The Perfect Insider satisfies the itch that many anime fans have had for several years while waiting for a mystery crime thriller. The anime is based off a novel that was written in 1996 by Hiroshi Mori, which was adapted into an anime in 2015. The show is divided into eleven episodes that are more like parts to a mystery novel as each episode reveals a new element that is essential to solving the mystery. Just like any good mystery the show is filled with plot twists that keep the viewer from making an educated guess, of who murders who and how. The Perfect Insider truly reads, or in this case is watched, as an Agatha Christie novel, which can be purchased here, as it deviates from the normal mystery crime thrillers.
The Perfect Insider focuses on Saikawa and Nishinosono traveling to a foreign island and become part of solving a complicated murder situation. The murders in question are Dr. Magata and Director Seiji Shindo who are both murdered within an hour of each other as a computer program has caused Dr. Magata’s body to be discovered in her room that has not been open for 15 years. While Saikawa begins to figure out the connection between Dr. Magata and Director Shindo a flash back occurs were the two of them kill Dr. Magata’s parents and sleep together resulting in her becoming pregnant. Saikawa eventually figures out that Magata had a child while being confined in the room 15 years ago based on the toys and the books only going to the 15th volume. Furthermore, he deducts that the father of the child is Director Shindo. As a result of their child Dr. Magata had planned for years that this child would kill her, a computer would malfunction opening up her door, allowing her daughter to escape from the room to kill Director Shindo. Dr. Magata’s plan changed as her daughter committed suicide allowing Dr. Magata herself the opportunity to kill the director and escape the island. Eventually Saikawa realizes that Dr. Magata has escaped the island with his seminar group as there was only one girl on the boat when they came and when they left there were two. Dr. Magata who has murdered multiple people is free with intentions to one-day meet Saikawa again.
The Perfect Insider is unique as it feels more like reading a novel than watching an anime. This is due to many different techniques employed throughout the show. One of these techniques is how the plot is set up as the anime makes you believe that Dr. Magata is dead along with Director Shindo. Somebody is targeting both of them and others on the island. The anime and its plot does not hint at the possibility that she could be alive allowing for plot twists to occur. Furthermore, the anime utilizes a combination of physical logical evidence and psychological evidence to apprehend the killer. The physical evidence speaks for its self as Saikawa notices little things that suggest that she had a daughter. The psychological evidence implies that Saikawa is attempting to think like Dr. Magata from her childhood to her supposed death. In his process we begin to see how she thinks and why she murdered her parents. As the story goes on and Saikawa establishes the fact that she is still alive it is due to him being able to think like her rather than physical evidence being present. The Perfect Insider as a mystery crime thrilling anime provides perspective into a killer’s mind through a detective character. The anime can be enjoyed by fans who like either a who did it or how it was done type of story, as they are equally satisfying in this anime.
