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   time is distorted.  He is enlisted by Haruka Shitow, a feisty special   
   agent, to help in the fight against the Murians - but what has become   
   of Reika Mishima? Why does Ayato's mother bleed blue blood?  What is   
   the purpose of the Mu civilisation?  This highly complex series has   
   been compared with EVANGELION, but has a less annihilistic feel,   
   although the story is dark and dramatic - Ayato has qualms about   
   piloting the mysterious RahXephon, yet feels he must to protect   
   others.  An eclectic score by Ichiko Hashimoto (NOT Yoko Kanno, who   
   provides the theme tune) adds weight to the scenes, and the production   
   quality is extremely high, with a gripping plot - although some   
   episodes fall into a "mecha-of-the-week" pattern.  Available on DVD in   
   North America and the UK from ADV, and in Australia from Madman.   
      [Entry by Andrew Hollingbury]   
      
      READ OR DIE:  Yomiko Readman loves books, so much so that she's   
   almost always found reading one.  She also has the power to control   
   any piece of paper she touches (which gives her her codename "The   
   Paper").  When she's sent to retrieve a rare book from a scientist who   
   clones historical figures, she and her partners discover a plot that   
   could change the world ...  If you can imagine a James Bond movie with   
   low-key superpowers and a naive, kindhearted hero, you'd probably be   
   imagining something close to this three-OAV series.   
      READ OR DIE has been released by Manga Entertainment in North   
   America.   
      [Entry by Rob Kelk]   
      
      REAL BOUT HIGH SCHOOL:  Your high school wasn't like this, I   
   guarantee it.  The school has a K-Fight system where grudges and   
   challenge matches settle things.  At the top of the rankings is Ryoko, a   
   rather busty Kendo Club student.  Once she finds an amulet, her life   
   turns upside down.  The amulet activates and she finds herself in   
   another dimension, with enemies that are beyond belief.  Also of note,   
   the final enemy of the series is William Gates (Bill Gates, duh).   
   Released by TokyoPop in North America.   
      [Entry by Bill Martin]   
      
      RECORD OF LODOS WAR:  There are now two series called RECORD OF   
   LODOS WAR:  the original 13 episode OVA and a 27 episode TV series   
   called RECORD OF LODOSS WAR: CHRONICLES OF THE HEROIC KNIGHT.  The OVA   
   based is on novels which in turn were baced on an D&D game with the   
   standard class and race types as the heroes (Fighter, Cleric, Wizard,   
   Thief, Elf, and Dwarf) and the clasic villians of orcs, wizards, and   
   drow elves.  Due to time constraints the animaters shifted things   
   around a bit which creates some problems with the HEROIC KNIGHT series   
   which is set after episode 7 of the OVA but follows the novels far   
   more closely.   
      [Entry by Bruce Grubb]   
      
      REVOLUTIONARY GIRL UTENA:  see UTENA   
      
      RIDING BEAN:  Ace driver Bean Bandit will deliver anything to   
   anywhere in Chicago for the right price, no questions asked.  But when   
   he tries to deliver an escaped kidnap victim to her father, he gets   
   framed as the kidnapper!  An action story written by Kenichi Sonoda.   
   Available from AnimEigo.   
      (Please note that this OAV *almost* qualifies for inclusion in the   
   Anime Hentai Primer, because of one scene that is inappropriate for   
   younger viewers.)   
      [Entry by Rob Kelk]   
      
      ROBOT CARNIVAL:  8 separate short pieces by different artists, some   
   serious, some comedy, almost all very well done.  All involve a robot   
   somewhere - some more than others.  Some comedy, some pathos.  Artsy.   
   Streamline dub versions exist (only 2 segments had dialog, anyway.)   
      [Was available dubbed from Streamline Pictures when Streamline was   
   still in business.   - Rob Kelk]   
      
      ROSE OF VERSAILLES:  A historical fantasy based on the manga by   
   Riyoko Ideda, set in France in the years leading up to the French   
   Revolution, and including many real historical figures and events in   
   its story of romance and intrigue.  The central character is Oscar   
   Francois de Jarjeyes, a fictional swordswoman who becomes the head of   
   Marie Antoinette's bodyguards.  Raised as a man by her father, she   
   initially keeps her own feelings buried beneath a mask of duty and   
   honour.  The series portrays Oscar's journey both personal, as she   
   strives to reconcile her upbringing with her own passionate nature,   
   and political, as she ultimately must choose between the good of the   
   country and her lifelong loyalities.  Produced as a 40 episode TV   
   series in 1978, the animation may not be up to modern standards, but   
   this is easily compensated for by the beautiful artwork.   
      [Entry by David Simmons]   
      
      ROUJIN-Z:  The very near future.  A new fully automated healthcare   
   robot, integrated in a sickbed, starts taking way too much care of its   
   senile patient when it takes on the personality of the patient's   
   deceased wife.  A silly cyberpunk parody with lots of punches about   
   the generation gap and the lack of interest in the problems of the   
   elderly.  Senior citizens hacking into government computers from their   
   daycare facility!  Strange humour that may not appeal to everybody,   
   though.   
      [Entry by Hanno Mueller]   
      
      ROYAL SPACE FORCE (a.k.a. WINGS OF HONNEAMISE):  1987 anime   
   blockbuster of all ages, which never busts anything, including the box   
   office.  The first Studio GAINAX feature film, it is a story about the   
   first spaceman of some abstract planet (alternative Earth, because   
   Honneamise is much like Japan, and the Republic resembles the United   
   States very much).  That astronaut, Colonel Shirotsugh Lhadatt, is a   
   complete loser all his life, and the staff of Honneamise space program   
   is a bunch of misfits and weirdos led by some space maniac, but   
   somehow they succeded in their goal, launching the rocket directly   
   from a battlefield, during a war!  Despite all said above, it's a kind   
   and heartwarming story, with brilliant graphics and talented   
   direction.  And box office?  Who cares about it, especially after   
   1990, when it returned its budget.   
      Available from Manga Video.   
      [Entry by Andrew V. Tupkalo]   
      
      RUIN EXPLORERS (a.k.a. FAM AND IHRIE):  Based on the original manga   
   by Kunihiko Tanaka, this is a light-hearted sword & sorcery series.   
   Somewhat reminiscent of Slayers in tone and basic plot, it stands   
   firmly on its own as a great story with characters that you can't help   
   but love, even if some of them are a bit cliche.  The animation is   
   very good, although some of the fan-service is a little overdone at   
   times.  The series opens with a scene of Fam & Ihrie in the middle of   
   exploring a dungeon, so don't think that you've mistakenly gotten a   
   later volume when you start watching.  One of the funniest and cutest   
   aspects of the show is Ihrie's curse - she has a *little* problem with   
   casting spells.  The one real complaint that most people have about   
   the series is that it is too short - four episodes for a total of   
   about two hours viewing time.   
      Released in North America by AD Vision, available on VHS in two   
   volumes either sub or dub, or as a single-volume hybrid DVD.   
      [Entry by Paul Lepant]   
      
      RUMIK WORLD:  see FIRE TRIPPER, LAUGHING TARGET, MARIS THE CHOJO,   
   and MERMAID FOREST   
      
      RUPAN III:  see LUPIN III   
      
      RUROUNI KENSHIN:  The adventures of Himura Kenshin and his friends   
   in 1870's Japan, 10 years after the civil war.  A former assassin,   
   Kenshin now uses a sakabattou (reverse-bladed sword) so as to protect   
   those the loves while keeping his promise to never kill again.  This   
   long series hits its stride during the season long "Kyoto Arc" (eps   
      
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   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)