Techtite DVD Reviews

The Series: Sometimes it's bittersweet when a great series takes you by complete surprise. On the one hand you're thrilled to stumble upon such a rare gem. On the other hand you're a bit upset at the lack of notice you received for this gem. Sure, all great anime is frequently underrated, though why aren't there enough critics and fans promoting this wonderful series?

What I love about Solty Rei ---as in most great sci-fi--- is how it takes popular sci-fi elements and mixes them together in a new and inspired way. The lead character, Roy Ravant, is a bounty hunter seemingly pulled right out of Blade Runner; battling deadly criminals of the future, whose cybernetic limbs make them an even bigger threat. The title character, Solty, is a little android who lost her memory, and now would like nothing more than to just be like any little girl, with a home...and a dad. Conversely, Roy is 100 percent human, without a single cyborg limb...and yet not unlike a robot, he just goes through his daily routine. Twelve years ago he lost his biological daughter during a citywide calamity known as The Blast Fall. He's been an emotionless bounty hunter ever since...though that will soon change.

In a particularly tense battle that would've cost Roy his life, a small child seemingly falls from the sky (literally), saving Roy in the process. This strange little girl suddenly sees Roy as her new best friend...and much to Roy's chagrin, she won't go away! This turns out to be good for Roy on two fronts. On one hand you have Solty the android, and androids can't be killed, so she can help Roy catch tougher cyborgs. On the other hand, Solty is a little girl at heart, looking for a sense of "family." Roy unknowingly fits that bill. Little by little, we see Solty learn to be more human. Along the way, Roy slowly regains his own humanity as well. The resulting story is like Blade Runner meets The Professional...and I loved every minute.

Let me call a "time out" during this review, for a warning: do not heed a review of Solty Rei, if the critic confesses to casually watching "a few" episodes. This is not a series that can be seen in snippets and then ignored. This is a complete one-season, 24 episode story, with a definitive beginning, middle, and end. Yes, the first episodes are rather happy-go-lucky; they are made that way merely to set the stage, so you fall in love with the characters. Yet by episode 12, the story slowly takes a more serious tone, with a major plot revelation and a far more three dimensional story arc than most people might've expected. Don't just jump to episode 12, though! As I said: there is a lot of stage setting which will make the later plot twists even more enjoyable.

One of my favorite of these "stage-setting" episodes is episode 4, "Friend." Solty meets a young child who sees Solty as just another little girl. As soon as it looks like Solty has found her new best friend, one of the city's many ruthless cyborg criminals attempts to kidnap these two little girls. The good news: one of these little girls is Solty, and she promptly kicks the criminal's butt in a big way (yay!). The bad news: seeing Solty do this frightens her new friend, who runs to her mom and dad crying, never wanting to see Solty again. It's one of many poignant moments that helps Solty learn the good and bad of humanity. In turn: we learn more about Solty...and we start to really love this character!

This is one of many reasons why I love Solty Rei's core story: Solty's artificial intelligence is actually intelligent. I love thriller movies like any guy, though I'm a little tired at the notion that every futuristic computer which becomes "intelligent" will automatically decide to kill us all with robots resembling the Governor of California. This isn't that sort of story. It's a far deeper story, of a robot with the power to stop a tank, yet she resembles a young child. Not unlike any young child, she is curious of the world around her...and her role in it. Sure she has a gift of great power. How will she decide to use such power? Well, that's just it: not unlike true "artificial intelligence," Solty's eventual choices are actually intelligent...and for that matter, human.

Yet what makes Solty's quest for emotion so engaging, is how emotional it is to the viewing audience. It is pretty inevitable, for example, that Roy and Solty would have their first big fight, as "father" and "daughter." It's an effective, emotional moment of the story, because at this point the typical viewer is rooting for both Roy and Solty. We see Roy regain his own humanity, only to nearly throw everything away, with one cruel outburst. Meanwhile, Solty has learned how to laugh, how to cry, and as a result, how to feel. Then this moment comes up, and we can truly feel how hurt Solty is in this scene. That's the art of great storytelling.

