Read or Die (2001) (V)

User Rating:

7.6/10   

Directors:

Kouji Masunari
Amanda Winn Lee

Writers:

Ai Kennedy (translation)
Hideyuki Kurata (writer)

Genre:

Animation | Adventure | Fantasy | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Plot:

A young female agent with a powerful psionic power over paper must stop a plot for world destruction. |

Plot Keywords:

Psionic Power | Anime | Spy | Redemption | Warrior Woman

Cast

Ryan Abraham	...	Alex / Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Raymond Braun	...	Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Brooke Cadorette	...	Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Sue Cremin	...	Yoko / Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Tricia Dickson	...	Wendy (voice: English version)
Chad Fifer	...	Genjo (voice: English version)
Crispin Freeman	...	Joker (voice: English version)
Hozumi Gôda	...	Joker (voice)
Dean Haglund	...	Gennai Hiraga (voice: English version)
Adam Harrington	...	Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Dave Herbelin	...	President (voice: English version)
Masami Iwasaki	...	Drake 'Mr. Drake' Anderson (voice)
Jason Lee	...	Drake Anderson (voice: English version) (as Jaxon Lee)
Hal Lublin	...	Otto Lilienthal (voice: English version)
Scott MacDonell	...	Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Jason Miller	...	Various (voice)
Rieko Miura	...	Yomiko 'The Paper' Readman (voice)
Michiko Neya	...	Nancy 'Miss Deep' Makuhari (voice)
Chikao Ôtsuka	...	Hiraga Gen-nai (voice)
Robert J. Peterson	...	Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Daniel Raymont	...	Ikkyu (voice: English version)
Michael Ross	...	Paul (voice: English version) (as Michael John Ross)
Douglas Rye	...	Jean-Henri Fabre / Mr. Gentleman / Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Junko Takeuchi	...	Fabre (voice)
Amanda Winn Lee	...	Nancy 'Miss Deep' Makuhari (voice: English version)
Kimberly Yates	...	Yomiko 'The Paper' Readman (voice: English version)

Also Known As:

R.O.D (International: English title) (short title)
R.O.D Read or Die (International: English title) (long title)

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Color:

Color

Certification:

Singapore:NC-16

Company:

SME Visual Works

Trivia:

In episode 1, when Joker debriefs Yomiko on the I-Jin incident, a screen displays a list of people who were candidates for the I-Jin project. One of the names is series creator Hideyuki Kurata.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Yomiko catches Nancy in the hallway outside her room to talk to her, her hair briefly seems to be out of the braids Nancy put it in a few moments ago. The braids return as they're about to leave the submarine.

Quotes:

[repeated line]
Yomiko Readman aka 'The Paper': Please give me back my book!

Movie Connections:

References The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)

Excellent movie from beginning to end.

I saw this one about a year ago out of curiosity (the name alone sounds interesting) and I thoroughly enjoyed what I saw.

The story revolves around Yomiko Readman, a.k.a. The Paper, a substitute teacher/secret agent for the Royal British Library, and also quite a book collector with the unique ability to control paper (it's cooler than it sounds, trust me). She reports to a man called Joker when called into action. But she can't do it alone. She needs the help of her fellow agents: Nancy Makuhari, a.k.a. Miss Deep, who can pass through solid objects as if they were air; and Drake Anderson, who has no special talent, although he is able to see the bad side of nearly every situation. Together, they must stop a group of famous people from the past, who were brought back to life through genetic reconstruction, from destroying the world.

With superb animation quality and a story that will keep you guessing right up until the end, this OVA is up in the top of my list of favorites. I'd recommend this to anyone, whether you're an anime fan or not.