#read or die ova

[therosecrest]

[roseillith]

[justintaco]

what is read or die and why should i watch it

Well basically it takes place during the late 90s / early 2000s. There are people called Paper Masters able to manipulate paper into weapons as hard as steel, into living familiars, or manipulate it telekinetically. At the same time, the British Empire, seeking to reassert itself after its decline, attempted to resurrect great scientists and leaders of the past through genetic engineering, and succeeded but lost control of them.

The OVA follows Yomiko Readman, a paper master and constantly broke substitute teacher, who is forced to participate in black ops missions for the British government for cash on the side. She is placed in a team of agents to confront the threat of the reengineered historical figures, called I-jin.

The TV series follows Nenene Sumiregawa, an author and friend of Yomiko's who established herself with a huge debut hit novel. However, Yomiko has disappeared and with her, Nenene's inspiration, so she finds herself in a writing slump and unable to follow up on her initial success. After an attempt on her life, three "sisters," all of them paper masters, are assigned to protect her.

There is also a manga and light novel series as well, they follow somewhat different continuities compared to the OVA and anime.

As far as how good they are, your mileage may vary. The tone varies quite a bit between the four properties. I love the first half of the TV show but the back half is a bit weak in my opinion. It also suffers from focusing too much on side characters sometimes. But the highs of the TV series are really high, stuff that's stuck with me for almost 20 years. The OVA is very fun but not very deep. The soundtrack is very good in both cases. I love Nenene a lot and Yomiko is great too, so both benefit in their own way from each protagonist.

The series has some yuri undertones if that interests you.

It's hard to say "just try out the OVA to see if you like it" because like I said, the tone and vibe across the series is kinda different. You just gotta commit and see really. I will say the first episode of the TV series is one of my favorite first episodes of all time.

[doyouknowthisanime]

Do You Know This Anime?

[leftycharacters]

Today's left-handed character is Nancy Makuhari from Read or Die

[millionsapples]

R. O. D. - Read Or Die OVA - Kabuki Femme Fatale by kumisolo (yt link)

[puffpawstries]

Hannah Quiller AKA 'Honno' JPN Voice claim is Yomiko Readman - VA: Rieko Miura! The first voice claim I thought that was a fitting voice for Them! (ENG VOICE CLAIM HERE!!) The audio is a bit wonky cause there weren't no good clips of just Yomiko to go with so I had to go and edit down episodes and lines for this!

[kessyathena]

Kessy's Recommendations

A little while ago a friend who's into Little Witch Academia asked for recommendations and I immediately suggested Magic User's Club. It's one of my go to's and a great show, but it's pretty obscure these days. That got me to thinking about all the other great OVA's I've seen that everyone's forgotten. So here's a selection of my favorites from the golden age of OVA's (1980's -2000's). If you're looking for a thread that connects these, my personal tastes run to character driven stories. I've tried to emphasize titles that are easy to access, mostly ones that are free on Youtube.

Assemble Insert: 1989, 2 eps.

comedy, superhero, idol, mad scientist, police

The city is being overrun by a mad scientist and his mecha equipped gang, so what's the overworked underpaid police force to do? Obviously, hold a competition for the next big idol! Err, I mean superhero to save the city. Wait, is there a difference? Maron really wants to know, since she's the (un?)fortunate winner of the competition.

All Purpose Cultural Catgirl Nuku Nuku (Bannou Bunka Neko-Musume): 1992, 6 eps.

comedy, catgirl (sort of), android, superpower, evil corporation

Ryuunosuke just wanted a pet, so when the minions of his overbearing mother accidentally kill the stray kitten he'd picked up his father does the only sensible thing: transplant the cat's brain into the experimental android body he's got in the back seat of the car. Ryuunosuke's new "big sister" is cheerful, energetic, able to bend steel beams with her bare hands, and overly fond of fish and sunbeams.

Nuku Nuku got a TV reboot and a second unrelated OVA called Nuku Nuku Dash, but the original OVA is definitely the best version.

Dragon Half: 1993, 2 eps.

comedy, fantasy world, WTF am I watching?, dragon girl

Mink is the child of a dragon mother and a human father. (Don't think about it too much.) Her father was formerly the champion of the evil king, who still bears a grudge. So there are evil minions, a guy named Dick Saucer who can't decide if he's a singer or a swordsman, a princess who's half slime, the finger water squirter of DOOM, and Beethoven! Don't wait for it to make sense, just enjoy the ride.

