Review of R.O.D. (TV Series): Vol. 5

Introduction

I had a look at the first volume of R.O.D The TV last year, and immediately fell for its literary charms. Well, it`s a cold, calculated romance, as I waited for a suitable sale before filling out the parking space assigned to R.O.D on my shelf. Also determined to do things right, this time I began with Read Or Die, the OVA series. It`s well worth doing as while initially the two stories seem separate and can be enjoyed that way, from practically the first frame, the TV series makes visual and narrative reference to the OVA, and as the story progresses, the two become more and more intertwined. These aspects didn`t stand out for me the first time round, but having watched the OVA first this time, I found there was extra enjoyment to be had from the TV series.

Michelle, Maggie and Anita are three paper masters, able to manipulate paper to their will. In their hands, paper cuts can be fatal, paper aeroplanes can take paying passengers, and a sheet of A4 can be bulletproof. They run the Paper Sisters detective agency, using their formidable abilities to fight crime. They are also committed bibliophiles, well all except Anita, and their love of the written word is something that dominates their lives.

Previously, things didn`t improve for the Paper Sisters after they rescued Nenene. They were forced into hiding, and the only bright spot was Nenene`s reunion with Yomiko Readman. Now, Joker`s scheme intensifies, and Yomiko`s involvement becomes clear. The next four episodes of R.O.D The TV are presented by MVM on Volume 5 along with a few extra goodies.

17. Sweet Home
Book burnings are hardly the most pleasant of images, and the paper masters take it especially hard. Yomiko finds it hard to believe that her old friend Wendy has becomes so hardhearted and ruthless, while Anita`s memories are awakened by the shocking images. It`s just the lure needed to capture the group, and it`s only the arrival of Yomiko`s old friend that allows the group to escape. But they are being followed.

18. Confession
It`s a time of revelations and not just for Joker`s operative Junior and Yomiko`s friend Nancy. The scope of Joker`s ambition becomes clear, nothing less than World Domination, and his reign of terror in the bookshop sectors of the world is just the prelude to controlling the hearts and minds of the population. It`s time for Yomiko to come clean about what happened in the British Library to drive a rift between her and her former employers.

19. Family Game
Airing the past has the effect of reuniting a family, but it also causes a rift when Anita realises that it was Yomiko who was responsible for the British Library fire that so haunts her. They have bigger trouble though, as agents of Joker searching for the final book have found their hideaway. And there is a traitor within.

20. Bonjour Tristesse
Anita and Yomiko are left alone to face Mirror Man, while the others are transported back to Joker. His plans are coming to fruition, his influence is spreading across the world, and soon he will have the Perfect Language to control and shape the thoughts and ideas of the world`s population. If Anita and Yomiko are to rescue their friends and stop this plan, they`ll have to put aside their differences and work together.

Video

You get a 4:3 regular transfer, which is clear, sharp and with strong colours. I didn`t notice any problems with artefacts and the like, other than the usual banding associated with animation. The animation is nicely done, with vibrantly animated action sequences, balanced with more subtle moments. It`s an Aniplex series, and if you are a fan of Full Metal Alchemist, you`ll see some of that style in the character designs.

Audio

You get a choice between DD 5.1 English and Japanese as well as a DD 2.0 Japanese soundtrack. Translated English subtitles or signs accompany these. They are effective surround tracks, with plenty of oomph for the action sequences. I`ve also fallen for the music. Taku Iwasaki`s themes remind me strongly of the concept action dramas of the sixties, the Randall & Hopkirks, the Man From UNCLEs, with a hefty soupcon of James Bond to boot. It`s very stylish, very evocative, and is perfectly suited to the show.

Features

It`s an MVM disc so you can expect animated menus, as well as trailers for the first Ranma Movie and Kiddy Grade. The previews (this time only in Japanese), which are normally at the end of each episode, get consigned to their own section here. You`ll also find a gallery containing 14 images, from the show as well as line and promotional art.

This volume`s commentary accompanies episode 18. This time Taliesin Jaffe is alone, and offers little bits of R.O.D related trivia, as well as offering some information on the fundamentals of anime. So if you always wondered, "Why the big eyes?" this commentary is for you. Of interest were the history and various incarnations of R.O.D, with greater insight into some of the characters. Sat alone in a booth with only a cup of tea for company, the commentary is a little gappy and certainly drier than the usual anime yak track, but it still works out as one of the better anime commentaries.

Incidentally, if you want to see the creditless title sequences, just turn the subtitles off completely while they play.

Conclusion

The fifth volume of R.O.D the TV is subtitled The Darkest Hour, and as the four episodes develop on this disc, the story does get relentlessly dark. Also, not a lot happens in terms of action and excitement, it`s really all character development and exposition, yet in many ways, this is the strongest volume of R.O.D yet.

The sole snag I found in the previous volume was the massive full stop in the middle of it. The light adventure, action and story developed to a crescendo at the halfway point, then it was as if all the momentum was lost as the story assimilated new characters and tried to find itself a new direction. And it really is a new direction as the story begins anew in this volume. Yomiko and Nenene have been reunited, the group have become fugitives from the agents of the British Library as Joker`s plans coalesce, and our heroes seem at a loss as to where to go next.

The first three episodes are spent with The Paper Sisters, Nenene, Yomiko and Nancy, as well as Junior and Drake as they hide out in the mountains. These episodes are about coming to terms with what has happened, as well as coming clean about the past. As the world continues to be overwhelmed by the British Library plan, the girls try and find a brief moment of respite and domesticity. At the heart of all these machinations is the person of Junior, and when the truth of his origins is revealed, his loyalties are sorely tested. Anita`s memories only go back as far as the fire five or so years ago, a vision of a mysterious figure at the heart of it. When it turns out that the figure was Yomiko Readman and the fire was the British Library incident that claimed so many lives, it becomes difficult for Anita to deal with it.

But deal with it she must, when The British Library operatives arrive and Yomiko and Anita find that they have to work together. I think the oddest thing for me has been how the characters have changed since the OVA, although expecting them to stay the same would be too Hollywood. While I miss the klutzy and cute Wendy of old, the biggest change has been in Yomiko. She certainly isn`t the happy go lucky secret agent of the OVA, and she has been subdued and introverted in the TV series. It becomes obvious why, when she relates her story, and we see the burden of guilt that she bears. Still, it was a sweet moment when she seemed to come out of her shell to work with Anita, and it was nice to see the Yomiko of old, if only for a minute.

For then, R.O.D throws in a "You didn`t just do that!" moment. It`s a twist to end all twists, a story development that simply cannot sustain, and you know probably won`t, but there is that sneaky suspicion that in anime, they could get away with it. That`s what has been so impressive about this volume. There has been a relentless and subliminal build up of suspense. Even when we see the sisters in happier times, the shadow of Joker`s machinations are always in the background, and as the story progresses, the feeling is that something ominous is just around the corner, and when the worst does eventually happen, it is as bad as things could get.

The happy-go-lucky feel of the earlier episodes may be gone, but the fifth volume of R.O.D the TV is excellent story telling. Another essential disc in an essential anime series.