The Third

The Third
Genre	Sci Fi, Action, Comedy
Created by	Ryō Hoshino
Manga
Written by	Ryō Hoshino
Published by	Fujimi Shobo
Anime
Directed by	Jun Kamiya
Studio	XEBEC
Manga
Written by	Ryō Hoshino
Illustrated by	Nao Gato
Published by	Kadokawa Shoten

The Third (ザ・サード, Za Sādo) is a novel, manga, and anime series by Ryō Hoshino (鷲尾直広, Hoshino Ryō) and illustrated by Nao Gato (後藤なお, Gato Nao). The anime series goes under the name The Third - Aoi Hitomi no Shōjo (ザ・サード～蒼い瞳の少女～, Za Sādo - Aoi Hitomi no Shōjo). According to the recent New York Comic Convention; The Third has been licensed by Kadokawa Pictures U.S.A and will be distributed by Right Stuf International for U.S release. The anime will be available Summer 2007.

Plot

The series is set many years after a devastating war, which killed 80% of the earth's population. Earth is being watched by a group of beings known as The Third, named after the red eye on their forehead (Space Eye) that can access many types of computer systems. It follows the adventures of Honoka and Bogie.

Honoka is a jill-of-all-trades who travels throughout the barren earth with the help of a sand tank operated by Bogie, an AI. She does various jobs like ridding areas of oversized spiders in order to make a living. One night while traveling through the desert, she comes upon a strange man named Iks. She saves Iks from a group of stigma ants in the vicinity. After saving his life, Iks requests to follow Honoka in her journeys so he can observe the world. During travel or at night, she recites poems by a writer named "Dana Myfree" (exact spelling unknown at this time)

Characters

Honoka (火乃香, Honoka)

Voiced by: Megumi Toyoguchi (Japanese); Anna Morrow (English)

She is the protagonist of the story. She is a jill-of-all-trades that will do any job except assassinate. She wields a katana and guns, which is used during battle. She is known as the Sword Dancer (ソード・ダンサー, Sōdo Dansā) because of her graceful moves with her katana.

Honoka also has a third eye similar to The Third, but this eye is blue instead of red. She does not have the abilities that The Third have, but with the blue eye, she is able to detect life force and produce a force that can be used during battle.

Iks (イクス, Ikusu)

Voiced by: Daisuke Namikawa (Japanese); Steve Cannon (English)

He is the mysterious individual that Honoka meets earlier on in the series. Iks has a calm and trusting persona so he seems harmless. However, he is sought after by The Third since no one knows his purpose or intentions. He has special powers of healing and is later revealed to be a visiting alien sent to obseve the Earth.

Bogie (ボギー, Bogī)

Voiced by: Unshou Ishizuka (Japanese); Jamieson Price (English)

A robotic mind that acts a guardian, advisor and support for Honoka. He is lodged in a metal container with a green visor. Appears to be sentient to an extent.

Zankan (ザンカン, Zankan)

Voiced by: Masahiko Tanaka (Japanese); Wayne Grayson (English)

He was one of the best mechanics and regularly services Honoka's sand tank. He traveled about in a huge crane/tank. He was killed by a Blue Breaker because of the Technos Taboo.

Jōganki (浄眼機, Jōganki)

Voiced by: Taketo Koyasu (Japanese); Patrick Seitz (English)

One of The Third and very interested in Honoka. He keeps tabs on her from time to time and wields considerable political power within The Third.

Millie (ミリィ, Mirī)

Voiced by: Yuki Sakata (Japanese); Angora Deb (English)

A small girl that travels with Zankan. She is cheerful and likes Honoka as if she is her sister, usually calling her Hono-chan. Currently, she is traveling with Honoka after her father, Zankan, was killed by a Blue Breaker.

Joey Toy (ジョイートイ, Joī Toi)

Voiced by: Yuji Ueda (Japanese); Sam Regal (English)

A youth that meets Honoka in the first episode and is a mechanic to the sand vehicle. And wishes to follow the man's footsteps whom he calls pops; Zankan. For this, he will attend a technical school while working for Honoka's team.

Paifu (パイフウ, Paifū)

A health teacher from Millie's school who takes an interest in Honoka. When she traveled with Honoka she revealed that she can sense chi. She also displays an open hatred towards men and carries a gun around with her.

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A cyborg from the Great War. He a hunter out to merge with Allies of the Monster Troop to grow stronger. His body is made from a mysterious liquid metal and can shot laser from his finger. In order from deteriorating he merge with other allies from the Monster Troop as well to keep its nanomachine alive.

Episodes

#	Title (Kanji)	Title (Romaji)	Translation	Synopsis
1	ソード・ダンサー	Sōdo Dansā	Sword Dancer	Honoka is traveling in the desert when she meets Iks. She and Bogie saves Iks from a group of stigma ants.
2	慌しい一夜	Awatadashī Ichiya	A Busy Night	Honoka goes to Zankan to have her sand tank inspected. She is forced to take care of a group of mechas sent by Jouganki.
3	砂漠の街	Sabaku no Machi	Town of the Desert	Honoka does daily jobs for the town to earn some money.
4	蒼い殺戮者	Burū Bureikā	Blue Breaker	Honoka receives a PSP from Zankan, but as Honoka leaves, a Blue Breaker kills Zankan.
5	蒼い天宙眼	Aoi Tenchūgan	The Blue Space Eye	Honoka and Millie struggle to comprehend Zankan's Death.
6	大地に吹く風	Daichi ni Fuku Kaze	The Wind that Blows Toward the Earth	Honoka fights the Blue Breaker that killed Zankan.
7	夜明けまで	Yoake Made	Straight until Dawn	Honoka attempts to protect a queen ant from enemies until it is strong enough to fly away.
8	エンポリウムの午後	Enporiumu no Gogo	Emporium's Afternoon	Honoka is employed to investigate a nest of sand dragons where beyond her knowledge a terrible ancient weapon is preparing to consume the nearby cities.
9	パイフウ	Paifū	Paifu
10	砂漠の墓碑	Sabaku no Bohi	Desert's Tombstone
11	幻影との戦い	Gen'eito no Tatakai	Fight with the Illusion
12	それぞれの理由	Sorezore no Riyū	The Respective Reason
13	砂漠の伝説	Sabaku no Fōkuroa	Desert's Folklore
14	妖精幻視	Yōsei Genshi	Fairy Hallucination
15	砂嵐の夜	Sunārashi no Yoru	Night of the Sandstorm
16	乱舞する生命	Ranbusuru Seimei	The Life which Dances Boisterously
17	ローナ・ファウナ	Rōna Fauna
18	発動	Hatsudō	Motion
19	強行突破	Kyōkōtoppa	Force Breaking
20	死線を越えて	Shisen wo Koete	Over the Dead Line
21	届かぬ思い	Todokanu Omoi	Feelings That Won't Reach You
22	還らざる魂の蜃気楼	Kaerazaru Tamashii no Shinkirou	Mirage of A Past Soul
23	鋼の谷へ	Hagane no Tani e	To The Steel Valley
24	これから始まる物語	Kore Kara Hajimaru Monogatari	The Story Starts from Now

External links

Encyclopedia entries