| | Alternate title : R.O.D.
Studio : Studio DEEN
Licenced by : Manga Entertainment
Length : 3 OAV
Year : 2001
Genre : Action - Adventure - Science-Fiction
Synopsis :
Yomiko Readman is excited to be heading to her new substitute teaching job, but when a group of super powered beings with links to inventors and famous historic people start tearing up the world in search of books, it's time for the Royal British Library's Division of Special Operations, of which Yomiko (codename: The Paper) is a part of, to keep the books from the hands of evil.
Added : 2005-10-30
Synopsis by : Specky
Last update : 2008-09-02
Last update details : Modify info
Score : 8.44
Number of reviews : 18
Song(s) :
Opening #1 : Read or Die Theme
Release(s) :
There are no release available for this anime.
Hits : 19322
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Posted by : kevinchaosvs 
Posted on : 2010-07-08  
[Story: 7.0] Espionage and steam punk involving androids clones of famous historic figures who were trying to launch a highly corny (and very much impractical) invasion of sort, makes it a great plot for an action adventure which, as the previous reviewer Tevesh so nicely sums it up: a James Bond meets X-men. And really, the story fairly straightforward, providing plenty of opportunities for lots of action sequences.
[Characters: 6.0] Since this is by the end of it an action show that's only 3 OVA in length, I'm not expecting in-depth character development, or rather, character development certainly isn't the point of this show. Nevertheless, I like the idea of the protagonist being a ditzy bookworm and how she’s so engrossed in books that she’ll be in her own world even in the midst of being attacked by villains. Other than that, the casts are pretty much the standard archetypes that certainly suit the storyline, such as the striperific femme fetale Nancy, tough guy Drake, Joe "the Joker" with his posh demeanor and all of them who team up to fight against cheesy villains with crazy powers who can cut Lex Luthor plenty of checks anytime.
[Art:7.5] This being an OVA release, it is unsurprising that the production value is high for its time: detailed background, smooth action, and good-looking characters with interesting abilities, like how Yomiko uses her power to manipulate paper during the various fight scenes in particular. Indeed, the animation quality is superb whereby even little movements and gestures are easily noticeable. In short, aesthetically pleasing.
[Music: 7.5] The music, while not exactly memorable, is very much appropriate for the show, the sort of tune one hears from classic spy flicks. What's more, the opening theme comes complete with gratuitous amount of the silhouette of voluptuous female body in the animation.
[Summary] Since it is more on paying homage to its genre and themes, do not expect any complex twists. As such, although R.O.D (OVA) may be far from being anything particularly extraordinary, it still is an enjoyable show for those looking for a simple action flick.
Personal Overall Rating: 7.0
Posted by : Drunken
Posted on : 2007-02-16 
Very good OVA, with interesting story and characters.
Story is interesting and not stretched or squeezed, while characters are interesting with their personalities ( especialy Yomiko in first episode, when she is so enchanted with reading that she does not see or hear anything around her ).
Art is well made ( altough it lacks detail compared to some oher anime I've seen, but this is not so noticeable ) and mecha design is good.
Story has some plot twists which are quite interesting and are not easy to foretold which makes this anime even more interesting.
Overall this is an interesting OVA whic I can recommend to anyone who likes an interesting plot with something that has not been seen before.
Posted by : Tearjerker
Posted on : 2006-09-16
Brief Synopsis: Yomiko Readman, a british special agent must protect the world from a book-related criminal organization that seeks to put it in great distress. Yet she will need the help of powerful allies to neutralize this world-menacing threat.
Story:
3.5/5 The story is extremely simple and coherent, yet nothing really special at all. Some characters seem to come out of the blue, yet have a crucial importance in the story, just like that. But all in all, the story is rather good as long as you don't go in depth to think about it all.
Pace:
5/5 The pace of R.O.D is perfectly adequate. There is guaranteed to be no long moments of boredom, nor will it be too fast for your brain to assimilate the information.
Animation:
5/5 The animation quality of R.O.D is matched by very few other animes. The drawings are beautiful and full of detail, and the movements will provide a delightful quantity of eye-candy to the viewer. Most will find it hard to wrench their eyes away from the great animation quality of Read or Die.
