The Third: The Girl With The Blue Eye, Volumes 1 –
4 (Right Stuf DVD)
Picture:
C+ Sound: B Extras: B Episodes: B
Set in
the sometime future, after a great war, Earth has become a desert like world
filled with mutant creatures, new dangers, and technology is limited to
'Technos Taboo'. Only a handful of
people remain who are watched over by the "Third", a group who has a
red third eye with the power to control computers and various technologies,
who's purpose is controlling and stopping humans from 'Technos Taboo'.
Our story however starts with Honoka, a young girl who possesses a blue third
eye instead or red with a mysterious power, neither a 'Third' or human she is
know also as 'Sword Dancer'. Honoka is
an adventurer, and a jack of all trades, along with Bogie her A.I, guardian,
friend and tank they cruise over the desert wastelands looking for job and occasionally
saving the day. Their adventure starts
after meeting and saving a mysterious young man in the desert, Iks. Iks turns out to be a visiting alien from
another world, and after meeting Honoka, he asks Honoka to show him what the
Earth is like. But with all the dangers
about and the Third watching can Honoka bring change to the world?
This is a
well thought out anime with a unique view and setting. What is interesting is
the occasional narration voice, giving it the over all feel of more like a
story telling. The setting is unique in often the series/episode will have
landscapes, creatures, and culture that nothing to do with the overall plot,
but it creates a world in which we can see how the main character lives in
along with the people, interactions, how they live and what the social
structure is.
A lot of
thought has been put into making this anime in particular in my opinion, it
sets up a harsh desert world and places challenges for the main protagonist to
face and question, but it also brings up what is life like in this desert
world. Small details are inserted which help enrich the story and the world for
viewers to enjoy, but along with action, danger, and even the occasional funny
moments it makes it an entertaining Anime series and will keep you coming back
for more.
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Episode 1: "Sword Dancer"
Honoka, Sword Dancer after her latest job of hunting down and fighting mutated
spiders, find a mysterious young man being attacked by giant armored ants and
rushes in to rescue him, but only to find out her adventure is only beginning....
Episode 2: "An Eventful Night"
After saving Iks, Honoka meets up with the mechanic Zankan, only to rescue him
and his daughter Millie from a bunch of bandits. After a fun but brief reunion
of friends, an unexpected visitor drops by. Joganki, a Third, who's taken an interest in
Honoka... but where ever he goes, trouble is not far behind...
Episode 3: "Desert Town"
Honoka returns to town and begins to hear rumors of the Third searching for something;
could it be the mysterious Iks that they are looking for? After a brief scuffle, Iks hires on Honoka as
a guild... will Honoka be up it the job?
Episode 4: "Blue Breaker"
Honoka and Iks returns out to the desert to Zankan to pick up her package, but
just as she leaves, senses and odd presence. Blue Breaker, an auto enforcer known to for
hunt down those who have broken techno taboo and its merciless tactics, Honoka
rushes back but...
Episode 5: "The Blue Astral Eye"
After her previous fight with Blue Breaker, Honoka's secret is revealed to
Millie, her blue eye. Burdened with
guilt of not being able to save Zankan, how will she face newly orphaned
Millie? Will Millie see Honoka as a
friend still or hate her for being a 'Third'?
Episode 6: "The Wind that Sweeps the Land"
After the death of Zankan, Honoka is filled with rage, anger and vengeance. With an opportunity to avenge Zankan, Honoka
rushes in rage and hate-filled to fight Blue Breaker, but only to find
anger-driven attacks will never bring back the dead. But instead stumbles on another truth...
Episode 7: "Until Dawn"
After a brief interlude, Honoka and Bogie while camped out in the desert at
night, a soon to be queen armored ant clings to the tank. Honoka sensing a kindred spirit is reminded
about her past and decides to protect it till dawn, but can she last until
dawn?
Episode 8: "An Afternoon in Emporium"
Something stirs in the desert, Honoka and Bogie barely escapes a rampaging herd
of Sand Dragons, but not without Bogie sustaining heavy damages. Stuck in town for repairs Honoka has a fateful
encounter, Paife. But no sooner she is
sent back into the storm to investigate the cause of rampage.
Episode 9: "Paife"
Turns out the cause of rampaging Sand Dragons was something leftover from the
great war, Gravestone. As Honoka rides
out to investigate the cause, Paife tags along, but not without something
following her...
Episode 10: "Gravestone"
Meeting
up with Iks again, Iks warns Honoka not to approach Gravestone. But Honoka
feels someone calling her and is waiting for her... Meanwhile the Third afraid
of Gravestone's wakening is in the midst of preparing an orbital strike with a
dimensional canon.
Episode 11: "Battling Against Illusion"
Upon
arriving at Gravestone, Honoka, Paife and Iks are enveloped in light. They are
shown illusion of the past... the Great War. But in the midst they are separated and a boy
appears before them... Gravestone.
Episode 12: "Their Respective Reasons"
As
Gravestone is all powerful, it is still like a young boy, only awaken to find
the world it once knew gone. As Honoka,
Paife, and Iks are trapped in the world of illusion, can they convince
Gravestone the war has ended and there is no need to fight. Time is running out as the Wormhole Driver,
the dimensional canon nears its final countdown.
Episode 13: "Desert Folklore"
Millie
still traumatized from the death of her father, Honoka decides to take Millie
on a vacation into the desert to show her its hidden beauties, but can she
protect her from its dangers? Little
does Honoka know, legends and folklore will be follow and finding her from the
past...
Episode 14: "Fairy Visions"
As Honoka
travel the desert with Millie trying to help her open up, the rift between
takes a step for the worst. Millie runs
off into the desert, and runs into danger, but then a mysterious voice calls
out to Millie...
Episode 15: "Night of the Sandstorm"
Even
after being rescued Millie is unable to smile. Honoka encounter and battles with Leon, a
cyborg leftover from old-world technology, and is left gravely injured. As Millie comes to turn with her father's
death, they are caught in a sand storm and encounter both a mysterious fairy
and wolf...
Episode 16: "Life Dancing Wildly"
With
Honoka struggling for life, both Iks and Millie watch over anxiously. Leon
stalks the fairy, wolf and Honoka. What
is the connection between them? As life hangs in the balance will Honoka have
the strength to survive, much less live on?
The
anamorphically enhanced 1.78 X 1 image is pretty nice throughout, typical of
Right Stuf, who is now more indisputably at the top of an Anime game with
Geneon out of the way. Clarity and depth
are better than you usually get and the Dolby Digital 5.1 mix is so good,
you’ll wish it was DTS. Besides trailers,
commentaries and reversible covers, each volume comes with a 12-page booklet. Some also feature voice actor interviews,
Music Videos and art galleries, so extras are better than many Anime TV series
on DVD.
- Ricky Chiang
