Kiddy Grade Volume 2: File 2 (2002)
Released by: Funimation
Animation Production: Gimik / Gonzo
Running Time: 150 Minutes
By Kakumei Shojo

The Premise

Interplanetary Law Enforcement Members Éclair and Lumiere fight to protect the innocent and bring criminals to justice

Story

Éclair and Lumiere continue their missions as assigned by the chief of the GOTT. After ensuring that a powerful financial group is passed down to its rightful heir, they encounter other Law Enforcement members and team up with them in hopes of shutting down a powerful world-destroying device. Their next mission leads them to a planet in which missing persons they are attempting to locate have been forgotten by the locals! But before they have time to act, something triggers fragments of Éclair’s past to the forefront of her mind and she suffers a mental breakdown. While on leave granted by the GOTT, Éclair tries to gather herself together, but before she has time she is called on yet another mission. The girls learn that things are not what they seem and must decide between following orders or doing what they believe is right.

Review

This 2nd volume in Funimation’s release of Kiddy Grade features episodes 7 through 12 in the series, which include:

Episode 7: Trial Child
Friends and fellow S Class Law Enforcement Members Viola and Cesario accompany Éclair and Lumiere to Aure; the planet occupied by the well to do and arrogant Nouvlesse. They have been assigned to ensure the passage of the powerful Rosenfelt Financial Group to its rightful heir. However, the Nouvlesse refuse to see the boy as one to be deserving of such power, so in order to gain their loyalty he is challenged to a contest, and its up to Éclair to ensure his victory.

Episode 8: Forbidden Instrument
When the GOTT receives information that a branch of military has developed a highly illegal weapon of mass destruction called the Geo-sort Bomb, the chief assigns the girls to locate it. With the help of Superior Agents Tweedledee and Tweedledum, they find the weapon and those in possession of it, but when Éclair calls in to get clearance to make her arrest she doesn’t get a response! What is happening at headquarters?

Episode 9: Mirage Snare
Éclair is assigned to investigate the disappearances of important business figures. When she arrives at the planet, she immediately notices something is very wrong with the inhabitants. As she searches for answers, she uncovers truths that will have more of an effect on her than she could ever imagine.

Episode 10: Rebirth Slave
Éclair suffers a mental breakdown as pieces of her past tear at her sanity. Due to her unstable mental condition she is granted time off for a little while, but before she can collect herself she is called upon yet again for another mission. With her grip on reality slipping will Éclair be able to accomplish her mission?

Episode 11: Set Free
Éclair and Lumiere return to Aure to prevent a revolt against Nouvlesse, but when Éclair’s personal feelings interfere with her duties she must decide whether to stand up for what she believes is right even if it means disobeying orders.

Episode 12: Frozen Life
Éclair and Lumiere are purged from the GOTT for disobeying orders and are now fugitives on the run. Meanwhile, a branch of the Law Enforcement is assigned to pursue them and make negotiations for their surrender. Now hunted by the very organization they worked for, how will Éclair and Lumiere evade capture?

As I started to watch the first several episodes of the first DVD in this volume I had a sinking feeling that there was not going to be any advancement of plot or character development. The story continued along in its episodic fashion, and it seemed there was no light at the end of the tunnel in regards to a prominent underlying story.

Thankfully, I was wrong. For the first 1.75 episodes the girls conduct business, as usual. By the end of episode 8, it is apparent there is something terribly wrong at the GOTT headquarters. Éclair calls in to the Chief to get permission to make her arrest of the criminals in possession of the Geo-Sort Bomb, but there is no response. Éclair grows suspicious of the GOTT, and begins to question her loyalty to it. Before Éclair has time to confront the Chief, she and Lumiere are called upon for their next mission with Armbrust in their company. Lumiere is suffering from horrible headaches, so Armbrust stays behind to tend to her. Éclair begins the investigation alone to find those who have gone missing. There she teams up with the planet’s local branch of GOTT, and together they attempt to find the missing persons.

It is in this episode we begin to see some serious character development in regards to Éclair. While out on her assigned mission, bizarre images from her past jumble together and flood her consciousness, she suffers a breakdown, and requests leave from the GOTT. She is granted several days off to gather herself together, but before she can make a full recovery she is called on yet another mission with Lumiere to stop a revolt against the Nouvlesse.

The character development for Éclair continues as the story is propelled forward in this fantastic mini arc. Éclair sees for herself the situation and disagrees with the action GOTT expects her to take. She is given a painful taste of reality, humanity, and perceptions from both sides. What appeared to be a black and white situation twists to gray and Éclair must decide for herself what the appropriate course of action is even if it means directly disobeying orders.

While Éclair learns and grows, overcomes fears and makes difficult choices, Lumiere continues to be 2 dimensional. There really isn’t any growth for her, and/or revelations about her past. I would like to know more about Lumiere as well, and if the momentum and character development for Éclair is any indication for future episodes, Lumiere’s story has yet to be told.

The other intriguing element that was added to this volume was the humanistic approach to politics, in particular societal flaws such as corruption of power, oppression and injustice. These issues have been brilliantly woven into the plot to create internal conflict for our heroes. For the first time the characters are presented with a solution that doesn’t just wrap up at the end of an episode. The events they have witnessed will stay with them, and will effect how the rest of the story plays out. It is also their reaction and action taken against these injustices that builds their character, and presents a facet to their personality one can identify with.

Like Volume 1, This DVD also has a decent collection of extras including Japanese commercials and the textless opener and closer with your choice of English or Japanese subtitles. There is also a full color image gallery from the vol 2 episodes, ES Force team member dossiers, character profiles, a decent sized image gallery and trailers.

Please see the first review for information on DVD quality, sound, and style

Final Thoughts

I am thoroughly enjoying where this story is going. There have been some wonderful twists and turns that caught me off-guard and drew me into the story much more than the first 6 episodes did. While still episodic, there is now an underlying story driving the urge to keep watching.

Also, there is finally some character development for Éclair. She is at last becoming so much more than a physically strong girl who can handle anything. She is presented with internal struggle, and obstacles to overcome.

Not only do we see a completely different side to Éclair, but to the GOTT as well. It is evident now that there is more going on at the GOTT than what the chief allows her subordinates to know about. There are other powers that the Chief answers to. Who are they? What is their purpose? What is the true function of the GOTT?

I am hoping these questions and background on Lumiere will be answered and revealed in upcoming episodes. Although the series continues to be somewhat episodic there are now questions that need answering, characters’ backgrounds that need uncovering, and actions that need explaining. From the progression of the story in these past 6 episodes, I believe more will be revealed, and the momentum will continue. I look forward to viewing the next volume of Kiddy Grade.

Kakumei Shojo