the end I have nothing but disappointment and pity left for what you could’ve been.

You never heard of a dark horse? The term comes from the dark horses in horse racing. They aren't the popular ones that most people will bet on, but they automatically catch at least a few eyes willing to give them a chance, and low and behold, they do surprisingly well in the race, sometimes even winning. Given how bleak this season has been for most people, this seemed like one of those surprising shows that could've been one of the best of the season, but, as the saying goes, "close but no cigar". Fitting, really. *Paragraph 4 contains mild spoilers for ACCA: 13-ku Kansatsu-ka. Proceedwith caution*

ACCA is an interesting show. Produced by Studio Madhouse, this is an adaptation from a manga. Ultimately, this show intrigued a lot of people, myself included. Some people will definitely see his as the dark horse of the season, but I don't entirely agree. There are strong cases to be made why this show was interesting and why it was boring, but we'll get to that. But why the polarization? Isn't this series slick as hell? Well...

To a decent extent, the story is meticulously written in terms of creating a mystery full of twists and turns. It all surrounds Jean Otus, a man working for ACCA that is currently doing audits while the prince of the nation is not only coming of age but is ready to succeed the throne. Problem number 1 is that the story really dead its feet with nothing to truly hook us for more aside from hoping that it will all explode into a chaotic and flavorful conclusion towards the final act; it doesn't. It's understandable why this turns people off, as the show feels uneventful. Two, some of these twists were both obvious and poor. The final antagonist was one of the royals whom we had never even heard of until 2/3 into the series, with two of the ACCA 5 Chief Officers being antagonists with their own separate plot. If you're anything like me, you suspected the two that turned out to be antagonists, and there was only 1 other person to remotely suspect, who isn't involved, but there could've been more flavor to the mystery by giving reason to suspect more people.

So, because Jean was suspected of being involved in an upcoming coup, his friend, Nino, is sent to spy on him, but then it's revealed that he is next in like to be king, which is why the rumor was created, in order to get the 13 districts on his side during his audits. Sounds fine and dandy, and for most part, it is, including the somewhat rushed backstory of Nino, Jean, and his sister, Lotta. It's thanks to that that the aunt of the family wants them dead, as well as the dickheaded prince himself. As for the finale, it was ok. It was interesting to see the whole coup resolve peacefully but with more twists, but there was no reason for the aunt to suddenly abandon her plan.

Tell me, who do you remember besides Jean and Nino? Probably nobody because these characters are mostly dull and one-note. Jean is pretty listless, by it is nice seeing him get flustered over his crush/superior Mauve, though that fades quickly. He also smokes...a lot. Just like on older times, in this anime, smoking is a sign of wealth and he gets misconstrued because of it, particularly when confronted by Rail, who acts like an ass around him and likes his sister. Nino is a slick guy, even in spy mode, but he's merely ok. Mauve, Lotta, and Gossular are merely ok, and most of the characters are boring, like prince Schwan, the aunt, the spoiler manipulator in the 5 Chief Officers, and each of Jean's subordinates and audit companions. We could've easily spent a bit more time about the characters but instead, we chose to do more audits and see the main 3 eat apple pie and drink alcohol. Like the plot, the interesting potential really fizzes out, which is a shame.

To this day, I'm not sure how to feel about the art-style. However, what is something I'm sure of is that the series is clearly not in 24FPS. The animation is rather choppy, making it feel like the series runs at only 16 frames per second instead of the minimum required 24 for everything to feel like they're in constant motion. I'm not sure if this is an artistic choice, but I don't think it works. I at least like the hair and food detail, as well as the detail in the casino lights in episode 8. The OP has amazing artistic flair to the way it looks, and the ED has another type of interesting art that is actually more fluid than the entirety of the actual series, which is kinda sad the more you think about it. After all, you'd probably expect better from Studio Madhouse since Studio DEEN did more fluid and striking animation with their also more methodical and realistic series, Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu. Thankfully the mediocre CGI is insanely minimal to the point where most people would find it nonexistent, even if some of the character faces are actually incomplete in the final episodes and the background characters often fit move in scenes.

The OST is pretty nice and fitting, especially the jingle at the beginning and middle of episode 1. It fits the calmer, more lax and methodical nature of the series perfectly, preventing me from really getting bored, but that didn't stop some people from boredom. The OP, "Shadow and Truth" by ONE III NOTES is pretty cool, with surprisingly good J-rap and a great female singer (even during autotune sections). There's a reason people say this is one of the best OPs of the season, it's pretty freakin' slick. As for the ED, "Pale Moon ga Yureteru (ペールムーンがゆれてる)" by Aira Yuuki, is a pretty alright theme meant for some bit of emotion after each episode. Not great but not bad.

As for the dub, it's rather good. J Michael Tatum was in charge of ADR direction and we get some rather fitting boxes for many of the characters, especially Jean and Nino. It's weird to hear someone sound like Steve Blum without being Steve Blum, but that's been an issue in the dubbing industry for a good year now (where new actors sound like old ones, and this was exposed to be a major problem in the acting industry in Japan). It feels like the character art-style lends itself to both the dub and the sub rather well, and the dub worked just as well as the sub, at least for me.

For the most part, I was pretty intrigued by the narrative, even if it did get a bit dull towards the end. The atmosphere was pretty enjoyable, and the OP was so damn good that I just wanna bob my head and snap to the beat every time. It was surprisingly enjoyable if a bit lacking in the satisfaction department. T'was a nice enough time, but there wasn't enough pizzazz to give real flavor to the experience, making it somewhat underwhelming. It's by no means a bad show, but there's no way in hell this'll be smoking the competition for any "best of winter 2017" lists, I'm sure. It didn't rise up high, but it was decent and slick while it lasted, so that's alright, I guess. With that said, I bid you adieu.

I've seen 4 episodes of ACCA and this review is based on that much only: Reason why I'm writing the review? To be honest do I need a reason?, well I don't appreciate the lack of viewership this show is getting and it's lack of popularity on MAL, not to mention it's relatively low rating. So, this is an attempt to tell people of what potential this series holds(Unlike the other anime this season Eg- Masamune-kun no Revenge, kuzu no Honkai, Ao no Exorcist: Kyoto Fujouou-hen) and what it's doing right. Story: I like the scale of the story. We are 4 episodes into it and the setup seems great. Also the setting was fairly unique(Not high school or Video game)

At this point anything could happen.

Characters:

This is where the show really got me. Seeing the same shit again and again had become boring. At first it doesn't seem that the characters are all that special(But their personality traits are reviled one by one subtly) and their variety was pleasing.

Soundtrack:

The soundtrack is not bad but nothing of incredible consequence

Art:

The animation style is unique. Personally I like the animation style. I'd say animation quality is constant unlike shows like Haikyuu!! or Yuri on Ice where it peaks and then drops.

I understand why some people might not like this show. Since it starts of slow, flashy stuff doesn't happen frequently and the mood is fairly calm.

But why does a show have to do flash stuff or bring eccentric or absolutely stupid characters.

I think as the show goes on people will start to appreciate the show because of how well the story will develop. I hope that the industries will produce more of such audio visual content in the future.

Ah ACCA, a title that took me by surprise as we witness this anime adaptation by Natsume Ono. I have to admit, the show is hard to accept at first. The premise sounds like something from 1984 and mixes in police drama with political affairs. First impressions of the show can really be a make or break for viewers to continue watching. As such, I suggest watching ACCA with an open mind because by doing that, you can enjoy the storytelling much easier. I’ll be honest, the storytelling moves at a pretty slow pace. It takes patience to accept the story because the first few episodesdecides to focus a lot more on building the world setting. In the Kingdom of Doma, there are 13 districts. ACCA is an organization that provides services to each of these distinct services. The show focuses on a man named Jean Otus, the second command of ACCA as he gets himself involved in a complex affair of events that may even include a coup d'état. As you can imagine, this builds up the story as each episode bring in together pieces and pieces like a puzzle. In the meantime, we can get to see the inner workings and affairs going on in Doma. To say the least, the world building of this show has a lot of interesting qualities. Each district has their own unique society that differs from each other. While the show doesn’t fully explore every district, it gets its point across that there are conflicting struggle between some sides.

