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[ café reviews ]

key_o002.jpg

key_0000.jpg

Key The Metal Idol
Ver .2: Cursor I



Copyright: © 1994 Pony Canyon / Fuji TV (Japan), Viz Video (North America)
Length: 23 minutes
Rating: NR, Parental Guidance Suggested
Format: Subtitled / Dubbed (VHS), Original Japanese (LD/VHS)

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


[ plot summary ]

vhs jacket

No sooner than having arrived in Tokyo, Key finds herself in a lot of trouble -- most notably with a small-time idol scout by the name of Tamari Senichi. But this time, it's not Key that the target. Tamari has his eyes Key's beautiful young friend, Kuriyagawa Sakura. The pair are able to lose their tail, only to leave a loose end behind...

Not wanting Key to be bored, Sakura takes Key with her to her next job: a clerk at a video rental shop. There, Key is introduced to Tataki Suichi, who also happens to be the president of Japan's biggest idol sensation, Miho Utsuse. Key finds herself mesmerized by a live conert video given to Sakura...

Meanwhile, Tamari has found Sakura, thank to the pizza delivery scooter that Sakura left behind at Tamari's studio. And once again, Tamari isn't willing to take 'no' for an answer...


[ capsule review ]

Episode 1 left us in a bit of a lurch -- just as things were getting exciting, the episode came to an end... There's a fair amount of background information in this episode, most dealing with Sergei's history with Murao Mima. His trip back to Dr. Mima's lab proves to be very interesting, as nothing has been disturbed since his fight with the scientist so long ago. The effect that Key has on the PPOR-based robots seems to also include other devices. This episode also serves to introduce two more characters: Tataki Suichi, an admirer of Sakura, and the mysterious idol superstar, Miho Utsuse. By this point, it becomes pretty clear what Key's plan will be to get her 30,000 friends. Even with this obvious ploy, I found this series strangely compelling. Why is Tomoyo always in the background, and what data is he pulling from the Sipes? And what is Key's connection to the PPOR?

Even without these questions, I find the manner in which Tokiko's character is played the most interesting. We're presented with what amounts to a child, completely innocent of her surrounding, trying to fulfill a simple wish -- to become human. Though we've seen this premise many times over (does Star Trek ring a bell?), having such a seemingly vulnerable, almost helpless character in this situation makes this perhaps a little more striking. Though this episode isn't as interesting as the first, it's not bad. - AN


Original: Subbed: Dubbed:
Story: N/R 3 stars N/A
Direction: N/R 3 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 3 stars N/A
Overall Rating: N/R 3 stars N/A

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Page last modified 1999.10.24