Key the Metal Idol Season 1
Key quickly becomes enamored with idol singer Miho Utsuse and wonders if becoming a singer will allow her to make the amount of friends needed for her to become human. But Miho carries a ominous secret: she is connected to Jinsaku Ajou, an old rival of Dr. Mima trying to make new a breakthrough in robotic weaponry. As Key works to become a real girl, Ajou sets a dangerous plan into action, and it turns out there's much more to Key than meets the eye.
01. Startup
As you might imagine, an innocent like Key gets into trouble pretty much the moment she arrives in Tokyo. Aimlessly wandering the streets, she's picked up by a 'photographer' for a 'model agency'... whose main line of business actually seems to be making adult videos. Luckily for her, she's rescued by a chance encounter with a childhood friend of hers, Sakura – who holds down three different part-time jobs but hasn't really decided what she wants to do with her life yet.
Jūrōta Kosugi
Sergei / "D"
Junko Iwao
Tokiko "Key" Mima
Show Hayami
Jinsaku Ajo
Hiroshi Yanaka
Tomoyo Wakagi
Toshiyuki Morikawa
Shuuichi Tataki
Miki Nagasawa
Sakura Kuriyagawa
Hiraoki Sato
Writer
Hiroaki Sato
Writer
Kazunori Mizuno
Director
Hiraoki Sato
Storyboard Artist
Misao Abe
Key Animation
Hiromi Niioka
Key Animation
Hiroko Yoshizawa
Key Animation
Hiroyuki Kanbe
Key Animation
Hisashi Shimokawa
Key Animation
Katsunobu Itou
Key Animation
Kōji Matsuyama
Key Animation
Shiho Takeuchi
Key Animation
Shosuke Shimizu
Key Animation
Yoko Kojo
Key Animation
Yukinori Umetsu
Key Animation
Haruo Oogawara
Animation Director
Toshihide Masudate
Key Animation
Yoko Takanori
Key Animation
02. Cursor I
As Key settles in as Sakura's temporary houseguest, we get to see a bit more of the other lead characters in action. There's Sakura's friend Shuichi, fan club president for the famous pop idol Miho Utsuse... who herself seems somehow connected to Jinsaku Ajo, the megalomaniac CEO of Ajo Heavy Industries. Also lurking in the background is Tomoyo, Dr. Mima's old lab assistant, who has followed Key to Tokyo in order to keep an eye on her.
Jūrōta Kosugi
Sergei / "D"
Junko Iwao
Tokiko "Key" Mima
Show Hayami
Jinsaku Ajo
Hiroshi Yanaka
Tomoyo Wakagi
Toshiyuki Morikawa
Shuuichi Tataki
Miki Nagasawa
Sakura Kuriyagawa
Hiraoki Sato
Writer
Masashi Abe
Director
Takaaki Ishiyama
Storyboard Artist
Miki Nagasawa
Thanks
Yasuharu Kataoka
Key Animation
Toshimitsu Kobayashi
Animation Director
Mitsumasa Kimura
Key Animation
Kazutetsu Morita
Key Animation
Yoshie Yokoyama
Key Animation
Ritsuko Watanabe
Key Animation
Takaaki Fukuyo
Key Animation
Toshihiko Shimada
Key Animation
03. Cursor II
Key begins to fixate upon the idea of becoming a pop idol herself as the surest way to making 30,000 friends. In the meantime, Ajo's team are trying to determine whether she might be where Dr. Mima cached his last technological secrets before dying. When Key's presence (care of Shuichi) disrupts Miho Utsuse's latest concert, the company sends out two PPORs to hunt Key down, remotely controlled by a dangerous operative known only as 'D'.