For most parts, the characters in the show are fleshed out by their positions (often ranks) and their personality. Jean is the main guy we’ll get familiar with the most. He is enigmatic and difficult to read on the surface. He also loves to smoke and is often seen with a cigarette in his mouth. With such a mysterious character, you’ll definitely find him difficult to understand although his approach at dealing with certain situations is insightful. His sister, Lotta is just the opposite as she is often cheerful and has a big appetite for sweets. At times, it will feel like they are living in different worlds apart. As the show progresses, we also learn more about the other ACCA members. Characters such as Grossular will be a challenge for Jean to overcome as he suspects the latter of being involved in a coup to overthrow the king. Some of his character also suggests Grossular may be the one involved in the coup himself. Either way, the show does a decent job at making the audience anticipate what will happen next with these characters. On the opposite spectrum, there are guys like Lilium who dismisses Jean as being possibly involved in the coup. At the center of it, we also meet Mauve, the director general of ACCA. She is the one that actually believes a coup may end up happening and gets Jean involved in the investigation. A mysterious character like herself is quite admiring as she demonstrates leadership characteristics. Her role in the show can be determined easily although the audience will have to judge on whether her approach to certain situations as right or wrong. Finally, I have to admit that the Prince of Doma Kingdom is really hard for me to accept. We even learn a bit of background story about certain royalty and as interesting as it seems, it isn’t what I find too accepting.

Now I have to admit, ACCA’s storytelling is rather predictable. Certain revelations can be easily drawn from hints and speculations, some that can be easily recognized. While that’s not really impressive to go by, it does like to also take risks to flesh out certain characters’ motives. One of the more dynamic character relationships is between Jean and Nino. Now, Nino is a close friend of Jean’s and throughout the show, we find out that he appears to be a lot more than just being his friend. Certain episodes will reveal his true role as we see how his relationship with Jean develop from certain revelations. The key success though is the background story. Even as predictable as the show can be at times, we learn why characters’ roles are played out like the way they do. ACCA succeeds at pulling the trigger to executing characters’ roles while all the time getting viewers invested about their motivations. Whether you’ll enjoy this show with that aspect though is up to you.

Adapted by Madhouse studio, the show has a very distinctive feel at adapting the art style. The unique approach that director Seiko Yoshioka really is dynamic when you look at it carefully. Every district has their own style while the royal palace stands as the most noticeable structure. The character designs have a good degree of freedom. Characters such as Jean are given simple appearances to make them not stand out while others such as characters from royalty are given more flameboyant-like appearances. The designs aren’t entirely faithful to the manga though as it does look different. Also, I can’t say I’m impressed the momentum of the artwork. While character expressions are well delivered, the show feels very static at times that almost feels like a picture drama.

When it comes to music, ACCA excels at this field thanks to Ryo Takahashi’s talent. The directing of the soundtrack and music really brings this show to life. The piano-like rhythms and melody of each episode is dynamic while the theme songs are choreographed with a unique approach. Character voice mannerism isn’t to be underestimated either especially for characters like Mauve, Nino, and even Jean himself.

ACCA 13-ku Kansatsu-ka (ACCA: 13-Territory Inspection Dept.) is a difficult show to recommend to anyone. Any fan of police drama who is interested in world building may get a better experience than others. If you’re looking for action, then this is definitely the wrong show to invest time in. ACCA is much more about what is on the surface but rather the internal affairs that goes on behind the scenes. The complex characters offers a mature approach style of storytelling without going overboard. In the meantime, ACCA’s pacing will hinder some viewers into spending more time to watch the show. However, I would definitely put time into this series as it offers so much more than what it just looks like.

Spoiler Free Review Send feedback if you have any ACCA: 13-Territory Inspection Dept. What an incredible piece of art. What seems like a simple story, a kingdom separated into 13 districts looked after by the organisation known as ACCA, manages to keep you guessing on how exactly everything is going to turn out. We follow Jean Otus, second-in-command of ACCA's inspection department, who travels to each and every district to make sure that any signs of corruption is discovered and prevented quickly. Starting off slow to introduce characters and some world building, the story steadily opens up to what can only be described, in the most non-spoilerway possible, as a quiet but planned out struggle for peace threatened by a higher power.

What seems predictable at first, (oh a plot twist happens, I can see where this is going) continues to surprise you as you can never guess what is actually happening until the very end. The calm and cool atmosphere that surrounds most of the series lulls you into a sense of knowing more than you actually do, allowing it's unpredictable nature to continuously keep the show interesting. Secrets are revealed, plans are put into motion, multiple opposing views wait their turn to make sure that events are headed towards their favour. It's a perfect example of the phrase "Don't judge a book by its cover."

Jean Otus is a simple but slightly mysterious man. Known by others as the "Cigarette Peddler", he's often seen with a lighter in his hand a smoke in his mouth. Not much is really known about Jean at the start. His only real goal that is revealed to us is that he wants to get a transfer to a different department. What could be seen as a dull and boring personality, this character manages to give off a feeling that he's much more intelligent than he seems. We see glimpses of his unique mind at work as he deals with some problems he faces in a few districts, showing off that he's actually more than meets the eye.

Nino is also pretty mysterious. Reporter by day, he often joins Jean for a drink and a talk about their hard days at work. He could be seen as quite charismatic and a smooth talker, always hanging around our main and his sister Lotta. Not much is known about him at first, but slowly his secrets are also revealed to showcase a truly interesting character with a simple motive. Look out for the Otus family.

It's hard to talk about every character due to the large amount we are introduced to every episode, as Jean travels from district to district, and the fact that many of the main cast's characteristics may lead to accidental spoilers. While character development is usually focused on only a select few of frequently reoccurring faces, every person we meet along the journey is able to feel interesting. Although most fall into the background, each character has their own personality and goals for their own district and for ACCA as a whole. There enough development left over that is scattered to various members of the supporting cast that it feels like everyone Jean meets has a sense of realism that is hard to achieve in most animes.

The animation is oddly unique yet similar to other shows at the same time. With a slight sketchbook like appearance, the art style really matches its relaxing atmosphere. It's not anything eye-popping, but it really adds to the show's mood of peacefulness. Even the hairdo of each character is special, as most districts have their own distinct hair colour. It's a subtle clue as to some important parts of the story, hidden incredibly well so only people that already know how the story progressions will be able to spot it.

It's not often you find a show that has such an amazing story, drawing you in with each episode that passes. This show does take a bit of patience as it doesn't dive into the actual plot right away, but if you don't mind a slow but interesting series, then I highly recommend this.

ACCA: 13-ku Kansatsu-ka or ACCA: 13-Territory Inspection Dept. was similar to a single dry, crusty saltine. It's boring and forgettable with only a little bit of substance to abate your hunger. • While, superficially, a stylized tango with political intrigue, ACCA falls short of any kind of tension or excitement that could be gainedーcontinuously killing moments with non-stop talk of food and delicatessens. • Initially, I had a lot of hope for ACCA. I like series that are political and I was drawn to the art style. I had only been aquatinted briefly with Natsume Ono's work before. I watched all of the anime for RistoranteParadiso, which was average but watchable, and the House of Leaves manga, which I had read four or five volumes of it AGES ago, I had no memory of what even happened in it except for vague details, if that tells you anything.

