| style="font-size: 100%;" align="center" colspan="2" |
| Read or Die OVA | |
| "OVA Episode 3" | |
| Episode no. | OVA 03 |
|---|---|
| DVD Release Date | February 6, 2002 (Japan) May 27, 2003 (US) |
| Year | 2001 |
| Episode chronology | |
| Previous episode | "OVA Episode 2" |
| Next episode | "The Papers Have Landed" |
Episode Synopsis
After motives and true intentions have been revealed, the Special Operations Division races to save the world under international pressure. As the agents on board, The Paper and Drake Anderson encounter numerous enemies, both old and new.
Extended Summary
The Special Operations Division mobilizes to intercept the I-Jin's plan, although they still don't know what it is, as Mr. Gentleman gains permission from and stalls various countries for action.
Yomiko and Drake's arrival at the I-Jin's fortress is marred by several bugs - specifically, kabuto beetles that destroy the plane and kill the pilot, but the two agents are otherwise unscathed. Joseph Carpenter orders them to wait for information and keep their guard up, which Yomiko promptly disobeys by walking away. She tells Drake that she wants to ask Nancy Makuhari why she betrayed them, but Drake's convinced that she's a traitor. Yomiko doesn't believe this, to Drake's annoyance. Drake informs her that he doesn't care if Yomiko gets killed: he shows Yomiko his money and tells her that he just wants to get paid and buy something nice for his daughter, so if Yomiko gets into trouble he doesn't want to get dragged into it.
Ironically, Drake is promptly caught from behind by Jean-Henri Fabre and pitched into a pit. Yomiko prepares to fight, but Fabre activates the lipstick print on Yomiko's neck, which renders her unconscious. With Fabre's ominuous words, the British Library dreads the worst. Mr. Gentleman suggests asking the Americans to take over, if the world's pressure is too much for Joseph Carpenter, but Joseph Carpenter refuses and keeps his current situation under wraps.
Yomiko abruptly wakes up, shackled to a pillar in a room partially filled with water. Nearby, Ikkyu watches her. Yomiko asks why he, a peaceful man, is doing this, and Ikkyu comments that such peaceful thoughts were only in the past. Ikkyu's plan is revealed when Wendy walks in on the research team - all dead from self-inflicted wounds. Ikkyu will play a "Suicide Symphony" composed by Ludwig van Beethoven to the world, which will cleanse the world of humans.
Before he leaves, Ikkyu brings in Nancy for Yomiko. Yomiko still doesn't believe that Nancy is a traitor and asks if Nancy's just playing the role of a double agent. In response, Ikkyu kisses Nancy. Yomiko is shocked, realizing the answer to Nancy's responses to love, and begs Nancy to change Ikkyu. Ikkyu mocks Yomiko's pleading, commenting that she'll soon die, and Nancy is horrified: she thought Yomiko would live. Ikkyu only mentions that Yomiko's just an inconvenience right now, and he'll just clone her - just like he did for Nancy.
Blood explodes out of Nancy's heart and she collapses, revealing a second Nancy waving a blood covered hand. Ikkyu and this second Nancy embrace as Yomiko realizes why Nancy's behaviour was so strange - this second clone was in Nancy's place. The younger Nancy (henceforth referred to as Nancy 2) attempts to kill the fallen clone by stepping on her back, but the older one simply phases through the floor. Ikkyu and Nancy 2 make idle chatter over Nancy's death and Yomiko vows never to forgive them; the scene ends as the pair shut the door to Yomiko's watertight prison and water begins to flood it.
At the British Library, Joseph Carpenter deduces the I-Jin's plan: they'll go into the stratosphere and play the Suicide Symphony. At that altitude, it will be impossible not to hear the song, thus causing genocide across the globe. As the I-Jin fortress is steadily moving south towards the equator, Joseph Carpenter instructs his team to figure out where the rocket base will be. When they find it, Joseph Carpenter will ask the Americans to destroy the I-Jin's base. Wendy is horrified that they will kill Yomiko so readily, but Joseph Carpenter says that the sacrifice is necessary.
Drake suddenly appears on radio, surprising the Library. Joseph Carpenter sends the irate man a map to the nuclear reactor so he can stop the fortress and Drake leaves, grumbling about Yomiko and asking himself what she's gotten into.
Yomiko is close to drowning in the room, gasping for air. Through her vision she sees her braid float by, with a paper tie at the end. Yomiko grabs the tie with her mouth, slicing and picking apart her shackles, and is able to escape the room. Seeing her bloody coat, she remembers Nancy's death and goes to find her enemies.
