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[ a parent's guide to anime ]

[ rated m ] 3 x 3 Eyes

A Parent's Guide to Anime
Rated: M
Recommended for Mature Audiences

Review by David Bingham

This four episode series is available dubbed, either on four individual tapes or combined into one tape called "3x3 Eyes: Perfect Collection." I don't know the names of individual episodes, and so will refer to them by number. Also, I'm doing my best to spell the names phonetically, so if I butcher any spellings, I apologize.

The basic plot centers around the last Sangian (Triclops) named Pai and her effort to obtain the mystical Statue of Humanity (the Nim Gyim Nozo) to become human. The Sangian are related to Humans but split off the evolutionary tree thousands of years ago. Although the Sangian have great power and are nearly immortal (Pai is over 300 years old and looks 14) they are at an evolutionary dead end. Now the last one wants to become human.

Her companion is Yakamo, and ordinary student who survives the mystical firefights simply because after being mortally wounded minutes after meeiting Pai, the Sangian absorbed his soul, making him a zombie and therefore immortal.

Episode #1:

This episode introduces Pai as she travels through Japan looking for Yakamo. In order for Pai to become human, she and Yakamo must go to Hong Kong and retrieve the ancient (and very ugly) statue, the Nim Gyim Nozo. They arrive in Hong Kong only to watch the statue being stolen seconds before they obtain it. They join up with the statue's owner, Lee Ling Ling, and trace it to what can best be described as a hauted mansion. The three people overcome the demons guarding the statue, but not before the Nim Gyim Nozo is teleported elsewhere by a servant of the mysterious Dark Lord, Kian Huang.

Episode #2:

Since they don't know where the statue has been sent, Yakamo and Pai return home to school and friends. When a giant frog-like creature comes after Pai seeking immortality through her death, Yakamo is ripped nearly in half. When he survives this and actually heals minutes later, it causes an understandable strain on his friendships, but eventually his friends realize that he is still the same Yakamo, and they see him off as he and Pai fly back to Hong Kong.

Episode #3:

The Nim Gyim Nozo has reappeared in the apartment of Steve and May Shin. However, the forces of darkness capture him and the statue, leaving May, Pai, and Yakamo to come to the rescue. The rescue does not go as smoothly as planned, leaving Yakamo the only one left free and May Shin bent backwards over a sacrifical alter, a key component in a ritual to ressurect the evil Sangian, Kian Huang. Yakamo's efforts prove insufficient, but fortunately everyone is rescued in the nick of time by a squad of merceneries led by Ling Ling.

Episode #4:

The heroes now have the Nim Gyim Nozo in their possession, but they don't yet know how to use it. Still, everything seems to be going smoothly until a new servant of the dark enters, a zombie like Yakamo, but more powerful even than Pai. Yakamo and Pai begin to realize their feelings for each other, but before they can do anything about it, the dark servant delivers an ultimatum: Pai must face him in a duel, or he will destroy her friends. The duel destroys major chunks of the city, and while Pai is not killed, she disappears without a trace. They story ends with Yakamo setting off in search of her, vowing to spend the rest of his immortal life in the hunt if he has to.

Overall, this was a well scripted plot with engaging characters. I don't know if Sangian are an actual part of Japanese myth or were made up for the story, but I'd love to find out. The animation was a bit crude at times, but sufficient to tell the story and quite beautiful in places. The dubbing was good, but not spectacular.


Parent's Guide Rating:

red (recommended for mature audiences)

Violence: There is at least one major fight scene in each episode, and they are all bloody. Just because Yakamo is immortal doesn't keep him from bleeding a great deal when his arm is ripped off, for example. The scene in Episode #2 where one of Yakamo's friends is being tortured is especially gruesome. Still, at least the violence isn't the focus of the story like some animes.

Nudity: None that I remember. May Shin is wearing very little when she's on the sacrificial alter in Episode #3, but everything stays covered.

Sex: None, really. Occasianally there is a little groping, but everyone stays fully clothed and the groper is inevitably clobbered.

Profanity: None.



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