• Despite not being a huge fan of her other works, I'm not one to completely blacklist a creator due to that fact. Well, not if you're Masakazu Yamaguchi's Arm of Kannon, localized as Birth, it’s a different story. That's one of the worst things I've ever read in my entire life!

• Seriously, fuck you, Tokyopop! Ahem, back to ACCA, the pacing is REALLY bad. Madhouse has been going downhill for a few years now, being steadily replaced by the superior Studio MAPPA; and this series has made me painfully aware that there probably isn't going to be another Kaiji, unless it’s a sequel.

• The character development is non-existent. It's pretty much occupied with a bunch of shallow, food-obsessed talking heads. Between the eating of bread and constant yammering, it implied that there may be a build-up, tension, or even what most stories need to function: a climax.

• The ending is slightly refreshing and wraps up the points, but watching this is like watching a guy with a monotone voice give a lecture geography with small tidbits about the actual subject and the rest about how good a baguette would taste with melted butter. And for emphasis on how annoying the foodie crap was, I didn't want to eat bread while watching this show because it's constantly like, pan this, pan that, pan in my open butthole.

• My Japanese learning app even treats me with more respect on the subject of bread. The jazzy lounge music while characters babble to each other while doing mundane things is not my ideal show. I don't understand why there is such a following to this cardboard cut-out, let's-paste-a-story-together model. There is nothing inspiring or ambitious about this series; just a plain, null narrative.

• Listening or watching things about current affairs and politics is far more enjoyable than watching this series that is pretty much just a splash of colors with some pseudo-deep “intellectual” social commentary. I would not recommend ACCA to ANYONE, unless they enjoy pretentious blathering and random food porn that contributes nothing to the plot. I give ACCA a 2/10.

ACCA is a story that says to hell with expectations and preconceived notions on what makes anime good, throwing the staples of anime tradition to the wayside in favor of a more subtle, nuanced approach to storytelling. As such, It should come to no surprise to know that this winter season’s ACCA has dissenting opinions among the anime community. Some people have cited it as ‘People talking, the anime.’ After all, the show doesn’t aim to dazzle us in the way we’ve come to expect from traditional series— there are no explosive visuals, no internal monologue, no signature moves or battles, nor is there any trademark fanserviceto feast on— there’s just our protagonist Jean Otus and his day-to-day dialogues with people as he does his job. The show’s lowkey vibes will fool the more passive viewers – the ones used to anime that panders to their senses – into believing there’s nothing there. Much of the action and excitement of ACCA comes from deciphering the dialogue to find the hidden meanings behind character’s intents.

ACCA asks us to work for it — to think about what lies beneath the exterior — informing us that we need to tread carefully, lest we become victims to false expectations. This should be alarming to the army of anime viewers that have been spoiled with the rush of instant gratification and exposition. To fully enjoy ACCA, we need to drop all assertions of the medium and have patience. In a series subtlety unveiling key plot points through character interactions and nuance of expressions, the responsibility lies with us, the viewer, to avoid being entangled in the web of deceit woven by dialogue.

Our protagonist, Jean Otus, shows a carefulness about himself and how he approaches the world. He exudes a calm and collected demeanor that permeates the atmosphere of the narrative at surface level. Armed with astute observations and skepticism, he is aware that everyone is attempting to appeal to his simple pleasures. He plays characters attempts at manipulation with a cool, enigmatic indifference.

The thing is, we can’t really tell what anyone is thinking in the series — there’s no way to know because we can’t see into the character’s thoughts -- and that's where the appeal is. ACCA gradually and intricately weaves a plot entangled in mystery. We’re forced to follow the breadcrumbs given to us through exploring what is said and seen. ACCA’s allure thus, lies in its ability to engage the audience, telling you that truth is somewhere just beyond the lies. The series calls upon us to be active participants of the medium to get more out of it.

ACCA tells us that the very notion of expectations is the enemy. The scenes with food aren’t there as simple filler, as one may think, but rather to showcase the contradictory nature of people and the allure of simple delights.

Which comes back to why ACCA isn’t as popular as some of the other series of the winter. Those idly sitting by, waiting for their usual visual feasts simply won’t get it. They’re not accustomed to being active participants — to the intricacies and delights of subtle narration ACCA thrives under. The series is deceptively lowkey, and many have fallen prey to its subtleties. But if you take a closer look, approaching with an open mind, a rich and flavorful world is out there, ripe and ready, waiting to be sampled.

-- Palpable ღゝ◡╹)ノ♡

For the full review, visit my website at https://palpableemotion.com

ACCA is an anime in which nothing ever comes to fruition. Plot points are introduced and dissolved with no ripple effect whatsoever; all of the show's potential goes completely wasted on sandwich bread and cigarettes. CHARACTERS: 3/10 While many of the characters are likeable, almost all of them are flat and uninteresting, including the protagonist, Jean. The most interesting characters in the story are Jean's best friend Nino and one of the five chief officers of ACCA, Lilium. These are the two characters with the most thought put into their backstories and intentions. Jean himself is the most boring character in the show. He doesn't seem to have anygoals or ambitions. He doesn't seem to have any drive or emotion. He's completely deadpan the entire time, at most cracking a smirk or raising an eyebrow.

STORY: 6/10

Do not be fooled: this is not an anime filled with political intrigue like all of the descriptions say. This is an anime about baked goods and cigarettes and I can't explain that any further without veering into spoilers.

The first seven episodes each spend time setting up dominoes only to knock them down the very same episode and then never address them again. If you only watch the first three episodes of the series, I will tell you now that you will never again hear of the serial arson plotline even though it goes completely unresolved. The same happens for every single interesting plot point that gets put forward. You spend 18 minutes excited to see how things all come together, then in the last 3 minutes before the end credits, Jean stumbles through, everything falls apart, no consequences are felt, and nothing changes. This is the cycle until Episode 8, when things finally pick up.

The plot twist at the end of Episode 7 is where things get really interesting, even if you picked up on all the hints and saw it coming. Unfortunately, Episodes 8-11 are the only episodes worth watching, as Episode 12 completely shirks all of the buildup from the previous episodes and tries to tie everything up in a neat little bow. It's rushed. It makes no sense. Nothing gets resolved. Almost nothing is different from the beginning of the series from the end.

The score is 6/10 exclusively because Episodes 8-11 are excellent. Episodes 1-7 and 12 are a boring slog that focuses too much of their time in bakeries and not enough time addressing any of the actual issues Jean is meant to be investigating. If I were to give a score based on those episodes alone, I would give this section a 1/10.

SOUND: 7/10:

ACCA's soundtrack isn't bad. You get some funky beats here and there, which can be fun if you're listening for them; otherwise, the music seems to fade too far into the background to notice. The OP track is a blast, and the ED is very pretty. The voice acting in the series is good, but nothing particularly notable.

ART: 8/10

The only reason that I didn't score the art for ACCA a perfect 10 is because there are some clear corners that were cut in order to afford to make it as beautiful as it is. The show is almost like a painting come to life. The colours and linework are brilliant, and the lighting is always perfect. There are so many gorgeous shots littered throughout this anime, it's a wonder anyone manages to talk about anything else when it comes to this show. Annoyingly, most of the budget shows in the final episode, where every other shot shows characters without faces, even in close-up shots.

It pains me to score such a beautiful anime so low, but aesthetic is all ACCA brings to the table.

