| | Alternate title : Read or Die -TV-
Studio : J.C. STAFF
Also involved: Aniplex, Inc.
Licenced by : Geneon Entertainment (USA)
Length : 26 Episodes
Year : 2003
Genre : Action - Drama - Science-Fiction
Synopsis :
Sumiregawa Nenene, a popular Japanese novelist takes a trip to Hong Kong to meet and greet her fans. Upon arrival she is introduced to her guides: Michelle and Maggie, who along with their sister Anita, successfully foil an attempted assassination of Nenene. Even when her visit ends, circumstances force Nenene to keep the trio of paper-wielding detectives as her live-in bodyguards.
Additional Notes: Based on the manga Read or Dream.
Added : 2005-10-30
Synopsis by : Robert Wong
Last update : 2008-09-25
Last update details : Modify info
Score : 8.07
Number of reviews : 15
Song(s) :
Opening #1 : YKZ - R.O.D
Ending #1 : Kazami with Home Grown - Moments in the Sun
Ending #2 : Rieko Miura - Confidence
Release(s) :
2004-03-20 -- Episode(s) 26 by Anime-Station. BT Link
2004-03-12 -- Episode(s) 24 by AnimeONE. BT Link
2004-03-12 -- Episode(s) 23 by AnimeONE. BT Link
Found 51 releases. Click here to [ Find them! ]
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Posted by : ohtori_akio
Posted on : 2007-02-14 
ROD the TV was a very interesting watch for me. At first I was not sure I would like it as I had started a few anime series at the same time and it did not jump at me as being awfully great, and I did not watch past the second episode at that time. A few months later, I decided to watch episode 3 and 4 to see whether the rest of the series was worth a shot. What a great surprise it was after those episodes! As soon as I finished them, I could not stop myself from putting more discs in and watching the rest.
This speaks volumes for the story as I am not usually one who has to impatiently and compulsively watch a series so quickly. The episodes tend to end on captivating cliffhangers (a tool employed to great effect in shounen classic Saint Seiya) that have the audience on the edge of their seat and the ride pays off some healthy dividents throughout the series. The suspense of the middle section of this anime has not been matched in any action series I have ever seen so this anime really breathes new life into a rather stale genre (not saying that Noir or Madlax are bad shows but their pace are no match for this series`).
The animation of Read or Die the TV can be summed up in one word: SUPERB. All the way through, there is consistency in the way things are drawn and animated, which is a great achievement for a series of 26 episodes with not so much as a recap episode thrown in. The battle scenes are especially stunning in this anime as the fluidity and depth of field of the medium is brilliantly explored. The backgrounds and the character designs are also excellent and remain so throughout. The only thing I was not a fan of was the fanservice of the series. It was not excessive so it was never a big issue but it did affect how seriously one perceives the show in a couple of spots.
Read or Die`s only sore spot is the soundtrack, as it is an adequate one but not one that stands out. The scores suit their scene effectively but they are not powerful enough to warrant a purchase of the soundtrack. The sound effects are great during the battle scenes and when objects move (which is important here as a lot of travelling and levitation takes place), and the voice acting is also very accomplished.
With a professional seiyuu cast, characters are brought to life successfully and Read or Die delivers just that. The main cast of Maggie, Michelle, Anita and Nenene are voiced so well that they are distinct characters, and on more than one occasion the performance allows you to feel the anguish of the characters without it sounding overdone or melodramatic. The episode previews are actually a great demonstration of the eloquence performance of the cast.
The characters of R.O.D only ever suffer from sounding one note in a few places because some of them are underwritten. This is to be expected when the story has to cover so much and the cast is fairly large, but it still affected how some of them came accross even if it were just a minor quelm. Characters like Anita, The Paper and Maggie suffered in that sense a little bit because the writing did not call for them to be more than one-note characters most of the time. A few efforts are made to make them a little more believable throughout and especially towards the end, which was convincing enough but not quite as engaging as it could have been.
