Mature (May contain sex, drugs, and extreme graphic violence)
Vintage:
April 2, 2009
Status:
Completed
Summary:
A spate of mafia assasinations occurs in America, the work of the mysterious organization named Inferno. "Phantom" is their most strongest and capable assassin, however a lone tourist witnesses Phantom's latest act of murder. He unwittingly exposes the top assassin's true identity, a young girl named Ein. Witnesses are usually killed, but the man is captured and taken to be brainwashed into "Zwei", Inferno's newest assassin, with no memory of who he is. From this point on, Zwei is drawn into a world of conspiracy, deceit and violence.
This was one of the best examples I have seen of the psychological genre of anime. It is a beautifully written and depicted suspenseful story of secrecy and deception, loyalty and betrayal, self-preservation and self-discovery. The characters are provided with plenty of depth, development, and insight into their true thoughts and motives as the episodes progress, and the situations they create are entirely believable. There are a few emotionally charged events along the way, but it is at the tragic end where the viewer is truly rewarded. And the end is truly tragic.
Why would I call this a reward? Maybe it's just the psychologist in me, but I feel that typical happy endings are often cheap, empty, and insulting, to be quite honest. Stories wherein any dilemma works itself out and turns to roses by the conclusion, however devastating it may have been, are unrealistic and better left for children who have not yet learned what the world is really like. I find much greater satisfaction (as well as much more to think about once the series is over) when the ending finds a character worse for the wear or at least significantly impacted by the preceding events.
There is a definite appeal to this dark story, and a "happily ever after" it is decidedly not.