ACCA definitely feels like an unusual show in our current anime climate, with its leisurely pace and art style. It's populated by gaunt, bishounen-style male characters of the kind you thought went out of fashion in the early 2000s, which is refreshing to see. But the best thing about ACCA is how a deeply comfortable and alluring show manages to blindside you with an exciting story. The first half of ACCA plays out like a combination of food porn and travelogue, as protagonist Jean travels to his country's various picturesque regions, meeting people and devouring sweet bread. Tidbits of plot are revealed, but everything bubbles inthe background and the viewer is lead to believe that this will be a slice-of-life show, maybe with some shounen-ai queer-baiting. ACCA's episodic nature, beautiful art direction, and dreamy jazz soundtrack all contribute to crafting a show that's just nice to spend time with.

But surprisingly enough, the story takes form very quickly in the latter half of the show, without sacrificing its sense of pace or meandering nature. It's not a highly complicated story, but it heightens the viewer's awareness of what's going on in the background, and pieces fall into place at just the right time to have an impact. The final wallop of revelations at the very end only makes it feel more satisfying. Again, it's nothing mind-blowing, it's just told in a way that feels like it matters. I feel like it's mostly because ACCA is very character-centric, and the way in which characters react to events feels organic, but also reveals new depths to them.

In that sense, my major complaint with ACCA is that some supporting characters simply don't get enough screen time for us to get even mildly acquainted with them, when you can clearly tell that they are supposed to have some kind of background to them. I hate it when shows dangle characters in my face but then do absolutely nothing with them (see Durarara!!) because they ran out of time. It's just a "read the manga" kind of thing.

Still, I greatly enjoyed my time with ACCA and I'm pretty confident I'll be watching it again soon, because it's the kind of show that gets better with multiple viewings. It's probably not for everyone--aesthetically it's very out-of-pace with current anime trends--but it's just the kind of thing I love.

(This review has been adapted from my blog/reddit thread. Spoilers ahead!) ACCA: 13-ku Kansatsu-ka features lots of smoking. Thankfully for me, I’ve never smoked a day in my life. The horrible side effects. The frightening commercials. The wisdom from my parents. Many an influence has made the decision to avoid cigarettes an easy one, indeed. It’s not an incredible feat by any standard, but I’m glad that I did not start something that would only negatively impact my health. While ACCA itself does not (and literally cannot) smoke, its mistakes hurt it enough that it doesn’t need to inhale nasty chemicals to reach the same unhealthy state. STORY ACCA centerson an unassuming man by the name of Jean Otus. As Deputy Chief of the Territory Inspection Department within ACCA, the esteemed organization that protects the people through governmental rule, Jean finds himself tasked with visiting each of the nation’s thirteen districts. But, little does he know, a coup d’état broils – and he’s at the center of it all.

From the very beginning, the anime sets itself up as a mystery drama with all the makings of an intriguing tale at its disposal. The encroaching coup foreshadows the endgame. Jean’s semi-unreliable-narrator status forces the audience to keep everyone under scrutiny. A handful of different perspectives, from the royalty of Dowa to the Five Chief Generals of ACCA itself, keep the puzzle pieces in reach but slightly out of position.

It’s all there – but ACCA cannot complete the picture.

One of ACCA’s bigger blunders comes from an inability to land firmly on its more dramatic reveals. Despite the show’s penchant for mystery, when it comes time to unveil certain information, the landing doesn’t stick either because the show fails at qualifying this info or because it isn’t as weighty as the anime would have the audience believe.

For example, Nino reveals himself to Jean once Jean knows that Nino has been spying on him. Yet the subsequent “showdown” occurs in the middle of a forest without much consequence, leaving the dynamic between them unaltered.

Jean learning of his royalty status also makes for weak drama. He and Mauve cross paths on a sidewalk in Dowa where she drops the info bomb on him. The two talk a little more about his actions and his suspected involvement, but this revelation does not lead to anything more plot-wise.

The gifted cigarettes are even more anticlimactic. Upon visiting a new district, Jean receives an oddly designed cigarette that will presumably hold major significance or be used for something grander later. Nope. Instead, they simply represent each districts commitment to the coup. Something that Jean already knows and hears regularly when he talks with the nation’s different peoples directly.

To the anime’s credit, it does itself a service in providing a full backstory into the origins of this tale and how Jean’s situation came about. Episode eight goes back in time, taking on different perspectives and highlighting the series of events that eventually led Jean (and Nino and Lotta) towards their strange lifestyles. This dramatic reveal, unlike almost all others in the show, gives an appropriate amount of time, an appropriate amount of detail, and an appropriate amount of importance.

Besides the dramatic reveals, there’s also trouble with the districts themselves. As the title of the show describes, thirteen distinct districts split up the entire nation. A territory where, like Texas, everything is bigger. A city gung-ho about gambling. A tropical place where the inhabitants live uncharacteristically long lives. As Jean travels abroad, the audience comes to see that each district truly does have its own personality.

However, this separation also leads to a disconnect. These districts neither affect one another nor ACCA, failing to introduce anything wholly relevant to the plot save for representing another area that Jean visits. Plus, as the season progresses, the anime must make way for the reveals and the backstory and the ensuing finale, leaving even fewer chances for ACCA and the districts to make a name for themselves.

And that’s a problem. Thematically, the anime argues for two key points: the necessity of order and the existence of individualism. The former comes through in ACCA’s ideals, the continued peace of the nation, and the looming threat of a coup that drives the story. The latter comes through in those districts and the uniqueness with which they handle and portray themselves.

These two points are linked. Order gives the districts the freedom to express themselves, and individualism gives way to a nation that respects ACCA’s guidance. Throughout the season, the anime likewise makes this connection between the two. Each district has their own strengths, their own wishes, and their own presentation that shape their identity, and ACCA’s representatives watch over their territories, taking in their culture while managing their direction.

Yet ACCA almost never challenges this symbiotic relationship between order and individualism. Instead, it keeps the disconnect going – to the point that it’s way too late. The threatening coup that the anime has been building towards the whole season doesn’t actually happen, and, when the districts finally do come together, there’s no meaningful exchange. They don’t share interesting words or create thoughtful ideas. It all amounts to an unfulfilling ending that makes the audience wonder what was so important about this story to begin with.

Episode four, where Jean travels to Suitsu district, marks one of the only times such a challenge occurs. Stuck in 1700’s America, their coup (lots of coups in this show) demonstrates what happens when too much order takes hold, inviting Nino’s involvement, Jean’s promise to hide what went on, and the show’s arguably only memorable sequence.

Despite so much misplaced importance, the anime does try out other narrative routes. An assassination subplot targets both Lotta and Jean, but Lotta’s lacks reasoning and Jean’s isn’t too effective since Nino (willingly) stepped out of the picture for a while.

There’s also the real coup forming under Lilium’s leadership, but it’s not handled well. It’s introduced too late, and it’s rather convenient that Pranetta district strikes fortune to keep the nation afloat (since Lilium’s district’s defection means no more resources for anyone). And why would Jean even be manipulated by them in the first place? He never showed signs of that throughout the season, and his calm approach to life wouldn’t make him an easy target whatsoever.

The anime does reveal that Owl, Jean’s supervisor, was the guard that watched over Schnee, served as Nino’s secret boss, and destroyed Jean’s letters for reassignment. And there’s symbolism attached to the red bird: freedom, optimism, peace. But these small details are not nearly enough to make up for the anime’s numerous narrative problems.

ART/ANIMATION

Although ACCA’s narrative structure lacks cohesion, its artistic direction makes for an entirely different case.

It’s mainly seen in the characters’ designs. Their generally taller, lankier builds give them an air of maturity, and the decorated ACCA uniforms – all black with gold and red accessories – up their professionalism. They do at times go for the classic multicolor hair choices – dark-blue hair for Mauve (which is quite ironic), green hair for Payne, pink hair for Moz – that seem to go against the more realistic direction of the show itself. But this diversity matches that of the districts and their own diverse personalities.

