REVIEW: ‘takt op.Destiny,’ Episode 3 – “Awakening -Journey-“

We knew things couldn’t stay happy in the flashback arc, and takt op.Destiny Episode 3 shows just how devastating the D2 attack on Takt and his friends was. The MAPPA/MADHOUSE original anime centers on a group of friends embarking on a cross-country journey to New York City in the future. After monsters called the D2 crashed into Earth and ransacked society, music became almost taboo due to the sounds attracting D2s. The only thing that can fight back are Musicarts and their Conductors, two of them being Cosette and Takt. The anime is part of a larger mixed-media project, with a mobile game under the same concept also being released.

Cosette has awakened as a Musicart and Takt as her conductor after they were crushed by debris during the D2 attack in Episode 2. Takt has seemingly lost an arm, and Cosette has died trying to protect him. In her place. a Musicart has awakened in her body, taking the name Destiny from the music Takt was playing when they were attacked. There is high emotional tension, because although neither knows how to control their abilities, Takt flies into a near-suicidal rage against the D2s in a gorgeously animated fight sequence. With takt op.Destiny Episode 3, Takt’s antagonism towards Cosette in Episode 1 is explained. The Cosette we were initially introduced to is in fact not Cosette at all, but the Musicart Destiny using her body. Beyond just bickering, this layer of grief adds a fascinating complexity to the relationship between these two characters.

The major element at play here is the showcase of other Musicart/Conductor teams, and how our main characters are quite different. There is the standard exposition, at how Destiny’s awakening is unprecedented without assistance from the Symphonica. Additionally, Destiny apparently feeds off of Takt’s life force, which is abnormal and dangerous, furthering the rift between the two. However, the show also uses strong visuals to illustrate the dynamic’s abnormalities. When not in combat, Takt’s arm is as good as new, however when Destiny dons her combat attire, Takt’s arm explodes into a flurry of red petals. The romanticism covers the more brutal nature of the characters’ reality, as it is a constant reminder of what Takt and Anna have lost. Additionally, it is a clever concept that the Musicarts are created from specific pieces of music, therefore Destiny’s origin has even heavier connotations.

Ideally, in the future, we will also get to explore more about Anna’s character. She has an unflappable determination that some part of Cosette is still alive inside Destiny and that she can be brought back. She believes this so much that she convinces everyone to travel to New York City. From a viewer’s perspective, it is hard to believe Anna’s unfounded faith, but it also shows her grieving in a very different way from Takt. Takt is often hostile towards Destiny, while Anna treats her just like Cosette, even calling her that name.

All in all, this was another successful outing. takt op.Destiny Episode 3 concludes the origin story of the main characters’ quest and adds a rather complex layer of grief and coping mechanisms to the story.

takt op.Destiny is streaming now on Crunchyroll, with new episodes premiering Tuesdays.