Digging deeper into "The Revelation": shocking truth and reviews

Secret [Top Secret] The Revelation - Top Secret The Revolution -

■ Public Media

TV anime series

■ Original Media

comics

■ Broadcast period

April 9, 2008 - October 1, 2008 Nippon Television April 8, 2008 - September 30, 2008 (Episodes 1-26) Every Tuesday 25:29-25:59

■Broadcasting station

NTV

■Frequencies

half an hour

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 26

■Original Story

Reiko Shimizu (serialized in Hakusensha's "Melody")

■ Director

Hiroshi Aoyama

■ Production

Animation Production: Madhouse Production: Secret Production Committee (Nippon Television, DN Dream Partners, VAP, Madhouse)

■Works

©Reiko Shimizu/Hakusensha, VAP, Madhouse, NTV, DN Dream Partners

■ Story

"Violent crimes have been increasing rapidly in recent years. In order to apprehend the perpetrators and uncover the full picture, the National Research Institute of Police Science's Forensic Science Laboratory No. 9 has begun MRI investigations.... The images that emerged from the brains of the victims revealed not only the suspects, but all of their own memories..."

Scientific Police Research Institute/Forensic Medicine Ninth Laboratory, commonly known as “Ninth”

In this department, where the brains of dead bodies are removed to look into the memories of the victims, they are busy investigating the MRI scans of the suicides of five young boys. A new recruit named Aoki is assigned to the department, saying that he wants to "discover the truth." The head of the department, Superintendent Maki, tells Aoki, who is straightforward and honest, "You're not suited for the 9th." Maki's appearance seems to be reminiscing about something from the past, but...

At that time, a shooting occurred and a request came in for an MRI scan. However, the extracted brain was stolen by someone...

■Explanation

"Top Secret: The Revelation," an original work by Shimizu Reiko, who is well known for her detailed character portrayals and well-known for "Princess Kaguya," will be animated by Madhouse, known for its high quality, and will begin airing on Nippon Television in April!

The National Research Institute of Police Science's Forensic Science Laboratory No. 9, commonly known as "No. 9," is tackling difficult cases by making full use of the technology of the "MRI scanner," which recreates images of crime victims' memories from their past lives from the "memories" left in their brains. Maki, the head of the No. 9 laboratory, and Aoki, a new recruit, are at the center of unraveling these heinous crimes. Everyone has secrets in their hearts. But is knowing secrets really the best thing? This suspenseful animation depicts the suffering of investigators who are forced to know secrets against their will.

The lead role of Maki is played by Seki Tomokazu, who has played Chiaki Shinichi in "Nodame Cantabile" and has participated in many anime, while Aoki is played by Namikawa Daisuke, who is famous for his voice acting in the "Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam" series and film dubbing (such as his role as Anakin Skywalker in "Star Wars"). The powerful staff, including director Aoyama Hiroshi of "Rocket Girl", series composer Suzuki Satoshi of the film "Lorelei", and music by Hirano Yoshihisa of "Death Note", will add to the worldview of the series.

■Cast

・Tsuyoshi Maki/Tomokazu Seki/Ikko Aoki/Daisuke Namikawa/Nanako Tenchi/Ai Nonaka/Yasuhumi Okabe/Kosuke Meguro/Takashi Soga/Kenji Hamada/Sei Onokida/Mitsuaki Madono/Michiru Sendo/Eri Sendai/Ruriko Aoki/Aya Hisakawa/Narration/Shuichi Ikeda

■ Main staff

・Original story: Reiko Shimizu (serialized in Hakusensha's "Melody")
・Director: Hiroshi Aoyama・Series Composition: Satoshi Suzuki・Character Design, Chief Animation Director: Hisama Oshita・Art Director: Tomoyuki Shimizu・Color Design: Eiko Sekine・Director of Photography: Tetsushi Sakamaki・Editor: Toshihiko Kojima・Sound Director: Yasunori Honda・Music: Yoshihisa Hirano・Producers: Toshio Nakatani, Manabu Tamura, Yosuke Kasahara・Animation Producer: Satoshi Yoshimoto・Planning Cooperation: Hakusensha "Melody" Editorial Department・Animation Production: Madhouse・Production: Secret Production Committee (Nippon TV, DN Dream Partners, VAP, Madhouse)