Music:
3.5/5 The ambiance music fits the mood well, but it's nothing quite amazing. It does serve its purpose and brings some extra mood in though, so there's nothing to reproach about it.
Characters:
5/5 The mix of different personalities in R.O.D is absolutely wonderful. The main protogonist, Yomiko, breaks the age-old stereotype about all heroes being perfect. Her clumsy yet joyful attitude makes a nice contrast to the personalities of the other characters, making R.O.D quite colorful indeed.
Overall Appreciation:
4.5/5 Read or Die was absolutely enjoyable, and I would definetly watch it again. I guarantee it wil be appreciated by the vast majority of its viewers.
Posted by : fresh_no_concept
Posted on : 2005-12-14
Read or Die is actually quite simple. Three British agents must prevent the destruction of the world populace and they are going against revived geniuses of history's past. For as short as ROD is, it is able to provide you with a decent story. It wastes no time in getting to the point and the heat of the action. The anime never sits idle and it's just one 90 minute rollercoaster ride of an anime.
The story is not functional without interesting characters and ROD is chock full of them. Each of our heroes have an ability that he/she can exploit whether it's walking through walls or manipulating paper (it's much more exciting than it sounds). This makes for some unique and exciting battle sequences that will keep you glued to the screen. Development isn't totally stifled either as we get some nice, albeit short, glimpses into their backgrounds and motives.
Chaotic as this anime is, the visuals are quite impressive. Animation never wavers and keeps a high quality throughout. Music was also exciting, with the OP instantly pulling you in. You can tell that this anime had the OVA budget.
Letting go of a couple character development issues, Read or Die is quite successful in entertaining the viewer. In its three episode time frame, it pulls you into its world and doesn't let go until the end. The anime still stands the test of time as well and comes highly recommended. =)
Posted by : Tevesh
Posted on : 2005-10-03
I explain Read or Die to be the X-Men meets James Bond in Anime style. We have the superheroes who have abilities ranging from fantastic to mundane, and then we have our quirky supervillians that Bond films never fail to deliver.
The anime style kicks in with the main character, who is a cute absent minded girl who happens to be a superhero. Read or Die has a very odd collection of villains, who happen to be historic figures. I just happen to be a sucker for any anime that has real world references, as I get a kick out of it.
The music is vibrant and fits the moods well, but isn't amazing. The main theme is also somewhat James Bond-like, which furthers my comparison. The animation is smooth, and also fairly bright. I hate it when movies are hard to see when they take place in dark locations. Luckily, Read or Die's very consistent and excellent.
Another random touch I enjoyed in Read or Die is one of the characters is a bisexual female. This has got to be the only series I can think of that has had that. Homosexuality is shown in anime, as it is fairly progressive but bisexuality is not so common. I know of a few bisexual males in a variety of series, but only "Miss Deep" carries the title of bisexual woman. And they must naturally must make her the sexiest character in this OAV.
I have a few small problems with Read or Die, which disallows it from attaining five stars. Examples are one of the main characters is a normal soldier who is only good with guns, yet manages to keep up does not get enough screen time. Some scenes felt a little overacted, and the cute protagonist in some scenes was just too cute for my tastes. Overall, I really enjoyed Read or Die's wild ride.
Posted by : Sepherz
Posted on : 2005-06-03
I have a problem with OAVs and movies. They usually simply try to compress a 26-episodes-long-series into an hour and a half. Somehow, Read or Die, despite having a little farfetched plot as stated above, is very charming.
The Paper is simply an adorable, highly unique heroine. She isn't very tied to reality and often seems like she doesn't even notice her surroundings, but all that doesn't prevent her from pursuing someone by creating a huge paper-airplane to fly on, or a fighting strongly by creating a sharp sword from her partner's money. It's very ground shaking that in three 30 minutes long episodes you already manage to feel sad and happy for her as strongly as you would with character you've known for 26 episodes.
Another thing that's worth mentioning about this OAV is the animation. It's simply excellent. Very colourful, very good character designs, and amazing battle scenes. One of the finest animes I've ever run into animation-wise.
