Solty Rei is the latest "big" series from FUNimation to come out with critical praise across the board. Created by Gonzo this 24 episode show was produced in 2005 and is a blend of genres but is mostly steeped in science fiction. Filled with interesting characters this is a slower drama with snippets of action tossed in between. The end result is a show that feels a little bit like The Professional and Ghost in the Shell put together.

In a distant future there is an advanced city with a tragic past. You see, this metropolis is covered by something called the Aurora Shell that blankets the sky. This multicolored barrier keeps the atmosphere intact though it has played a bigger role in the lives of those who live beneath it. Twelve years ago there was an event where the Shell struck lightning down on a tower that was built a little too high. The result; called Blast Fall, was cataclysmic and nearly destroyed the city. Thousands died and much of the affected area needed to be rebuilt due to instability.

Roy Revant is the main character in this series and it's through his eyes that we see most events. When Blast Fall occurred he lost everything that was dear to him including his young daughter Rita. Convinced that she's still alive somewhere he has become a gruff old man who works as a bounty hunter to pay the bills and collect information. One day when a synthetic angel falls from heaven he takes her in and she starts calling him "father".

Even upon finishing the second volume we still know nothing about Solty Revant's past. Where she came from is pretty much a mystery and all we can ascertain is that she's a technological marvel and the height of artificial life. Roy's life also got more complex when a blonde thief named Rose took a liking to Solty and decided to take a more active roll in her life. Now Roy's quest to find his daughter and live as a hunter have been put on hold as he deals with the two new girls in his life.

In the first volume we were introduced to each of these characters and learned quite a bit about the societal details surrounding the city. An unregistered underclass lives beneath the metropolis and it's them that Rose fights and steals for. Roy also took a couple of chances on some leads towards finding his daughter but each time he turned up empty handed. Solty also questioned her own existence and her place in the world around her when a new friend looks at her as if she were a monster when she defeats a villain.

The second volume picks up pretty much right where the last one left off with Rose moving in with Solty and Roy. It is apparent that she has an ulterior motive and for the most part it just seems to be using Solty for her own cause. While living with the two Rose cooks up a plan to steal some antibodies from a medical caravan because the people underground are in pain thanks to their resemble implants. She winds up tricking Solty into running a little diversion and naturally earns scorn from Roy in the process.

Another episode featured here revolves around Rose's character once again. During her childhood she survived an attack by a murderer and has been haunted by his face ever since. When she's walking with Roy and Solty and sees the man she naturally flips out. This instigates an all-out chase to find the man and bring him to justice. The way it plays out develops her relationship with the Revants and really adds a fair amount of depth to her character. Up to this point she has been one of the most dominant personalities on the show but this is a perfect example of her humble side coming through.

The remaining two episodes are very similar to what came before them. Nothing major happens and each features simple "day in the life of" adventures. For instance Solty trains to be a better cook, the girls at the RUC take a break from fighting crime, Rose goes on a date with a mysterious gentleman, and Roy searches for the girls after an accident.

It's hard to deny the potential that Solty Rei has and with ten episodes under its belt the world and characters have been developed a great deal. I hope that the latter part of the series picks up the pace a little bit because most of these episodes have kind of been on the boring side. Don't misconstrue my words though. This is a very interesting show with likeable characters and amusing adventures. I have been brimming with anticipation for the next gear to kick in; it just hasn't happened yet.

With the recent production date Solty Rei receives an anamorphic widescreen aspect ratio of 1.78:1. The show's production looks stunning when you get right down to it. Vibrant colors and crisp animation absolutely pops from every frame. The first volume suffered from quite a bit of grain, compression, and aliasing due to the overabundance of episodes (six in total).

This time around with four episodes on the disc the picture quality is noticeably improved. There are light traces of grain and compression here and there but I dare say that they were minimal this time around. I'm pleased to report that Solty Rei's second installment presents a perfectly fine, and sometimes impressive, transfer.

Three audio tracks make their way to this release of Solty Rei. The original Japanese track is presented with a 2.0 stereo output that is about as limited as you'd expect though there is some slight directionality with sound effects and music. English gets a similarly styled stereo presentation but it also receives a 5.1 track that is much more dynamic. Sound effects, voices, and music is spread across all channels and has a very good presence when you get right down to it. The sense of immersion could have been better but it was still decent enough.

The only thing available for the second volume of Solty Rei for extra features is some textless animation and a handful of FUNimation trailers.

I enjoyed the first volume of Solty Rei and approached the second with anticipation of things getting better. In that regard I was disappointed because it was more of the same episodic content with slow character development. The stories were good and I did appreciate the roles given to each character but I can't shake the feeling that the show isn't living up to its potential. That feeling is really the only thing keeping me back from highly recommending it because I just don't know if it's going to pan out or not. If you're a fan of science fiction and are looking for a change of pace I'm going to recommend Solty Rei because it's unique enough to hold interest to this point.

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