Show Hayami
Jinsaku Ajo
Toshiyuki Morikawa
Shuuichi Tataki
Miki Nagasawa
Sakura Kuriyagawa
Jūrōta Kosugi
Sergei / "D"
Hiroshi Yanaka
Tomoyo Wakagi
Junko Iwao
Tokiko "Key" Mima
Hiraoki Sato
Writer
Nobuhiro Kondo
Director
Nobuhiro Kondo
Storyboard Artist
Hideo Maru
Key Animation
Misao Abe
Key Animation
Yoshinobu Ando
Key Animation
Toshinobu Kikuchi
Key Animation
Katsushi Sakurabi
Key Animation
Hiroyuki Kanbe
Key Animation
Shosuke Shimizu
Key Animation
Yoshiyuki Kishi
Animation Director
Toshiko Baba
Key Animation
Takao Maki
Key Animation
Shirō Shibata
Key Animation
Toru Otsuka
Key Animation
Tetsuya Satō
Key Animation
04. Access
As if to confirm earlier hints that Key possesses a phenomenal power whose exact nature is hidden even from herself, this episode sees her disabling both PPORs and rescuing their secondary target from certain death. However, this display is witnessed by hundreds of passers-by... including Prince Snake-Eye, a spiritual leader who sees in Key a way to revitalise the faith of his cult followers.
Show Hayami
Jinsaku Ajo
Toshiyuki Morikawa
Shuuichi Tataki
Miki Nagasawa
Sakura Kuriyagawa
Jūrōta Kosugi
Sergei / "D"
Hiroshi Yanaka
Tomoyo Wakagi
Junko Iwao
Tokiko "Key" Mima
Hiraoki Sato
Writer
Akira Mano
Director
Kazunori Mizuno
Storyboard Artist
Tatsuo Yamada
Key Animation
Misao Abe
Key Animation
Hiroto Tanaka
Animation Director
Toshinobu Kikuchi
Key Animation
Osamu Sato
Key Animation
Hiromi Niioka
Key Animation
Katsushi Sakurabi
Key Animation
Hiroyuki Kanbe
Key Animation
Shiho Takeuchi
Key Animation
Toshiko Baba
Key Animation
Kunihiro Abe
Key Animation
Yoko Takanori
Key Animation
Kazuo Takigawa
Key Animation
Yuko Matsuo
Key Animation
Yuri Takasaki
Key Animation
Mao Torii
Key Animation
05. Scroll I
We begin to learn more of just what Ajo and his cronies are up to, and Sakura and Shuichi have a long chat about Key and what must have happened to her when she was young to make her believe she's a robot. Prince Snake-Eye manages to catch Key off-guard and tries selling her on religion as the true path to making the 30,000 friends she needs.
Jūrōta Kosugi
Sergei / "D"
Junko Iwao
Tokiko "Key" Mima
Show Hayami
Jinsaku Ajo
Hiroshi Yanaka
Tomoyo Wakagi
Toshiyuki Morikawa
Shuuichi Tataki
Miki Nagasawa
Sakura Kuriyagawa
Hiraoki Sato
Writer
Masashi Abe
Director
Hiraoki Sato
Storyboard Artist
Takaaki Ishiyama
Storyboard Artist
Yasuharu Kataoka
Key Animation
Toshimitsu Kobayashi
Animation Director
Yoshie Yokoyama
Key Animation
Ritsuko Watanabe
Key Animation
Takaaki Fukuyo
Key Animation
Toshihiko Shimada
Key Animation
Issei Kume
Key Animation
06. Scroll II
Prince Snake-Eye convinces Key to come to his temple. The child of two of his followers is deathly ill, but their faith precludes medical intervention... so he hopes that Key can cure the boy with her 'supernatural' powers. However, Ajo's lead soldier 'D' has finally tracked Key down, and a confrontation between him, Tomoyo, and Prince Snake-Eye ensues.
Jūrōta Kosugi
Sergei / "D"
Junko Iwao
Tokiko "Key" Mima
Show Hayami
Jinsaku Ajo
Hiroshi Yanaka
Tomoyo Wakagi
Toshiyuki Morikawa
Shuuichi Tataki
Miki Nagasawa
Sakura Kuriyagawa
Hiraoki Sato
Writer
Nobuhiro Kondo
Director
Nobuhiro Kondo
Storyboard Artist
Toshiyuki Tsuru
Key Animation
Misao Abe
Key Animation
Yoshinobu Ando
Key Animation
Toshinobu Kikuchi
Key Animation
Keiichi Ishikura
Animation Director
Shiho Takeuchi
Animation Director
Katsushi Sakurabi
Key Animation
Toshiko Baba
Key Animation
Takao Maki
Key Animation
Osamu Takatsu
Key Animation
Haruo Oogawara
Key Animation
Senho Yoshioka
Key Animation
Akira Kikuchi
Key Animation
Takashi Sasaki
Key Animation
Satoru Iriyoshi
Key Animation
Takahiro Kishida
Key Animation
Teruo Handa
Key Animation
Takahiro Sannichi
Key Animation
07. Run
Yes, it's the conclusion to the first 'big showdown' episode, and as such works very well as the final episode on this disc. I don't want to spoil anything, so let's just say that the end of this instalment finds all of the involved parties regrouping and deciding what their next moves will be.
