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: After Ikkyu first speaks to the world, inside the LLLU control room Mr. Gentlemen talks to Joker over the intercom. In the shot of the computers below the balcony, the staff and chairs are gone. In the next shot they reappear.

Quotes:

Nancy Makuhari aka 'Miss Deep': [about her code name] I don't really like it. It makes me sound like a porn star.

Movie Connections:

References The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)

Satisfactory.

Unlike the rather paltry and ridiculous series which shares its name, this OVA is actually quite worth your time, anime fan or not. A lot of the usual anime clichés are abundant, but the difference here is that they are wrapped up tightly inside a packaging that is fairly original, and extremely entertaining, too. I mean, a bookish, busty young Japanese lady fighting with paper against big guys with guns and swords? Hey, it might not be all that weird for anime standards, but I find it pretty fun.

The story is pretty simple, yet involving and intriguing at the same time, skipping along at a gallant pace and always keeping the viewer on the edge of his seat. Read or Die is silly at times, and it does not vary all that much from what the viewer would expect from an anime, but it is damned good, and fans of the style should check it out.