80sanime:1991-1995 Anime PrimerKey the Metal Idol (1994)Tokiko Mima, nicknamed Key, is an expres
80sanime: 1991-1995 Anime PrimerKey the Metal Idol (1994) Tokiko Mima, nicknamed Key, is an expressionless waif who claims to be a robot. Her oddities are known only to the residents of the secluded valley she lives in with her grandfather/creator until the day he unexpectedly dies. His last request is for Key to go to Tokyo and make 30,000 friends there—the exact number needed to transform her into a real human girl. Key accepts this fairy-tale quest without question or knowledge of the shadowy forces observing her every move. After a few close calls on the mean city streets, Key is taken in by her old classmate Sakura, who introduces her to the musical stylings of the famous idol singer Miho Utsuse. This inspires Key to become an idol herself, but will she be able to capture the hearts of 30,000 people before her battery runs out? Key the Metal Idol is an experimental melding of genres and an early example of the sort of thematic deconstructionism that would prove characteristic of 90s anime. Its eccentric cast of characters, mysterious multi-layered plotline and abstract atmosphere draw influence from the works of David Lynch. Over the course of 15 episodes (the last two being feature-length) the series explores psychological trauma, the line between science and mysticism, the exploitation of women and the darkness lurking beneath the surface of the entertainment industry. While occasionally stumbling in its overambitiousness, Key the Metal Idol remains fascinatingly avant-garde. Key the Metal Idol is available on DVD from Discotek. -- source link