Read or Die

Upon watching RoD for the first time on October 13, 2002, here’s what I wrote: ‘Watched the utterly mad Read or Die, an insane story of an avid reader who is ‘The Paper’ – given the ability to forge shields, shuriken or (best of all) a giant paper aeroplane out of a briefcase full of A4 sheets. The Paper must foil plots to get a resurrected Beethoven to play his ‘Subliminal Suicide Song’, an eventuality which will cause the destruction of humanity! It was as bizarre as it sounds, and even funnier.’

While indeed, RoD is a totally insane piece of anime exuberance, my view of it necessarily changed in light of my fondness for RoD the TV, the series that followed. I actually liked the latter enough to rather wish that it had nothing to do with the original OVA (or novels), because that silliness doesn’t suit the slightly more serious tone that makes the series work well. Both stand well alone, but - despite recurring characters, setting and silly paper manipulation conceit - rather clash with each other.

It’s the OVA that endures as the more iconic and memorable work, for better or for worse. There is something impressive about its endless absurdity and sheer joyful exuberance. But for my money, RoD the TV shows what it could’ve been.