These districts often have new scenery for the audience to admire. Idyllic plains with hills and grass. An underground civilization made of rock and stone. Red, mountainous regions. Snowy forests. Beautiful flower gardens amidst Egyptian-esque buildings. In essence, the very nature of ACCA’s plot provides many opportunities for the anime to showcase its diverse nation. Opportunities that it clearly takes full advantage of.

This scenery speaks nothing of the softer style portrayed or the more localized spots like the cozy bakery, the stalwart castle, and the headquarters of ACCA. It also doesn’t give insight into the anime’s actual animation which, sadly, does not maintain a similar quality as that of the background art. Mostly because there isn’t much movement going on at all.

Granted, ACCA can’t do much about the lack of movement when the show’s cool vibes demand a more subdued presentation. Moreover, the action therein doesn’t rise above the level of a chase-and-getaway sequence.

To make up for the subpar animation, then, the show incorporates a few directorial techniques to help improve engagement with the visuals. Certain shots provide interesting perspectives like when the camera takes on a fisheye lens atop the table where Jean and Mauve speak over dinner. And lighting as well as other small details, like creased clothing and a wide range of sky patterns, keep time and realism in mind.

At times, the show can falter slightly in its artistic integrity with the rare slipup of a character’s facial model. But the opening track’s and ending track’s respective visuals demonstrate that such slipups can be forgiven. For the OP, it involves a ton of different styles, colorings, and tricks that perfectly fit the super-cool vibe of both the show and the song. For the ED, the rough approach adds a floaty element to the dancing, and the choreography of the dance itself follows the emotional weight of the dancer’s pleas.

CHARACTERS

When it comes to ACCA and its cast, the anime unfortunately does not give them their due for one reason or another. To put it differently, the anime refuses to involve many of the characters or simply leaves them unexplored.

To start, and to be fair, many of the characters aren’t that essential to the plot. The different supervisors for the districts are simply there to show ACCA’s reach, and Qvalum, the king’s royal advisor, controls events in secrecy but doesn’t necessarily need anything else on him to play his part. Even Jean’s younger sister Lotta isn’t “required” to have more to her character since she is not a vital piece of the plot.

This argument begins to degrade once the scope tightens to those closer at the heart of ACCA. Rail, the side character who has a crush on Lotta, fails to find love, fails to protect Lotta, and fails to contribute anything besides furrowed gazes at Jean. There’s also three of the five main ACCA generals who may as well have never existed since two of them barely have more than ten lines total throughout the season and one of them had patriotism for his district about three different times.

Even if one excuses these characters for not being more involved in the story, two characters in particular are tougher to justify for their similar sidelined status: Mauve and Schwan.

Mauve stands as the idol of ACCA. A responsible leader and steadfast protector, she seeks to keep not only ACCA whole but also order maintained as much as possible. Thus, she investigates into the happenings of the potential coup – only for the higherups to stop her in her tracks.

So, she enlists the help of Jean to find out what he can since her hands are semi-tied. And that’s the end of her character. The first three episodes characterized her, provided her purpose, and established an interesting relationship with the main character. Afterwards, though, she does almost nothing at all besides give a standard speech about ACCA’s upcoming centennial event and talk briefly with Jean about his roots. I.e., despite being propped up as this major player in the game, the anime refuses to let her on the field.

Same thoughts go for Schwan. The king sired only daughters, so as the son of the king’s youngest child and the next in line to claim the throne, Schwan expects to take over the proceedings early on. When he does, he will make his first decree: the disbandment of ACCA (hence the people’s coup). But the king doesn’t relinquish his seat, infuriating the young prince.

Like Mauve, though, that’s the extent of his character. He has a liking for Lotta (who he doesn’t know is his cousin), and he passive-aggressively lets certain events unfold, like hanging his picture in front of the king’s favorite sitting spot and not stopping his aunt from attempting to assassinate both Jean and Lotta. Otherwise, he sits around eating bread, playing with his sword, and berating his subordinates without receiving any other important character developments.

Which makes his situation worse than Mauve’s because of how the story progresses. In the final episode of the season, ACCA enact their fake-coup plan to oust Lilium. Their “demonstration” and Mauve’s words convince the prince to keep ACCA around. That’s a nice gesture, but there’s no basis. No reason for him to suddenly flip his stance in the last several minutes of the anime. All because it never took the time to do more with his character throughout the season.

Speaking of Lilium, he gets (not that surprisingly) a similar treatment. However, he’s a bit more active. He approaches Jean a couple times, appears to butt heads with Grossular, and occasionally talks with some of the other side characters. Nothing extensive, but it’s there. His big development comes from the fact that he is the mastermind behind the upcoming coup. By getting Jean on the throne, he plans to manipulate the man and have his own district take over the nation.

It’s reiteration at this point, but his motivation isn’t impactful simply because this information comes about too late. Worse still, his tenuous relationship with Grossular isn’t that exciting or meaningful for the same reason. As for Grossular, more of the same words apply. He has one interesting aside with Jean in episode six within his own district where Jean remarks how he respects Grossular and does not believe he is a part of the coup. Otherwise, he sits at the Five Chief Officers’ table, taking on the role of pseudo-leader of ACCA and not much else.

Now, there’s a surprisingly easy explanation for why the anime skimps out on giving proper focus to Mauve, Schwan, Lilium, and Grossular. The explanation being that the story inherently forces almost all its attention on Jean and his travels. The focus follows Jean, so, because these characters almost never tag along with him, they lose out on appropriate developments.

Suppose, then, that these characters are, like the smaller side characters, also excused for their misplaced focus. This excuse-filled situation leaves the only two characters who remain consistently at the forefront of ACCA’s narrative: Jean and Nino. A question arises: Do the two best friends rise to the challenge of carrying this anime?

For Jean, the answer is a resounding “no.” Jean is a man known for two things: for wanting to leave his position as the head of the Territory Inspection Department and for smoking cigarettes (an upper-class item in their nation). As rumors swirl about a coup and his involvement with them, ACCA tasks the blonde-haired man with traveling to each of the thirteen districts to conduct his inspections per usual.

Characteristically, Jean is an emotionless man. Almost nothing fazes him; life and its weirdness create only calmness in his demeanor. He, alongside his sister, is also the proprietor of an apartment complex. Inherited after their parents sadly passed away during a horrific train accident. Mauve describes him as someone incapable of lying, and his fellow workmates respect his dutiful behavior.

In ACCA’s case, it’s debatable whether a stalwart character like Jean best fits the aims of the show. On the one hand, his reserved nature greatly helps in building the suspense and the mystery since he makes it hard for the audience to read what he’s thinking. Plus, he doesn’t let anything get to him, making him rather uninterested in coups and kings and courts.

On the other hand, his lack of a more interesting personality hurts his chances at becoming a more well-defined character. Furthermore, the biggest argument against Jean comes from what he did and didn’t do. He did visit all thirteen districts; he did not let his journey affect him.

He goes to all these places. Meets all these people. Discovers all that there is to this nation (something that his mother would have appreciated). Simultaneously, he learns of his heritage, almost loses his best friend, and even takes part in the fake coup.

ACCA sets him up as the perfect person to take over the throne since he, more than anybody, understands what this nation is about. But that doesn’t happen. Instead, come the anime’s end, he’s in exactly the same spot as he has always been. No different worldview. No different outlook. No different thoughts. He’s just unfazed, unchanging Jean from start to finish.

For Nino, the answer is a wishy-washy “maybe.” Nino (codename “Crow”) is Jean’s best friend, the two almost daily eating a meal and drinking alcohol at whatever restaurant suits their fancy. He’s close with Lotta, too, but as more of an uncle than a brother or romantic interest.

