ROD the TV Vol. 3

By volume 3, the conspiracy is well underway. The Paper Sisters take on a job to find an ancient key, but get caught up in a race with a familiar face and a British Librarian named Alice. The hunt turns to tragedy as the true face of the Sisters' employers shows an ugly side, and although they win the day, too many questions remain unanswered, and throughout the course of this volume any answers simply lead to more questions...

Anyone who has picked up this series following the fantastic OAV will be, quite rightly, confused. The British Library seems to be embroiled in a rather underhand plot, and since they're supposed to be the good guys, just what on Earth is going on?

There are a few lighter moments here, such as a Christmas tale of how the Sisters met, but generally the tone has become much darker - many familiar faces have sinister secrets, and there's a level of cruelty here that is something of a surprise.

Animation and sound remain standard TV fare, but the fight scenes retain their originality thanks to the Sisters' extraordinary powers.

Extras include two audio commentaries - one from Jonathan Klein, English language producer, and another from Talesin Jaffe, English version Director. There's also a nice gallery featuring artworks from the series, as well as scans of promotional items.

For those that are enjoying the series, it remains tightly paced and well plotted, but this volume takes the series down a much darker path, and if the final episode is anything to go by, it's going to get darker!