Anime · AT-X
Absolute Duo
Who's in it
Cast
The principal ensemble across the run of the series.
Nozomi Yamamoto
Julie Sigtuna (voice)
12 eps
Yoshitsugu Matsuoka
Thor Kokonoe (voice)
12 eps
Ayaka Suwa
Tomoe Tachibana (voice)
12 eps
Haruka Yamazaki
Lilith Bristol (voice)
12 eps
Nozomi Nishida
Sarah (voice)
12 eps
Kentaro Ito
Grave Phantom (voice)
12 eps
Manami Tanaka
Otoha Kokonoe (voice)
12 eps
Mami Uchida
Momo Kibitsu (voice)
12 eps
Natsuki Hanae
Aoi 'Tora' Torasaki (voice)
12 eps
Takahiro Sakurai
K (voice)
12 eps
Tomomichi Nishimura
Equipment Smith (voice)
12 eps
Yoshihisa Kawahara
Tatsu (voice)
12 eps
Yui Horie
Sakuya Tsukumo (voice)
12 eps
Yukari Tamura
Rito 'Usa-sensei' Tsukimi (voice)
12 eps
Ayaka Imamura
Miyabi Hotaka (voice)
12 eps
The Nutevio profile
TV DNA
How Absolute Duo actually feels to watch, measured on the traits our editors track across every series.
Signature profile
Absolute Duo reads strongest on Bingeability, Spectacle and Humour.
How hard it is to stop after one episode.
Visual ambition — scale, craft and set-piece filmmaking.
How often the series is genuinely funny, by design.
How fully written and psychologically layered the ensemble is.
The scale, internal logic and texture of the world.
How much each hour depends on the one before it.
How often an episode ends on a hook you can't ignore.
The sustained pressure the series keeps you under.
How much the series is designed to affect you.
The story
What it's about
This is the story of Tooru Kokonoe who has enrolled at Kouryou Academy, a school which trains students in wielding Blaze, soul powered weapons to prepare them for the Dorn Agency's special peacekeeping corps. When Tooru is partnered with a mysterious girl: Julie Sigtuna, he finds he has to overcome many hurdles to ensure their teamwork and fighting skills are up to par for the duration of their training.
The run
Seasons
1 season · 12 episodes.
Season 1 · Complete
Season 1
201512 episodes
7.1IMDbThe story takes place at Koryo Academy, a high school where students manifest a personal weapon called a Blaze, which is a physical manifestation of their soul. The protagonist, Tooru Kokonoe (sometimes “Tor”), enrolls in the academy driven by tragedy: his younger sister was killed, and he wants to gain power to protect others and possibly avenge her. On entering, Tooru discovers that his Blaze is not a typical weapon — instead of a sword, lance or gun like many classmates, his Blaze takes the form of a shield, making him an “Irregular”. Koryo Academy uses a system called Duo — every student is paired with a partner (their “Duo”), who they train, live, and fight together with. Tooru is paired with Julie Sigtuna, a silver‑haired girl from Scandinavia and a very capable fighter.
Best episode · S01E01 Blaze
Where the series peaks
Best Episodes
The hours that define the show, ranked by audience response and editorial signal.
S01E04
Exception
Transfer student Lilith Bristol joins Tor's class and immediately flaunts her status as an Exception. Tor and Julie go into town for some shopping.
- Directed by Naoki Murata
- Written by Takashi Aoshima
S01E02
Duo
Tor and Julie settle in as roommates until the time comes to form official Duos. Each has an ideal partner in mind, but will they get what they want?
- Directed by Yuuki Arie
- Written by Takamitsu Kohno
S01E06
Survive
Lilith ropes her fellow students into fighting her in a battle royale. A mysterious figure shows up out of nowhere with his own plans for Lilith.
- Directed by Shigehisa Iida
- Written by Takashi Aoshima
S01E08
Selection
A week of training is capped off by a day at leisure--and where better to unwind than at the beach? Miyabi takes a big step in her feelings about Tor.
- Directed by Yusuke Yamamoto
- Written by Takashi Aoshima
Recently aired
Latest Episodes
S01E12
Absolute Duo
- Directed by Takatoshi Suzuki
- Written by Takamitsu Kohno
S01E11
Killing Game
- Directed by Shigehisa Iida
- Written by Takashi Aoshima
S01E10
Reign Conference
- Directed by Hitoyuki Matsui
- Written by Yasunori Yamada
S01E07
Silver-Blonde, Yellow Topaz
- Directed by Shin'ichi Masaki
- Written by Yasunori Yamada
Behind the series
Created by
Showrunners, creators, executive producers and the writers who set the voice of the series.
The craft
Key Crew
Directing, writing, production, camera, music and editing.
Executive production
- Makoto ItoProducer
- UesamaProducer
- Keisuke KaminagaProducer
- Hidetake KomiyaProducer
- Mika ShimizuProducer
- Kazuo OnukiProducer
Writing
- Takashi AoshimaWriter
- Yasunori YamadaWriter
- Takamitsu KohnoWriter
Direction
- Shigehisa IidaDirector
- Shin'ichi MasakiDirector
- Takatoshi SuzukiDirector
- Yuuki ArieDirector
- Hitoyuki MatsuiDirector
- Takahiro MajimaDirector
Cinematography
- Kei MachidaDirector of Photography
Music
- Atsushi HirasawaOriginal Music Composer
Where to watch
Streaming
Availability verified against regional listings.
- Apple TV StoreBuy
- CrunchyrollStreaming
- Crunchyroll Amazon ChannelStreaming
If you liked this
Similar Series
Series that share this one's texture, not just its genre tags.
Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?
2015
Sharp comic writing · Large-scale spectacle
No Game No Life
2014
Sharp comic writing · Large-scale spectacle
Seirei Gensouki: Spirit Chronicles
2021
Large-scale spectacle · Animated ambition
I Got a Cheat Skill in Another World and Became Unrivaled in the Real World, Too
2023
Large-scale spectacle · Animated ambition
The Insipid Prince's Furtive Grab for the Throne
2026
Sharp comic writing · Large-scale spectacle
The Testament of Sister New Devil
2015
Sharp comic writing · Large-scale spectacle
Gate
2015
Sharp comic writing · Large-scale spectacle
KONOSUBA - God's blessing on this wonderful world!
2016
Sharp comic writing · Large-scale spectacle
Hybrid x Heart Magias Academy Ataraxia
2016
Sharp comic writing · Large-scale spectacle
Akashic Records of Bastard Magic Instructor
2017
Sharp comic writing · Large-scale spectacle
Date A Live
2013
Sharp comic writing · Large-scale spectacle
Beyond the Boundary
2013
Sharp comic writing · Large-scale spectacle
Where to go from here
Watch Next
Our editors' suggestion for the show you should start tonight — and why.
Frieren: Beyond Journey's End
2023
Continue the epic fantasy journey with another world worth getting lost in.
Ranma1/2
2024
A palate cleanser with real writing behind the jokes.
Bleach
2004
If the world-building is what held you, this is the next map to walk.
Detective Conan
1996
Take the questions with you: this one rewards the same attention.
Adventure Time
2010
Another invented world built with the same seriousness — start at episode one.
X-Men '97
2024
If the world-building is what held you, this is the next map to walk.
Never stop watching
Related Collections
No related collections yet
This title isn't in a published Nutevio collection yet. It will appear here automatically as soon as it is.
Join the conversation