YOMIKO READMAN

Read or Die opening credits.

Read or Die is fantastically cool. From its classic espionage-themed secret agent opening credits to the lead character's unsettling fascination with luggage, passionate love of books, and persistently unkempt hair, Read or Die is an absolute blast.

Read or Die opening credits
Yomiko Readman A.K.A. The Paper in the opening credits.

Read or Die is a short, three-episode series about Yomiko Readman, an absentminded bibliophile who works as a substitute teacher but moonlights as a secret agent codenamed The Paper. In the course of three all-too-short episodes this unlikely hero buys some books, stops a madman and his evil henchmen, and saves the world. It's one Hell of a ride.

Yomiko Readman

The first episode opens with an attack on the White House and the Library of Congress by a genetically enhanced super-villain. 600 special Kikou books are stolen during the attack for a nefarious purpose that becomes apparent later in the series.

The Paper and Drake Anderson

The Paper is enlisted by Joker and Mr. Gentleman to recover these books and protect the world. Joining The Paper on her mission are the dour but dedicated Drake Anderson and the enigmatic trigger-happy (and buxom) Miss Deep (or Ms. Deep—I'm just going by what it sounds like to me).

Miss Deep and Drake

These agents have special powers. The Paper's special power is simply too cool to spoil. The first time Yomiko employs it during the first episode is somewhat startling and I'm loathe to ruin the moment. Take my word for it, though; her powers are used to great effect. Miss Deep's special power is not so unique in that it is similar to Ariel's from the old Uncanny X-Men days, although I don't remember Ariel being quite so impressive. (Yes, there was a member of the X-Men named Ariel; you probably know her by a different name, but you can't really expect me to make things that easy for you.)

Miss Deep

I have to mention X-Men again because Read or Die is a superhero show done exceptionally well. In comparison, the Saturday morning X-Men cartoons and their like are sadly unimaginative and poor. Read or Die manages to take fairly unconventional and seemingly minor super-powers and apparently ordinary people and showcase them in creative, inventive, and beautifully flashy ways.

The Paper

By comparison, most shows with their dullard super-strenth-wielding, fire-starting, flying idiots who employ their powers in conventional, unimaginative ways are tragically boring. The characters in Read or Die overachieve with their abilities and always manage to impress the viewer.

Miss Deep

I suppose this isn't really a fair comparison to make, but it is what most impressed me about Read or Die. Superhero shows are quite commonplace, but they all seem rather formulaic. I'm constantly annoyed by the incompetence of normal superheroes. For example, Superman really could save himself a lot of trouble by throwing arch-villains into outer space. Most of them are tough enough that the vacuum wouldn't kill them (so ol' Clark Kent wouldn't even have to worry about his conscience), sure, this wouldn't work against any of the ones who can fly, but it would certainly work against the standard-grade super-strong bad guy (*cough* Doomsday *cough*). Throw into orbit. Problem solved. The point is most superheros are too powerful yet woefully uncreative. Read or Die, on the other hand, takes a rather ordinary girl with minor (yet extremely cool) superpowers and shows the viewer what having super-powers is all about.

Yomiko
Yomiko

That distinction is what makes Read or Die so impressive. The Paper is not a brooding vigilante like Batman. She's not a haunted youth like Spider-Man. She isn't a moralizing Boy Scout like Superman. The Paper is simply Yomiko Readman, a fairly normal (if scatterbrained) young woman with an intensely passionate love of books who manages to be a secret agent in her spare time—apparently because it keeps her special power from going to waste and because it undoubtedly pays better than a substitute teacher's salary. After all, 200,000 yen is a lot a money to pay for a single book (although she does have excellent taste).

Yomiko
Yomiko

Read or Die will be released as a single R1 DVD on May 27, 2003, with a cover price of $29.99. Unfortunately, it is being released by Manga Entertainment which is often regarded as one of the worst publishers of anime DVDs. After the End of Evangelion fiasco, I am inclined to agree. And I quote:

As a standard procedure with all Manga DVDs, the NEON GENESIS EVANGELION "The End of Evangelion" DVD was tested on over 50 different brand DVD players at a leading professional DVD lab and passed all performance and functionality tests before it was released. Through our new research we have found that the product for sale in the marketplace meets all performance, quality and playback standards.
-Manga Entertainment

Bullshit, you liars. Screw you, Manga Entertainment. You better not cock up Read or Die, too.

May 30, 2003:

The R1 Read or Die DVD is now available. It's a fairly nice disk. There aren't many extras, but the brief biographies of the I-Jins' real-life counterparts is a nice touch.

>
Yomiko Readman. Codename: The Paper

I didn't bother watching the dub, but quick spot checking confirms that they played a little fast and loose with the script. I would be more offended if I ever had a reason to listen to it, I suppose.

Thankfully, the subtitles are accurate and literal enough without being stilted. They're certainly better than the two fansubbed versions I've seen, both of which blew some of the tougher spots (now clarified by the DVD subtitles). However, the subtitles on the DVD do require some mighty fast reading at times (somewhat appropriately, I guess), so I have to say the fansubs were timed better.

This by no means exonerates Manga Entertainment for their brutal track record when it comes to DVDs. They're still way in the hole from their disatrous End of Evangelion launch, alone.

Nevertheless, they didn't screw up Read or Die, so the killing spree is back on hold.

Hayate, The Combat Butler.

Name: Hayate no Gotoku(Hayate the Combat Butler)
Type: TV
Episode Count: 52
Genre: Action Comedy Romance Parody

Themes: harem, Parody

Alternative title:

Hayate no Gotoku! (Japanese)

Hayate, le majordome (French)

Hayate, maître d'hôtel de combat (French)

Hayate, mayordomo de combate (Spanish)

ハヤテのごとく！ (Japanese)

하야테처럼! (Korean)

Plot Summary:

Abandoned by his parents and given a monumentally large debt as a Christmas present, 16-year old Ayasaki Hayate is at the lowest point of his life. Desperately trying alter his hapless fate, he decides to kidnap someone to hold for a ransom. Due to an ill choice of words, the girl he tries to kidnap misunderstands the action as a confession of love. His plan is totally crushed when he gives his real name out. Realizing his wrongdoing, Hayate proceeds to rescue the girl from the yakuza, who had instead kidnapped her. The girl, as a token of thanks, offers Hayate a job as her butler. Hayate, overwhelmed by her kindness, vows to protect her even at the cost of his life.

16-year-old Hayate is really down on his luck. His unemployed parents are good-for-nothings who waste the money they have on gambling. One day, his parents have racked up a huge gambling debt that they had to sell Hayate to the yakuza for the value of his organs. In a desperate attempt to avoid that fate, Hayate decides to become a “bad guy” and kidnap someone to be held for ransom, but his efforts to do so are mistaken as a confession of love by the girl he targets.

Opening Theme:

#1: "Hayate no Gotoku! (ハヤテのごとく！)" by KOTOKO (eps 1-26)

#2: "Shichiten Hakki*Shijō Shugi (七転八起☆至上主義)" by KOTOKO (eps 27-52)

Ending Theme:

#1: "Proof" by MELL (eps 1-13)