Set in the seedy underbelly of Japan's cultural and societal elite, Speed Grapher is a program that grabs a hold of you and doesn't let go. I first caught a glimpse of this series during 2007's Anime Boston convention and it certainly peaked my interest. FUNimation released the show during the months that followed and recently it has been inducted into the ranks of the Viridian Collection line. It's safe to say that if you missed it the first time around then the reissue's affordability makes it a no-brainer if you ever had an interest.

Produced by GONZO and directed by Kunihisa Sugishima Speed Grapher ended up with 24 episodes by the time it wrapped up in 2005. With a photographer at the helm the series feels a little like Area 88 or Flag but it has significantly darker tones than you'd expect.

The show follows the exploits of a photo journalist named Saiga who has a strange sexual fetish revolving around taking pictures. In the series he's introduced to us on the battlefield of some war getting an erection while photographing someone being killed. This strange desire has led him beneath the streets of Japan where he meets a "goddess" who gives him powers known as Euphoria. As it turns out the goddess is little more than a young girl named Kagura who is unwittingly involved in the bizarre happenings of the cultural elite. At any rate with the mystical Euphoria, Saiga's right eye and camera have become powerful and deadly.

The last time around Saiga and Kagura learned some things about Shinsen's past that shed some light on her character while they were on the run. At a research lab Suitengu finally caught up with them though and gave Saiga what's for by using his blood as a weapon. With Saiga left in rough shape Ginza swooped in to save him and in his injured state he informed her of Kagura's location. Considering Ginza was working with Shinsen to get what she wanted she leaked that information and soon enough Kagura was back in her mother's "care". Before the volume ended we also learned of Suitengu's plot to take over the Tennouzu Group and see his ultimate goal fulfilled.

The fourth installment feels somehow similar to what came before it as much of the road traveled has been hit before. Kagura is still in Suitengu's clutches and it's up to Saiga to come to the rescue once again. Things are slightly different this time around as Suitengu has decided that if he can't marry Shinsen then he'll take Kagura as his bride instead. Apparently even this will fulfill his desire to be the head of Tennouzu which leads to some interesting revelations about his character.

In the meantime Saiga is still in Ginza's clutches as the woman still seems to be oddly fixated on him. It's a love that isn't mutual by all appearances and Ginza comes across as being very unstable in the process. Still, she brings Saiga to see the doctor in order to get the results back about his and Kagura's blood samples. We get something of a scientific explanation for the Euphoria and it turns out to be kind of interesting. This all leads to Saiga crashing the wedding and taking Kagura back into his care, which is becoming familiar territory bordering on "old hat".

Like the previous volume this one just doesn't possess the spark displayed in the first two. The plot has kind of run itself in circles and once again as Saiga goes to the rescue I have to admit that it felt anticlimactic. The concept is still interesting and the revelations about the Euphoria certainly open some new doors but there's no denying the slump being felt around this midway point. This is still a nifty show but it's not the breakout success it seemed to be at the beginning.

Speed Grapher was originally released a few years ago and as such the program benefits from the recent production. The designs; though sickening in some cases, are beautiful and the animation matches what you'd expect from a series by GONZO. The 1.78:1 anamorphic transfer offers an eerie glimpse at the seedy world that Saiga lives in but it's not entirely without flaw. While the colors and contrast stay on cue for the most part many scenes are blanketed by noise. It's difficult to tell whether or not this was a byproduct of FUNimation's transfer or if it was placed there purposely for the grit that this show loves so much. Either way it's a tad distracting but thankfully it's the only smudge on this otherwise solid looking series.

Like you'd expect from a series of this caliber Speed Grapher comes with a 2.0 track for each language (Japanese and English) with a 5.1 being reserved solely for the English speaking crowd. The dubbing for both tracks stands out as perfect and I'd definitely say that both drag you in and keep you on the edge of your seat. Lines are performed with precise emotions and the flare for the dramatic isn't lost in translation. The 2.0 tracks are acceptable enough for what they are but the 5.1 helps once the action picks up as it creates a better sense of immersion. Even so this is a somewhat quiet program and the channels aren't used to their fullest capacity.

Like the other volumes of Speed Grapher this one contains character profiles, clean animations, trailers, and some video for cast auditions. A nice change up this time around is the inclusion of a feature called the Saito Documentary which takes a look at the voice actress for Kagura and how she became involved in the project. It's an interesting original feature and a welcome change compared to the prior three volumes.

If you missed it the first time around FUNimation's re-release of Speed Grapher is definitely worth picking up. The series has been pretty unique so far with some very interesting moments. Unfortunately this installment isn't as powerful as some of the previous ones as the show seems to have hit a slump. The plot feels like it's being dragged out and I can't help but think that this may have been better as a 13 episode program rather than a 24. Still, it's an intriguing slice of anime that is still promising an interesting climax soon. We'll see how it turns out and until then the show should be considered for a recommendation.

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