Review of R.O.D. (TV Series): Vol. 2 The Undercover Student (Read Or Die)

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. Mr Joker is a character from the OVA, and there is a tantalising glimpse of him in the second episode of the TV series. It isn`t long before he`s part of the story, and as the show progresses, Nenene`s search for her friend Yomiko Readman also takes on a greater significance. 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 volume 1.

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.

In the opening volume, they hired on as bodyguards of acclaimed author Nenene Sumiregawa. In the second volume, the sisters` hidden past begins to be unveiled, and a dark conspiracy develops. The next four episodes of R.O.D The TV are presented on this dual layer disc from MVM, along with a few extra goodies.

5. They Shout
After getting a lead on Yomiko Readman, Nenene disappears for a week, leaving the Paper Sisters needing to earn a crust. Their occasional employers Dokusensha Inc fulfil that need with a mission that takes them to Romania. 4 years previously, The British Library incident led to the destruction of several priceless manuscripts. Some were unaccounted for, and one has been located in the possession of a Professor Webber, who lives on an isolated island in the middle of a lake. The girls have to break in, steal the book, and escape undetected. But Webber has been especially waiting for some Paper Masters.

6. The Right Stuff
Normality returns to Anita`s school following the break-in attempt at the library. But normal for most children is a nightmare for Anita. There is a Parents` Day coming up, where she will have to present a book report, and horror of horrors, that means finally reading a book. She`s all ready to ditch class, but her new friend Hisami tries to convince her otherwise. Meanwhile Nenene is finally getting over her writers block, while a grey haired boy is paying particular attention to the school library.

7. In A Grove
Dokusensha Inc assigns the sisters another mission to retrieve a British Library manuscript. This one seems relatively easy, an unassuming actor by the name of Jon Smith has it in his possession, and all they have to do is meet him in a certain café. Then Michelle vanishes while going to the restroom, Maggie is arrested and framed for her murder, and Anita is left all alone as the denizens of the town become ever more bizarre. Meanwhile Dokusensha Inc has a new employee.

8. Seduced By The Night
Anita`s school library keeps being ransacked, and the rumours are that there is a poltergeist haunting the school. Hisami has been assigned the task of catching the ghost in the act, but to cut down on the scares, the whole class decides to make a night of it. The enigmatic grey haired boy also shows up. Junior finds a friend in Anita, but is torn between his new friend and his duty. Meanwhile, Mr Carpenter a.k.a. Joker is making his mark at Dokusensha.

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. I`ve become more enamoured of the animation of R.O.D. The TV, and the second time round notice many more subtleties in the animation style. My initial impression of fluid action sequences and static dialogue scenes was mistaken, and the show definitely comes across as of a piece. 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 Full Metal Alchemist and Chobits. The previews, which are normally at the end of each episode, get consigned to their own section here. You`ll also find a gallery containing 9 images from the show.

This volume`s commentary features English dub voice director Taliesin Jaffe, along with the three paper sisters, Sara Lahti (Maggie), Rachel Hirschfeld (Anita), and Hunter Mackenzie Austin (Michelle). There is a little of interest here, as the actors talk about their characters and their other work, but it quickly descends into one of those gossipy gigglefests that is much more fun to participate in than it is to listen to.

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

Conclusion

Maintaining the high standards of the first volume, this second volume is easy to recommend. Of course I have a particular soft spot for the series, its book loving heroes and paper folding martial arts appealing to this bibliophile. I also happen to think that any action series that upholds heroes that don`t resort to gunplay and brute force ought to have pride of place in the schedules and on DVD shelves. There`s a moment in The Right Stuff where inveterate book hater Anita picks up and reads her first novel, and I swear I had a vicarious tear of pride in my eye.

This is my second time around in the Read Or Die universe, and I also begin to appreciate the debt this show owes to those sixties serial spy thrillers of my childhood. You can feel the spirit of those high concept dramas like The Persuaders, The Saint, Randall & Hopkirk and even James Bond seeping through this show`s pores. So not only do I have my love of books reflected, this show also appeals to my innate nostalgic streak. The show`s pretty good too, with strong writing and appealing characterisations. Anita is bratty but adorable, Maggie is introverted yet strong, while Michelle is ditzy yet maternal. Nenene is the author who has to put up with them, and so takes every opportunity to hassle them.

This volume continues to introduce the world and develop the characters, and it does so by interleaving the action episodes with domestic ones. They Shout is a classic heist episode. The girls have to break into an isolated castle, retrieve a manuscript and escape. You would think that that would be an ideal opportunity to show off their paper skills, but their foe is ready for them, controlling a sound weapon that defeats their abilities and warps their personalities, setting the sisters against one another. We see more of the past that has been hinted at, we learn of the British Library incident, and the waning of British power in the world. We also learn that Anita`s memories are obscured, her hatred of books stems from the last thing she remembers, a building of burning books and a mysterious figure. It doesn`t take a rocket scientist to link the two. Their next mission is in In A Grove, again to retrieve a manuscript. This episode wears its sixties credentials on its sleeve, as the sisters get caught up in a mysterious town that wouldn`t be out of place in The Prisoner, as it seems that someone is watching their every move, and toying with their minds.

The Right Stuff and Seduced By The Night offer the girls a domestic respite, as we join Anita at school with her friends. These episodes may be action light, but they are excellent for developing the characters, and they do tell enjoyable stories. The main story isn`t far behind though, and following the assault from the first volume, it becomes clear that one of the missing manuscripts is hidden in the school library. Junior, the grey haired boy assigned to retrieve it (who I thought was a girl in the previous volume, stupid long hair and female VA!) gradually becomes friends with Anita in these episodes, and finds his loyalties tested.

All the while, the main story develops in the background; Mr Carpenter (Mr Joker in the OVA) plays more of a nefarious part in the proceedings. He is the one who assigned Junior the mission, and he even joins Dokusensha at the end of the volume. He`s clearly up to no good, and I wonder what happened to turn him from M in the OVA to the Blofeld type character in the series. There are more nods and winks to the OVA in the episodes, gifts to those who have seen it, unessential to those who have not. I got a kick out of seeing the Suicide Symphony on Professor Webber`s Megalomaniac Organ ™

R.O.D The TV is smart, sassy and has great characters. It gets the balance between paying homage and blazing its own trail just right, and it pushes all the right buttons for this fan of the printed word. An excellent anime that should be on all shelves.