Third: The Girl With the Blue Eye...
Recently, I picked up Third: The Girl With the Blue Eye...
I've seen the first volume and the animation quality is spectacular. I'm quite impressed with the look of the show. The animation is a mix of traditional animation and CG. The sword-winging scenes are particularly nice. But, all is not sweetness and light. The bug-slicing scenes leave a bit to be desired. The giant spiders are a nice concept, but, they're not executed as well as I might like. The giant ants are a bit better, though.
Also, some of the mecha battle scenes seem a bit stilted. The animators seemed to be trying so hard to make this one thing look really cool, that they failed to realize that there was no purpose for that one thing. I won't tell you what the thing is. You'll have to figure that out for yourself. I like the relationship between Honoka and Bogie, but, their rapport wasn't enough to hold my interest in the series.
I got my first peek at Third via a preview on the Haruhi DVD. I like girls, guns and sharp objects. So, this title seemed like a natural choice. As for the story, I like the idea that humanity seems to have drawn the short straw. But, overall, the pacing seems a bit slow. I lost interest in the series after the first volume. I gave Third: The Girl With the Blue Eye a 2 out of 5.
Volume 1
Encounter
In a devastated world overrun by monstrous bugs and ravaged by outlaws, there's only one person to call when you really need a job done right: Honoka. With a sixth sense for danger, sword skills that are second to none, and a smart-aleck A.I. tank by the name of Bogie, she's ready to tackle any job and solve any problem for her clients. But while crossing the desert one night, she finds a young man alone in the wasteland. It's the first step of a journey that will challenge even Honoka's amazing skills to their very limit!
Volume 2
Tending Wounds
One Girl. One Tank. No Problem... After their last devastating encounter with Blue Breaker, Honoka and the others try to pick up the pieces, but there's not much time to recover. The cold blue enforcer is closing in fast, and this time, there's nothing holding him back. She may be outmatched and outgunned, but Honoka isn't about to give up without a fight!
Meanwhile, something dangerous has begun to stir out in the desert. It's got the Third worried, and when the Third are worried, others should be terrified...
Volume 3
Gravestone
The deadly swirling vortex known only as "Gravestone" continues to expand, destroying everything in its path - and Honoka is headed straight towards it! Blissfully unaware of the danger lying ahead, she's busy tracking sand dragons and dealing with an unexpected visitor, Paife. The mysterious raven-haired beauty has invited herself along, claiming that she's there to help, and Honoka is about to need all the help she can get!
Volume 4
Desert Phantom
Something's wrong with Millie. While she maintains her normally bouncy outward appearance, her friends can tell it's merely a facade hiding the sadness she feels deep in her heart. In an attempt to raise her spirits, Honoka decides it's time for a short vacation! What could be more fun than exploring the strange, unexplained legends of the desert? But some myths are all too real, and Honoka's group soon finds themselves in a life-and-death struggle between three mysterious creatures!
Volume 5
Shadows of the Past
Guarding the planet on high from their shining city of Hyperius, The Third may seem perfect, but even they have dark secrets they'd rather remained buried. When Honoka heads off for a rendezvous about a new job, the jack-of-all-trades discovers that her client is a particularly high-ranking Third named Fila Marique. But just as their meeting begins, Fila's auto-enforcers turn on their master and attempt to kill her! It seems The Third's past has come back to haunt them, and Honoka is caught in the crossfire!
Volume 6
Final Decisions
Rona Fauna holds the world hostage. But what is her true goal? Is she even who she claims to be? Meanwhile, Honoka continues her mission to rescue Joganki from Rona's clutches. Cut off from help, with the mechanical assassin Blue Breaker as her only ally, she must venture even further into the nanomachine-infested fortress. If she can't reach Rona in time, it could mean the end - not only for Joganki, but for the entire world!
I've seen the first volume and the animation quality is spectacular. I'm quite impressed with the look of the show. The animation is a mix of traditional animation and CG. The sword-winging scenes are particularly nice. But, all is not sweetness and light. The bug-slicing scenes leave a bit to be desired. The giant spiders are a nice concept, but, they're not executed as well as I might like. The giant ants are a bit better, though.Also, some of the mecha battle scenes seem a bit stilted. The animators seemed to be trying so hard to make this one thing look really cool, that they failed to realize that there was no purpose for that one thing. I won't tell you what the thing is. You'll have to figure that out for yourself. I like the relationship between Honoka and Bogie, but, their rapport wasn't enough to hold my interest in the series.
I got my first peek at Third via a preview on the Haruhi DVD. I like girls, guns and sharp objects. So, this title seemed like a natural choice. As for the story, I like the idea that humanity seems to have drawn the short straw. But, overall, the pacing seems a bit slow. I lost interest in the series after the first volume. I gave Third: The Girl With the Blue Eye a 2 out of 5.
