The world of takt op.Destiny provides two different sides that vary between normal and despair-inducing. Despite the calamity caused by the D2s, we're actually shown a rather clean-cut version of the US that seems modeled after retro nostalgia. Yet a good portion of the middle of the country is uninhabitable and should lead you to believe that this is a dystopian world. Which certainly begs the question, how is the series able to pull off these different takes on how the country is perceived?
Usually, post-apocalyptic settings are full of destroyed cities, broken down versions of civilization with have people centralized in one place. That’s partially true in takt op.Destiny — there are certain parts that are completely uninhabitable, as explained in the first few episodes of the series. Las Vegas truly showcases this strange dystopian dichotomy.
Vegas is traditionally seen as one of the most bustling cities in America, with its bright lights and indulgent atmosphere. Yet it’s dark and empty in this series. People here aren’t staying up all night gambling, they’re fighting for survival on the outskirts of the city. There are people trying to reclaim the old ways of Vegas — there’s that hidden casino reserved for the more elite people in the area — but as a whole, Vegas is not at all what you’d expect it to look like. This is especially true when you look at it next to the series’ version of New York City, which gives the impression that nothing out of the ordinary has happened in the country.
Another hallmark of dystopian settings is the reliance on retro products. There doesn’t seem to be an in-universe explanation — it could simply be a stylistic choice — but most of the vehicles shown are from the ‘60s and ‘70s. Perhaps people became wary of the electronics modern cars rely on, leaving older cars as a more reliable, easier to maintain option.
Given how little we see of the truly devastated areas of the country — outside of flashbacks to previous attacks involving Takt and his family — the show gives you a false sense of what is actually happening. Sure, we do see a wide variety of D2 attacks and battles, but these don’t reach what must be the sheer devastation that is plaguing wide swaths of the country. It almost makes it easy for viewers to completely forget there are sections that are just gone — that you can’t even enter for fear of being killed.
In a way, this dichotomy, allows viewers to see through the point of view of the citizens of this future US. You’re lured into this false sense of security that despite the rampant D2s and corruption Takt and Destiny have to face, some cities are still fine, so it can’t be that bad. There’s also a part of human nature that can become isolationist if you don’t actually see the issue firsthand and think someone else will eventually take care of it. That makes for a more intriguing viewing experience.
It should also be noted that this is a world where music cannot exist because it draws forth D2s. This concept is completely baffling considering how ingrained music has become to everyone as a society. Yet in this future, people have been forced to adapt and move on with their lives without music. It isn’t easy, as we see through people like Takt who want to play and create music. Yet most have somehow learned to continue their everyday lives without it.
Takt, Destiny, and Anna frequently traverse normal-looking cities, yet takt op.Destiny is able to create a very interesting world that is able to mess with viewers. The series relies on nostalgia and retro stylings while creating an inconspicuous dystopian that leaves viewers with a lot more than just the main narrative to think about. This kind of dichotomy can be hard to pull off, but takt op.Destiny is able to do so in a very successful way.
Jared Clemons is a writer and podcaster for Seasonal Anime Checkup and author of One Shining Moment: A Critical Analysis of Love Live! Sunshine!!. He can be found on Twitter @ragbag.
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