English Dub Review: KADO: The Right Answer “Novo”

Find out if this week’s answer is correct.

KADO: The Right Answer persists in offering answers but also providing a bevy of mystery.  Yaha-kui zaShunina (Jason Librecht) explains that he is a higher being. His goal: a unification of wills. Foreign Affairs negotiator Kōjirō Shindō (Ian Mead Moore) offers his assistance in aiding the negotiations with Yaha-Kui. “Novo” resumes where “Yaha-kui zaShunina” left off. zaShunina emerges from the mysterious rainbow Lament Configuration (not actually the Hellraiser cube, but definitely looks like it) called Kado. Yaha-kui offers a brief statement and allows that he wishes to talk with the Japanese government. He gives a time frame, initially 6 seconds, to meet this demand. But Shindō negotiates for more time.

A flashback of the sequence of events following the plane’s absorption by Kado. Initially, the pilot enlists Shindō’s aid in determining if there’s a surface to the cube. Once Yaha-kui appears, Shindō becomes the lead negotiator. He ensures the plane passengers have adequate sustenance, and holds firm in his stances. Although zaShinina’s plan isn’t fully revealed, he plans to change the world in some way. From conversations between the two, Shindō seems onboard with Yaha-kui’s intent.

Plane passengers are sort of hostages: they won’t be allowed out of Kado for 29 days. Yet Yaha-kui asserts that it’s for readjustment purposes; you can’t simply whisk between the outside world and Kado. Despite Shindō’s willingness to help, I’m still a bit skeptical. zaShunina plans to change the world in some way, and I’m curious about both his motivations as well as unintended ramifications.

KADO: The Right Answer yields a smattering of answers: who zaShunina is, what the cube is, but at the same time leaves many aspects unclear. I enjoy this balance of mystery and clarity. It fosters a narrative progression that’s exciting. Because KADO: The Right Answer is fairly toned down on the action, it’s mostly dialogue-driven. Therefore it’s necessary to maintain certain elements which remain unclear.

The animation is top notch, and I like characters. Plus, music is pleasant without being overpowering (*cough* Hand Shakers*cough*). “Novo” sets up loads of lore, from introducing Yaha-kui and Kado to mentioning Novo, a higher dimensional universe. Although typically you might assume Yaha-kui to be hostile, he’s not. But I still wonder if his plan to advance humanity might arrive with harmful side effects. Even at the end of the episode, Yaha-kui implores humanity to question him. Intriguing, and a refreshing pace differing from action-oriented shows, KADO: The Right Answer delivers another solid entry.