DRAWN & QUARTERED
Paper can be many things in ‘R.O.D.’
Something as simple as a piece of paper can become quite powerful in the right hands. When it's folded into a crane and multiplied a thousand times, it can become a symbol of good fortune. Adding certain inks and fibers can transform it into currency or perhaps artwork. Add words to it, and it becomes something that can influence readers' emotions. And, of course, brushing against a sheet at a certain angle can result in a paper cut (ouch!).
Series At A Glance
"Read or Die": Three manga volumes available from Viz; the fourth and final volume was released just this month.
"R.O.D.: Read or Die": Complete three-episode anime series available on DVD from Manga Entertainment.
"R.O.D. the TV": Complete 26-episode anime series available on seven DVDs from Geneon.
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In the world of "R.O.D.," by Hideyuki Kurata, paper in the hands of certain people called Paper Masters can become weapons, shields, even large flapping mythical creatures. Kurata has told his story in Japan through novels, two anime series (the three-episode, direct-to-video "R.O.D.: Read or Die" and the 26-episode "R.O.D. the TV") and two manga series ("Read or Die" and "Read or Dream"). The anime and manga have either been translated for American audiences or are in the process of being translated.
Central to the plot of most of the various "R.O.D." series is Yomiko Readman, the world's greatest Paper Master and a woman who absolutely adores books. Both of those attributes come in handy in a world where books hold immense power and are often the target of organizations bent on global conquest.
Yomiko's services are retained by the Library of England's Special Operations Division, where she operates under the code name "The Paper." Her missions are often determined by her commander, Joker, an enigmatic Englishman who remains calm even under the most stressful conditions. Yet Joker is a more complex man than it would appear on the surface; some of the things he does without Yomiko's knowledge reveal a more sinister side to him and the Library of England.
MANGA ENTERTAINMENT
Paper masters in the "R.O.D." manga and DVD series can turn paper into weapons and mythical creatures.
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WHILE THE story of the manga "Read or Die" technically takes place before the events of the anime "R.O.D.: Read or Die," newcomers to the franchise will want to watch the anime before reading the manga. The anime miniseries finds Yomiko and her associates, battle-hardened soldier Drake Anderson and Nancy Makuhari (the agent code-named "Miss Deep" for her ability to pass through solid objects), as they try to stop a group of cloned historical figures bent on destroying the world through music.
That's right: If you've ever wanted to see aerodynamics pioneer Otto Lilienthal take out a bunch of helicopters in his glider before engaging in a dogfight with Yomiko on her paper airplane, or longed to see the day when a symphony written and played by Beethoven could destroy the world, this is your series. Yes, it's typical covert-agency-versus-tyrannical-cabal fare, complete with betrayals of trust and explosions aplenty. But the combination of nonstop action and layers of intrigue involved hardly feels clichéd and will keep viewers guessing from one scene to the next.
"Read or Die" the manga might not have any cloned historical figures-turned-would-be tyrants, but it does focus more on developing the character of Yomiko and her tragic past. As it turns out, she was not the first person to hold the title of "The Paper"; that honor once belonged to her mentor/boyfriend, Donnie Nakajima. But in a tragic turn of events (not to mention a great character development device!), she ends up killing him under mysterious circumstances. It is his glasses that she wears in his memory, believing that any book she reads with them on will allow him to read along as well.
THE MANGA is also where Yomiko has her first meeting with energetic up-and-coming author Nenene Sumiregawa, whose work Yomiko adores. (Nenene technically appears in "R.O.D.: Read or Die," not physically, but through notes from her to Yomiko stuck in various places in her room.) This meeting, and the subsequent friendship that develops between them, becomes key to the plot of the follow-up anime series "R.O.D. the TV."
As "R.O.D. the TV" begins, five years have passed since the events of "R.O.D.: Read or Die." Nenene is an older, somewhat more subdued woman haunted by the disappearance of Yomiko. After a book signing in Hong Kong turns into a threat on her life, the Three Sisters Detective Agency -- leader Michelle, strong but silent Maggie and youthful bundle of energy Anita -- takes her under its wing. The sisters also have the ability to manipulate paper, which leads Nenene to believe they have ties to Yomiko.
But while they are supposed to serve as Nenene's bodyguards, rarely are they ever seen actually guarding her. "In reality, they're just freeloaders," she tells her editor at one point. That's not to say that she hates them; while their presence irritates her in early episodes, she gradually grows to accept them as if they were part of her own family.
While "R.O.D.: Read or Die" is largely action-packed from beginning to end, "R.O.D. the T.V." takes a more measured approach in telling its story, judiciously spacing out action sequences in early episodes to focus more on developing the characters, their surroundings and their relationships. This approach gives the plot twists toward the middle of the series more emotional impact.
For those who want to learn more about the adventures of Michelle, Maggie and Anita but can't read Japanese, take heart: "Read or Dream" is coming to America, courtesy of Viz, this fall.