The Library realizes that the fortress is heating up and something is moving; it's revealed that the fortress is actually the launch base itself with the rocket inside. When Ikkyu appears on TV again, commenting on death, President Cole hysterically orders an attack, but Stephen easily decimates the navy. The President refuses advice to retreat and attempts to launch nuclear missiles, but is restrained by his bodyguards.
Joseph Carpenter orders Drake to stop the I-Jin by destroying the nuclear reactor. Drake heads down to do so, but Gennai Hiraga gets in his way. The I-Jin attempts to electrocute Drake, but the amount of metal in the fortress attracts the electricity away from the soldier. Hiraga doesn't appear fazed, however, and instead draws a sword made of electricity from his Elekiter.
Just as Drake is going to be hit, Yomiko bursts in, grabbing a wad of money from Drake's pocket and blocking Hiraga's attack with her own sword. Drake leaves for the two of them to duel, yelling at Yomiko to return his money after.
It appears to be a losing battle for Yomiko, as her blows are easily blocked by Hiraga and she is forced to run around the fortress. However, Yomiko sees a pipe leak something icy, and during the battle manages to break Hiraga's Elekiter. Using the paper money, she bursts the pipe and releases liquid nitrogen over the clone, freezing him solid; the broken Elekiter destroys Hiraga.
Yomiko is distracted by an explosion: Drake sets off explosives near the reactor, but they were ineffective. He rushes in to finish the job himself, but is confronted by Stephen Wilcox and Fabre.
Yomiko meets Ikkyu and Nancy 2. Ikkyu leaves, letting Nancy 2 deal with Yomiko. Yomiko attempts to pursue, but is stopped by Nancy 2, who is invulnerable to Yomiko's attacks. Nancy 2 tortures Yomiko for a while, phasing her hands through Yomiko's body. Just when Nancy 2 decides to kill Yomiko, however, a gunshot knocks her gun away and someone throws her out of the way - Nancy has survived. The two engage in a vicious one-on-one fight as Yomiko runs to catch Ikkyu, leaving only one victorious.
Meanwhile, Drake fights with Fabre and his mechanical bug. Drake succeeds in destroying the clone, simultaneously detonating the reactor with only a second left on the timer. Everyone is relieved, but Ikkyu simply pushes his timer ahead, making it the countdown end change from 0 to -1 and launching his reactor. Yomiko has lost contact with the Library.
On board the rocket, Ikkyu listens to Beethoven's music as he relaxes, but turns to see Yomiko clinging to the rocket, literally pasted to the window. She reveals some money, which breaks open the window and pulls her into the ship. Yomiko continues to demand for her book, prompting Ikkyu to ask if she's insane, but Yomiko persists. He attacks Yomiko, forcing her to her knees, but just as he's going to attack Nancy appears. Nancy aims her gun at Ikkyu, while Yomiko is overjoyed at her friend's survival.
However, Nancy shoots Yomiko in the knee.
Yomiko collapses in shock as the clone goes over to Ikkyu, saying, "To deceive an enemy, first you must deceive your allies." Ikkyu grins, saying that she had really scared him. If he hadn't recognized her, he would've detonated the bomb he was holding on to, which he reveals.
Nancy then phases her hand into Ikkyu's back, grabbing his heart while simultaneously removing the bomb, commenting again, "To deceive an enemy, first you must deceive your allies." Yomiko realizes that she isn't injured as Nancy kills Ikkyu. She leaves Yomiko to finish her mission, killing the Beethoven clone as Nancy explains why she betrayed Ikkyu: because she loved him.
The rocket, however, is still heading into orbit, and the two need to escape - by turning Yomiko's book into a parachute. Yomiko doesn't want to and tries to think of a plan as the two head for the airlock. She opens the door and leans out as Nancy holds onto her, anchoring herself to the ship. But after a sad smile, Nancy lets go of Yomiko, forcing Yomiko to turn the book into a parachute and leaving her to die on the ship.
On the base, Drake notices that paper is falling from the sky. Yomiko tearfully reports the mission's success and the Library cheers. Yomiko then notices a piece of paper in her hand: it's the bookmark she gave to Nancy earlier, with a message written on it: "Please take care of my younger sister."
Some time later, a phone conversation is heard between Joseph Carpenter and Yomiko. Yomiko's teaching job has been finished, and she's asking where's Nancy. Nancy 2 had survived the fight and is being held at a prison medical facility. Unfortunately - or fortunately - she is suffering from amnesia due to oxygen deprivation; should she recover, she will only go to trial for her crimes.
Yomiko meets Nancy 2, who now holds a childlike mentality. Yomiko cheers the girl up with a flying paper butterfly, and the series ends as Yomiko tells Nancy 2 about her "older sister", who was "strong, yet gentle, and she was a great hero who saved the world".