Key the Metal Idol Complete Collection

By Luis Cruz     July 21, 2004
Release Date: June 01, 2004



What They Say
Wanted: 30,000 people to give their love to a girl made of metal... Created by a kindly old scientist, Key is an android who has been growing up, but only when the doctor exchanges her artificial body for an older one.

When her creator dies, Key is trapped in the body of a teenage girl who will never age or die, and even though she doesn't really understand how to act human, it is her most treasured dream to become a real girl. Key pins all of her hopes on her creator's last message, which suggests that to become human, she must win the love of 30,000 people...

Features all fifteen episodes on 3 DVDs! Also includes the Original Soundtrack!

The Review!
One girl strives to find her humanity with the help of 30,000 friends in this twist on the Pinocchio story. Its slow pacing and use of narrative might prevent it from achieving the timeless popularity of the wooden boy.

Audio:
A standard stereo mix, the Japanese language track provides an average but enjoyable experience. The bulk of the series is dialogue and music meaning most of the content comes from the center channel; both are balanced well allowing the two to mix without overshadowing each other. During the action sequences, there are some decent directional effects. There were no noticeable problems making it very clean audio track.

Video:
Produced in 1994, the video has held up well and has made the transition to a digital medium quite well. The series ranges from bright, sunny country settings to the dark recesses of Tokyo; in all cases, the colors are vivid and help create some detailed artwork. The print has little in the way of grain or scratches, and there appear to be no problems with cross coloration or other digital artifacts.

There was a problem with the first episode; the entire screen seemed to be shaking for part of the episode. This appears to be part of the master and not caused by the transfer. Also, the title cards and credits have been replaced with English versions placed directly on the video transfer.

Packaging:
All three discs come packaged in a paper box; it is a bit flimsy but is feels more sturdy than other paper boxes. The three cover images on the discs are in a collage on the front of the box. The back of the box contains the requisite screenshots, synopsis, and disc specifications. All three individual discs follow the same motif for their front and back covers. The CD is contained in a flimsy paper sleeve inside the box along with the discs. The bright red background of the box makes it eye-catching.

Menu:
A portion of the opening theme sequence plays before the actual menu appears. Once the menu appears, a sample of the opening theme loops while the menu items are overlaid on a background of mechanical components. There is a brief animation switching between menus, but the overall menu system is quick and functional.

Extras:
Contained on all three discs are conceptual art galleries, character information, a list of English and Japanese voice credits, and a text interview with the director. Those looking for a clean version of the opening and ending themes will find them on disc three. Disc one also contains a text FAQ taken from an interview with the director.

The highlight of the extras is the nine track CD included; it features all of the music that infuses Key with haunting yet melodic imagery.

Content:(please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers)
Mima Tokiko, or " Key" for short, lives with her grandfather in the scenic countryside of Mamio Valley but is far from being your an ordinary country girl. She believes she is a robotic girl created by her grandfather and given a new body every year on her birthday. As the story opens, Key's life takes a tragic turn, when her grandfather dies. His final message to her is to attempt to harness the power of 30,000 friends in order to become a human girl. Key quickly determines that the best place to do this would be in Tokyo; so begins the journey of this anime version of Pinocchio.

Key arrives in Tokyo and quickly bumps into her only friend from Mamio Valley, Sakura. Despite working a number of odd jobs, Sakura takes Key in and tries to cope with her friend's robotic idiosyncrasies. Sakura believes Key is just delusional but decides after much soul-searching to help Key achieve her goal.

To do this, Sakura proposes Key follow in the footsteps of Utsuse Miho, a popular idol singer. Key fails miserably at the task due to her mechanical mannerisms. Sinister events also threaten to hinder Key's quest for humanity; Ajo Jinsaku is the head of a powerful industry and is secretly building an army of robots to sell to other nations. The robots are powered by a mysterious substance known as "gel"; Ajo also happens to be the head of Production Minos, the company that backs Utsuse Miho.

And so the story winds to its conclusion, as the mystery behind Key's connection to Ajo's project and the mystery of her true nature are slowly revealed. I had always wanted to watch Key because it was often compared to one of my favorite titles Serial Experiments Lain. Both share a number of similarities in terms of story, style, and pacing. However, Key ends up being enjoyable but falls a bit short of being as great as Lain.

Much like Lain, the story of Key is played is driven mostly by narrative and character introspection. It is a long, slow story punctuated in places by violent action sequences; while the director shows considerable skill in telling the story, the slow, art house style is likely to cause most viewers to abandon the series. It would be their loss though because the story is quite fascinating.

Through the use of haunting imagery and music, the lines between reality and the supernatural begin to blur; Key and those around her struggle with determining what she really is, and the audience is at an equal loss until the final two episodes. The next to last episode is my particular favorite of the series.

It reveals nearly all the secrets and history that have led the characters to where they are at that moment. The revelations unfold in a slow narrative that is a sequence of different characters talking or musing about the past; the sequences flow together due to solid writing and expert animation transitions. Weighing in over ninety minutes though, this episode is also the best example of the slow pacing that most could find boring.

Not matter how skilled the material is directed, the overall plot is what matters most, and it is in this area that Key shows its weakness. The story is a mishmash of many disjointed elements. Most of the plot elements do not make much sense until the next to last episode, but even after that, the series seems to lack a strong, overarching theme. The message appears to be about how people connect with each other and how it leads to the worship of some over others. Yet, this message gets lost in the machinations of Ajo's demented love for his mechanical "sons" and his idol talents. Combined with the mystery of the gel that powers Ajo's machines, it is difficult to determine what message, if any, the director is trying to get across to the audience.

While it follows naturally from the story, the ending is going to be something you either love or hate. Either way, it will leave you scratching your head for a bit. It is a long haul to get through the entire series, but I found it worth watching once.

In Summary:
Key the Metal Idol has a considerable amount of style; the music and animation combine to form a haunting vision, especially in the form of Key herself. Using a narrative approach, the director tells a long, slow story; while it is paced appropriately, the slow, art house feel of the narrative may turn the average viewer away. It is worth watching at least once though, as it keeps the audience guessing until the very end. Those brave enough to see the series through the end may also have mixed feelings about the ending; it is the ending and the muddled message of the series that makes it difficult to recommend for multiple viewings.

Features
Japanese 2.0 Language,English 2.0 Language,English Subtitles, Conceptual Art,Character Profiles and Information,Interview with director Hiroaki Sato,Clean Opening,Clean Closing

Review Equipment
Mitsubishi 27" TV, Pioneer DVL-919, Sony STR-DE915 DD receiver, Bose Acoustimass-6 speakers, generic S-Video and audio cable