WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Takt Op. Destiny Episode 1, "Conduct -Creed-," now streaming on Crunchyroll.
An original new series that's part of the fall 2021 anime lineup, Takt Op. Destiny's first episode was a pleasant surprise. The show is an original production from a collaboration between two powerhouse animation studios, MAPPA and Madhouse. That alone was enough to get viewers excited for the new show. After all, Mappa produces heavy hitters like Jujutsu Kaisen and Attack on Titan's final season, while Madhouse is best known for having produced Hunter x Hunter (2011) and the first season of One-Punch Man, among many others.
Takt Op. Destiny gives viewers a lot to love in its first episode, and even more to look forward to as Season 1 continues. From the characters and what we know of the overarching plot, to the visuals and unique power system, it's no wonder fans are already raving about its potential.
Besides the visuals, the most appealing aspect of Takt. Op Destiny so far is arguably its unique power system. Girls known as Musicarts fight alongside humans called Conductors to eliminate alien monsters known as D2s. These D2s seem to hate music and will attack whenever it's played. The Conductors and Musicarts use music as a weapon to destroy the creatures.
It hasn't been explained what exactly Musicarts are, or where they came from, just that they suddenly arrived when everyone was about to lose all hope of surviving against the D2s. Moreover, the D2s themselves are a mystery. Interestingly, though neither are from earth, Musicarts look much like normal human girls, while the D2s are clearly otherworldly monsters.
Takt Op. Destiny's visuals and music are both stunning. The fight sequences are animated beautifully with vibrant colors and fluid motions. When the titular main character, Takt, plays the piano, it's mesmerizing enough to let viewers forget they're watching an anime. It truly emphasizes how vital music is to the plot of the show.
The three main characters we've met so far, Takt, Destiny and Anna, each have distinct and likable personalities. Their dynamics are entertaining and it should be interesting to see how each develops as the story unfolds. There are a lot of possibilities for interesting subplots the show could explore: the characters' backgrounds, where Musicarts came from, whether the D2s' arrival on earth was merely an unfortunate coincidence or if there's something bigger at play, and more.
Takt. Op Destiny has potential to be one of viewers' favorite shows from the fall 2021 anime season, and one of the best of the year. Fans are already hooked and placing it in their possible Anime of the Year discussions. As long as the show continues to hit all the right notes seen in Episode 1, Mappa and Madhouse will undoubtedly have another classic under their belts.
