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[ café reviews ]

key_o007.jpg

key_0000.jpg

Key The Metal Idol
Ver .7: Run


Copyright: © 1994 Pony Canyon / Fuji TV (Japan), © 1997 Viz Video (North America)
Length: 23 minutes
Rating: NR, Extreme violence and nudity, Recommended for Mature Audiences
Format: Subtitled (VHS)

Screenplay: Sato Hiroaki Director: Sato Hiroaki Animation Director: Ishikura Keiichi Character Design: Tanaka Kunihiko Music: Terashima Tamiya English Version Producer: Yoshida Toshifumi Translation by: Karahashi Takayuki


[ plot summary ]

vhs jacket

Sakura, having discovered that the PPOR in the garbage pile outside her apartment had been watching her, gets a premonition that Key's life is in danger. Not knowing where to look or where else to turn, she blindly finds her way to Tataki's place, and tries to enlist his help...

Meanwhile, Wakagi's presence at the temple has only served to slow down D's attempt to capture; inevitably, D's superior strength and single-minded resolve manages to render Wakagi helpless. Now, it appears that the only obstacle between D and the unconcious Key is a small, frightened group of religous cultists...


[ capsule review ]









In addition to the main plot where Key is striving to become human, there are no fewer than three sub-plots that this episode explores: Ajo's very disturbing and twisted obsession with his robotic creations, Sakura's personal life, including her developing relationship with Tataki, and the nature of robotic work pioneered by Key's grandfather, Mina Murao. Sakura's growing relationship with Tataki is a given; it's the other two sub-plots that are more fascinating.

The various questions about the nature of the PPOR's and robotic work pioneered by Dr. Mima has to date hardly been touched; we've only managed to get small glimpses of their capabilities. The true make up of the Miho Utsuse drone leads to a rather disturbing tie-in with Ajo's own obsessive behavior towards his creations; treating each with a primal, sexually-charged attachment, but on the other hand, showing a degree of anthrophobic detachment to their human counterparts; and in the case of the drone Miho, an almost displaced fear. Yet his actions with the stage drone is just the opposite. This is one very sick individual.

What still remains to be answered is how Key is able to have the PPOR's come to her aid while she's unconcious, and what her tie is with them. There's an interesting bit of dialog between Wakagi and D concerning the reason why the PPOR's go out of control, which then leads to the next obvious question: what the heck is this 'gel' they keep mentioning? Well, I definitely have to keep watching this series to find out!
- AN, 98.01.25


[ café rating ]

Original: Subbed: Dubbed:
Story: N/R 4 stars N/A
Direction: N/R 4 stars N/A
Acting: N/R 4 stars N/A
Animation: N/R 3 stars N/A
Music: N/R 4 stars N/A
Translation: N/A 4 stars N/A
Overall Rating: N/R 4 stars N/A



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Page last modified 1999.10.24