Read or Die
It’s James Bond meets X-Men
Review by" Craig "Bitten by Radioactive Spider and Entrusted with the Future of Mankind" Norris
Length: 3 episode OAV
Genre: Action
Watched: 1-3, subbed
With a title like Read Or Die, who wouldn’t be interested? I wondered what the plot would be like. I pictured Dennis Hopper telling Keanu Reeves that he had to read over 50 words a minute or the book would explode. All silliness aside, the title does not have all that much to do with the series, but that has happened before, so it’s totally forgivable. Besides, with action like this, who cares what the hell the title card says?
Plot synopsis: Yomiko Readman, codename The Paper, works for a covert British organization similar to the secret service. She is called upon to investigate an apparent resurrection of historical figures with strange powers. Using her own power (the control of paper) she teams up with her new partner Nancy, codename Ms. Deep, and investigates the group, known as Ijin. They learn that the plot goes much farther than bringing people back to life, and could very well bring the entire planet to its knees.
Artwork: This series is very easy on the eyes. The character designs are diverse and well rendered, but the backgrounds and machine/vehicle designs are what puts this series at the forefront. When was the last time you saw a Da Vinci-esque flying machine tooling around the New York skyline with a super charged jet pack? The artwork, coupled with the unique abilities of the characters, are what makes this show so refreshing and compelling.
Music: Guess what? It’s Beethoven! Okay, not the whole thing, but enough of the composer’s music is incorporated to offer up a tantalizing soundtrack. The opening theme is very reminiscent of the aforementioned British secret agent with the three digit identity, and the visuals of the opening sequence even incorporate some of the nude silhouettes made famous by the movie franchise. The only shortcoming is a techno rendition of one of Beethoven’s classics that I’m sure has him rolling in his grave, even though he couldn’t hear it anyway. Other than a few glitches, the soundtrack is impressive, and surprisingly expansive for a three episode series.
Characters: Easily the most impressive part of the show is the characters, and the unique abilities they have. One need look no further than Yomiko Readman, whose special ability is controlling paper. She can fold it without using her hands, she can string several sheets together and make them stick like iron, and can even make index cards bulletproof! Fittingly, she is addicted to reading, using most of her salary for the purchase of new books, which literally bury her in her apartment. Nancy also has an interesting ability, being able to phase through solid objects. And she even found herself an outfit that phases along with her, but it’s a little revealing (must be from the new Victoria’s Secret Agent catalog). She acts as a big sister figure for Yomiko, and is much more professional than her bespectacled partner. Joker, Yomiko’s boss, has undying faith in his agents and gives them every opportunity to complete a mission on their own. He also knows of Yomiko’s weakness for books, and sometimes holds it over her head as an incentive to accept a mission. Drake Anderson is another agent that is called upon to assist Yomiko. He has no special powers, but he has a good knowledge of electronics and explosives and does a lot of behind the scenes work. All the characters are fun and interesting, and it’ll only take through watching the first duel between Yomiko and an Ijin before you realize just how cool they are.
Plot: Basically, there’s a diabolical madman who’s bent on global destruction because of a raging superiority complex. It’s an old plot device, but it is revived here with sufficient panache and nuances that it still seems interesting. As with any show involving covert operations, there are plenty of plot twists, so don’t get too comfortable with the storyline. There is a tremendous amount of plot crammed into three episodes, and it can get a bit overwhelming at times, so multiple viewings might be required to digest it all. But the show is so entertaining, you’d probably do that anyway.
CHICKS!: Even James Bond would feel hot around the collar around these fine specimens. Yomiko is one of the cutest things going, with a sweet face framed by thick-rimmed glasses. She blushes a lot, usually when she’s around books. Anyone interested in her would have to be well read, or she probably wouldn’t even look up from her latest literary acquisition to give you the time of day. She’s energetic and kind of naive, and there’s potential for shoujo-ai between her and Nancy. Nancy is unbelievably hot, and her work outfit is tight, low-cut black leather, that shows off impressive cleavage. She’s a hard edged, take-charge kind of woman, but shows a soft side around Yomiko, and might not be opposed to returning her shoujo-ai feelings. Joker’s secretary, Nancy, is a resourceful blonde cutie. She is particularly cute when she’s flustered, often dropping any papers she’s carrying. While the show is not infested with chicks, the ones that do appear are all high quality, and have enough collective appeal to offer up a nearly complete package of chick-ness.
Overall: This is one of the few OAVs that I wish was a lot longer. Not only because the plot was awkwardly crammed into three episodes, but because I found the characters to be very intriguing, and can see limitless possibilities for their future exploits. The production values are all very high, and is all around just an impressive and entertaining spectacle. Ian Fleming, eat your heart out. So be sure to watch. Or die.
IN A NUTSHELL
+ Great animation
+ New spin on a done genre
+ Beethoven!
- Techno Beethoven?
- Too short
Rating: 9/10
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