As mentioned, R.O.D has a whole lot of story to tell and it does so very well for most of its run. Some elements could have been explored a little further, such as why the British Library and especially Wendy were so devoted to their cause but what was given was convincing enough to not leave plotholes which was the most important thing. The inclusion of later characters was also done smoothly which was great but it does not really come as a surprise since this show`s writers are some of the best out there when it comes to pacing a story. The twists were also well paced and brought in to consistently engage you more and more in the title.
I have thoroughly enjoyed this anime and I think it can easily be enjoyed by many because of its broad appeal, so it is an easy recommendation. Keep with it if you are not too sure about the first few episodes as it just gets better from there, and delivers one of the best action anime series of all time.
Posted by : Molenir 
Posted on : 2006-12-26 
This is the story of 3 sisters who can use paper in order to do amazing things. Initially the anime is great. It deals with the sisters, and the author they are hired to protect, and end up living with. However after awhile, the writers apparently felt this didn't make things exciting enough, and decided to go ahead and create some silly plot, pathetic dialog included. Allow me to sum it all up. Its basically a take over and brainwash the world idea. And of course everyone, each individual policeman, politician, and citizen is in on it. That after all is the only way the plot would make sense. Only the paper sisters and a few bookstore owners seem to be opposed.
This to me is the worst kind of anime. One that builds up your expectations, and then brings them crashing down. Allow me to state, that while parts of this show were very watchable. Other parts were painful to sit through. I enjoyed watching the sisters, and their relationships with others. However the overarching plot. The way everyone reacted in nonsensical ways, made for a painful story. Allow me to give a few examples. In one of the episodes, the 3 sisters are separated, they are shown a picture of one of their sisters, and then asked to do something they don't want to do, or else something bad will happen to their sister. Now they don't bother asking to speak to the sister, to ensure that she is allright. And that they do in fact have her. No, that would be the intelligent thing to do. Another example. You capture the leader of the one trying to take over the world. The one that has tried to have you, and your sisters killed on multiple occasions. What do you do. A. Tie him up. B. Kill him C. Talk to him about moronic things D. A and C
Now if it was me, I'd suggest B, but apparently the writers of the story thought that A and C made more sense.
If you are going to watch this, allow me to suggest that you go ahead and watch up until the episode where Nene goes back to Hong Kong and of course is kidnapped. The rest after that simply aren't worth watching. Unfortunately, this leaves off half the anime. I give this show a 5/10. Half the episodes were good, so it gets half of 10 points.
Posted by : rurouni77
Posted on : 2006-01-15
This anime was okay~
The storyline was okay enough for me to watch it till the end. This is probably because it seemed a little strange to me. I mean the three girls could utilize paper to do some pretty cool stuff, but that was pretty much about it.
Character development was good, and the music was there, but overall a mediocre kind of anime for me.
I guess it's worth a watch, in that I enjoyed the animtion, which is nicely done, but apart from that, nothing else really caught my attention.
Posted by : burnside
Posted on : 2006-01-09
It's been quite a while since I've seen the R.O.D OVA, but I still remember it as one of the animes that stuck in my memories and also left me with a sort of happy taste in my mind. This happens only with the good animes I watch, as the rest either leave me with a feeling of being ripped off for an ending (e.g. Ranma 1/2, though that was only because of the company going bankrupt, and not to mention that the manga was just as vague), or leaving me depressed and/or disappointed (e.g. Neon Genesis Evangelion). But that's enough about other animes, as that's not what I'm writing about here.
I made sure that I wouldn't be disappointed by the sequel to the OVA (I consider it a sequel since I was very content with the OVA ending), checking reviews, ratings, and so on. After finishing it, I did feel pretty disappointed.
...that is, in myself for doubting the series.
PLOT: 10/10
The plot follows the OVA very well, and though prior viewing of it isn't needed (though in my opinion is a bit sacriligious to the series), you will miss out on a few fairly prominent inferences. It uses very little of the OVA plot, only using it as a supplement instead of a building block, which is vital considering that there is a change in focus of characters.
R.O.D TV is mainly about the Three Sisters, and even though the events that go on around them are important, they are all just to facilitate the story surrounding the sisters. Still, like I said, those events are important, and they do get the screentime they need enough to disguise the Three Sisters' true prominence throughout the story.
The plot is very believable (though it does push it toward the end) and I personally had no unanswered questions by the end of the series (though you probably will have some if you didn't watch the OVA).