Unbeknownst to Jean (for a time anyway), Nino keeps track of the cigarette peddler from afar. Not as a stalker but instead as a spy, relaying information back to Grossular about what the potential coup sympathizer does during his inspections. Nino also confides in another, more mysterious figure. His behind-the-scene ploys and various actions are some of the biggest drivers behind the anime’s mystery, making him already a vital player in this tale.

Throughout the season, Nino sates Lotta’s worries about her big brother, protects Jean from wooden poles and metal bullets, and works his butt off in the shadows. Yet episode eight does the most work for his character. The twenty-minute-long flashback highlights how Nino went with his father to watch over Schnee (Jean’s mother) and her eventual family. Living a life of secrecy, becoming friends with Jean in high-school, and losing his father in the same train accident that also killed Jean’s parents.

Nino’s position and situation create a very interesting relationship between him and Jean. To Nino, Jean isn’t just his best friend. He’s also the only person he has left. Yet he could never be as close or as forthcoming as he probably would have liked. Always a camera-lens length away, he kept a thoughtful, watchful eye on the would-be prince while also sincerely looking out for him as best he could.

Come the end of the season, when Nino no longer must take pictures of the king’s extended family and can finally choose his own path, Nino rides away on a motorcycle. However, true to his character, he comes back, meeting with Jean not because he needs to but because he wants to. Sharing their relationship over food, alcohol, and a bit of reminiscing.

Does one okay-ish character make up for the main one remaining unaffected by the events he experienced and almost everyone else having little to zero impact? That’s a resounding “no,” too.

MUSIC/SOUND

Just as with ACCA’s artistic direction, much of the music within the anime oozes style and coolness that forms the mature vibe of the show itself.

Nowhere is this style more prevalent than in its opening track. Titled “Shadow and Truth,” a bit of reverb and a bunch of bongos get the song rolling. Sharp and wild saxophones with light piano work and a killer beat form a cool backdrop, and some English rapping brings the hip-hop funk. (“Silhouette, conspiracies, indefinite; never fool, gotta stay cool, smoke another cigarette.”)

Once the female vocalist steps in, the track officially flies high, her sensual singing and those of the other harmonizing singers smoothing out the piece that much more. It’s just too cool for school, standing proud as one of ACCA’s best traits.

The original soundtrack continues with the coolness through more jazz and rhythmic tunes. “Cigarette No. 13” uses lots of bass guitar and timed snaps for a weighty feel that knows it has nothing to fear. “In the Night Wave” goes with a cello and a slow, slow electric guitar that invites a moment’s rest. “Cold Talk,” arguably the best track offered, combines a slick riff, a steady drum beat, and the occasional piano strokes to create a piece that practically defines the word “smooth.”

Other tracks aim for more of the mystery. “Movin’ On” uses a faster pace and more grating effects. “Behind the Haze” uses a deliberate, singular piano note. “Breach of Faith” uses xylophones and ambient sounds. “Irregular Point” goes back and forth, both in playing and on the ears, with its music.

There’s even more variety available, and the examples above are only taken from the first disc of this two-disc, forty-five-track-full OST. Metaphorically speaking, the whole package deserves a district all its own.

Unfortunately, there aren’t any noteworthy voice-acting performances throughout the season. But the ending track does what it can to make up for this loss. Unexpectedly, though, the ED chooses something neither smooth nor cool but instead graceful. Light piano and soft singing dance across the ears, evoking a sense of beauty and longing in the listener.

The song goes for something completely different when compared to the music that precedes it. Arguably, it’s unfit given the anime’s style and the direction of the plot itself. Even so, the track proves that ACCA can do more than just cool and smooth.

ENJOYMENT

As I was watching this one, I had a couple of guesses for who the ultimate mastermind behind the coup would be. I attributed “rankings” to them based on their plausibility and intrigue.

The “way-too-obvious and really bad writing” choice was Grossular because that was too easy and too cliché.

Jean was the “you can’t trick me” choice since I knew the anime had the option to go with an unreliable narrator the whole way through.

Mauve was my “this is the correct answer” answer because she was in that innocuous position of coup preventer, and it seemed to me that she would make for the best twist.

And Lotta was the “almost no chance but just in case” guess since I wanted to cover the conspiracy-theory bases and make it known that the show did not “get” me in case they went for the super-ultimate plot twist. Also, it would have been crazy to see how they would handle it.

Lo and behold, Lilium was the culprit all along. I admit, and as is evidenced through my guesses above, that I was wrong, tricked. But I can’t say I was impressed.

That’s my whole stance with the show. I kept waiting for something interesting to happen. To have the drama unfold and the mystery appease. Instead, nothing really took hold. Most districts were visited with little to zero fanfare. The same dialogue about coups and heritage were thrown about to ill effect. Its themes and writing didn’t get to those nuanced levels.

It also didn’t help that I didn’t like almost all the characters. Side characters like Maggie and Rail were meant to be there for semi-comedic relief, but I wasn’t laughing. The prince was annoying. Grossular and the other generals were never as intimidating as they needed to be. Lotta ate bread and sweets. Worst of all was Jean. Emotionless and plain, he turned out to be one of the more forgettable main characters I’ve seen in anime, doing almost nothing else besides smoking his cigarettes for twelve straight episodes.

Only two characters caught my attention: Mauve and Nino.

The anime’s decision to sideline Mauve for a large portion of the season was not welcome to me. While it seemed as though she would have a bigger role to play given her involvement in the earliest episodes, Jean not working with her and the show’s desire to focus on everyone but her let her potential go to waste. A shame, really.

As for Nino, he is to me the only worthwhile character from the entire show. Cool dude, unorthodox behavior, neat bit of backstory. If nothing else, he takes notable action throughout the season, making him better than almost everyone else by default. Which honestly says less about him and more about everyone else.

ACCA: 13-ku Kansatsu-ka inhales too much smoke. A neat artistic direction and a set of cool, smooth musical offerings create the show’s strong style. But its weak, unfulfilling story, its lackluster characters, and its boring developments leave it coughing and wheezing and far too unhealthy.

SUMMARY

Story: Terrible, a dramatic mystery tale that continually misaligns itself through anticlimactic reveals, lame subplots, and an inability to challenge its symbiotic theme on order and individualism

Art/Animation: Good, cool character designs, diverse background art, and a few directorial techniques do a lot to make up for the mediocre levels of actual animation

Characters: Terrible, Mauve, Schwan, and many of the other side characters don’t receive nearly as much attention as they should when considering their roles, Jean remains largely unaffected by his literal nationwide journey, and Nino’s intriguing relationship with Jean cannot carry everything by its lonesome

Music/Sound: Good, while none of the VA performances stick out, the ED dances gracefully, the OP oozes style, and the OST explodes with smoothness

Enjoyment: Terrible, lame choice for the mastermind behind the whole coup, Mauve was not around nearly enough, Nino’s the only one who seems to do anything tangible, and nearly everything else was boring

Final Score: 3/10

As much as I love anime for what it is, the shows that stick with me usually break the mold in some way. ACCA 13 is all that and a bag of chips- let's break it down: Story: This is basically the closest anime comes to John Le Carre-esque spy fiction despite not being an out and out spy show. At every turn, we are asked to guess at the motivations of a broad cast of characters. Miraculously, the show builds a dense and reasonable network of motivations in the span of 12 episodes. Reveals are doled at a pretty consistent pace insteadof being bunched up at the end, but my interest was consistent. Not only that, there are some really surprising twists and turns- just really well thought-out.

Art: I'm can't speak on technical terms here, but I did find the show really attractive, crisp, and well-animated. The style, much like everything else in the show, is not the anime typical, with a stylized but mature feel. Character designs were distinctive and well-adapted to the characters themselves without relying overmuch on tropes. There's not much call for action, but the animation serves the story's needs exceptionally. The OP and ED are also really well done- I watched them most eps instead of skipping.

