I was surprised upon starting R.O.D. that it was an OVA released from 2001 to 2002. By the early 2000s the tail end of the OVA boom could be seen going out the door. The OVA is potentially my favorite anime format, with flexible production schedules to help ensure better production values and a high final quality that usually trounces TV series, while being more digestible and financially possible than feature-length movies. It's also been an outlet throughout the years to animate niche stories that wouldn't have much broadcasting pull, and even by 2001 R.O.D. has that eccentricity to its concept to confirm that.
Speaking of OVAs, the thing I was instantly reminded of upon starting Read or Die is the 1992 OVA, Giant Robo The Animation: The Day the Earth Stood Still. Both feature a light lampooning of secret defense organizations and terrorist super groups, while combining elements of Japanese superheroes with a wide cast of inexplicably superpowered humans. They also both have a mix of the dramatic, comic, and theatric, going for wide-scaled set pieces. At their hearts they're also both powerful action epics, while Giant Robo has the space to have more impactful drama and characterization. The comparisons end here, but they also made me realize some ways in which R.O.D. didn't measure up.
For starters, the most shocking thing about R.O.D. compared to what I initially expected was the production values. They're surprisingly mild in quality. While the animation is consistently fluid, the background, character detail, and coloring leaves a lot to be desired. The latter three categories are more akin to a TV series typical of this era, which isn't good. The eventful presentation the OVA usually has with its strong production is not really there, and R.O.D. unfortunately feels like longer TV episodes than something special. The fights are entertaining enough to watch, but lack that "wow" factor that might've come with cleverer use of the wide range of abilities in the attack strategies. All highlights that come to mind involve Nancy's ability to phase through objects at will, which lends itself to some mind-bending choreography at its best and cool posturing at all other times (a common attitude in this OVA that serves it well).
The narrative is also nothing too special. It didn't really set out to be, and chose not to dilute focus from its action, but a particular spot I feel has wasted potential is Tomiko's love of books and her clashing with historical figures. I thought for sure, since she recognized them, that she'd further show off her knowledge of their works, personalities, etc. and perhaps give her some dialogue with the otherwise wasted identities of the villains. Sadly, their presences are in name only, and Tomiko's defining character trait isn't really put to much use. R.O.D. is simple throughout. Fun, but it needed some extra intelligence in its execution somewhere. I'd give this one a light recommendation, and would again like to push the Giant Robo OVA on existing fans or those looking for an action epic who haven't seen either yet.