Plastic Little: 1994, 1 ep.

action, scifi, space opera, fanservice, yuri subtext

Tita and her galant crew make a living in the pet shop trade, capturing exotic animals in their planet's ocean of clouds for export. One day Tita runs into a beautiful young woman being pursued by a group of uniformed goons. Impulsively deciding to help the stranger, Tita and her crew are drawn into a military conspiracy to wreak havoc on the colony. Naturally, there's a caped villain, high speed chases, battleships, and ridiculously unsafe walkways over a vast chasm.

Elf Princess Rane (Yousei Hime Ren): 1995, 2 eps.

comedy, WTF am I watching?, magic, yuri subtext, idiot protagonist

Well, there is a plot to this one, but describing it would take too long, make no sense, and miss the point. Rane is a frenetically paced, gag after gag wild romp into hilarity and the absurd. There are fairies from another dimension who only speak an unintelligible language, a scheming corporation, a large group of identical sisters, and a protagonist so obsessed with treasure hunting he sees it everywhere to the point of being oblivious to what's in front of his nose.

Magic User's Club (Mahoutsukai Tai!): 1996, 6 eps.

comedy, romance, school life, alien invaders, magic, unrequited love, yaoi

The Earth has been invaded by aliens! However, the aliens are content to sit in their giant spaceship while observing humanity with robotic probes. So when Sawanoguchi Sae joins her school's club of neophyte magic users and the club president declares that they're going to defeat the aliens with magic, she's nothing but enthusiastic. And a massive klutz. What hope do they have considering that the rest of the club consists of Sae's best friend who only joined for Sae's sake, a vice president whose main interest is his crush on the president, and a freshman who frequently skips club activities to go on dates?

There is also a very good 13 episode TV series which is a direct continuation of the OVA featuring the same cast and hijinks but with a change in tone, not the least because the aliens are gone.

Birdy the Mighty (Tetsuwan Birdy): 1996, 4 eps.

action, school life, undercover aliens, conspiracy, gender bender, body sharing

Tsutomu is your average school kid out for a stroll one evening when he runs into a man running for his life from… something. The man turns out to be an alien in disguise and the something, well let's just say it radically changes Tsutomu's life as he's drawn into a conspiracy involving interplanetary criminals. A Federation Officer named Birdy Cephon shows up, but due to reasons he winds up having to share his body with her.

The series got a TV reboot called Birdy the Mighty: Decode. In my opinion, the original OVA is better.

R.O.D: Read or Die: 2001, 3 eps.

action, superpowers, secret agent, yuri subtext

Yomiko Readman is your average substitute teacher… Okay, no she isn't. She's absolutely obsessed with reading: her home is filled with stacks of books. She also has the ability to manipulate paper in any way she wishes, turning ordinary stationary into shields, weapons, giant flying paper airplanes, and so on. And she has a side job as a secret agent. So when a group of superpowered villains threatens the world, agent "The Paper" swings into action. Immediately after one of the bad guys steals her book!

ROD also has a TV series that has the same setting but completely new characters and plotline. The connections to the original OVA only gradually become apparent.

Murder Princess: 2007, 6 eps.

action, fantasy world, action girl, body swap, yuri subtext, lost technology

Alita and Faris are from such different backgrounds that you'd never expect them to meet. Alita is the princess of the kingdom of Forland and has lived a sheltered life in the capital. Faris is from a tragic background and survives on her wits and her skill with a sword as a bounty hunter. However, one night there is a palace coup and Alita is forced to flee for her life into the dark and dangerous Ellend forest, where Faris is hunting monsters for the price on their heads. The two literally run into each other and straight off a cliff. During the fall, the shared near death experience causes them to switch bodies. They're forced to reluctantly team up to defeat the coup and uncover the forces behind it.

Electromagnetic Girlfriend (Denpa-teki na Kanojo): 2009, 2 eps.

drama, mystery, romance

(Note: "Denpa" literally means "electromagnetic wave," but is colloquially used to mean "crazy" in much the same sense as "tin foil hat.")

Juuzawa Juu is a high school delinquent. One day a girl he's never met comes up to him and declares that he is a reincarnated king and she is his servant and knight. Despite Juu's best efforts to get rid of her, she continually follows him around. As if this wasn't enough, there's a serial killer stalking the town, and Juu suddenly finds himself caught up in the case when he's the one to find the body of the latest victim: one of his own classmates.

[tyote]

read or die (ova) 2001

[thecloverghost]

[READ OR DIE!]

[starlightshadowsworld]

Anytime someone wants to bad mouth Kunikida, just remind them that canonically Kunikida has Akutugawa's respect.

Can you even fathom how hard it is to get Akutagawa's respect? The man who thinks that everyone he deems weaker than him should just die.

And not even just his respect, but than Kunikida is worthy of being Dazai's partner and cover. That's like the highest praise Akutugawa could ever give anyone.