Another aspect of great storytelling: even the tiniest supporting character is well developed. We are shown the private lives of every supporting character; both the good, and the bad. Roy's "boss," Miranda, is a fully developed supporting character, with a young daughter of her own, a bounty on her head, and a motherly interest in Solty. A trio of young thieves at first seem villainous, yet are quickly revealed to have motives that are almost Robin-Hood-style in nature. A quartet of young women act as the "security team" for a possibly nefarious corporation, and yet even they have private lives, filled with their own hopes, loves, and fears. Are any of these people the "bad guys"? Like all well developed characters: yes...and no. In fact; presumed "bad guy's" actions in later episodes might surprise you. That's what great characters are all about.

All of this would mean little without great production value. Solty Rei is very well animated, with excellently chosen music and perfectly cast voice talent. "Return to Love" is a particularly pivotal song to the overall story, and is a joy to listen to every time its heard. Voice talent includes the perfectly gruff voiced Christopher Sabat as Roy Ravant, which contrasts perfectly with the adorably voiced Carrie Savage as Solty. All other voices are equally well chosen, especially Colleen Clinkenbeard as Rose, whose character, much like Roy and Solty, faces a wide span of emotions throughout the story. All three characters develop and grow as the series commences, and the voice talent makes their characters' changing emotions much more "alive," so to speak.

The result of all this is obvious: a story you can't stop watching...though what if you do? Let me give this spoiler-free advise to anyone who stops watching soon after episode 13: don't stop watching! That's as subtle of a spoiler as I can give, when at least one story arc might make younger viewers say "Oh heck" (or the equivalent), when a formerly "main" character is seemingly not a part of the story anymore. All I can say is: think about the many plot twists the story has had up to this moment. Then watch the opening scenes of episode 14...really...closely, for clues that Roy missed. I can't spoil anything here, so I can say nothing more. Keep watching. Enjoy.

That's one last lovely piece of Solty Rei: the writers reward you for coming back. For one thing the story is not a tease. When I say this story has a beginning, middle, and end: it does. Every single plot mystery is revealed (are the writer's of ABC's "Lost" listening?). Then episode 24 ("The Future") caps off the story with a swell ending...and more! Stay for the credits, and see an extended epilogue in the middle. How cool is that? Spoilers intact: this "additional ending" is everything you'd want in an ending, times a thousand. If you're one of those lucky guys who gets to watch anime with your girlfriend: have a box of Kleenex handy. It's that sweet of an ending. Many guys may even get "something caught in their eye" during this ending, if you know what I mean. Even to this guy; man, that ending will stick with me for years.

Cons...? For one thing this is a TV-14 affair, and not a kid's anime show. Teens will say "so what," and I agree. Parents may still feel cautious, however, given the anime-style penchant for the occasional violence and equally occasional non-sexual "nudity." I put "nudity" in quotes because nothing is really shown aside from a bare backside here and there, and NYPD Blue got away with that kind of subtle nudity for years (ironic, given the comparison, that the nudity is primarily from the RUC police women!). All I can say is that the anime world is very saturated these days, so if they needed a sales tactic like the obligatory "mecha" robot tank, or obligatory quick shot of a bare butt: so be it. Speaking of cool mecha machines: how awesome is Rose Anderson's bike in this series?

Now I must admit ---finally!--- some critics have complained about this series alleged "uneven pacing." I would have to politely agree to disagree. Yes some early episodes are comical whimsy. Later episodes are gritty and poignant. This is not "uneven pacing" in my book; just different chapters of a good story. The best stories try for a little variety in their pacing, and not the same rubber stamp formula each "chapter". Think of it this way: imagine going to a Star Trek fan's house, only to watch the comical "I, Mudd" and "Trouble with Tribbles" immediately before far grittier episodes, like the thriller-style "Operation: Annihilate" and the action-intense "Doomsday Machine." Then imagine telling your Trek-friend: gee, this series had very uneven pacing. I'm just saying.

The best review in itself is how much anyone who watches this complete series will almost assuredly "Google" it to see if there was ever a second season. Sadly, no. Really sadly, in fact. When Solty ends episode #23 with the message, "Next time: The Final Episode," it's hard to not be a bit depressed about that! Sure, the ending is really happy and all that, and this DVD set includes a two-part "bonus" sort of episode as well(See: The DVD Extras, next), though I'd love to see another 24 episodes of these engaging characters, no matter what the storyline. That's how wonderful this series is. Solty Rei is, simply put, a very rare gem.