Overall this is a very entertaining 96 minutes watch. It is, due to its shortness, not as detailed as some other animes you must've seen, but it still remains highly enjoyable.
Posted by : DarkWarrior
Posted on : 2005-03-14
Yomiko Readman maybe the most unlikely heroine you may have ever seen, but she the kind of girl that you must have as your girlfriend. Having a cool power to control over paper (let's call it paper kinesis), and can make it into a giant paper airplane or use dollars as a sword.
The animation in the film is one of the best I have seen, I love the colours and designs of the characters, and the quality on how it went did very well.
The personalities of the characters are great; Yomiko is not a superhero wearing a costume, or has any special training like Nightwing but she's very determined.
The story is one of the best; facing evil clones of historical scientists with special power that blow the freakin' White House away. These villains surely have rivals great villains to DC comics.
Sure, Yomiko Readman sounds a character that would fit perfectly into the DC Universe (which by the way is my favourite publisher), but even she was created in there she'll still rocks. I got to find myself a girl like her or something.
Posted by : AdmThrawn
Posted on : 2005-03-14
If you like books, you might say this is the series for you. The concept that the British have these Special Forces that deal with the theft of rare books is somewhat... unusual. I don't see it as realistic, but it sure makes for a very entertaining story! This story is filled with surprises and will keep you guessing until the very end!
And a warning for parents... there is a lot of violence in this one. In fact, lots and lots of blood. There is a really brutal murder in the last third of Read of Die that is followed by even more gruesome murders (actually, it is not quite what it seems, but I won't give it away). The fight scenes are full of violence and definitely not for children. Though not depicted on the screen directly, there is the massacre of American soldiers that might give people some queasy feelings in their stomach. There is even a suicide scene that was really freaky because of the reason why the victims chose to commit suicide (again, no spoilers).
Also beware of Makuhari's costume, which is really revealing and shows off quite a lot of... um, the effects of motion and gravity...
The animation is solid, but not extraordinary, except for the fight scenes. There are some really well animated and creative fight scenes involving the various special abilities of the British Special Forces and the villains.
There's some good, solid background music in this one. I also saw part of the CN dub and there didn't seem to be an ending theme in their version. Regardless, neither the OP nor ED was inspiring in terms of music. There's some Beethoven in this series too... but to explain why it is there would give away the story. Beethoven's music in all its beauty and glory... but what could it have to do with the theft of books? Watch to find out, I guess.
The story is basically about cloned characters from famous books (somehow, they were stolen from some world archive of genome stuff) who are after this rare book and have unknown intentions regarding the books. I can't say more about it without giving away the great ending, though. These classic characters are resurrected and have all of the powers and abilities described in their stories. For example, there is the fellow from "Journey to the West" and he has Monkey's awesome staff weapon.
And let me say that there will be betrayal, more betrayal, and more betrayal in this story. You'll never quite know who to trust in this story. Locations range from Japan, to New York City, to India, and then to the Pacific Ocean for an awesome climax that involves the United States Pacific Fleet in all its glory.
There is some romance, though tragic at times. Let me just say that there will be a lot of surprises regarding this romance. Nothing cute, though.
Yomiko Readman AKA Agent Paper is the female protagonist of this story. She has long dark hair, glasses, and really likes books.
Marry me. (Kidding, though I'd like her as a co-worker since I work in a library)
Anyway, she really likes books, bordering on obsession. Her special power is the ability to manipulate paper. This is cooler than it sounds because she can use paper in many creative ways as weapons.
She is a member of the British Special Forces, though of some super-secret library division, not the SAS or anything cool like that. On her team is the Otacon-ish boss always contacting them by radio, a clumsy secretary, a Solid Snake-ish soldier, and the fan servicey female agent.
If you saw it on CN, you'd probably not want to watch it again, but I the DVD is decent. On the other hand, you might find a better place for your anime spending money if you don't enjoy reading... He he.
PS: Oh, and yeah right... nothing could wipe out the Pacific Fleet THAT easily...
