Customer Reviews

Dual - Trouble Adventure - Artifacts (Vol. 3)

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"Dual" is a very hard series to classify. In the first DVD of the series, I found myself comparing it constantly to "Neon Genesis Evangelion" and the first "El-Hazard" OAV series - so much so that I could describe each character based on one from each of those series. In the second, I found myself thinking throughout much of the disc that it was falling back on the old AIC (the company that produced Dual, Tenchi Muyo and El-Hazard among others) plot device of "many girls living with one boy" and the difficulties that ensue.

In this, the third disc, I think the series is starting to find its own path with an interesting plot and a new romantic lead. For the third volume, Kazuki (the main male character) is caught behind the Rara lines and is nursed back to health by the parallel world's version of Mitsuki. After various romantic entanglements, Kazuki is sent back to the Sanadas and we start to see a romance blooming between Kazuki and the parallel Mituski left behind in Rara-land. To say much more would be to give away the point of the entire disc, but the star-crossed lovers theme seems to be what was aimed for here. It actually succeeds fairly well, too. Firm romance between two characters is not something we see a lot with AIC (the only other notable exception that comes to mind is Makoto and Ifurita in the original El-Hazard OAV) and I'm glad to see it again. It's something the series definitely benefits from.

Technically the disc is quite nice. The extras include character data, conceptual art, TV commercials (that are, for once, subtitled) and two more easter eggs in the form of mini animated manga. The picture and sound are both quite nice in keeping with most Pioneer releases and the menu is much more like the first DVD's menu than the second's, for which I am grateful.

Overall, I liked this disc a lot. The creators of Dual have, I think, finally found the right balance to strike between parody, familiar plot devices and original ideas. With luck, they will continue this balance in the fourth disc and give the series a wonderful ending. In the meantime, if you've seen the first two discs of Dual, I definitely recommend picking this one up as well.

This volume of Dual! gives an up-close and personal look at Miss Ra. All three episodes are pretty devoted to plot development and an exploration of the parallel world and the artifact. We learn a lot more about the Rara army and family. And, once again, there's a cliff-hanger ending. Overall, an excellent volume. Highly recommended.