Watch Nijuu Mensou No Musume

Name: Nijuu Mensou No Musume
Genre: Anime
Released: 2008-04-12

2008
1 Season

Nijuu Menso no Musume is an anime television series based on the novel by Hagiwara Tsutomu and published in 2006. The show's storyline is set in Japan in the mid-1950s and follows a young thief named Chiko, who is the daughter of the infamous phantom thief known as Twenty Faces. Twenty Faces had disappeared without a trace, leaving Chiko alone and on the run for her life with no one to depend on but herself. With her father's past lifestyle, Chiko is constantly forced to move from one place to another while living in hiding, leaving her to develop a strong urge for survival.

Chiko's skills at thievery and her street-smart abilities become her strongest asset as she tries to piece together the mystery of her father's disappearance. Chiko discovers clues to her father's whereabouts, which initiates her quest to find him. Still, she's not alone in her endeavor, far from it. She is soon joined by a group of friends who help her search for her father while simultaneously getting into some tight situations and unimaginable adventures.

The twenty faces is a well-known legendary thief who has accomplished several feats of stealing priceless treasures that seemed impossible to take, such as the Hachi no Oki or the Dragon's Eye. Chiko's father had adopted Twenty Faces's pseudonym briefly when he started; hence, she trusted the name when she became a thief herself. Little did she know that there was far more to her father's past as Twenty Faces, and this sets the show's storyline in motion.

The show's opening and ending songs have a jazzy feel to them, which matches the show's overall mood. The characters are carefully crafted and are enjoyable to watch, such as Ken, Chiko's friend and quasi-love interest, who is the vocal leader of their gang, and Chiko's mentor, an ex-police detective named Akechi. Akechi's character takes on a significant role in the show, teaching Chiko the necessary skills to hone her thievery craft and to stay one step ahead of the law. The show also features a diverse cast of villains, each with their own motivations, methods, and personalities. Some of these villains are downright creepy, such as the "Surgical Mistress," while some are eccentric and hilarious, such as "The Crying Fish."

The show's animation is above average. The showmakers carefully craft each scene with attention to detail, from the tiniest particulars like character mannerisms to the grandest, like the vast landscapes of Japan or the intricate machinations of Thieves' Guild. The animation style is a blend of traditional 2D animation and computer-generated imagery, which gives the show a unique visual feel.

One of the best elements of Nijuu Mensou no Musume is its balance between humor, drama, and suspense. While the show's primary storyline is focused on Chiko's quest to find her father, the showmakers have successfully incorporated other subplots to keep the viewers engaged. Some storylines deal with issues like family or friendship, while others delve into politics and corruption. The viewer is left to wonder how all these interrelated subplots will come together to reveal the overarching narrative.

Another aspect of the show's appeal is the characters' development. This show is all about character progression, and the viewer will see the characters grow and evolve throughout the series. One of the most striking examples of this is Chiko herself, who starts the series as a shy and introverted young girl but matures quickly into a confident and capable thief.

Overall, Nijuu Mensou no Musume is a show that is more than worth the watch. The show's blend of action, drama, and humor is undoubtedly appealing, as is the attention paid to character development and animation detail. The show also stays true to its genre, which is an excellent show to watch for those who love action, mystery, and adventure storylines. Although twenty-faced is the protagonist of the title, the show feels like it is more centered on Chiko's journey of self-discovery and the strong bonds that she builds with her friends. Nijuu Mensou no Musume is a well-crafted, well-written anime that is worthy of your time.

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Seasons

22. Chiko

September 27, 2008

Three years have passed. Shunka goes to visit Chiko in England. There is a killer on the loose in the city, and Shunka finds out Chiko seems to have lost interest in playing detective. Chiko says she has no intention of returning to Japan, because school is fun for her now. They find a lost Japanese boy, and in a search for his parents; they come upon the killer, who appears to be something more than human, although still susceptible to a kick to the groin. Chiko, Shunka and the boy escape, but the killer chases. Ken appears with his trademark throwing knife, and the killer now focuses on him. The boy's parents are found by the police and Tome, the killer is easily defeated by Ken and Dr. Kayami.

21. Dawn

September 20, 2008

Summary is not available.

20. Mysterious Twenty-Faces

September 13, 2008

Summary is not available.

19. Hell Scenery

September 6, 2008

Summary is not available.

18. Terror Tower

August 23, 2008

Twenty Faces and Kouhei go head to head. Twenty Faces manages to distract Kouhei long enough to let Chiko rescue Shunka, only to be captured by the emotionless girl/weapon. Ken and Dr. Kayami meet up and discuss Twenty Face's "legacy" while heading towards Kouhei's laboratory. Kouhei seems to have the upper hand as he unleashes his human experiments on both Chiko and Twenty Faces. He succeed in inserting the parameters he needed and 3 large towers appears in the center of Tokyo. Restrained by the children, the two can do nothing but watch as the city starts to be consumed by the light. Until Shunka escapes and creates a distraction, which Twenty Faces uses to blow up the machines. After the rumbling has subsided, Chiko is shocked to see Twenty Faces lying on the ground, unmoving.

17. Great Dark Room

August 16, 2008

Summary is not available.

