Princess Principal

The name's Ange … just Ange.

So this here is an interesting series that just finished airing in the summer anime season of 2017, Princess Principal. It's a steampunk, espionage thriller set in an alternate version of Victorian London. The Kingdom is anything but united however, as a recent civil war has split the country into East and West. What follows is a story of deception and betrayal, as spies from both sides attempt to root-out each other's secrets.

There may be some very slight spoilers within.

Going in I was expecting this to be yet another of life series with a thin veneer of some other genre, in this case spy thrillers. Yet, there seems to be quite a bit more to it than that, and it shows a remarkable amount of depth that I didn't expect. The show is more focused on the girls' work as spies, and the school-life gets relatively little coverage, except for how it impacts their work. Even when the school setting is used, it is usually as the backdrop for some deception, or foul play.

The first episode alone puts to bed any notion that this is going to be a cutesy series, with you typical shounen ideology, as it shows us a couple of dark moments. This lets us know that this intends to be a serious thriller, and so far it pulls it of well. The writers even manage to throw a pretty decent twist into the first episode, putting a new spin on the preceding events.

That's not to say that it is all doom and gloom however, as there are some bright spots to be found in the shadows, such as in the interactions between the main cast. The lead characters all seem to hold a genuine affection for each other, despite all of the lying and double-speak. They display moments of mercy and compassion, even when they are surrounded by danger, and their lives are on the line. The show demonstrates that they can be efficient and ruthless, but never forgets that they must also be human.

It's also made very clear that each of the lead characters has their own motivations, and reason for becoming involved in the espionage game. In fact, this motivations go beyond what their employers may want. This helps to create the image of the characters as people. They are not machines obeying orders without question, or maniacs revelling in the darkness they inhabit; no, these are people with their own thoughts and desires. The theme of deceit is woven into these characters, not only in their occupation, but into their personalities too.

The characters also develop their bonds with each other over the course of the show, becoming comrades and friends. Whilst this does lead to some heart-warming moments, it also helps to create tension when the audience knows that they may be working across purposes from each other.

All of this is helped along by good voice work from the main cast, who put a lot of energy and emotion into their performances.

The writing thus far has also been very good at delivering explanations for the characters actions, without forcing a monologue full of exposition upon. The reasoning behind certain events is made clear naturally through the course of the story, as things develop, or as the characters uncover new information.

The setting is recognisable as period Britain, but the changes made do add up, and manage to make it somewhat unique. Whilst the setting of a steampunk, Victorian Britain is not exactly unique, the show does manage to put its own spin on it. The cold war that is running in the setting makes for interesting drama, as it means literally anybody could be a spy, after all, you don't need to pretend to be British if you already are.

The show also has a good mix of action, and intrigue. Princess Principal does indulge in type of spy work you may see in a Hollywood movie, where characters lurk in the shadows, and where gunfights may break out. However, it also uses actual spy work, where avoiding a direct confrontation can be pivotal. It uses actual intrigue and espionage to create drama, and to move the story along. This works well, as it can lead to entertaining scenes, where the characters get creative to achieve their goals. Yet no matter how creative the methods used, it has not yet gotten to the point of being overly silly.

In short this is an actual spy thriller, rather than an action show using “spies” as characters.

Princess Principal also manages to include a few twists and turns, which helps to keep the story dynamic and interesting. These aren't just the random events that too many shows mistake for twists either; but actual, logic turns of the story, that do make sense in retrospect. Naturally, such twists work in well in a show about deception and subterfuge.

As with any good action show, the action itself is very clear. During the combat scenes it is easy for the audience to tell who is doing what, and where they are in relation to everybody else. It is fairly easy to intuit why they took those actions, and how they work.

Importantly, the espionage actions are also clearly defined. It is all too common for shows aiming for a level of intrigue to be a little too vague, thus making it hard for audience to follow along. However, in Princess Principal the writer successfully impart the knowledge the audience needs to know, whilst simultaneously holding enough make to create an interesting mystery.

The visual style is also very pleasing to the eye, using a varied palette for the multiple locations throughout the series. Even when the characters are skulking in dark alleys, and there are a lot of dark colours, the world never ceases to feel vibrant and alive. This helps with the impression that this is a world people live, rather than one that exists as a vehicle for the characters to do their thing.

Overall, a very good series that I can heartily recommend.

Until next time,

PhoenixAct