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Information

Title (English) Read or Die

Title (Japanese) R.O.D.

Advertising
Fantasy Novel

Notes "R.O.D." stands for "Read Or Die". The R2 DVD is #SVWB 7056, 5,600 Y, 32 minutes long and released on May 23, 2001.
Apparently the characters are based upon a manga, but the story line is original for the OAV.
Reports of a US license being bought by Manga Entertainment.

Classification -

Synopsis The main character is Yomiko Readman, code name "The Paper". A mysterious person with incredible powers has just destroyed the White House ( he thought it was a library ) and is destroying other libraries while looking for a mysterious book. It just so happens that Yomiko has just bought that very same book, and so the adventure begins.

Review Just to add to the message, the first kanji in Yomiko is the kanji for "read". (g)
This show is done for laughs to a good extent, but it isn't as much a parody as an homage to James Bond-style stories crossed with girls-with-guns stories. There is incredibly well done animation, great action, a stylish look to the villains and to their gadgets and an excellent jazz BGM done in what I think of as Oscar Peterson style. And Yomiko is a very endearingly eccentric little heroine. She spends most of her time lost in whatever books she has happened to find, but don't touch her glasses and definitely, don't take her books! (L) Yomiko also has a very neat set of tricks that she does with paper.
So if you are looking for a really fun and fast-paced new OAV series, "Read Or Die" is definitely worth checking out.
Dave Baranyi
Damn! Now this is what an OAV is supposed to be!!! I just watched the third and final episode of "Read or Die" - SMW Visual Works #SVWB 7058 R2 DVD, 4:3 aspect ratio, 36 minutes, 5,600 Yen, released February 6, 2002. Along with the DVD came a character card, a booklet with various prototype character designs ( such as a character card that unfortunately didn't get into the final version (L) ) and a number of advertisement sheets including ads for an R.O.D. trading card game.
R.O.D., of course, is the recent and very original story set in an alternate world of advanced science, "steam-punk" design styles and strange magic, not the least of which is Yomiko Readman's abilities with paper that have gotten her the code name "The Paper". Episode 3 surprisingly outdoes the two earlier episodes in combining breathtaking action, humor, drama, pathos and amazingly rapid yet in depth character development. Add to this the great sound track, non-stop incredibly detailed and ambitious animation, snappy dialog and a poignant ending. Then, as a bonus, there are also on-disk character designs as well as cell shots of some of the backgrounds. And to boot, like the earlier disks, there is great animation done to the main theme when you go to the main menu.
All-in-all, "Read or Die" is a great ride - reminiscent of the best of the James Bond films. And I'm totally in love with Yomiko - how can there not be more OAV's? There are plenty of other good stories in the R.O.D. novels. I can't recommend this series highly enough!
To rephrase slightly the opening lines in the prologue to Book 1 in the series:
"R.O.D. ga suki. Shinu hodo suki."
(Dave Baranyi)
I have seen the three episodes, and this is the best OVA series I have seen for ages. The concept is far more original than the average anime, the animation is impressive, the action is really exciting, and Yomiko is a delightful and surprising heroine.
The setting, while close to the present day, has a rather retro feel to it, and there is plenty of well-realised equipment to please fans of gadgets and hardware.
And, note that the secret organisation that Yomiko works for appears to be British :-).
(GC)

Credits

Episodes 3

Release Jap:DVD

TV Showing See the whole series for free? This series may be syndicated to regional cable, satellite or terrestial TV stations. For Europe click here.

Date 2001

Production SMW Visual Works

Broadcaster

Animation

References & Help Look up the latest data on this title at:
Richard Llewellyn's Animated Divots, or
Anime News Network (see Encyclopedia section) ,
or in "The Anime Encyclopedia" (Clements & McCarthy, Stone Bridge Press, 2001).
Help & further information.

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Information
Title (English)	Read or Die
Title (Japanese)	R.O.D.
Advertising Fantasy Novel
Notes	"R.O.D." stands for "Read Or Die". The R2 DVD is #SVWB 7056, 5,600 Y, 32 minutes long and released on May 23, 2001. Apparently the characters are based upon a manga, but the story line is original for the OAV. Reports of a US license being bought by Manga Entertainment.
Classification	-
Synopsis	The main character is Yomiko Readman, code name "The Paper". A mysterious person with incredible powers has just destroyed the White House ( he thought it was a library ) and is destroying other libraries while looking for a mysterious book. It just so happens that Yomiko has just bought that very same book, and so the adventure begins.
Review	Just to add to the message, the first kanji in Yomiko is the kanji for "read". (g) This show is done for laughs to a good extent, but it isn't as much a parody as an homage to James Bond-style stories crossed with girls-with-guns stories. There is incredibly well done animation, great action, a stylish look to the villains and to their gadgets and an excellent jazz BGM done in what I think of as Oscar Peterson style. And Yomiko is a very endearingly eccentric little heroine. She spends most of her time lost in whatever books she has happened to find, but don't touch her glasses and definitely, don't take her books! (L) Yomiko also has a very neat set of tricks that she does with paper. So if you are looking for a really fun and fast-paced new OAV series, "Read Or Die" is definitely worth checking out. Dave Baranyi Damn! Now this is what an OAV is supposed to be!!! I just watched the third and final episode of "Read or Die" - SMW Visual Works #SVWB 7058 R2 DVD, 4:3 aspect ratio, 36 minutes, 5,600 Yen, released February 6, 2002. Along with the DVD came a character card, a booklet with various prototype character designs ( such as a character card that unfortunately didn't get into the final version (L) ) and a number of advertisement sheets including ads for an R.O.D. trading card game. R.O.D., of course, is the recent and very original story set in an alternate world of advanced science, "steam-punk" design styles and strange magic, not the least of which is Yomiko Readman's abilities with paper that have gotten her the code name "The Paper". Episode 3 surprisingly outdoes the two earlier episodes in combining breathtaking action, humor, drama, pathos and amazingly rapid yet in depth character development. Add to this the great sound track, non-stop incredibly detailed and ambitious animation, snappy dialog and a poignant ending. Then, as a bonus, there are also on-disk character designs as well as cell shots of some of the backgrounds. And to boot, like the earlier disks, there is great animation done to the main theme when you go to the main menu. All-in-all, "Read or Die" is a great ride - reminiscent of the best of the James Bond films. And I'm totally in love with Yomiko - how can there not be more OAV's? There are plenty of other good stories in the R.O.D. novels. I can't recommend this series highly enough! To rephrase slightly the opening lines in the prologue to Book 1 in the series: "R.O.D. ga suki. Shinu hodo suki." (Dave Baranyi) I have seen the three episodes, and this is the best OVA series I have seen for ages. The concept is far more original than the average anime, the animation is impressive, the action is really exciting, and Yomiko is a delightful and surprising heroine. The setting, while close to the present day, has a rather retro feel to it, and there is plenty of well-realised equipment to please fans of gadgets and hardware. And, note that the secret organisation that Yomiko works for appears to be British :-). (GC)
Credits
Episodes	3
Release	Jap:DVD
TV Showing	See the whole series for free? This series may be syndicated to regional cable, satellite or terrestial TV stations. For Europe click here.
Date	2001
Production	SMW Visual Works
Broadcaster
Animation
References & Help	Look up the latest data on this title at: Richard Llewellyn's Animated Divots, or Anime News Network (see Encyclopedia section) , or in "The Anime Encyclopedia" (Clements & McCarthy, Stone Bridge Press, 2001). Help & further information.