Review of R.O.D. (TV Series): Vol. 3

Introduction

There`s a lot of Japanese anime flooding the UK market in an effort to cash-in on our seemingly insatiable desire for the genre. `Read or Die` is far superior to much of the flood, particularly if you like your action mixed with some genuine humour and pathos.

Where `ROD` works best for me (I`ve realised…12 episodes in) is the English dub. Unlike so many dubs of the genre, the character voices are consistently good. Some of the dialogue feels so real, like when the girls are sitting around their apartment, that you almost feel like you`re there with them. And for an animated programme that`s some mean feat.

Despite ROD creator`s Hideyuki Kurata`s claim that the inspiration for `ROD` came directly from the first `Charlie`s Angels` movie, I`d posit that this is an infinitely richer piece than that; an action series based pretty much around an obsessive love of books, libraries and reading. Oh - and a weird hybrid of kung-fu and origami, though the wild `paper-master` action here is very occasional, after the first episode on this disc.

The conceit is that three so-called sisters, Anita, Maggie and Michelle, (`The Paper Sisters` Detective Agency - I wonder if they`re any relation to `The Scissor Sisters?`) get hired to tackle book related mysteries. That might amount to protecting an author (from whom becomes apparent here), helping locate tracing rare and incredibly valuable books or battling evil paper-masters in underground caves.

But there`s also time for characterisation. In this third volume we get plenty of that, and even discover how the three `sisters` originally met. We also get to witness the working through of Nenene`s lack of confidence, and there are some poignant scenes as the sisters have to leave for Hong Kong.

The animation itself is simple (in common with much of the genre) though is frequently highly imaginative. Strange angles and point-of-view shots are used, and some of the flights of imagination are truly inspired.

I also liked the subtleties of attitudinal movement, like a foot swinging into the foreground momentarily when one of the young girls is lying on bed reading. A throwaway detail, though one that adds to the richness of the programme.

There are 4 more episodes to enjoy on this disc, all related in part to previous episodes, although each also perfectly enjoyable in their own right.

I`ve summarised them below so please look away if spoilers offend!

EPISODE 9 - DEEP IN THE NIGHT
The Three Sisters are hired again by regular client Dokusensha, and they`re asked to find a key within an underground spring. But a race is on with an archaeologist from the British Library. Drake (from Read or Die) is also introduced in this episode as the archaeologist`s bodyguard. For me, this was a disappointing start - a bit confusing and full of the type of paper-action that, whilst very imaginative, takes a huge suspension of disbelief. There are some surprising highlights though, including some topless bathing and a battle with a mean, evil Paper-master who we`ll meet later on the disc.

EPISODE 10: CHRISTMAS CAROL
Sensei is invited to the 10th Teen Novel Newcomer Prize Publication, where she first debuted. The Three Sisters tag along and witness a moving speech that has her mockers (laughing at her writers block) laughing the other side of their faces. They also all celebrate Christmas together, and the Three Sisters tell the story of how they all met which might get your lower lip quivering!

EPISODE 11: GOODBYE JAPAN
This is a lovely episode with a strong sentimental theme. Lee (the agent) proposes that the Three Sisters go back to Hong Kong now that Sensei`s life is no longer in danger and her funds are running low. Anita`s class at school hold a farewell party for her and there are plenty of tears from her closest friends. However, when everyone (including Sensei) arrives back in Hong Kong, they are ambushed, just as you think they are about to embark on a book-shopping trip. It`ll have you leaping out of your seats!

EPISODE 12: THE PAPER`S TWILIGHT PART 1
Now I don`t want to spoil the twist here. It wouldn`t be fair. But this episode is action packed. One of the four girls in serious danger and the other three set out to help. It`s action packed but leaves you with andEastenders` type cliffhanger!

Video

A very classy digital transfer of a very recent programme mean that this is flawless. It`s a real pleasure to watch.

Audio

This features 2.0 Dolby Japanese Audio and 5.1 Dolby Digital English and Japanese Audio. It`s brilliantly put together (on the English version in any case) with great voice-choices and with really smart audio post. The score is great, and helps evoke a quirky charm for the series, and the spot sound effects are very clear and work well here to paint a very believable atmos. The audio commentary is a lot less fun that the one contained on Disc 2 but reveals that the producers responsible for the US dub are real fans of the show themselves.

Features

Like Disc 2, not bad for an anime DVD.
First, there`s the audio commentary from, not the Japanese originators, but the producers of the US dub. They sound a little stoned, and it`s clear that they`re great fans of the work, though in truth it became dull listening. Having said that, I applaud their work which includes some of the finest English dubbing of an anime that I`ve ever heard.

There`s also a picture gallery with 14 sketches, including a peculiarly provocative one of Sensei. Hmmmm.it certainly evoked some curious feelings that I`d been unaware of till then!!

There are also TV trailers for the 4 episodes included here as well as current trailers for `Texchnolyze` and `Gungrave`.

Conclusion

ROD - the TV`, is another of those unique anime`s that comes along from time to time that is full of great characters, good humour, and a strangely compelling atmosphere all of its own. The artwork is fresh, the music score perfect, and it`s a lot of fun.

There`s no doubt that you`ll need a huge suspension of disbelief to go with the `paper` ideas (which are highly imaginative but clearly preposterous) and there is no doubt that by the cliff-hanger end of episode 12, you`ll be thirsting for the next batch of episodes.

It`s worth noting that, in my view, apart from episode 9, this is the best disc so far. In other words, this is getting better and better which is no bad thing.