With hits like Reacher and Cross, Amazon Prime Video is well-known for their many popular crime thrillers. The best crime thriller on the service, however, isn’t one that’s a Prime Video Original.

In addition to hosting Prime Video originals, the service can also serve as a hub for other streaming services, letting fans access a wide variety of series and movies through the one app. One such service is the anime streaming giant Crunchyroll, and it’s only with a subscription there that fans can access the best crime thriller on Prime Video, Terror in Resonance.

Cowboy Bebop’s Creator Crafted The Best Crime Thriller of 2014

Created by Cowboy Bebop creator Shinichiro Watanabe in collaboration with Chainsaw Man and Jujutsu Kaisen studio MAPPA, Terror in Resonance follows two mysterious teenage terrorists who appear to be threatening Tokyo with an atomic bomb.

From there, the plot evolves into a conspiracy thriller as the real motives behind the two young revolutionaries are exposed.

As intensely political as all of Watanabe’s anime work is, Terror in Resonance is far more interested in Japan’s military than it is with the subject of terrorism. The topic of Japanese morale in the wake of World War II hangs heavy over the series, adding a layer of real-world intrigue to the anime that is meant to make people reflect on real-world issues.

Terror In Resonance Is Anime At Its Best

Terror in Resonance is one of MAPPA’s best anime, and shows just how artful the medium of anime can be.

Setting aside details of story and plot, Terror in Resonance absolutely nails one thing above all else: Atmosphere.

The oppressive heat of summer feels omnipresent in Terror in Resonance, adding to the tension that makes the series so easy to binge. The music, composed by Bebop alumnus Yoko Kanno, oscillates between haunting and urgent, creating a version of Tokyo that feels beautiful but dangerous in equal measure.

While some fans of the crime thriller genre might want to avoid anime in general, Terror in Resonance is a great anime for non-anime fans. The series takes itself seriously, without some of the over-top humor that critics mistakenly believe is inherent to the medium.

Shinichiro Watanabe made a name for himself with the crime drama of Cowboy Bebop. With Terror in Resonance, the acclaimed creator proves that he’s a master of crime thrillers as well. Every Prime Video subscriber owes it to themselves to watch 2014’s best crime thriller.