The DVD Extras!: Let me begin by offering a olive branch of humility: if the typically high price of a DVD "import" is what keeps you from seeing this series, keep in mind: all episodes are also available on Amazon Unbox's video-on-demand service, at a much more affordable price. Feel free to download episode #6, friend, for a paltry two bucks. While not filled with the grit of episodes 12 to 24, it's a really sweet episode and I think you will enjoy it very much, whether you agree with my love for the series or not. That's how much I love this series, because I get no noteworthy "commission" for video on demand downloads. If you love this series as much as I do, though, feel free to use this order link to buy the full series box set. The choice is all up to you.

That all having been said: what about the DVD Extras...? Well, how about two additional episodes? The last two "episodes" on disc 6 are not part of the main story, and are an OVA of sorts which jumps back to a moment in the story soon after Rose abruptly "moves in" with Roy and Solty. It's a cute story that's sort of like a one hour holiday special starring the lead characters, and is more than worth seeing. My only mild grievance for this story is how it is not written to follow the actual story, though I can certainly see why. They wanted that awesome ending to stick with you. I still would've loved to see a second season of the series, though.

In addition to the two additional episode on disc six, are various extras on earlier discs. Each disc includes "textless songs" of both the opening and closing theme songs of Solty Rei, along with various trailers. On disc one, "Character Cast Auditions" offers a 12 minute audio of Christopher Sabat, who played the English-speaking voice of Roy Ravant in the series, and was also voice casting director. As an amusing still photo of each character appears on screen, Sabat offers many amusing anecdotes about why each voice was chosen for each character.

Audio commentaries arrive upon watching disc three, just in time for the pivotal shift in tone of the story, which starts with episode 11, "Birthday Game" and ends with the emotionally gripping (and very well titled) "Heavy Hearts." When asked to do an audio commentary for one episode in the set, voice director Christopher "Roy Ravant" Sabat had only one choice in mind: Episode 13, "Distance." That's the part of the story immediately following the major plot twist of episode 12, and it's also the episode which concludes with...that...scene; a scene that was so emotional, I've read message board threads by many viewers who actually stopped watching the rest of the series, thinking that (highlight invisible text for spoiler:) a lead character is actually killed off ...though not really, so KEEP WATCHING! Sorry if spoiler police hate me for typing the above spoiler---even in "invisible" text--- though here is why, in case you wondered (again: invisible spoiler, highlight to read) When voicing the audio commentary, Christopher, Carrie and Colleen are actually laughing when saying "goodbye" to Rose during the commentary, which might make some listeners think they're pretty cold hearted people if they don't "get" that Rose isn't...really...dead! So, spoilers intact: what's so cool about this commentary? Well, basically you have one of the best episodes of the series, with audio commentary by Christopher Sabat (Roy Ravant), Carrie Savage (Solty), and Colleen Clinkenbeard (Rose). Cool.

Is the DVD set worth the price, with just one audio commentary? YES. It's the three main characters. It's a fabulous episode. The fun these three voice actors had together ---both for this commentary, and when voicing their characters--- is fully apparent. Some of many trivia bytes offered: Sabat actually has the same tattoo that's on Roy Ravant's right arm, which he had tattooed on himself as sort of a "memory" of this great series. Yes, all who don't "get it" yet: this was that good of a series. In fact; Sabat confesses at one point that this commentary was actually recorded on November 5th, 2003; two years before the series was even released in Japan...so yeah; recording the audio commentary for the American DVD release two years before the cartoon was even released is a pretty good sign they knew the hit they had on their hands.

The DVD set itself is packaged in a fold-style cardboard case that opens up to reveal the six discs. On the opposite side of the DVD case set, when opened is a nice panoramic look of Solty fighting Silvia from an earlier episode of the series. Behind the discs is a nice panoramic look at the main characters of the series, which is viewable gradually as all the discs are removed. When folded this case slips neatly into the included slipcover box which keeps the DVD set safe on your shelf.

	Final Rating : Deep Impact. This begins as a really fun story, building up the characters more and more, then by episode 12...BOOM! This is one my most favorite of anime's many underrated gems.
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Solty Rei: The Box Set

Review by Techtite