And it's given to Kunikida.

Even Atsushi who also gains Akutugawa's respect had quite the journey to get it.

I'm aware the Light Novel of Dazai's Entrance Exam is different to the Azure Apostle arc in the anime though I've yet to read it.

But this might just be my favourite change from any source material.

Especially knowing how in much Beast Akutugawa looks up to his Kunikida. I love that in a way that's carried over to here.

Kunikida has the respect of the Agency and even his enemies. You got Akutugawa acknowledging him, as did Jouno and the bomber from the OVA.

He's just that cool and passionate.

[therosecrest]

[roseillith]

[jellybe-gets-creative]

Panel redraw bc I read a post were Someone said this is Reigens „I am probably going to die because of this and I’m trying very hard not to think about why I’m okay with that“ face. I totally agree… and he will save Tome. Oh boy this manga! I hope we will get this as an ova qwq

[kerubimcrepin]

Wakfu OVA - Book 3, Dragon Mountain [PART 1]

Amalia he is handing you all out the Twelvian equivalent of six nuclear devices.

Amalia: [asks Joris]

Kerubim: [replies instead of Joris]

Second most batshit thing he's doing after the whole "speaking over him in private" thing. He's so evil dad energy.

Joris having to do the thing most of us know as "mom stooop she already got it."

AND after Keke stops talking he starts answering the question she asked him himself.

Once again, what seems like a normal interaction to most, is a goldmine to me.

Literally the funniest possible thing a guy who keeps losing Dofus, and had to stop being Ebony's guardian due to "interpersonal issues with the dragon", can say.

I never mentioned this previously, but one really cool detail is that even though he probably can't use them, the Dofus do react to Joris's touch — thanks to his dragonized nature.

Since the OVAs came out before the movie, this drove a lot of people a little bit crazy.

Big fan of Atch and Keke standing silently and looking vaguely worried about things.

I'M INSANE.

OF COURSE KERUBIM CREPIN WOULD REACT TO THIS. HE'S DAD.

I can read into things soooo well. I can read into them so easily. It comes like breathing to me.

[puts on tinfoil hat] Yes Kerubim wants to come back home together with Atcham and Joris, but also, Kerubim is seen pushing Joris towards his responsibilities, so I wonder if he feels a sense of guilt for the person Joris has become (guy who will die if he isn't saving the world).

lL;sdf;epor21301;;;; aksdkmaljwijahcfaw j

Anyway, I'm liking the fact that Kerubim and Atcham decided not to come with. Letting Joris have fun (type 3 fun, to be exact) with his friends <3 without making him feel weird by hovering around.

I have thought for years what Joris allowing Yugo to risk the end of the world for Tristepin might mean for his character. It doesn't feel out of character, far from it, — though it would be just as in-character if he was (softly) against this.

I think it's just one of Joris's many multitudes. He has very strong ("strong") morals, until people he cares about are involved.

Besides that, as someone who was alive before Ogrest's Chaos, I do think he'd love for the flooding of the world to stop, which might also be a factor in him not resisting the Brotherhood of Tofu's dangerous decisions here.

Just like OVA 2 was win after win after win after win for Crepinjurgenites, I think this OVA is kind of a big win for Adamai and Yugo fans.

Anyway the way Joris and Ruel are watching this happen is so fucking funny I can't. They really said 😬 and 😐

Joris hesitates before joining in.... because he's not a part of their friend group (but he wishes he were)

Personally, I think he joined in after seeing Otomai do so. It felt less awkward/presumptious. We don't see him lay his hand on Ruel — it cuts away to Otomai before that happens, which makes me consider this possibility.

OVA 3 makes me wish for an alternate season 3 that doesn't suck ass and actually handles Adamai's arc well. My suffering is so real and poignant.

THAT'S WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT. HE WAS SILENTLY STANDING THERE THINKING "Adamai is right though..." and doing NOTHING. Because he's sick in the head.

GET SCARED.

When I first watched the OVAs, I thought that these were all his past lives, and not the fucking Eliotropes. I wish life was kinder 😔

Joris "50 traumagenic psychological disorders" Jurgen ready to attack things at the drop of a hat like a wild animal.

Cutie-patootie shielding his eyes and groaning all pissed off at Yugo for doing whatever scary shit he just did.

Staring at Otomai.

While Otomai is staring at him.

He replies to her as if his own reaction to this wasn't O_O

Ngl I feel like having Grougalorasalar (the #coguette #female manipulator dragon), Dardondakal (??? the cringe warcrime dragon), and Goultard's Gay Lover Doomed By The Narrative inside your head would give anyone brainrot that leads them to cause an apocalypse to happen.

