Genre: Sci-fi, action, drama

Original Run: 04/13/2006 - 10/26/2006

Series Length: 24 episodes

Current Status: Completed, licensed in the United States, (dubbed/subbed)

Location: Licensed by Nozomi, (Rightstuf)

Synopsis: It is the distant future and Earth has been devastated by war, in which 80 percent of the world’s population had been annihilated. What remains of humankind is now under the control of a group of beings called the Third, who each have a red eye on the forehead and are able to access computers and various technological systems with just a thought. However, technology development by humans is strictly limited and those who break the Technos Taboo are severely punished. In this post-apocalyptic world, Honoka aka the Sword Dancer, ekes out a living as a jack-of-all-trades, along with her tank with artificial intelligence named Boogie. In her travels, she encounters a strange man named Iks, whom the Third greatly fear.

Artwork: The series has the same feel and look of the desert world of Trigun, which was pretty good. The characters are crisp and well-proportioned. Score: 7.1

Plot: It’s a little hard to say with this one, since there’s no real continuity and no main issues. The series is mostly composed of standalone episodes and mini-arc with a bit of a rushed ending. Score: 5.7

Sound: Very well done action effects and the voices were easy to follow. Score: 6.8

Special Effects/Features: Having an artificial intelligence driving a huge, kick ass tank is a plus, especially since it plays the straight man to the main character. There’s a lot of super-technology and stuff to satisfy any sci-fi junkie. Score: 6.9

My Review: When I decided to look up the Third, I was kind of hoping for a fast-paced series with lots of character development. I was a bit disappointed with the relatively slow place as compared to others I’ve seen. The characters didn’t really stand out very much and some of them didn’t seem to be necessary. At times, the anime didn’t seem to know which way it was going. Furthermore, there were a few plot holes and unanswered questions that were never addressed once they appeared. And the ending was a bit rushed and was anti-climatic. It felt as if I was cheated of getting the closure I was expecting. I ending up saying, “That’s it?”

Overall Score: 6.2

My Recommendations: The Third is sort of the anime that promises to take you somewhere, but the journey isn’t all that exciting and the destination sort of lets you down. Now I’m not saying that it’s all bad, since there are some times in which one can enjoy the series, but after watching series like E’s Otherwise and a few others that didn’t give me a sense of satisfaction in the end, the Third doesn’t quite hit the mark.