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Given that they often adapt manga, many anime shows are tied in one way or another to books. Despite this, there's perhaps no series that involves books quite like R.O.D. the TV. A sort of sequel to two different but similarly-named franchises, R.O.D. makes books, writing and paper itself incredibly integral to its plot.
Most interesting is the series' take on writer's block, and it actually gives a pretty good explanation for it besides just creative laziness -- all with a cast of ladies who can more than make do with a few pieces of paper, making the now-classic R.O.D. the TV easily one for the books.
What Is R.O.D. the TV About?
The strange title for the anime R.O.D. the TV reflects the works of which it acts as a continuation. A sequel to the OVA series Read or Die, the acronym R.O.D. also homages the manga Read or Dream, which it is also a sort of sequel to. Set five years after Read or Die, the protagonist is Nenene, the student of the now missing Yomiko Readman. Searching for her teacher, Nenene is unable to continue her own writings until her Yomiko sees what she's written so far.
Nenene travels to Hong Kong, where she teams up with the Read or Dream sisters Michelle, Maggie and Anita. Each of them has the power to control and manipulate paper -- an ability that Yomiko also had. Amid their sometimes comical antics, the group soon finds these powers put to the test amid a global conflict. The British Library and the Doukusensha organization both vy to find the world's rarest and most powerful books, afterward using their knowledge to rewrite history itself. With time running out, Nenene, Michelle, Maggie and Anita search desperately for Yomiko in order to uncover the mysterious truth of what's happening.
The series was animated by J.C. Staff and Studio Deen, both of whom are known for such hits as Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls In a Dungeon?, Requiem of the Rose King and KonoSuba. Running for 26 episodes, R.O.D. the TV is now seen as a classic of early 2000s anime.
Why Is R.O.D. the TV So Great for Book Lovers?
The very premise of R.O.D., while it might seem a bit ridiculous, glorifies the power of books and paper. Books are seen as the ultimate power worth warring over, with those in possession of their knowledge or able to rewrite said knowledge being able to literally take over the world. It helps that the protagonist is a writer herself, and thus would have issues with others misusing the gift for such errant goals.
Nenene's "writer's block" also makes sense given how close she is with Yomiko. Yomiko works as a well-trained secret agent for the British Library, holding books in incredibly high regard. Thus, her opinion could make or break how Nenene sees her own writing, which is why she doesn't want to write another one until she gets her teacher's opinion on her first book. Yomiko is known for even preferring reading over interacting with other people -- a trait that real-world book lovers might share.
Of course, none of this book focus would be interesting without cool set pieces and action, and R.O.D. is full of awesome paper-battles from cover to cover. Yomiko and the sisters are Papermasters who can create objects out of paper, turning the lifeblood of books into powerful weapons. Of course, R.O.D. the TV is watched and not read, and those who want to see how the storybook plot unfolds can do so by streaming it on Crunchyroll. Sadly, physical versions of the series are much harder to come by, although those who stream the show are sure to find it a veritable page-turner.