RAY The Animation - 01

What's this? A new anime that I actually like? I have a feeling that this medical drama spliced with kung-fu nurses will be knocked under the radar -which is a shame, because this is so much better than the rest I have seen so far! It tramples all over the very overrated and crap anime that is The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya. Just think female Black Jack and you get the idea about Ray - the young woman with X-ray vision. Instead of the hands of God she has the eyes of God!



From the dramatic direction of the opening, you know you are in for a treat! The camera swoops down to Black Jack who - makes a cameo appearence here - is treating a young girl who can't see. Obviously this girl is the heroine of this story named Ray. Black Jack tells the young Ray that she has special eyes and that she can choose what she can do with it. Flashback ends and we see the grown up Ray (looking cool as always) operating on the streets.
Kung-Fu nurse number 1 who found the woman being operated on, is in awe at Ray's hands on approach and how uncanny her surgeon skills are. Will they meet again? You can count on it!



The next day, we watch some very mild fanservice of Ray getting dressed for new job. She's the coolest doctor I've ever seen ;) The kung-fu nurses at the local hospital dicuss the events which no1 saw the previous night. No1 declares that Ray was the best thing she saw in two legs before she gasps in amazement at the visitor before her. *drumroll* it's RAY the new doctor! Number 1 Nurse's glasses steam up as she introduces herself as Misato. Ray wonders why she is acting so formal until she realises Misato is actually older than her.
Misato shows Ray around the hospital - but in particular a boy named Kenji piques Ray's interest. Could she have known him before?



The real reason why Ray was employed becomes clear, as Misato introduces her to a Yakuza crime lord. He has a tumour in his heart, but eveytime they try to operate on it - it mysteriously disappears! Ray's elite vision could solve their problems, if she decides to help him. They can't let the Yakuza lord die - it would destroy all remaining hope of telling all to the police. Ray refuses because the hospital is also testing a new drug on him, which she sees as morally wrong. Testing drugs for a profit is a big no-no.
Misato tells Ray they are going to start the operation anyway despite her high-held beliefs. The director of the hospital (a big burly man with an eyepatch) calls to Ray. He explains that even if they wish for him to die because he was a criminal, she shouldn't judge a person on their death bed. She also thanks the director for saving her life 10 years ago but their conversation is cut short by a ruckus inside the hospital.



Yay! Kung-fu nurses to the rescue! Old-skool alert as a bunch of Yakuza thugs break into the hospital. Misato is having none of it and decides to break their legs - and everything else! The two other nurses decide to have thier fun as well. Ray is meanwhile rushed into the operating room as she finally operates on the Yakuza. The tumour surrounding his heart seems to have grown since the last time she saw it - but the drug used on him earlier is working. Ray cuts him open and scalpals out the tumour as kung-fu nurses defend! The drama, the action! The director leaves Ray to the operation as he uses his powers to save his precious nurses from harm.
Finally as things settle down, the operation was a success and the hospital goes back to normal. Ray notices Black Jack outside and thanks him for her special eyes. She says she can't look into people's hearts but she can see through to Misato's bra. Yuri-licious!



Ray The Animation impressed me with it's tightly scripted story and direction. The animation itself is simple, but adequate and there is no character thrown in just for the sake of it. (Simoun.) Ray is mysterious, yet hiding a painful past - which makes her even more endearing. I have the first 3 mangas of Ray and it stays faithful enough without changing alot of ideas. If the episodes stay as good as this - then we have a winner! I'll cheat and say that Ray definately knows the boy Kenji - as he's directly linked to her past. ;) Medical science vs kung-fu nurses - a perfect blend of both drama and action.

Overall: 8/10

Best anime so far this season - based on first episodes anyway. ;)