■ Main Characters

Tsuyoshi Maki Head of the 9th Research Laboratory. Superintendent General. The only investigator to have seen the brain of the perpetrator of the 28 serial murders. He has a sharp mind and insight, but he is also feared for his strictness.
Aoki Ikko is a new recruit assigned to the "9th". He has a straightforward personality and is nearly 190cm tall. He volunteers to join the 9th because he wants to be in a department that can determine the truth.
A cool beauty who specializes in psychology. She works hard but often stumbles. She was assigned to the company a few months before Aoki.
・Yasufumi Okabe He has the face of a wild beast and the appearance of a middle-aged man, but he is actually younger than Maki. He is a top-notch gunman and is often assigned to outside investigations.
Soga Takashi: A simple and honest investigator with a shaved head. He is a character who cannot read the mood and has a sweet tooth that doesn't suit his appearance.
・Onokida Sei
Chief engineer of MRI systems. Specializes in neuroscience and computer analysis. Loves MRI systems and movies.
・Michiru Sendo
An MRI system operator. She joined the 9th because she admired Onokida, and finds her work rewarding.
Katsuhiro Suzuki is Maki's best friend. He became mentally unstable while analyzing the brain of the perpetrator of the "28 Murders" case, and was shot to death by Maki.
・Masachika Nagamine
After returning from his training at the FBI, he was appointed deputy chief of the 9th Division and a member of the Police Officers' Office. He frequently clashes with Maki over the ethics of using MRI.

■ Main robot items

・National Research Institute of Police Science, Forensic Science Laboratory No. 9 Located in Kasumigaseki, this is an investigative institute attached to the National Police Agency. The brains of criminal subjects are put into an MRI scanner, and the memories the subjects saw are reproduced to obtain clues to the perpetrator. The MRI system has a main room with a giant monitor and about three sub-rooms. In the basement, there is a supercomputer connected to up to 100 computers.

■Subtitle

・Case 1/A man traveling with his brain (2008/04/08)
・Case 2/Top Secret (Part 1) (2008/04/15)
・Case 3/Top Secret (Part 2) (2008/04/22)
・Case 4／Happy Song (2008/04/29)
・Case 5/Kinuko (first part) (2008/05/06)
・Case 6/Kinuko (Part 2) (2008/05/13)
・Case 7/Invisible Face (2008/05/20)
・case 8/modification(2008/05/27)
・Case 9／＊(asterisk)(2008/06/03)
・Case 10/Rat in the Box (2008/06/10)
・Case 11/Don't touch that neck (2008/06/17)
・Case 12/Visitor (Part 1) (2008/06/24)
・Case 13/Visitor (Part 2) (2008/07/01)
・Case 14／Woman in red high heels (2008/07/08)
・case 15／Lamentation(2008/07/15)
・Case 16/Final Take (2008/07/22)
・Case 17/Sighting (2008/07/29)
・Case 18/Nobody is watching (Part 1) (2008/08/05)
・Case 19/Nobody's Watching (Part 2) (2008/08/12)
・Case 20/Nobody's Watching (Part 2) (2008/08/19)
・Case 21／Erosion (2008/08/26)
・Case 22/Countdown (2008/09/02)
・Case 23／SEARCH MY BODY(Part 1)(2008/09/09)
・Case 24／SEARCH MY BODY (Part 2) (2008/09/16)
・Case 25／Sacrifice (2008/09/23)
・Case 26／Paradise (2008/09/30)

■ Theme songs and music

・OP1
・Kokoro Film ・Lyrics by Shota ・Music by KOJI
Arrangement: Masahide Sakuma, ALvino
・Singer: ALvino

・ED1
・Smoke・Lyrics by Makichangu・Composition by Makichangu・Arrangement by Taisuke Sawachika・Singer by Makichangu

Review and Recommendation

"Top Secret The Revelation" is a TV anime series that aired on Nippon Television in 2008, and is based on the manga of the same name by Reiko Shimizu. The story is set in the National Research Institute of Police Science, Forensic Science Laboratory No. 9 (commonly known as "No. 9"), and tells the story of recreating memories from the victim's brain using an MRI scanner to solve difficult cases. Below, we will explain in detail the appeal and features of this work, as well as the recommended points.

