Read or Die | |
Cover of first light novel volume
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リード・オア・ダイ (Rīdo Oa Dai) |
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Genre | Spy, Supernatural, Science fantasy |
Light novel | |
Written by | Hideyuki Kurata |
Illustrated by | Taraku Uon |
Published by | Shueisha |
Imprint | Super Dash Bunko |
Original run | 2000 – present |
Volumes | 12 |
Manga | |
Written by | Hideyuki Kurata |
Illustrated by | Shutaro Yamada |
Published by | Shueisha |
English publisher | |
Demographic | Seinen |
Magazine | Ultra Jump |
Original run | 2000 – 19 August 2005 |
Volumes | 4 (die) + 4 (dream) |
Related | |
R.O.D: Read or Die (リード・オア・ダイ Rīdo Oa Dai?) is a series of light novels authored by Hideyuki Kurata, published under Shueisha's Super Dash Bunko imprint. Read or Die follows Yomiko Readman, codename "The Paper", an agent for the Special Operations Division of the British Library. There are currently 11 Read or Die novels. In volume 11, a note stated that the series would end with the upcoming volume 12. In of June 2016, it was announced via Twitter that volume 12 would be released in August, and that there would be a volume 13.
Along with the novels, Kurata scripted the official R.O.D manga illustrated by Shutaro Yamada, which was originally published in Ultra Jump magazine and later printed into four paperback volumes, and Read or Dream, a manga illustrated by Ran Ayanaga set in the same universe as Read or Die.
The popularity of the Read or Die novels and manga resulted in the production of the Read or Die Original Video Animation (OVA) in 2001, which was directed by Koji Masunari and produced by SME Visual Works. In 2003, Aniplex produced R.O.D the TV, a 26-episode animated television series, which served as a sequel to the OVA and introduced Read or Dream's characters to those from Read or Die.
25 February 2012, a new manga called R.O.D Rehabilitation started in the Super Dash & Go magazine, the story tells of a city created by Bibliomania, Bibliopolis.
On August 22, 2016, the twelfth light novel was announced, slated for release on August 26. The possibility of a new R.O.D anime was also hinted at in the announcement.
Read or Die takes place in an alternate history world where the British Empire has remained a major superpower. The Empire's continued existence is guaranteed by the British Library (大英図書館 Daiei-toshokan), an external intelligence agency working within the actual British Library and its Special Operations Division (the British Secret Intelligence Service, more widely known as MI6) is also often mentioned, despite Kurata's editors (erroneously) telling him it no longer existed.