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[ café reviews ]

key_o005.jpg

key_0000.jpg

Key The Metal Idol
Ver .5: Scroll I


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

Sakura is finding it difficult to cope with the emotional burden of playing host to the very naive, child-like Key. Every day existence becomes not so much a challenge, but more a struggle for Key's very existence. But when Key wanders off with "Priest Snake Eyes," a religous fanatic after Sakura warns Key specifically not to get mixed up with strange religions, things finally come to a head...

Meanwhile, Miho is convalescing in an exclusive hospital. Ajo is anxious to see her back up and performing, even if it costs Miho her life.


[ capsule review ]







This is a relationship/character building episode between Sakura and Tataki. A chance encounter with Tataki at one of Sakura's part-time jobs sets up a close, introspective conversation between the two. We discover Sakura's misgivings about Key, and her feelings of unwelcome burden and resentment -- feeling which sometimes even balloons into jealousy over Suichi. We're not sure why Sakura left to work in Tokyo; only that this will be a significant element in some future episode.

Key's obsession with fulfilling her grandfather's dream takes her to the temple of "Priest Snake Eyes," a religous fanatic whose near-death encounter with a mountain snake caused him to 'get religion.' While his presence in the story is undoubtably important, I found the story progression in this episode slow and plodding, as if someone didn't have enough material to fill out the requesite 30 minute time slot. The most notable element of this episode is the continued protrayal of Ajo Jinsaku by Hayami Sho. The Ajo character is a very dark, disturbing look at pathological obsession. Whereas Sergei is driven by some fairly basic, and consequently understandable motivations, Ajo is driven by deeper, far more abstract concepts, which has made him go mad. Interesting and effective portrayal of characters, only the show's about 5 minutes too long. - AN


[ café rating ]

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 4 stars N/A



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Page last modified 1999.10.24