English Dub Review: Lycoris Recoil “Easy does it”

Overview

Takina Inoue, a secret agent working for the “DA – Direct Attack” secret organization that prevents crimes is part of protecting the security of Japan called a “Lycoris,” is ordered to transfer to the café LycoReco as a consequence of making a brash and impulsive decision. Taking is enthusiastic about returning to DA now that she’s buddied up with the super-elite No. 1 Lycoris (?) Chisato, but her job at LycoReco is just one weird thing after another…


Our Take

It’s interesting, that the first anime project from A-1 is this show of all things. The show has an interesting premise of a double life working at the café and being a secret agent but I felt that it focused too much on the secret agent stuff and setting up a boring spy plot. In some ways, it gives off similar vibes to Gunslinger Girl but is less believable and with tonal issues. I don’t see how all their agents aren’t compromised with how sloppily they conduct themselves, and on top of it drones tracking their movements.


The rest of the proceedings though isn’t too bad when the narrative gives off a “buddy cop” dynamic between Takina and Chisato with Takina being the reckless and by-the-books character with the emotional depth of a coffee table who just wants her job back, while Chisato is the extreme opposite as she’s a streetwise, amicable person who doesn’t always play by the rules, yet also knows how to get shit done only with a no-kill policy which I’m sure is something Takina isn’t used to, given the way the opening sets the tone of how a standard Lycoris is supposed to behave or function. But I predict that Chisato will no doubt teach Takina how to value human life and connect with people on a friendly level and properly process their emotions which based on observation, Takina’s organization most likely doesn’t know how to do with their own assassin schoolgirl agents.

Overall, this was a nice first episode. The character designs are cute and passable, the backgrounds have great attention to detail, and I liked the action and the animation from A-1 pictures. Although there are some tonal issues, to put it mildly. Even without getting deep into secret police disappearing citizens who threaten the peace are just so chipper and gleeful to do so. We even get a solid cliffhanger in the first episode that leaves me curious about what twists this story could unravel.