Sound: If the story is John Le Carre, the music accompanying it is closer to '60's style Ian Fleming (James Bond). The mood alternates between the intrigue at the heart of the story and lighter cues for more character development. It's not quite an OST I'm rushing out to listen to outside the context of the show, but it feels natural and inseparable in retrospect. And again, the OP and ED are top shelf.

Character: It doesn't make sense that a show with this many characters packed into 12 episodes can accomplish so much on the character front. Just about the entire cast is likable, and the story maximizes efficiency with a couple of subplots/motifs to create sympathy with some of the more important minor characters. And the fact that viewers care about the characters makes a few of the later twists really pop.

Who is this show for? I've seen others call the show a slow burn. It's hard for me to see that. I've seen plenty of slice of life shows that, yes, I struggle through over a longer period of time (even if I think they're quite good- like 3 gatsu no lion). But 13 ACCA doesn't really let go of the main plot and keeps you constantly guessing as to A) what's going on and B) how the characters will resolve the conflict once they figure things out. So I think if you're the type of person who like spy/mystery/heist type movies and books that play cat-and-mouse with your head, you're going to love this.

This one will stick with me and has no business being rated as low as it is here on MAL.

Hello. My name is Joyce. ACCA13, while claiming it as a masterpiece is far-fetched, is a story without unnecessary flash and barely any annoying, anime-common hamfisting and repetition. Again, not a masterpiece. But god, this is a show anime needs really, really badly. It respects its audience enough to put 2 and 2 together - and though not all too difficult to piece together, it is a story with a lot of nuance, and one I am eager to see progress. Please watch this. The first episode is long-ish and boring, but if you don't have ADHD, I'm certain you'll enjoy it. The art is amazing, the occasional symbolismmakes you go "ooooh" not "I get it already", the color palettes make me swoon, the food looks great - the only "issue" with the art is that their noses are uber-pointy. Make of that what you will.

ACCA was an anime released last year, Winter season. When I first read the plot of the story, I was kinda hesitant. I find it quite boring and too ‘serious’ for my liking (at that time). I thought to myself that this anime would be better if I binge-watch it when I’m in a mood for a ‘relaxing’ and ‘lazy’ animes. Infairness, I was right. This anime was indeed a surprise. I didn’t expect I would like this show. I enjoyed watching this anime without worries. Just sitting back, relaxing on my chair and eating snacks. It was that laid-back. The last time I watched ananime that gave me this kind of feels was flying witch anime. It’s been awhile. Everything about this anime was done right. From the story to the music, I have no complaints, only compliments. But I still try to find some faults, at least.

The story was solid from start to finish. Excellent writing. It felt like each conversation was really important, I can’t skip even one. At the same time, I’m not stressed thinking about the story. It was paced well, watching the series made me feel like I was watching a really really good old classic western movie. The ending satisfied my soul, it was executed really well. The world building of the story was also laid out in a way that its not drowning the viewers with too much information. I think one of the flaws of the story would be the slow and tone-down pacing in the first few episodes. It wasn’t for everyone, that’s why there were some people who dropped this series right off the bat. But still, the story and how it was build-up were definitely one of the strong factors of this series.

To be honest, I didn’t expect this series would have quite a lot of characters. Cuz they were too many of them, I couldn’t memorise all their names. I only recognise each of them by their distinct look. The character designer did really well in making sure each one of them are unique from each other. But even with this unique qualities, most of the characters suffered a lot in the character development area. I think only the ‘important’ characters got the right amount of character development, but the others…..nah. It was either not worthy of sharing or not relevant in the story. Still, each one of them were likeable at to some extent. And oh, Lotta is best little sister. I want a sister like her.

I already mentioned above about how well-drawn each character of the anime. Even though most of them looks like each other, they were still unique. The art style was really unique. It felt like I had seen them before but I can’t pinpoint what or when. The art definitely contribute in giving off the vibe of a western classic movie. Let us not forget the animation. It was really good. Like the art, the animation was done well. As expected from Madhouse studio. Even though they had been on decline lately, they still continue to blow my mind with a really really good release. The animation was like no other. It fitted well with the atmosphere and tone of the series. I have no complaints.

The music and sound were absolutely fantastic. I had heard quite a lot of praises with the OP song, after hearing it myself, Dang, it was good. It was so good, I even have the song right now on repeat on my phone. It was so catchy yet laidback. Very groovy but also smooth in the ears. I had eargasms every time I start a new episode. The ED was really good too, but it didn’t liven up to the standards of the OP. I wasn’t able to listen well to the sound in the background. I was too relax and focus on the story, I forgot to notice the music in the background. Dunno if what i did was a bad thing or a good thing. Lol.

Anyway.

Overall, this series was solid as rock. It was a really amazing experience, watching this series. Definitely a must binge-watch.

That is all.

Thanks for reading.

ACCA is the thinking man's Natsume Yuujinchou. Both shows have a leisurely pace and EXTREMELY CALM main characters, along with a thoughtful tone and fairy tale-like mood. Both deal with the problem of companionship, and the complexity of identity. And neither is very flash-bang. I found ACCA to be a restful departure from the anime norm, and a great show to watch at the end of a hectic day. I do wish that ACCA would take the themes it presents to a deeper emotional level, and that it would have a greater sense of what is at stake. None of the characters emote very much, whichmay be a Japanese thing but certainly prevented me from feeling more connection with them. That said, the character design is good (done by the same guy who did House of Five Leaves) and the animation is lovely. It's an unusually illustrative style for an anime, but is very refreshing because of that, and they pull it off well. Several scenes are very artfully put together. The music too is different from the average, very simple arrangements, for the most part led by acoustic guitar.

While ACCA presents itself as a kind of espionage thriller, it is intensely low-key, which while disappointing in some ways, is also very rewarding in others. It is an atypical show meant to be savored - the beautiful colors; the creative character designs; the playful motif of apple cake and toasting bread - and not devoured. Even if ACCA doesn't pass the three-episode test, it's a break from the routine that will cleanse your palate.

ACCA is the biggest surprise i've encountered this season. The only thing I knew about this show before watching it was the great OP and the amazing, slick-looking art and character designs. I could tell from the editing, style, and care put into the OP, as well as the song that it's paired with being so well-suited to the tone the sequence conveys that the show would be at least an 8/10 in my eyes, but I was THOROUGHLY impressed by this show, though i can't call it a masterpiece. I consider there to be a huge difference between the different numbers I rate showsby, so going up by an entire point is something I consider a significant feat.

Story: rule number 1: this is not like what you're used to watching. 8/10, enjoyable, intelligent, and surprising, but doesn't do anything absolutely amazing.

No matter what is happening in this story, the tone will always be chill and casual. The only time it gets anywhere more intense than that is when everything is keikaku doori. I think call ing ACCA a slice of life would be extremely appropriate, as there are no extended scenes of characters yelling or any entry-level drama like that. Even if the situation were to become dire, the tone will always feel like it's trying to say "dude, chill; It's just how life goes." The tone is also reflected in the structure of the story/ how it progresses through it's 12 episodes. Just like in life, things that you wouldn't ever expect will happen, and you'll be caught off guard because of how quietly things occur during the show. It is very subtle, and there are no plot holes or asspulls that I could see. It all made sense. But, this show isn't wrapped in symbolism at all. Any plot twists are simply due to how tight the writing is and how it's able to make you not question it initially, and still manage to make it seem like everything was actually being set up by someone in the first place upon looking back at the series after finishing it. everything related to pacing in this show is done on purpose and manages to work out, providing resolutions that only make sense because there was an extra 5 minutes spent in a few random districts.

