Following Admiral Yamamoto to Natsujima, the crew of the Mirai are offered some much needed shore leave. What should be a grateful break after two gruelling months of war and hard decisions, this would-be simple shore leave sets the stage for hidden agendas, backroom dealings, and betrayal. The crew has chosen to carefully interfere in the events of WWII to help avoid as many casualties as possible. However, more people are learning about the unique situation of the Mirai, the power it holds, and are willing to do anything to drag them into the war…and destroy them.

The decision to remain strict in limiting their involvement in history is put to the test as Kusaka moves forward in his plan to use the knowledge he gained on the Mirai to usher Japan into a new era – one of victory. Yosuke takes Kusaka’s actions very personally and has vowed to stop him no matter the cost. But Kusaka isn’t exactly a villain here, he is a man, and officer, who simply wishes to do what is best to improve the future of his people and the country to which he has sworn to serve loyally, even at the cost of his life. After learning of Japan’s impending loss and what the future holds, he feels compelled by his patriotism, loyalty and love for his homeland and his brethren, to do all that he can to save them.  But his actions are a threat since there is no way of knowing how he will change the future. Will it actually be for the good?

He isn’t the only faction moving against the Mirai, nor is he the greatest threat the Mirai faces. There’s Lt. Tsuji of the Imperial Army who is up to no good. But worst yet, certain elite officers within the Japanese Imperial Navy have gained intelligence on the Mirai and have chosen a path to change the course of history and perhaps end the threat the Mirai poses. Lt. Taki sets into motion a brilliantly devious strategy to set up the Mirai to force the Mirai to enter the war or to be destroyed. By the end of this volume, the Mirai faces war with the Americans as they are forced to face off against forty American airplanes ready to sink the Mirai.

 As this dry and immersing historical drama progresses, it boasts an increasingly intricate plot. The brilliant, albeit dastardly, trap unleashed by Lt. Taki is proof of that.  It’s also interesting to see the suspense of a world war given the immense scope of the lives lost and the prosperity of a nation and its people in the balance, all whittled down to the personal lives of the Mirai crew and those they have come to know. This is exemplified the best with the relationship between the Mirai XO, Yosuke, and the Imperial Navy officer he first rescued, Lt. Kusaka. The polarization their viewpoints and relationship is undergoing gives the obstacles the Mirai crew must deal with, a more personal and immediately accessible venue through these two men from different times. Both are loyal and patriotic and yet are driven to different means to preserve what they see as Japan’s future. It is a riveting anime and as a historical WWII series with the science fiction and heavy philosophical questions it asks, it is a stimulating story.

EXTRAS:
Bonus features include Geneon previews and opening and closing animation with English credit translations.

IN SUMMARY:
Zipang is a suspenseful wartime drama with a compelling science fiction “what if” twist.