ROD: The Television Series
Volumes 2 and 3
(aka; Read or Die)
(MVM Region 2 PAL DVD)
(2005)
review by Blackgloves

This excellent TV anime spin-off from the OVA, "Read Or Die", continues with another two volumes released in the UK by MVM. Volume Two offers a mix of action-orientated episodes and more character-based ones. The Three Sisters Detective Agency (aka: Paper Masters, Michelle, Maggie and Anita) are now firmly ensconced in the life of young author, Nenene Sumiregawa ... in fact, they've moved into her apartment! After the events in Hong Kong (see review of last volume), the girls have been employed by Nenene's domestic publisher, Mr Lee, to protect her; much to the author's great annoyance! But the animating influence of Nenene's new housemates has begun to have other unforeseen consequences: after an extended period of heavy writer's block, which has rendered her unable to follow up the huge success of her debut novel, "Midnight/Liberation Zone", Nenene has finally begun writing again!

Episode 5 - "They Shout", sees the three sisters resuming their book detecting activities in Romania; their old client, Dokushensha Inc, has employed them to track down one of a series of books that were smuggled out of the British Library during a fire several years previously. The first, "The Book of the Pulsing Flesh", is believed to be held in the cavernous Romanian mansion of the reclusive Professor Webber, and it is the three sisters' job to steal it! After being briefed by their oriental contact, Mr Kim, the girls set out on their mission with the aid of their magical, paper-manipulating powers. But it appears that Webber has a few tricks of his own and he will not give up the mysterious book without a fight!

This action-packed episode is followed-up by a more domestic one: Episode 6 - "The Right Stuff" sees the pink-haired young Paper Master, Anita stressing over school life in Japan when she is assigned a literary essay which also clashes with a family visit day at the school! Having to read a book is bad enough (despite being a Paper Master, Anita does not share her two sister's bibliomania!) but the prospect of being embarrassed by the eccentric Michelle and Maggie in front of her new friends is too much! There is only one thing for it: Anita will have to keep the family visit day a secret from them! Unfortunately, Nenene finds out about it and tells the other girls. Naturally, they can't wait to attend!

In Episode 7 - "In A Grove" the three girlie Paper Masters are back on another mission for Dokusensha, searching for a British character actor by the name of John Smith who is believed to have possession of another missing British Library book: "The Book of the Rising Intellect". A seemingly innocuous visit to a small coffee shop sets in motion a series of increasingly bizzarre events that include the disappearance of Michelle and Maggie's arrest for her sister's murder!

This weird, hallucinogenic episode is followed by another that takes us back to the strange shenanigans occurring in-and-around Anita's school. Episode 8 - "Seduced by the Night" features Anita and her best friend Hisami on a stake out at the school library where they hope to catch a poltergeist who has been making a mess of the books in the middle of the night! Soon, all of Anita's pals are in on the adventure including the introverted new boy called Junior. As the night wears on, friendships are forged and there is romance in the air!

These four episodes offer a nice mix of elements including fantasy, action- adventure and quieter, romantic interludes -- all soundtracked by a wonderful score of John Barry and Bert Bacharach pastiches! There are hints here of a larger mystery surrounding the boy Junior who is associated with a mysterious Mr Carpenter and his well-spoken female assistant, who seem to be searching for something at the school library and who also appear to have an association with Dokusensha Inc. But the viewer will be unprepared for the full extent of the plot that will soon put the friendship between the three sisters and Nenene to the ultimate test in Volume 3!

The first episode of Vol 3, Episode 9 - "Heart of Darkness" sees the girls involved in another mission for Dokusensha: this time tracking down a young female archaeologist who has been on the run from the company for some time with her bodyguard, Mr Drake. The woman has possession of another book Dokusensha want to get their hands on: "The Book of Forlorn Blood". This time, events conspire to bring the three sisters together with their quarry while they are out with Nenene. They track the archaeologist to a hidden underground fortress; but Michelle, Maggie and Anita are unaware that they have led a Dokusensha Paper Master Assassin to the woman, and the girls get their first taste of the ruthlessness of their mysterious employers! This episode finally reveals Dokusensha Inc as being a rather dubious organisation, but this developing plot line is put on hold for a few episodes as Nenene, who is nearing completion of her second novel, attends an awards ceremony for promising new writers which brings back memories of when she herself was given the award! Episode 10 - "Christmas Carol" sees the nervous young writer dealing with the cut-throat world of publishing as she faces old rivals who are quick to point out that Nenene has decidedly failed to live up to that early promise she displayed in her debut novel!

"Episode 11 - "Goodbye Japan" takes place when Nenene has finally finished the preliminary manuscript for her second novel. Her editor, Mr Lee wants to tie the books publication in with the release in Japan of the Hong Kong produced film version of the author's previous book which entails another trip to Hong Kong for Nenene and her three Paper Master bodyguards. It seems things are finally looking up for Nenene's career but Mr Lee also informs Michelle, Maggie and Anita that their services will no longer be required and that they will not be returning to Japan with Nenene after the Hong Kong trip is over! Anita, after finally gaining acceptance from her schoolmates and becoming settled at the school, is now faced with the prospect of leaving her new-found friends forever!

In Japan, Nenene returns to the Hong Kong apartment of the Three Sisters Detective Agency, but events are about to take a most unexpected and disturbing turn: Nenene is abducted by a unit of armed soldiers; an unlikely culprit is behind the plot ,and he pays off the sisters with a suitcase full of cash -- enough to keep the girls in books for the rest of their lives! Nenene meanwhile ends up at Dokusensha Inc headquarters which is being employed by Mr Carpenter to retrieve the set of books that have occupied the Three Sister's energies for the last few episodes. It appears they and Nenene are needed for a mysterious procedure which will change the world forever. Naturally, Michelle, Maggie and Anita are not about to leave their new friend to her fate and they set out on their most dangerous mission yet: to save Nenene from some ruthless new enemies!

With this last episode, the series seems to be taking a new direction after some surprising twists; future episodes promise some interesting developments and a much taughter structure. This is one series that seems well thought-out from the beginning and there are genuine surprises with every episode. MVM offer the series with the choice of English and Japanese language versions (with English subtitles) and extras include art galleries and trailers for future episodes. Each volume also includes one commentary track each: with Vol 2 we get English dub voice director Taliesin Jaffe joined by the voice actors who play the three sisters in the English version: Rachel Hirschfeld (Anita), Sara Lahti (Maggie), and Hunter Mackenzie Austin (Michelle). This is a light-hearted commentary which is mostly full of banter between the girls but if its information you want then the commentary on Vol 3, where Jaffe is joined by producer Jonathan Klein, will be more your line. The two explain how they go about adapting a show for English language and expound on their theory of translation and how it informs their English version.

"ROD The TV" is an imaginative series and continues to look great. Anime fans should make sure they check it out.