Release the Spyce (stylized in all caps) is a Japanese anime television series created by Sorasaki F., Takahiro, and Namori, produced by ASCII Media Works and animated by Lay-duce. The series aired in Japan from October to December 2018. A manga and a serial novel were published by ASCII Media Works.
Contents
Plot
The series follows Tsukikage, a group of female high school spies who gain power from spices and secretly fight against crime syndicates to protect the city of Sorasaki. Momo Minamoto, a girl with heightened senses and deductive abilities, is recruited to join Tsukikage and train under fellow member Yuki Hanzōmon. Together, Tsukikage battles against the female crime syndicate Moryo.
Characters
Tsukikage
Momo Minamoto (源 モモ, Minamoto Momo) / Momochi (百地)
Voiced by: Yukari Anzai (Japanese); Juliet Simmons (English)
The main protagonist serving as a second-year student at Sorasaki High School, Momo wishes to protect her hometown like her late police officer father did. She becomes Yuki's apprentice before becoming a full-fledged member of Tsukikage. She has powerful eyesight, a strong sense of smell, and can identify a person's physical condition by licking them.
Yuki Hanzōmon (半蔵門 雪, Hanzōmon Yuki) / Hanzō (半蔵)
Voiced by: Manami Numakura (Japanese); Kira Vincent-Davis (English)
Serving as the leader of Tsukikage, Yuki is a third-year student who is Momo's mentor. She lost her right eye during a mission two years prior to the events of the series. At the end of the series, she leaves Tsukikage and her memory is erased, although the last scene implies that she kept her memories.
Fū Sagami (相模 楓, Sagami Fū) / Fūma (風魔)
Voiced by: Akane Fujita (Japanese); Christina Kelly (English)
Fū is a first-year student and Mei's apprentice, who acts jealous towards those who get close to Mei. She works at a maid café in order to support her family.
Mei Yachiyo (八千代 命, Yachiyo Mei) / Chiyome (千代女)
Voiced by: Aya Suzaki (Japanese); Cat Thomas (English)
A second-year student in Momo's class, Mei is a cheerful Tsukikage spy and Fū's mentor. She plays the guitar and holds street performances in order to gather intelligence. She is later revealed to be working under Moryo, in which she leaked Tsukikage personal information to the Moryo and betrayed her teammates. However, it is then revealed that she was actually serving as a triple agent to obtain Moryo's trust and then destroy them from the inside.
Moryo
Kurara Tendō (天堂 久良羅, Tendō Kurara) / Sparrow Woman (文鳥の女, Bunchō no Onna)
Voiced by: Shizuka Itō (Japanese); Joanne Bonasso (English)
The main antagonist who serves as the leader of Moryo, she gives her mercenaries jelly drinks to energize them, as well as wipe their memories when they fail their missions.
Theresia Ray (テレジア・レイ, Tereshia Rei)
Voiced by: Risa Taneda (Japanese); Shanae'a Moore (English)
Theresia is a silver-haired girl who was kidnapped and sold to Moryo as a child. She was once friends with Hatsume who was kidnapped alongside her, but was led to assume she had abandoned her when she was the only one who was rescued.
Byakko (白虎)
Voiced by: Aina Suzuki (Japanese); Brittney Karbowski (English)
Byakko is a girl with great strength despite her childlike appearance. After she is captured by Tsukikage, her memories are wiped and she begins working in Tsukikage's secret base.
Dolte (ドルテ, Dorute)
Voiced by: Saori Hayami (Japanese); Patricia Duran (English)
A mercenary working for Moryo, Dolte is a muscular woman who, when powered up, becomes almost impervious to pain and can track anyone by their scent.
Media
Print media
A manga adaptation titled Release the Spyce: Naisho no Mission (RELEASE THE SPYCE ないしょのミッション, Release the Spyce: Naisho no Misshon) and illustrated by Meia Mitsuki began serialization in the March 2018 issue of Dengeki G's Comic on January 30, 2018, while a serial novel adaptation titled Release the Spyce: Golden Genesis was released in the March 2018 issue of Dengeki G's Novel as an appendix for the Dengeki G's Magazine on February 27, 2018.
Anime
The series was directed by Akira Sato and features a concept written by Takahiro and original character designs by Namori. It was animated by Lay-duce and aired in Japan from October 7 to December 23, 2018. The opening and ending themes, respectively, are "Supatto! Spy & Spice" (スパッと！スパイ&スパイス, Supatto! Supai ando Supaisu) and "Hide & Seek", both performed by Tsukikage (Yukari Anzai, Manami Numakura, Aya Suzaki, Akane Fujita, Aya Uchida, and Yuri Noguchi). Sentai Filmworks has licensed the series and streamed it on Hidive. An English dub has also been produced for the series. The series ran for 12 episodes.
Video game
A free-to-play mobile game titled Release the Spyce: Secret Fragrance was released for iOS and Android devices on February 12, 2019. The game's service ended on March 31, 2020.