Story and Themes

"Top Secret: The Revelation" begins with the premise that the 9th Laboratory has begun MRI investigations to combat the recent surge in violent crimes. While the memory images obtained from the victim's brain can help solve the case, they also have the potential to violate the privacy of the victim and suspect. The film delves deeply into the ethical issues that arise from the advancement of science and technology.

The story centers on the relationship between Maki Tsuyoshi, head of the 9th Laboratory, and new investigator Aoki Ikkatsu. Maki is the only investigator to have seen the brain of the perpetrator of a serial murder case involving 28 people, and while he has sharp insight from that experience, he is also feared for his strictness. Meanwhile, Aoki is a new recruit assigned to the 9th Laboratory with a strong desire to uncover the truth. Through the contrast between Maki and Aoki, the conflict between truth and secrets, and justice and ethics is depicted.

In addition, each episode features a different case, such as the suicide of five boys and a shooting, drawing viewers in. In addition to solving the cases, the show also depicts the struggles and growth of the investigators, making it a deep human drama.

character

The characters in this work are unique and charming. In particular, the performances of Seki Tomokazu, who plays Maki Tsuyoshi, and Namikawa Daisuke, who plays Aoki Ikko, stand out. Seki Tomokazu skillfully expresses Maki's harshness and inner conflict, while Namikawa Daisuke realistically portrays Aoki's straightforward personality and growth.

Other unique characters include Nanako Tenchi (Ai Nonaka), a cool beauty who specializes in psychology, Yasufumi Okabe (Kosuke Meguro), who is a top-notch gunslinger, Takashi Soga (Kenji Hamada), a simple and honest man, Kiyoshi Onokida (Mitsuaki Madono), the chief engineer of the MRI system, and Michiru Sendou (Eri Sendai), an operator of the MRI system. The relationships and drama woven by these characters are also part of the appeal of this work.

Production and staff

"Top Secret: The Revelation" features high-quality animation by Madhouse. Director Hiroshi Aoyama is a talented director known for "Rocket Girl" and series writer Satoshi Suzuki has experience writing the screenplay for the movie "Lorelei." In addition, Yoshihisa Hirano, who was in charge of the music, is a composer known for "Death Note" and other works, and he adds to the atmosphere of the work.

Professionals from various fields have come together to ensure the quality of the work, including character designer and chief animation director Oshita Hisama, art director Shimizu Tomoyuki, color designer Sekine Eiko, cinematographer Sakamaki Tetsushi, editor Kojima Toshihiko, and sound director Honda Yasunori.

Theme songs and music

The opening theme, "Kokoro Film," is a powerful song sung by ALvino, symbolizing the theme of the work. The lyrics were written by Shota, the music was composed by KOJI, and the arrangement was done by Masahide Sakuma and ALvino. Meanwhile, the ending theme, "Kemuri," is a beautiful ballad written, composed, and sung by Makichangu, enhancing the emotion of the story. The arrangement was done by Taisuke Sawachika. These songs further deepen the worldview of the work.

Recommended points

"Top Secret The Revelation" can be recommended for the following reasons:

1. **Deep Themes**: The story depicts the progress of science and technology and ethical issues, encouraging viewers to think deeply. The conflict between truth and secrecy, and between justice and ethics is depicted realistically, providing an opportunity to consider social themes.

2. **Charming characters**: The human drama woven by the unique characters draws viewers in. In particular, the relationship between Maki and Aoki is the core of the work, and viewers will be able to empathize with their growth and suffering.

3. **High-quality production**: Madhouse animation offers detailed and beautiful visuals. This is a work that highlights the talents of the director and staff, and is a visual treat.

4. **Emotional Music**: The opening and ending songs will enhance the atmosphere of the work and bring out the emotions of the viewers. In particular, the ending theme "Smoke" will resonate with you, coupled with the moving scenes.

5. **Suspense and Mystery**: Each episode features a different case, full of suspense and mystery. The investigators will be drawn into the story as they try to solve it.

Conclusion

"Top Secret The Revelation" is a work that is full of deep themes depicting issues of science, technology and ethics, attractive characters, high-quality production, moving music, and elements of suspense and mystery. This anime encourages viewers to think deeply and can be enjoyed as a human drama, so it is definitely worth watching at least once. It is especially recommended for those who are interested in social themes and those who like suspense and mystery.