CHARACTERS: 10/10
Personally, I have to say that this is where the series shines the most. There is much emphasis on the Three Sisters; three very different girls that would give their life for one another. After the typical beginning episode character development, char. dev. is craftily mixed in with the story. As for the other characters, they are all just as well-done.
However, the cheek pinches and index finger cheek scratching got a little annoying after a while.
MUSIC: 9/10
The music choices are very good, and not a single track has felt out of place (though for a couple episodes one of the two EDs didn't fit the moods). However, I did deduct a point because of the fact that eventually the little finales at the end of fight scene music began to feel a little cliche.
ANIMATION: 9/10
Not much to say here. The animation is very well done except for Drake's face. For some reason his face didn't feel like the Drake I remembered at all, and it was also very mediocre in quality. Still, that's just a small nitpick and doesn't really detract too much fromt he rest of the anime.
Extra notes:
I personally liked the ending, and just as the OVA did, it gave me that happy taste that I wish all animes would give me. It was more than satisfying and left only enough loose ends for you to imagine the characters' futures.
Posted by : darksimperson01
Posted on : 2005-09-23
ROD the TV.
Not Read or die or Read or dream (the original two mangas this series was based on) but ROD, reflecting the combination of the two different worlds that have almost nothing tying them together beyond the abilities of the main character(s). Why does this unlikely combination turn out so well?
The main reasons are the complex and unyielding plot and the perfect meshing of the characters.
Firstly the plot. The early stuff isn't bad, but it seems almost like filler once the main plot starts moving, and then, and then, and then. The number of plot twists will make your head spin. That is also a bad thing, as it means you need to see the next bit whilst the last bit you watched is still fresh in your mind, as otherwise, like me, you'll be lost wondering why stuff can't be done to fix things. An understanding of the OAV doesn't hurt either, but it is possible to muddle through without it and still enjoy the series.
The characters mesh perfectly as well, with the read or die and read or dream worlds being so very opposite. Each one keeps the other in check, and except for the early episodes never swings too violently in either direction. This does lead to a bit of a detachment from the characters when one subset reacts strongly to something more so than the other, but this doesn't detract from the entertainment so I didn't dock a mark for this.
Oh and the music is awesome too, and the English dub is nigh on perfect to the characters. This is one of two series (the other being fruits basket) where I actually prefer the English dub to the Japanese.
In conclusion, at least rent this series, but I bought and I recommend you do too.
Oh, and one more thing, the ending was not disappointing, and there were no plot holes aside from one thing which could be very easily thought through. Geez.
Posted by : bigtym26
Posted on : 2005-06-09 
ROD T.V. follows the story of ROD ova 4 years later, only, the main characaters aren't the same as that of the ova but you'll still find some familiar faces. It is a must see sequel for those ROD OVA fans. Why? If you have seen the ova, you'll remember Yomiko Readman destroying the British library, watching this anime will answer some of the viewers questions.
Also there are new characters such as the Paper sister which are Anita King, Michelle Chan and Maggie Mui. They are to be bodyguards of Nenene Sumiregawa (Yup it's her! Yomiko's friend). Together they live in Nenene's apartment and share different adventures, also, Nenene is looking for Yomiko who disappeared for 5 years. Dont worry later in the anime, you'll see her again.
The anime has 26 eps and is packed with some fighthing scenes and cool background music. Also the graphics are great and the artwork too!
A must see sequel! I hope you enjoy and be satisfied!
Posted by : Tevesh
Posted on : 2005-03-01
I would figure that a TV series would be created for mass consumption, and Read or Die
Posted by : Reeder5002
Posted on : 2005-02-12
Wow what a great anime. I liked the way this one worked out a lot. The music on this one is perfect. The intro is kinda flashy, and while it doesn't always fit along with the plot, both the op and ed are great. Charecters... kinda stayed the same all the way through. Could've used a little more development there. I wouldnt knock it down though cause there were occasions where a character would do something outstanding that you wouldn't expect so.. development was ok. The animation.... was nothing spectacular except when you got to some of the fighting scenes. From the first ep you would never in a million years guess this anime had anything decent in the fighting department but wow! All the sudden you catch a fight and you're getting great angles and spin arounds. Amazing.