Posted by : yamayu
Posted on : 2004-12-12
For a 3 episode anime, I felt this was pretty good.
Naturally, the paper-manipulating and phasing skills drew me in. The fighting scenes between The Paper and Ms. Deep were the main reason for my rewatching it a third time.
I liked the combination of Ms. Deep, Drake and The Paper. You have the innocent, naive girl whom one shouldn't underestimate, and two experienced people who have cynical views of the world. I found the introduction of Drake amusing. The odd friendship between Yomiko and Nancy was nicely done. They first seemed like enemies, then worked together and bonded, then one of them did something, and the twist made it interesting again.
Since this anime was squished into three episodes, there wasn't much time for chracter development. I would have liked more insight on the enemies, and also the Joker and the secretary, who seemed to have minimal roles that clued in the audience on certain things.
Posted by : PolyGuru
Posted on : 2004-11-19
I like this anime from the start because of it's unusual setting. Where else will you find a heroine who is so into books?
The three characters of the team, Yomiko, Nancy and Drek are likeable instantly. Yomiko and Nancy have very interesting and unique special powers. This make for some very spectacular and polished fight scenes ( my favourite being the fight between Miss Deep and Nancy ). The action sequence is very nice and it leaves you wanting more. The relationship between Yomiko and Nancy is well portrayed. The soundtrack is good. The animation quality is excellent.
The drawback is that this OVA is 1 hour and 30 minutes in length. It does not have time to tell you the back story of the characters or to develop them fully and the story is simple. This is an OVA that I wish could have been made into a series ( ROD TV does not count as the main characters are different ), so that given the additional time they would have been able to develop the story arc and characters properly as well as throw in more fight scenes.
Posted by : atikiN
Posted on : 2004-10-26
I
Posted by : Von_hazzard
Posted on : 2004-08-02
VON_HAZZARD, CODENAME: THE NOTEPAD
Someone has destroyed the White House and left the President wetting his pants. It is later found out that the culprit is an Ijin, an unknown being that has the ability to manipulate electricity and stole the "Kikou Books" from the Library of Congress. The reason for the theft of the books and humiliation of the most powerful man in the world is still unknown. Enter Yomiko Readman, an unlikely prontagonist and a bookworm who at every salary date spends her money on books, books, and more books has been called by the British Library to investigate the case.
Sorry for the late review:
I had high hopes for ROD. Like Saikano, I downloaded ROD (a year ago) without being exposed by the hypes or reviews. I never imagined that ROD had a very unique plot and characters. Yomiko Readman, also known as The Paper is a very interesting bookworm. She reads a lot of books and her house is full of 'em! She has an interesting ability to use paper. She can manipulate paper in any form she wishes, from blades, shields, transport etc. Being assigned by the British Library, (a Utopia of Books! Bel, eat your heart out!) she must investigate the robbery of the Kikou Books and what does these books connected to the mysterious beings called the Ijin. On her investigation, she's teamed up with the best people possible. Ms. Deep, a mysterious woman who can go through walls and Drake Anderson, the weapons and explosive expert with an old-fashioned attitude. As they dig deeper, they've discovered a far new threat that could wipe out the world. I should stop here, I might spoil you, but one thing's for sure, the plot is not that simple and is loaded with lots of twists, bits of drama to keep you intrigued, friendship to feel the connection of the characters and I guarantee that you won't guess the outcome.
Art and animation-wise, ROD OVA is excellent and very identical to Tenamonya Voyagers. The visual style is very crisp, vibrant, and polished. Certain scenes are also enhanced by computer imagery. The only part in ROD that had my breath taken away by its visuals is in Yomiko's apartment (Book Box). Every book, nook, and cranny is drawn beautifully.
An action anime isn't complete without fluid action scenes. Fortunately ROD gives you all the stuff and will leave you saying "cool." You'll be amazed what Yomiko can do with just a peice of paper. Even the Ms. Deep and Drake shows one of their cool moves. This OVA doesn't skimp on details on the action and there is no still action poses (e.g. Saiyuki, Samurai Deeper Kyo, Tokyo Underground, etc.). Another elements of great action scenes are the bosses. They possess such unique fighting styles and attitudes that you'll actually like them more than the protagonists. My personal favorite is Genjo Sanzo, the fire-breathing, stick wielding, Ken Tou En riding and water-splitting boss.