Art: slick, stylish, and appropriately laid-back. 9/10 because the animation didn't have very many highlights (even if this show's general tone justifies it) and the direction/cinematography wasn't revolutionary.

Every named character in the show has a unique, striking, and appropriate design. Even if you couldn't remember all the names, the designs were cool enough to at least let you recognize them when they reoccured throughout the story. Same with the districts, each has a distinct design and air to it and the people reflect the state of the district and it's culture. The animation is not bad at all, it's just that this is a very laid back series with almost no action at all, and so doesn't require very much sakuga. Even so, the few instances are very well integrated and helped add to certain characters, especially the relationship between Magie and Prince Schwan. The backgrounds were typically beautiful if my memory is accurate, and the OP was one of my favorites this season, being one of the few that I could actually gain meaning from and thus estimate the quality this show had. It shows the appeal of the show perfectly, demonstrating some the visually striking cast and kicking up some intrigue with some shots, while maintaining a beautiful, soft artstyle throughout more than half of the OP, along with some slick editing, until a brief flyby shot of some stills with most characters being almost completely pitch black, until a last shot that made me think that the ending would be something that didn't end up being the case so it also played with my expectations throughout the show. I wasn't able to get any significant meaning out of the ED, but it was very soothing to watch and listen to, as the animation is quite good, sort of reminding me of Mob Psycho's ED, but not as impressive of meaningful.

Sound: conveyed the tone perfectly and was never out of place of straight up bad. That said, I can't remember any of the tracks, regardless of whether I believe it's worth downloading or not. 8/10

Like I said, it was usually perfect in the show itself, as well as in the OP and ED. However, I only remember the OP's song. Even if I absolutely love it, that's not what I would consider an impressive soundtrack, though it was perfectly used. No standout tracks in the show itself, and the ED song was just not to my liking. You might like it, who knows?

Characters: there are a few well established characters, but the others are not that special. Not bad, just not well developed. 9/10, regardless.

I'll list the standouts right now; Jean, Mauve, Nino, Groshular, Lilium, Prince Schwan, Lotta, and Magie. That was in order, by the way. Jean is head and shoulders above the rest though. The thing with most of these characters is that they're already adults. The only development they can have beyond who they've turned out as is in their backstory or how they interact with others. The one character with the most development is Schwan, though. It's just that he only has that, and no backstory or interesting actions in the story. He is more intelligent than he's initially portrayed to be by other characters, but he gets outdone in every situation because he's incompetent. It's no surprise, everybody knows it. Now, let's talk Jean Otus. He is the perfect protagonist for this story, and is built up early on to be intelligent and well-liked, despite his somewhat disconnected nature. He is put in some extreme situations and has several major revelations made to him, but he simply shrugs it off. Not because he doesn't care per se, it's just that he dislikes rushing things, and has the composure to think about things calmly and have some insight regarding people and situations with minor evidence, which makes his reaction to the one thing he would forever be oblivious of that much more... Heartwarming, almost. I feel like I've skipped a lot regarding his character, but it might be for the best. The other characters, specifically the ones in the districts that Jean visits are somewhat one dimensional, but seem to have history with Jean, which is very interesting because either they or Jean remarks how they've changed since they've moved to their new assigned district. This enhances the character and allows some insight into the district itself. IT'S MULTILAYERED OH MAI GAD. This is shown quite subtly in one of the last episodes when a character named Eider comes back to the Inspection Department HQ, when some of the female agents ask her about her relationship status. Here's the thing, only one of them is not from HQ. There were other female characters from other districts present, but they didn't take part in the conversation as their personalities weren't fit for office gossip. It really made me feel like even there minor characters were, in fact, people with their own history and lives. There was also another scene among most of the guys right after that one that was chill as hell.

Enjoyment: this almost immediately made me kick off another show fro my favorites and put this there. Yeah, it's a 10 in enjoyment.

Overall: not like most other things. 9/10 due to the surprise factor i got from it.

I've not much more to say. Watch it if you want something fresh, but not heavy. Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu is also fresh, but has a much heavier, emotional tone, regardless of whether it's better or not. ACCA looks great and is just a fun, lighthearted ride, that isn't too slow or distractingly fast, but is still methodical, subtle, smart and surprising.

If you have any suggestions on how to make my reviews better or just want to have a talk about anime or whatever, message me or invite me or however people communicate with each other on this website. Thanks for reading, and check out my other reviews if your like this one (I feel like a Youtuber). Have a nice day.

Ok, so after a long bout of watching anime with the usual plot, this one has given us something of what can be called a breath of fresh air, and frankly it's not always that we get to see something out from the ordinary, so let's get it on with: Good 7, Story What we have in here is plot that is full of twist and turns, at first you might be tempt to drop this out, but, the real surprise is that plan coup de etat, where you might ask yourself as to how the main character Jean Otus is connect with it, which would glueyou in to your seat in curiosity. Sure, it may take some time, but you'll get interested as the plot thickens because story itself was full of surprises. Still, I kinda hate that writer Tomohiro Suzuki can't seem to distinguish the difference between a coup de etat, and a revolution.

Decent 4, art

The illustration were ugly, but then again decent, so don't expect any panchira or any fanservices from , Lotta, Muave and other girls from this anime.

Good 7, Sound

I may not like both opening and closing themes, but then again, since the character's here weren't made to voiced youngsters with their grown up voices was good enough for me, regardless who voiced who.

Good 7, Characters

So, we have were a bunch of characters who really did portrayed as grown-ups, instead of the usual kids who does a man's job, but what really makes it good was how the characters where used, like Jean Otus, a diligent inspector of ACCA, whom at first we wonder as how , he's connected to a planned mutiny against the spoiled brat prince who is the heir to the throne of Dowa, there is also Glossnar whom at first would make us think that he is Abend, the loyal body guard of Jean's Mom, let's not forget Nino, whom at first would make us think that he's the bad guy, but turns out to be Jean's secret body gurad, also Lotta , who is Jean's imoto, the good thing here is that there is non of the brocon, that we usually find in any anime, but it still has that reverse harem element in it were the potential character in her life would be Rail, Maggie and her cousin Prince Schwan. But , I still hate the possibility that Jean maybe gay and he probably loves Nino. Thought the antagonist here is Lilum, 1st princess and Prince Schwan, their portrayal were more on a subtle note that a rough one, in fact you would feel any disgust against them, unlike the usual antagonist portrayal, were one would hate them to the bone, so nice work, writer Shingo Natsume.

Good 7, Enjoyment

TBH, it was only as good to be enjoyed, cu'z, really, it's not that very good, the only reason why one would watch this was thickening of the plot , and that's as good as it gets.

Good 7, Overall

Well true to it's title, this anime did deliver, and it's not bad. But I kinda hate that the main character Jean Otus, has that suggestive thing and it's called SMOKING, which is BAD for your health and DON"T EVEN THINK ABOUT PUFFING A CIGARETTE, PUTO!!!!!!!!!!!

Surgeon General recommends that "SMOKING IS BAD FOR YOU."

The story is okay. Yet it feels so, so refreshing to watch this show. The music is good; the art is wonderful; the ACCA uniform is good enough of a reason to work there; the breads look amazing. Additionally, the intrigue is rarely seen for other 12-episode anime. The drama is jazzed down, even some dark matters are only artfully sorrowful, and not more than that. With a flow of plot points and interesting, varied settings, ACCA retained my attention like any good music would. A relaxing, comfortable gem.8/10, higher if I'm generous.

(I never knew there's a word minimum for these reviews. I tried my best to write a bit more, but writing this much is already enough for ACCA, a show that is the very definition of short and sweet. Hopefully this parenthesis bumps me up to the word limit)