Key the Metal Idol

Key the Metal Idol

The first volume of the American DVD release
キィ・ザ・メタル・アイドル
(Kii Za Metaru Aidoru)
Genre Drama, Mecha, Science fiction, Supernatural
Original video animation
Directed by Hiroaki Sato[1] (chief director)
Produced by Shigehiro Suzuki
Atsushi Tanuma
Written by Hiroaki Sato
Music by Tamiya Terashima
Studio Studio Pierrot
Released December 16, 1994 August 7, 1996
Runtime 25–30 minutes (each)
Episodes 13
Anime film series
Directed by Shigeru Ueda[1]
Produced by Ryunosuke Tsuno
Eriko Aoki
Utako Shirakawa
Written by Hiroaki Sato
Music by Tamiya Terashima
Studio Studio Pierrot
Released March 21, 1997 June 18, 1997
Runtime 90 minutes (each)
Films 2

Key the Metal Idol (キィ・ザ・メタル・アイドル Kii Za Metaru Aidoru) is an original video animation (OVA) anime series that was released in Japan from 1994 to 1997. The series consists of fifteen episodes divided into four parts. First Program consists of episodes 1 through 7. Second Program is 8 through 13. Third Program and Final Program are films 1 and 2 (a.k.a. episodes 14 and 15) respectively. Key is a serious and somewhat dark drama with elements of science fiction, supernatural, and action.

The central character of the story is Tokiko Mima (nicknamed "Key"), who believes herself to be a robot crafted by her scientist grandfather, Murao Mima. Every year, on her birthday, Key believes Dr. Mima builds her a new body, each one size larger. Upon his deathbed, Mima records his will on audio tape, revealing that Key can become human with the aid of 30,000 friends. Key believes she must do this quickly before her battery runs down. The series details the slow unraveling of Key's identity and a secret conspiracy bent on controlling her unique supernatural abilities she develops over the course of the narrative.

Overview

Key the Metal Idol, was originally produced and sold as an "experimental" title, with the original release media (VHS Tapes and LDs) priced very low, at 2,500 yen for a single-episode tape or 5,800 yen for a 3-episode LD, with the first episode retailing at 1000 yen. This was less than half the typical price of OVA titles at the time. As the series progressed, the episode lengths and volume costs continued to increase. The final volumes were priced 9,500 yen each, which was consistent with other titles at the time.

The series is also unusual in that the episodes are of varying length. The first thirteen episodes are approximately 25–30 minutes each. The final two episodes are 90 minutes each. In addition to the OVA series, Radio Drama CDs were made. The anime and soundtrack were released in the United States by Viz Video on eight VHS tapes and three DVDs in 1997-2000, and later all together as a box set in 2004.

Episodes

# Title[2] Episode Director[1] Original air date[3]
01 "Startup"
"Kidō" (起動) 
Kazunori Mizuno16 December 1994 (1994-12-16)
02 "Cursor I"
"Kāsoru I" (カーソル I) 
Masashi Abe17 February 1995 (1995-02-17)
03 "Cursor II"
"Kāsoru II" (カーソル II) 
Nobuhiro Kondo1 March 1995 (1995-03-01)
04 "Access"
"Akusesu" (アクセス) 
Akira Mano5 April 1995 (1995-04-05)
05 "Scroll I"
"Sukurōru I" (スクロール I) 
Masashi Abe7 June 1995 (1995-06-07)
06 "Scroll II"
"Sukurōru II" (スクロール II) 
Nobuhiro Kondo5 July 1995 (1995-07-05)
07 "Run"
"Ran" (ラン) 
Yorifusa Yamaguchi2 August 1995 (1995-08-02)
08 "Go to..."
"Gō tū" (ゴートゥー) 
Kazunori Mizuno7 February 1996 (1996-02-07)
09 "Return"
"Ritān" (リターン) 
Koji Masunari6 March 1996 (1996-03-06)
10 "Bug"
"Bagu" (バグ) 
Yorifusa Yamaguchi3 April 1996 (1996-04-03)
11 "Save"
"Sēbu" (セーブ) 
Takashi Watanabe2 May 1996 (1996-05-02)
12 "Virus I"
"Vairasu I" (ヴァイラス I) 
Yorifusa Yamaguchi3 July 1996 (1996-07-03)
13 "Virus II"
"Vairasu II" (ヴァイラス II) 
Kazunori Mizuno7 August 1996 (1996-08-07)
14 "System"
"Shisutemu" (システム)
(a.k.a. film 1)
 
Shigeru Ueda21 March 1997 (1997-03-21)
15 "Exit"
"Shūryō" (終了)
(a.k.a. film 2)
 
Shigeru Ueda18 June 1997 (1997-06-18)

Cast

Character Japanese actor English actor
Tokiko Mima Junko Iwao Nicole Oliver
Sakura Kuriyagawa Miki Nagasawa Megan Leitch
Shuichi Tataki Toshiyuki Morikawa Jerry Todd & Peter Kelamis
Tomoyo Wakagi Yanaka Hiroshi David Kaye
Jinsaku Ajo Shou Hayami John Novak
Sergei/"D" Jurota Kosugi David Sobolov & Mark Gibbon
Prince Snake-Eye Eken Mine Don Brown
Hikaru Tsurugi Shin-ichirou Miki Brian Drummond
Murao Mima Kouichi Kitamura Harvey Gold
Miho Utsuse Chiyako Shibahara Saffron Henderson
"A" Ogata Mitsuru Ward Perry
"C" Sugawara Junichi Michael Dobson

Main characters

Important places and things

References

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