Rin: Daughters of Mnemosyne

This six-episode anime series, originally aired in 2008, is both exceedingly bizarre and violent. Rin Asogi is a beautiful, immortal, vodka-drinking private investigator who, although more than capable of holding her own in a fight against mere mortals, is often at the mercy of Apos, an evil immortal who is obsessed with sacrificing her to the omnivorous Norse tree Yggdrasil. Rin's everlasting life provides an excuse for endless torture scenes that show, for example, her being burned with acid, pierced with sharp objects, and dropped into a jet engine. All of this spans a 65-year period, although Rin remains sexually active and erotically charged throughout, but as the episodes proceed the plotlines become so painfully ridiculous that the series often feels like a parody of anime. Unfortunately, the complete lack of humor or character development reduces the viewing experience to a tiresome ordeal, as Rin repeatedly suffers outlandish injuries at the hands of ridiculous villains. Presented in a dual-language two-disc set, rated TV-MA, DVD extras include audio commentary and a Japanese cast interview. A weird and grotesquely disturbing offering, this is not recommended. Aud: P. (P. Hall)