Zankyou no Terror Episode 9

The thought of children being harmed would make anyone feel uneasy. This was exactly the feeling the Aoki interview scene evokes as he reveals the harmful effects of the experiments on the orphans. To create this sense of unnerving tension, the scene uses frame within frame shots and some really odd and unconventional framing to isolate Aoki. This visual isolation was a way to contrast his extremely skewed and inhumane moral values with the more balanced morals of Shibazaki and Hamura.

The first three images break the Rule of Thirds by having Aoki way off to the side of the frame. The unbalanced composition fits the sense of unease the scene was going for. There’s also a sense of isolation and soullessness by having all that empty space in the frame. What makes these shots even more effective is how they contrast with the more balanced framing of Shibazaki.

The last image doesn’t really break the rule but what makes it odd is the lack of nose room. Again, the unbalanced composition reinforces the unnerving content of this interview.

Here’s a couple of frame within frame shots that isolate Aoki. The first one provides the strongest visual of isolation. Aoki is first detached from the other two characters by using the door frame as a line of separation. Then framing him with that little opening completely separates him. Also, notice how this shot only shows Aoki’s side of the patterned door. The way the patterns contrast with everything else draws the audience’s attention to his isolation.

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The Ferris wheel scene uses cool colors (green and blue) to establish a calming intimate moment despite a rather dire situation. Red is usually associated with romance but in this situation it would’ve overly romanticized the scene in an off putting way. The usage of cool colors in an extreme circumstance gives a feeling of emotional and visual balance that complements the way Twelve and Lisa have come into terms with their feelings.