16. Cipher

August 9, 2008

Chiko has found a "secret spot" which she now visits regularly (as stated by Shunka). While there one day, a man she's never seen before is sitting alone. He tells her about the memories the hill brings back to him. Chiko remembers a song Twenty Faces taught her. Later, the man introduces himself as Kakashima Kouhei, a teacher of Twenty Faces from long ago. He tells Chiko she is just another pawn in his, Twenty Face's, plans. This confuses Chiko, who ultimately decides she will believe in Twenty Faces. A teacher tells her the song is actually a French poem about the "law of men". While walking home after searching for more on the song Chiko is attacked by a mysterious boy who is incredibly fast and strong, only to be saved by Ken who tells her to stay safe.

15. Shoujo tantei dan

August 2, 2008

Summary is not available.

14. The Airship of Death

July 19, 2008

Summary is not available.

13. White Blaze

July 12, 2008

Summary is not available.

12. Devil Man versus Mysterious Person

July 5, 2008

Summary is not available.

11. Hisho chi nite

June 28, 2008

Summary is not available.

10. Hakuhatsu tou

June 21, 2008

Summary is not available.

9. The Remaining People

June 14, 2008

Chiko's aunt further plots Chiko's demise with her lawyer. Shunka finds out about Chiko's experience with Twenty Faces and offers that the two become detectives and search for Twenty Faces. Ken, who is following Chiko, decides that he has been abandoned by Twenty Faces. While at the theater, Chiko sees a jewel that was once the possession of Twenty Faces in a movie. Chiko uses the film's shooting as an as a means to visit the island.

8. The Human Tank

June 7, 2008

Chiko slowly settles into a normal life at school and makes friends, though the excitement craving Shunka remains adverse to Chiko. Meanwhile, Uncle Genji, an old family friend of Chiko's, asks for Akine's help for a pharmaceutical company looking for two rogue scientists: Nozomi Kayama and Takashi Tsuya. The missing scientists, who had been researching ways to create an ulimate soldier, a human tank, have used themselves as test subjects and now seek out Chiko, believing that as the Daughter of Twenty Faces, she has the data from during the war that will cure them. When the scientists end up taking Shunka instead, Chiko must come forth to save her. While Dr. Tsuya dies from being unable to control his body any longer and violently attacking everyone, Dr. Kayami escapes and warns Chiko that she will likely be targeted by many wanting to obtain the "legacy of Twenty Faces."

7. Akechi Appears

May 31, 2008

Chiko, remains shocked and depressed, returns to her "home" after being "rescued" by Akine, a detective hired by her aunt. There, her aunt continues to poison her while a new maid called Tome is now Chiko's servant. Despite Tome's efforts, Chiko still refuses to eat, talk or sleep. However, a detective called Akechi showed up and hinted that Twenty Faces may still be alive. Chiko cheered up and started to accept Tome's hospitality. Also, Chiko decided to go to school. In school, Chiko met Shunka who is the granddaughter of the founder of Chiko's school. Later in the episode, Chiko met Akechi again and Akechi gave Chiko the Anastasia Ruby (which is supposed to be possessed by Twenty Faces). Believing Twenty Faces is still alive, Chiko decides to start looking for Twenty Faces as a detective.

6. The World's Dream

May 17, 2008

Summary is not available.

5. The Star Performer Lily

May 10, 2008

Twenty Faces' group work as circus performers in a local town, with Chiko starring as tightrope walker Lily, as a cover to gather information and steal an artifact known as the Clock of the Magi. During Chiko's visits to the museum where the clock is contained, she meets and befriends a girl named Angie. During their last performance, the thieves go about stealing the clock while everyone is attending the circus.

4. Aspirations of a Thief

May 3, 2008

As the thieves continue to train Chiko in various skills relating to their line of work, Chiko has yet to participate in any missions. When Ken is injured, Chiko steps up, despite the reservation of some of the thieves, and successfully accomplishes her role in the theft, establishing herself as a member of the group and her new family.

3. Castle at the Bottom of the Ocean

April 26, 2008

Chiko helps out with the domestic chores of the thieves, including cooking meals. Twenty Faces arranges for the group to explore and recover something important from a sunken underwater fortress, only for the submarine captain to betray them. However, by overlooking Chiko, the captain and his crew find themselves at the mercy of Twenty Faces instead.

2. East Crimson Evening

April 19, 2008

Chizuko, now nicknamed "Chiko", is introduced to the rest of thieves, who gradually warm up to her and her determination not to be a hinderance. The group is forced to abandon when the police, who were following the airship, arrive at the island. They flee to an Asian country and are betrayed by Chen, a man who sells information to thieves for money, but manage to escape with the treasure anyway. On the way back, Twenty Faces is shot and they are forced to take refuge in a woman's house until they can get a hold of the other members of the band. Chiko is left alone with Twenty Faces until Ken and Skipper get back. She discovers that the woman was planning on selling Twenty Faces to a group of bounty hunters and ultimately foil her plans, successfully returning to the base with the treasure.

1. Door

April 12, 2008

Chizuko Mikano is living with her aunt and uncle who are slowly poisoning her. However, her sharp intuition allows her survive long enough for the thief Twenty Faces, by chance there to steal the Anastasia Ruby, takes her away to join his band of thieves. They escape from the police in a car and are then ambushed by Tiger, who they shake off by escaping in the airship and heading toward an island.

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