R. O. D. The TV Series
Publisher
Geneon / MVM
Country of origin
Japan
Format
Series
Running time
26 episodes / 25 minutes
Year
2003
R.O.D. The TV Series Volume 4: The Turning Point
By otaku_kei
25th Jan 06  Volume 3 of R.O.D. The TV ended on such a cliffhanger that I have been awaiting this volume with pant-wetting anticipation! Just how are the Three Sisters going to survive the assault on Dokusensha HQ? Just what are Dokusensha's intentions with Nenene? And just how do Mr. Joker and Julian fit into all of this? With so much going on you would think this volume would end up being horribly muddled and hurried and yet the clarity of vision, action and characterisation that makes this show so splendid continues unabated! This volume picks up exactly where the last volume left off - with the Three Sisters engaged in a full blown assault on the Dokusensha Headquarters in a bid to rescue Nenene from their clutches. Michelle and Anita continue the search whilst Maggie faces off against the extraordinarily powerful Paper Master that Dokusensha keeps in their employ. This episode shows off all the obvious reasons why this show is so popular! The action grips the viewer by the jugular and never lets go, but constantly we get reminded that at it's core this is a show based on the characters and the strong bonds of friendship and love between the four female leads. But this episode also rounds off the transitionary stage of this show as Mr Joker starts putting into motion the events that will dominate for the rest of this series. Although I have to say that the events that are set in motion possibly are the single greatest example of cartoon villainy I've seen since Marvin the Martian was defeated by Bugs Bunny! We get an episode that fleshes out just what Mr. Joker is planning and why. The British Library turns out to be the greatest threat to world peace! Uh huh. I never knew that the archivists at the British Library could plot such evil, but completely understandable when working under the directives of a man named Mr. Gentleman! Now that is a name that will live in infamy, like Dr. Evil or Claw! So with the British Library being the driving force behind an attempt to restore the glory of the British Empire we finally get the start of the main plot of this series. But whether Mr. Joker's schemes can ever take effect is not certain. With the girls now on the run it can only be a matter of time before they are hunted down so its time to go into hiding - which is when Yumiko Readman is found! For fans of the R.O.D. OVA it is a welcome return for the clutzy Paper Master, a return that plays right into the hands of the conspiracy formed by the British Library! Of course the British are not going to take this lying down, and in a bid to halt the Three Sisters adding yet another Paper Master to their ranks they wage a battle both physical and psychological - though the use of anti-Paper Master strike teams and Nazi-style public book burnings! It is time for the girls to flee, but their enemies are close on their heels! This show is now moving beyond the stages of introduction, having now fully established the main characters, their motivations and the real villains of the piece. R.O.D. the TV's focus on character makes this show, for me one of the best hitting shelves at the moment. It has consistently entertained, the action has been exhilarating and inventive but clearly the driving force behind this show are the central character relationships! But with the plot finally stepping up a gear I'm sure this show is set for even greater things!
R2 DVD Notes
Features: English Language 5.1; Japanese Language 2.0; English Language Subtitles; Commentary; Art Gallery; Episode Previews; MVM Trailers
Release information: OUT NOW
Notes: What to say, what to say? Well I know it's bcoming quite redundant to say so but MVM and their DVD authoring partners Madman have prioduced yet another quality disc. The audio and visual quality is top notch, and the extras provide another level of entertainment to this show.
-- otaku_kei 25th Jan 06
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