Key the Metal Idol - Singing (Vol. 3)

Amazon.com

The saga of Takiko "Key" Mima reaches an incongruous climax in two 90-minute episodes marked by long explanatory scenes between her friends Tataki and Tamayo. The crowning achievement of her grandfather's experiments, the wistful Key is a robot who wants to become a human, something she needs the love of 30,000 friends to accomplish. She's also feared and desired by the evil president of Anjo Heavy Industries, who traffics in battle robots and cyber-entertainers. His machines run on "gel" or "geist," a physical manifestation of the life force. Key is to geist what Kuwait is to petroleum, and her vast reserves give her the superpowers she occasionally manifests. The plot lines established in the first 13 episodes collapse amid a plethora of contradictory revelations. Viewers either have to accept Key's story and ignore the contradictions, or look for other anime entertainment. Unrated; unsuitable for children because of violence, violence against women, nudity, profanity, and grisly imagery. --Charles Solomon

Description

The Charade is over...will the show go on? The surviving assistant of Key's creator reveals the truth about Key's true nature and why she needs 30,000 friends! But the story is far from over because Key must learn to use her newly manifested powers to counter the paranoid insanity of the president of Ajo Industries! Finally it's time for everyone to hear Key's song....

Customer Reviews:

Last 2 episodes? So-So. Key? Fantastic!!!.......2002-12-31

The much disliked 3rd DVD....I was really split on this, and would give it 3 1/2 stars if I could. As mentioned elsewhere, the first episode (near 90 minutes long) is a ton of exposition and is a serious shift in story-telling from the first 13 episodes. When Wakagi and Surichi aren't sitting in a park talking about Key, her grandfather, and her grandfather's past; there's an old friend of Dr. Mima's (Key's grandfather) muttering about 15 minutes of backstory on the doctor to himself. Sakura and Key are largely moved to the back, but their scenes are wonderful...and the scene of Key clinging onto Sakura, calling her "mother" while Sakura is realizing her relationship to her is one of the sweetest moments in the story. I couldn't really stand Sakura until this moment in the series, so that makes up for the lack of scenes with Key in the first episode.

The Second episode is an improvement, since we know most of what is going on by now, but still will have a few curve balls thrown at us. It's still slower and we must sit through the story of the cult leader, but most of the story belongs to Key. The character of Key is so interesting that she lights up any scene she's in. As she moves closer to her wish of becoming human, we see how amazing she is. But, there's a lot of growth she must make to get there. The last 15 or so minutes of the final show more than make up for any slowness before. It shows Key at her best. Some weird scenes, and the song that Key finally sings wasn't that impressive (I kind of wonder if they'd use the Japanese folk song "Sakura") but it was an ending worth waiting for. I just kind of wish it had gone just a few minutes more, so we'd see more of a resolution of Key's life.

I guess I could almost rate the R or a heavy PG-13. There's bloodly scenes, nudity (more than other shows, but here it's mostly the robots), language, and the bizarro scenes of Ajo fawning over his female robots that make one suggest he's got more issues than finding Key. I would recommend renting it before buying it, because it is so different from the first 13 shows that some may be upset at the different style.

It's a okay series........2002-12-20

Wow. The first 2 DVD's were awsome. It's very powerful to the emotions. The first few words I thought of when getting these discs were 1. Horror 2. Robot stuff 3. PROZAC's. Hmmm. Hey I thought the story line was great so that;s is all that counts. I'm one of thoses guys who can stand talking for 2 hours so the 3rd dvd isn't that bad. (I watch lots of DBZ. Got the experience.) Over all this is a great anime. Not for kiddies though. I waited 3 entire years before I could purchase this because I was under aged. YEESH!!

Very sad.......2002-11-09

I LOVED the first two DVDs of the Key series. It made Key one of my favorite animes ever. But this third DVD made me even forget why I liked Key in the first place. I've never fallen asleep while watching a movie before. Not until watching this DVD anyway. It is SO boring! All they do is talk talk talk and talk some more. I don't see how anybody could hang on to every word and understand what is going on. I skipped right to the end of this DVD because I couldn't take it anymore. I saw how Key became human. I had no clue as to what happened but I needed to see the story come to an end anyway. If you're into animes with all talk and no action get this third DVD of Key. But if you're into great storytelling watch the first two Key DVDs and forget this one.

Someone forgot the rule of storytelling!.......2001-11-27

(SIGH) I first saw this seiries on public televison, but only caught some of the episodes. Due mainly to the unpredictability of the stations air times. Needless to say I was stoked when I could buy the series on DVD.

DISC's 1 and 2 are great. Just like I remebered when I saw them of TV. In disc three however, the whole series takes a turn for the worst. I don't know if it was a lazy animator, or a rushed director, but the whole disc pratically turns into a story of telling instead of showing. In any story, especially a visual one, the story is supposed to be shown instead of told. But for well over and hour, two of the characters talk about Key and her past.

It would have been alot more effective if the they could have used flashbacks or left Keys past as a mystery. Like others have already stated I had a hard time watching the last disc.

I gave the third volume 2 stars just because I felt like it's neccesary to finish off Key's story, if you've seen the first 13 episodes.

Maybe the producer of Key will redo the last episodes and give them justice. (unlikely though)

Great music...shame about the show.......2001-11-19

Key is a robot who wants to be human... for her to be human she needs 3000 friends... (sounds like a more convoluted version of Pay it Forward if you ask me)

The animation is of a high standard that is for sure, but the story is slow moving and sometimes extremely hard to get grips with.

However the highlight of this show is the opening and closing sequences along with the songs that accompany them. The opening theme 'In the Night' is probably one of the best songs I have ever heard in a long time, a good beat and an almost hypnotic melody. It is in fact my second favourite anime theme song, it is that good.

So if you are tired of big robots and hentai, this is a good title to rent. But do yourself a favour and pick up the vocal album to Key the Metal Idol. I swear even if you dont know a word of japanese, its a good buy

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