The plot is nothing special. Well it is and it isn't. It's your basic big corperation vs. the little man (or paper slinging woman) and it deals with the whole comming together and fighting a common evil. Very different twist with the paper users. Who'd have ever thought a series about girls who manipulate paper could be produced. I did end up knocking it down to a nine, even though I liked it, because some of the parts seemed a little too tedious and somethimes you felt like the plot was lost, and other times the charecters just did what you were pretty sure they were gonna do. I still think quite highly of this anime and therefore 9 seems fitting.
Posted by : Drk4znSnip3r
Posted on : 2004-12-27
This was a pretty good follow up anime after the original Read or Die OVA came out. *which was a good short series as well* They of course tie togeather the original OVA and the TV series. If you liked the story line to the OVA.... you definitely don't want to miss out on this series!
The music was pretty well matched up in this with the scenes and flow of the anime. Animation was nice and clear as well, and the voice actors/actresses did a good job. The characters you meet in these series will make your mouth drop at parts, so get ready for that XD.
Personally I thought this was a good anime due to the fact that it had a great story, which keeps you hooked on this and brings out the true meaning of "buy anime, but crack is cheaper".
Posted by : pboy2k5
Posted on : 2004-08-06
ROD TV, and of course the OVA, is an anime in the league of its own. This is an anime that has a purpose but you will not know it unless you watch it.
A lot of animes usually hint of the goal that the protagonists must achieve, early in the series. In ROD TV, everything is still a mystery at the beginning and the main characters have to go through a lot of troubles in order to understand the commotion that entangles them. This is of course an excellent plot because it keeps the audience guessing all the time. Therefore, the plot is always moving forward and there is literally no filler episode in ROD TV, a thumb up for this series.
ROD TV is probably one of the best examples of what a 26 episode format is supposed to be: allow the characters to solve the mysteries without making it look rushed while maintaining the viewers' interest in finishing the series. After all, a 52 episode format is already pretty long in that there is a significant chance for an anime series to add some filler episodes in order to meet the intended length.
The only drawback from this series is that the ending of ROD TV ends up being the part that feels kind of rushed. It is fortunate to say at this point that there is probably no more unanswered puzzle that needs to be answered and the audiences, who have seen the series, can somewhat see what is coming up. Otherwise this is definitely a series worth recommending to a lot of people. It keeps your eyes glued to the screen.
Posted by : Frundock
Posted on : 2004-07-14
Read or Die the TV, went with an incredible start. Animation was really good, story was progressing nicely. ROD is a series that has awsome music, and the team used it wisely.
It features awsome character and powerful moments. But what lowered the score for me was the lack of a good ending. It finished in some strange way that is not worthy of all the great work from episiode 1 to 20-ish.
So watch it, enjoy it, but be warned, the ending is a little disapointing. Reminds me of Witch Hunter Robin.
Posted by : jsy3k
Posted on : 2004-07-13
If you watched the OVA, never miss the TV series as it packs more punch and more twisted storyline than the OVA.
Overall, this anime is nearly one of the best in terms of animation. It is very smooth and there is rarely any jerkiness in the whole series.
Story is beyond my expectation. The twist of the story from the OVA makes you really watch it non-stop.
Sound wise, the theme is the same as the OVA. That's what I like about the theme, it really increases the suspense of the series.
Overall, pretty bored for the first 4 epsiodes, 5 - 14 quite interesting but from 15 onwards the story's twist will start there and it gets interesting until the last. It is DEFINITELY an anime you would not want to miss
Posted by : Maceart
Posted on : 2004-04-23
An excellent anime that does great justice to the OVA. I really enjoyed R.O.D. for its quick animation and great story.
Bottom Line: It starts out slow, but I really like how they build up tension before they meet Yomiko. The ending sucked a whole mountain of @$$, though.
Animation: Top-notch. It maintained the quality of the OVA. Characters move fluidily, and there`s no jerkiness and the action scenes were really sweet.
Sound: Great music, ok opening piece but the ROD theme will stick in your head for a long time. Ending was beautiful, save for the crappy ending animation. I`m not really a fan of jazzy music.