Characterization is where ROD fails, which is a pity of course because the characters are cool. Little is known of the Ijin and their motives, characters needs a bit more depth, especially on Joker, Mr. Gentleman, Ms. Deep, Yomiko, Drake and the Ijins. This OVA spans over three 30 minute episodes. It was a complete mystery on why Yomiko has paper powers and must need an episode in between 2 and 3 to flesh out the characters. Also I was a little insulted by making the White House explodes and the US President always wetting his pants. I'm not an American but I live in a country that the US is our close ally and friend. It's natural for me to be offended. Is this the Japanese way of revenge? Oh well...
The music is also good, from the jazzy background music to the fast-paced battle music. The battle music tends to be very repetitive and will catch your attention just like Ninja Scroll movie.
That's about it, ROD delivered its stuff and at the same time failed to send the rest of it. This is a must watch for any fan who looks for a unique plot and cool characters. I hope that ROD the TV will answer the questions the OVA left behind.
Grade Breakdown:
My Grade:
7 points (3.5 stars)
+ Unique plot
+ Unique characters
+ Cool bosses
+ Cool visuals
+ Cool battles
+ Good music
- Repetitive music
- Short
- Characters need more depth
- An insult to the American people
General Score:
8 points (4 stars)
+ Unique plot
+ Unique characters
+ Cool bosses
+ Cool visuals
+ Cool battles
+ Good music
- Repetitive music
- Short
- Characters need more depth
Posted by : 1638
Posted on : 2004-07-22
When a demure and seemingly innocent substitute teacher named Yomiko Readman is ambushed in the street by a man dressed in archaic clothing and riding a giant grasshopper, we discover that she is actually
Posted by : ddogt432
Posted on : 2003-05-27
First off, let me get the downsides out of the way. The biggest gripe I had with this series was the naming. I mean, common, who the hell would want a name like "The Paper" or "Miss Deep"???? "The Joker" was even worse. It didn't even describe the pompous prettyboy.
Ok, now that I've got that out of my system, I can go on to expound how great this series is. The animation is smooth like silk and everything looks like it belongs there. The main heroine is sweet and innocent, but talented. She uses her power to a very good extent. The enemies kick ****ing ass. I mean, what other guy do you know can take out an entire squadron of Airforce choppers and create a power shortage throughout all of New York City?! Monk/Priest guy was friggin awsome also.
I recommend to anyone who has even the slightest interest in anime as this series cannot be missed.
Posted by : Jayfaye
Posted on : 2003-05-27
An anime that really knew how to set its limits because of its limited episodes. Because of only 3 episodes, the story was brief and to the point, but fulfilling and they didn't add anything to make it confusing or make it seem incomplete. This anime is a prime example of how stories should be approached if they are short. They could have easily added more stuff, but doing that would mean they would have to add more episodes. Although I would have been in favor of having the series stretch a little bit longer, I was totally satisfied with what I saw...3 very good OVAs.
I always say this in my reviews: the animation was pretty well drawn...however this one was really good no question. The places they go, the characters, everything was great. The music was always great as well. Very "James Bond" like OP theme song that I had stuck in my mind for a very long time while I was into this series. The Seiyuu cast was pretty good, but not very popular except for Nancy's Seiyuu, who has been in quite a few anime. The cast was good, but it's really hard to say how good they could have been in just 3 episodes and a short plot.
The story was actually more complex than I thought, but it all gets understandable at the end and you should be satisfied. Great character development relative to how short this series is and you just want to see more of these characters since they are so unique. However, with Read or Dream coming...who knows if they'll throw some tricks in there and put Read or Die characters in? We'll just have to see. Overall it shouldn't be an anime anyone misses...I mean its so short! The anime was good at best mainly because it had the potential of being better but stopped short...but don't get me wrong I was still satisfied with what I saw. This shouldn't take much of your time, and you won't be disappointed.
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