I rented the first tape in this series out of an idle interest in investigating anime. I got immediately addicted to it. From my limited perspective 'Key the Metal Idol' is a strange hybrid, like Shozin Fukui's '964 Pinocchio' meets 'Sailor Moon.'
Enjoyably weird characters abound in this fun narrative. The heavies are a tad one dimensional (for the most part uninspired corporate techno-sleazebags,) but that barely detracts.
None of these characters is more odd than Key herself, whose frailty, clumpy hair, monomaniacal autism, mystical experiences and huge Keane-eyes propel the story. With Key, the makers of this piece do an amazing and subtle thing: they make a character with complete flatness of affect seem somehow very sympathetic. You want to take her home and let her sleep on your couch & eat from your refrigerator for a few weeks.
Remarkably compelling episode-to-episode construction also keeps this series moving. The story design is tightly controlled, and it functions like the old 'Twin Peaks' in this manner. If Hollywood could produce live-action programming a third as interesting I'd go back to watching TV.
The visual design, animation and editing are all great. It is so accelerated and complex that repeat viewings are basically necessary. The title sequence alone is a brilliant piece of work.
As it stands, I have yet to see the last two installments of this series, but I can certainly vouch for the quality of the first thirteen.
