Noir - The Firing Chamber DVD (2003) (1 Disc) (UK)

ADV provides another excellent set of episodes from the Noir series. I shall get my technical complaint out of the way first: Three episodes per DVD, for around twenty pounds. It is extortionate that they do this, when they could put at least two more on each disk. On the other hand, these are three particularly fine episodes. On to the review:

The shadow of the Soldats raises itself once again in the lives of Mirielle & Kirika. Finding half of a job completed by another, Mirielle is suspicious as to who would possess skills equal to her own. The pairs next victim is a corrupt judge, whom we see threatened/forewarned by the aforementioned unknown killer. This assassin has motives of her own & her eyes on the so-called Noir.

The True Noir is indeed the episode where we are introduced to Chloe, the mysterious, cloak-wearing shadow to Mirielles & Kirikas operations. Like many previous episodes, there is something of a 50/50 split between the mystery/story side of the episode, & the action side. The latter in this case is quite impressive, though not the best

Moonlight Teaparty - Mirielle receives a phone-call from a man claiming to possess a copy of the book containing information on the Soldats. They meet, but when Mirielle & Kirika arrive later at an exchange point, they are engaged in a fight by - presumably - Soldats operatives. Yet it is when they return home that the real drama & intrigue of this episode begins. They are visited by Chloe, and...have a tea-party, a, as Mirielle puts it Mad Teaparty. The scene borders the absurd & the tense, as the trio of assassins drink tea. But there are layered threats behind each action & word. Even Chloes comment about the beauty of the moon comes, in one sense, back to haunt them all in a later episode.

Assassination Mission - this simply titled episode is rather unique in being the only one which contains neither of the main characters. Instead, we are introduced to some of Chloes work, as she hunts down an exiled soldier for assassination. Similar to Mirielle & the woman in Assassination Play, Chloe forms something of a relationship with her target, & even saves his life from others intending to kill him . In the end, however, an assassin must do her job, & the True Noir is no exception.

Overall, these episodes function closely together as an introduction to the character of Chloe, & as a further understanding behind the mysteries of the Soldats.