R.O.D. (Read or Die)

Reviewed By: Carla Land

Manga Entertainment DVD (2003)

Review based on only volume (episodes 1- 3)

Rating 13+

What it’s (basically) all about: Yomiko Readman is an absent minded young woman with a massive collection of books and a secret- she is known as Agent Paper, and is able to turn any paper into a weapon. When clones of notable historical people (such as Genjo Sanzo and Jean-Henri Fabre) begin stealing books, it is up to Yomiko and the British Library Special Engineering Forces to solve the mystery of why and stop the madman in charge. But the real question is this: can they do it before she has to report for that substitute teaching position next week?

Nitty Gritty: Well, for something that sounds as silly and off the wall as this does, it has quite a bit of violence and intrigue. Yomiko isn’t exactly what you picture a secret agent to be: she freely gives out her name, trusts everyone she meets, and is found more often with her nose in a book than working on the case. However, her special abilities make her a force to be reckoned with. She can turn a dollar bill into a lethal throwing knife, for instance, though she’s likely to apologize after throwing it.

The story is interesting and action oriented, even is Yomiko isn't. There is a lot of travel, mystery, and even betrayal and redemption.

Other things to note: the American President keeps urinating on himself in fear, there is some blood and death on screen (though mostly it is clones who die in fiery explosions), and the New York skyline includes the Twin Towers.

The opening is a little on the mature side, with James Bond-esque silhouettes of a naked woman behind the credits. Other than that, though, there isn’t any sex in the show at all, and even Yomiko’s partner, who is fairly busty, is less a sexual presence than an agent who just doesn’t get Yomiko at all.

Special features include an interview with the Japanese filmmakers, which lasts for almost twenty minutes and has the worst sound quality this side of a scratched LP. Better are the Historical Biographies, which explain who all the cloned notables are and why they are notable. Also included are a photo gallery (still shots from the show), the original trailer, and more previews than can be listed here. (Some of these include Ninja Scroll, Street Fighter II, The Last Vampire and Ghost in the Shell.) Though Manga Entertainment seems to play to an older crowd, all of the previews were appropriate enough for teen audiences.

The chapter menu will really appeal to librarian types- chapter selections have Dewey and Library of Congress Classifications.

Lastly, there is a television show called R.O.D.- the TV series, but is different from this disk. This is a three episode story arc that is a direct to video (or Original Video Animation, commonly referred to as OAV) release. It is also based on the manga R.O.D. (Read or Die).

Survey says: This would be appropriate for teen collections. The only thing parents may balk at is the credits.

Personal Ad: What’s not to like about a bibliophile action hero? I like this one very much!