THE THIRD
I’ve been through the desert on a horse with no name...
Review by: Craig “Wicked Sunburn” Norris
Length: 24 episodes
Genre: Action, sci-fi, drama
Watched: All, subbed
Anime has taught me many valuable lessons over the years. One of those things is that human beings constantly screw themselves in major ways. In this case, it’s global devastation through warfare. That situation certainly isn’t something that hasn’t been explored before, but the good points of this series make me forgive the fact that it consistently treads on well-traveled ground.
Plot synopsis: Many years ago, a great war destroyed much of the planet and its people. Outside the cities is nothing but an infinite expanse of desert. Humans are now under the rule of The Third, the next leap forward in evolution that control and monitor all technology in order to prevent its misuse for selfish and warlike reasons. Honoka was born and raised in this world, and uses her sword not only as her main source of income, but as her tool for survival. When she saves a mysterious man in the desert who hires her to be her bodyguard, she begins a journey that will reveal the secrets of the planet to her.
Artwork: For a 2006 release, it’s not terribly impressive. I do like that the production does not rely heavily on CG, however, which allows the artwork to maintain a certain flow and consistency. There is a very limited variety of backgrounds, with the vast majority of the series taking place in either modest towns or bleak, featureless desert. The visuals reminded me a lot of Trigun, which is particularly worth noting because they cannot eclipse the visual quality of that much older series.
Music: The soundtrack follows a very safe pattern by maintaining relative obscurity most of the time, willing to forfeit the spotlight in favor of dialogue and action. The series will break out the vocal tracks, however, during particularly poignant or climactic moments, but I can count all those cases on one hand. The opening song is a mellow number that suits the series well, as it is ambiguous enough to complement its largely serious mood, but also its romantic and silly moments as well. The two ending themes weren’t nearly as memorable, but they were okay. In fact, “okay” would be a good word to describe the entire soundtrack.
Characters: The main players in this anime are given a sufficient degree of complexity, but are not weighed down by personal turmoil, which makes them pretty easy to understand and sympathize with. Honoka is a seventeen year-old sword-for-hire who will take any job, except assassination. Her abilities with a katana are extraordinarily advanced, as they were honed by a master swordsman and the rigors of surviving in the desert. Honoka is an extremely likeable character, because her emotional state (whatever it may be) is always justified by what happens around her; she never overreacts or under-reacts, and often seems like a genuine person. Honoka is assisted in her travels by Bogie, an artificial intelligence that controls her massive sand tank. Bogie has looked after Honoka since she was a child, and often seems more like a big brother than a computer program. Iks is a young man whom Honoka saved from giant ants in the desert one night. He seems to take an interest in Honoka, and offers her a generous payment to act as a bodyguard/tour guide. He has the power to heal with nothing more than a touch, and always wears a smile. Millie is a young girl who travels through the desert with her father, the renowned mechanic Zanka. She treats Honoka like a big sister, and enjoys having her as a counter-balance to her father’s company on occasion. Joganki is a member of The Third who seems extremely interested in Honoka. Seemingly it’s because he notices some hidden power within her, but he makes it known that his interest runs much deeper than that. Paife is a health teacher at Millie’s school that leads a double life as a mercenary. She employs firearms of all types to aid her in her assignments, and also fights using a technique that channels her chi. She can also use her chi to pull off the old Jedi mind trick, but oddly it does not affect Honoka. As a result, she also becomes intrigued with Honoka’s hidden powers. One character I did not like, however, was a character that is never seen, but is nevertheless almost constantly present. Yes, this series makes use of a narrator to offer exposition. Unfortunately, he only explains what we can easily infer or already know. Hence, he is useless, and makes me feel like the anime thinks I’m dumb. And I don’t take kindly to anyone insulting my intelligence, even if it is a disembodied voice that plays a superfluous part in an animated series.
Plot: The bulk of this series is organized into three- or four-episode arcs, so really it’s a bunch of smaller plots strung together. The plot focuses for the most part on Honoka and her travels in the desert, and the people and creatures she meets there. The backdrop of the series is an exploration into The Third and Technos Taboo, the law established that limits the amount of technology that humans can develop. The Third are psychically connected by their “space eye,” a third eye in the middle of their forehead that allows them to communicate remotely with one another, as well as all electronic networks. The series seems to flip-flop between portraying The Third as benevolent, reasonable rulers, and oppressive, elitist tyrants. I guess it all depends on what side the viewer takes. Aside from sometimes being a little hokey and/or farfetched, the plot is at least moderately entertaining, and makes decent use of 24 episodes.
CHICKS!: The chicks in this anime certainly aren’t the girl-next-door types, starting first and foremost with Honoka. At times she is tomboyish and strikingly unfeminine (especially when she’s slicing up desert monsters with her katana). However, she often shows her soft side during moments of extreme compassion for others, and quiet contemplation while staring at the stars. So, if you like a girl who is naturally soft-spoken but not afraid to bust out the whoopin’ stick, Honoka is your dream come true. Paife is a fun girl, being more in touch with her femininity, and much more curvaceous than Honoka. She professes her hatred for men, and also admits that she gets crushes easily. Translation: promiscuous yuri alert! Even if I can’t get in on it, it’s still fun to watch. Fila Marique is a member of The Third who associates regularly with Joganki, but appears romantically disinterested in him. She is the stateliest beauty available in the series, and should be the prime target for those who prefer mature, classically-chiseled women. That is, if you can get past her third eye, the characteristic physical attribute of The Third (hence their unimaginative name).
Overall: This is a pretty respectable title to add to the ever-growing list of anime focusing on a post-apocalyptic future that leaves humanity ruled by a race of superior beings. If you’ve already grown tired of that theme, the series still offers up some very likeable characters and a handful of above-average songs that are almost guaranteed to hold your attention for most of the 24 episodes. This is a good old-fashioned anime that doesn’t do too much, but what it does, it does fairly well.
IN A NUTSHELL
+ Likeable characters
+ Entertaining plot arcs
- Artwork quality is behind the times
- Unnecessary narration
Rating: 7.5/10
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