One of the most interesting latest trends in the anime world are titles that are not manga adaptations, but original television series, with titles like “BNA” and “Odd Taxi” highlighting the quality of such productions. “Lycoris Recoil” continues on the path of the aforementioned, implementing a favorite anime concept, that of the school of assassins for young girls, in the fashion of “Noir” , “Gunslinger Girls” etc.
Takina Inoue is a member of a government-sponsored all-female task force of assassins and spies made up of orphans known as “Lycoris”. The organization is an undercover group, who eliminate criminals and terrorists in Tokyo, while also taking up missions of protecting significant individuals, with the agents always being disguised as high school students. As the series begins, Takina, during an operation to intercept a large exchange of firearms, starts firing indiscriminately at the enemies in order to save a colleague that was taken as hostage, jeopardizing the safety of other Lycoris in the process. Her actions enrage her captain, Fuki, who even slaps the girl, while a bit later, the agency dismisses her for disobeying orders, transferring her to work with an elite Lycoris agent Chisato Nishikigi, who is known for her involvement in the destruction of the old radio tower, on a branch of the agency that operates undercover as a café called “LycoReco”.
Chisato could not be more different than Takina, with her happy-go-lucky and sociable/friendly-towards-everyone demeanor coming into direct conflict with the latter's cold and distant behavior. Even more so, since Chisato is set on not killing anyone during missions, using special bullets and always aiming at non-lethal body parts, in contrast to her new comrade. Gradually, and under the mentorship of Mika, the manager of Lyco Reco and a former DA instructor who left the organization, Takina starts changing, maturing, and eventually realizing herself as something more than a weapon. Kurumi, a skilled hacker also joins the group that already included Mizuki, a former member of the Intelligence Division of DA, but the presence of Shinji and the role of the Alan Institute soon start shedding a huge shadow over the group. Even worse, Majima, a young man who seems to have similar abilities with the girls, emerges threatening both the organization and the whole of Tokyo.
Shingo Adachi follows the usual narrative form of such titles, with the first episodes introducing the characters through a villain-of-the-week style, until the group is completed with the additional members. The focus on the first episodes is also on how Chisato changes Takina and how their friendship grows, with their return to DA and the mock-battle with the latter's former comrades cementing their relationship, as Takina starts appreciating her new friend's skills and overall behavior towards her. At the same time, the first glimpses of the mystery surrounding Chisato's background, the Alan Institute, the role of Shinji and his acquaintance with Mika, and the DA organization start appearing. The style of these initial episodes is mixed, with the first part usually focusing on how the cafe works and the relationships of the characters, and the second on action.
The appearance of Majima functions as a catalyst on a number of levels, as the answers to the aforementioned mysteries are gradually revealed, with the nature of the title moving more towards action, an approach that is cemented in the last episodes of the season, which are as violent as they are dramatic. Particularly the showdowns between the girls and Majima are a true wonder to look at, with the excellent animation by A-1 Pictures finding its apogee in those sequences. The same applies to the background drawing, which is colorful throughout but truly picks up in the presentation of the building the final battle takes place in. A number of vehicles presented throughout the series, from cars to drones, are depicted in CGI, in an approach that works quite well here, while the imagery of the various foods is truly exquisite.
Imigimiru's character's design is also top notch, with the various female characters being quite different from one another, and their appearance actually mirroring their personas, with the antithesis of the two protagonists highlighting the fact in the utmost degree. Some fanservice elements do exist, in lolita fashion, with the episode with the pants being the apogee of this approach, while Mizuki's voluptuous appearance definitely moves towards this path. However, in general, this aspect is quite toned down, and one would find it really hard to find anything offensive regarding the presentation of the girls here, even within the whole concept of the lolita/cosplay cafe. Furthermore, the inclusion of a slight homosexual aspect adds even more to the narrative, in an aspect that is quite unusual for this style of anime.
The ending could have been a bit better, as it mostly winks to a second season instead of fully concluding the story (arc) if you prefer, but in general emerges as acceptable, and by no means does it fault the great sense the anime leaves in the end.
“Lycoris Recoil” is an excellent title, both for its character analysis and the action it offers, and definitely one of the best anime of 2022.