AND there are three other guys in there. And all six of them are eating holes into his brain.

Your honor, Ogrest just had a silly little time and we should forgive him for it.

[clears throat and approaches the mic] Ogrest and Otomai are good but. What if another father-son duo also had a scene where the son threatens to hurt his father if he doesn't leave him alone. Wouldn't it be cool. Haha. There are tons of father-son duos in this franchise! Tumblr user @jorisjurgen, also known as @kerubimcrepin, is not pointing at any pair of characters in particular — I just think a son should threaten to kill his father at least once more in this franchise.

[abiatackerman]

If he wasn't cold hearted and had some thoughtfulness he would have remembered or talked about Farlan and Isabel in flashbacks even after their deaths. But he acts as if they never existed, let alone died. The idea of opening an orphanage and taking children from the underground was Historia's idea, not Levi's. Levi just approved and supported it. The fact that he cares more about the tasks/orders than you, erasing your importance to him, does not mean that he will only throw you to option 2, it means that he will be willing to throw you into the mouth of a titan without even thinking about you. Regardless of your opinion or consent. That's treason and considering his order follower, he'd even keep secrets from you. If that's not betrayal, what is? All this means that he is not very loyal and you cannot have a healthy relationship with him. He is also very prejudiced and high-minded. For example, he dislikes weak people and generalizes every rich person as a greedy asshole. This is not the perspective of a thoughtful and caring human being. If Levi had a romantic relationship trope, it would be toxic relationship. I think any real man or fictional man would be more considerate and loyal than Levi. This must be one of the reasons why Isayama finds it strange to even ask "women?" about Levi and women. It is pure speculation to think that he would have a healthy and loyal relationship with him. To realize that be a better person than Levi, you either have to touch the grass and meet real people, or you have to stop being stuck in a fandom and look at other series/fandoms and discover the characters there, and get to know people and characters who look stoic like Levi, but who have more realistic potential to be more thoughtful, selfless, loyal, who will value you as a priority than Levi.

I'm feeling so lazy to write a huge answer so I'll keep it short.

Isabel and Furlan were shown in the OVAs and just like how the stories of other OVAs weren't mentioned in the main anime or manga, the topic of "no regrets" OVA was neglected too. That's a commercial thing in my opinion. But the one time when Eren, Mikasa and Armin were talking about the sea and Levi was listening to them quietly with a sad mood, that represents Levi remembering them.

About the orphanage, you yourself said that Levi supported it XD, so you admit he helped Historia too even when Levi got no benefits from it.

About the next fact, I truly disagree. That's a thing Levi would never do. He saved Mikasa twice and in the female titan arc, he even twisted his ankle. He will never play with people's life, he even hated Erwin because he used to do that. He has always hated "unnecessary" deaths. He would never throw a person into the titans mouth unless the person agrees and wants to die willingly for the betterment. Imagine Erwin is planning you to die in a process and he has no intention of telling this to you (though I don't think so he would do something like this) and Levi knows about this. Do you think he'll support it? If you still think so I would suggest you to re-read the manga and rewatch the anime, you haven't understood Levi's actual character yet.

In the battle of Shiganshina, he told Erwin that he'll charge towards the beast titan, ALONE (he didn't even care about his life, he was thinking about the life of his comrades) just so the others will be able to escape easily and later he supported Erwin's plan because since that was a situation were everyone was about to die. He thought by this he'll at least be able to save someone. Saving some life is better than everyone dying. He even tried to stop Hange (silently) when they sacrificed themselves. He saved Connie and jean in the final battles and lost his leg due to the process... You would still say that he would throw you in a titan's mouth?

Also you say that hiding classified plans and information is a betrayal? That's hilarious, dear. He would do it for your safety. What if someone kidnaps you just because you know about the plans? The less you know, the better. Just because you are the girlfriend of Levi Ackerman doesn't mean you can know about all the plans and classified information. Fix your morals.

Also dear anon, did you just say he hates weak people? When he fought during his whole life just to save them, the weak humanity from the titans????? Also I support Levi calling rich people "greedy assholes" because most of the rich people in AOT were actually described as "greedy assholes".

About the last topic we both know Levi is a "Famous as hell between women" character. That's why Isamaya never mentioned anything about Levi's sexualities and romantic interests. Also dear Isamaya likes to tease us so what you mentioned isn't something important.

At last I would like to say that Levi avoids being close with people. But once someone becomes dear to them, he'll do his best to save them. Sure he won't be lovey-dovey or sweet as sugar boyfriend, but he'll definitely support you and silently will show his love for you. We all know he's bad with his words so he'll show his love through work. He's a mature person after all!

That's it anon, have a nice day!