Story: Very gripping...but the ending just fell apart. Hated how they ended with a talk-fest instead of a beat down. I liked the gripping tension the anime had before you meet Yomiko and Nancy. The first arc had a nice comedy/mystery in it, as the sisters take missions and the characters finally convene together in the middle of the 15th episode.
Character: Here`s where the anime falls a bit short. 5, and I mean FIVE!!! main women characters. I wasn`t surprise at all that lesbianic references. It was nice, but we need some guys goddamnit! Anita was just soooooooo annoying, but Maggie and Michelle filled their roles wonderfully. Joker is as sly as ever, but the best character I liked is Drake. He was the best.
Value: This anime has great value. Watch it, watch it again. You`ll get something new out of it every time.
Enjoyment I thoroughly enjoyed ROD TV. It was a great series, and had an interesting plot and animation to back it up.
Posted by : fresh_no_concept
Posted on : 2004-04-04
After a very entertaining and successful OVA, I could not wait to watch the continued story provided by the TV series. Granted this show had high expectations going into it, I was hoping that the TV series would live up to those expectations. And for the most part, I believed it did...
The beginning sort of threw me off, given that no one from the OVA even appeared. I was sort of wondering if I was watching the right anime. But all was answered as soon as I saw the paper being whipped out by Michelle, Maggie and Anita. =) ROD TV follows these three girls, all adept paper users in their quest to make ends meet. They run the "Three Sisters Detective Agency" taking cases such as finding books and stuff, but they'll take most any reasonable job. Just so happens that one of their jobs is to pull bodyguard duty for a struggling author, Nenene Sumerigawa. Appearantly, Nenene is somehow connected with Yomiko (The Paper). And we begin the little adventures of Nenene, and the three sisters. Add in the powerful Chinese syndicate and the British library, and you give the girls a lot of reasons to play with paper.
The story was a little hard for me to get into in the beginning because I didn't recognize anyone except for Yomiko (but she was only in a picture). However, the story got progressively more interesting, and familiar characters began to make appearances. Save for some of the filler episodes in the beginning, it was an interesting story. And then something happened at the end. I just wasn't satisfied with everything that went on. Granted, the series has a satisfying ending, but it just wasn't good enough for ROD. I expected more I guess.
But then I didn't initially enjoy ROD because of the story. No, it was because of the kickass action scenes that I enjoyed the original so much. The TV series is no slouch in the action department. Granted it is not as frantic and action packed as the OVA is, but it's trying to span 26 episodes rather than three. I very much enjoyed all the action scenes. They were all animated very well and I enjoyed the music they used for most of the action scenes (which were taken from the OVA). It's amazing what these girls can do with sheets of paper. You think Yomiko rocks...Maggie, Michelle, and Anita do everything she does, and adds a little of their own stuff. =) Music was alright. I did enjoy the OP song (maybe because it was reminiscent of the OVA OP), but all the other music didn't really catch my attention except for the ones that they used in the OVA.
I wanted to give this a higher score. I really did. But something in the story just didn't give the right vibe to me. So no 9 or 10 for ROD TV. I'm even having a hard time giving it an 8. But that won't stop me from saying that I enjoyed this series very much, due the the paper fights. I can always watch episodes 12 and 13 and just smile at all the beauty that is the three sisters kicking ass. Fun anime to watch. Now let me ponder on whether I tackle a Naruto review or not...
Posted by : Kaiser
Posted on : 2004-04-01
I was very thrilled to hear a ROD TV series since I enjoyed the OAV very much. The first couple episodes were fairly neat and the actions scenes very cool.
Animation is top notch here with some very fluid action scenes and music is also alright. You hear some of the same themes used in the original OAV which is cool.
One thing you will need to do before you watch the TV series is you need to finish the three part OAV first or else you will have no idea who those supporting characters are.
With that being said, I found the TV series truly disappointing. I'm not sure but something didn't quite fit in well with me for the plot. Too many plot holes and other gaps. The ending seemed spetacular but also ended up being medicore.
Again animation was great, okay music but I guess I just didn't like the new plot. Others might find it much more entertaining than I did.
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