Show Hayami
Jinsaku Ajo
Toshiyuki Morikawa
Shuuichi Tataki
Miki Nagasawa
Sakura Kuriyagawa
Jūrōta Kosugi
Sergei / "D"
Hiroshi Yanaka
Tomoyo Wakagi
Junko Iwao
Tokiko "Key" Mima
Hiraoki Sato
Writer
Yamaguchi Yorifusa
Director
Hiraoki Sato
Storyboard Artist
Masaharu Okuwaki
Storyboard Artist
Misao Abe
Key Animation
Hiroto Tanaka
Animation Director
Toshinobu Kikuchi
Animation Director
Osamu Sato
Key Animation
Masakazu Kawazoe
Key Animation
Keiichi Ishikura
Animation Director
Shiho Takeuchi
Animation Director
Katsushi Sakurabi
Key Animation
Yoshihito Hishinuma
Key Animation
Shosuke Shimizu
Key Animation
Toshiko Baba
Key Animation
Kikuchi Youko
Key Animation
Tadashi Abiru
Key Animation
Kenji Kuroyanagi
Key Animation
Kōji Ogawa
Key Animation
Kazuhiro Sudo
Key Animation
08. Go to...
Sakura, apparently content to put her own dreams on the back burner for a while, creates 'Production Key'... an agency devoted solely to helping Key reach pop idol status. She tries pumping Shuichi for his connections in the music business, but he seems overly preoccupied with the connection between Ajo and Miho Utsuse. (Not that Ajo isn't already lining up a replacement for the day when Miho can no longer perform.) A bored Tsurugi notices Key at an open audition and his interest is piqued by her utter lack of emotion.
Jūrōta Kosugi
Sergei / "D"
Junko Iwao
Tokiko "Key" Mima
Show Hayami
Jinsaku Ajo
Hiroshi Yanaka
Tomoyo Wakagi
Toshiyuki Morikawa
Shuuichi Tataki
Miki Nagasawa
Sakura Kuriyagawa
Hiraoki Sato
Writer
Kazunori Mizuno
Director
Kazunori Mizuno
Storyboard Artist
Junko Iwao
Thanks
Masaya Onishi
Key Animation
Toshiyuki Tsuru
Key Animation
Misao Abe
Key Animation
Toshinobu Kikuchi
Key Animation
Osamu Sato
Key Animation
Masakazu Kawazoe
Key Animation
Katsushi Sakurabi
Key Animation
Shiho Takeuchi
Key Animation
Toshiko Baba
Key Animation
Takashi Sasaki
Key Animation
Kōji Ogawa
Key Animation
Yoshihito Hishinuma
Animation Director
Kanji Nishida
Key Animation
09. Return
Everyone's fave arch-henchman 'D' is still convalescing from his battle at the end of the previous DVD, Awakening (Volume 1), but Ajo – not being what you'd call a kind-hearted employer – leaves him locked in a cell with only a computer terminal and the mission of 'finding out what went wrong with the PPORs'. No wonder 'D' is having nightmares... about Key? Meanwhile in Gotham City, things start to look up for Sakura and Key as Shuichi comes through with his connections and Tsurugi himself phones to set up a meeting. But nothing can be taken for granted when you have Prince Snake-Eye tapping your phone...
Show Hayami
Jinsaku Ajo
Toshiyuki Morikawa
Shuuichi Tataki
Miki Nagasawa
Sakura Kuriyagawa
Jūrōta Kosugi
Sergei / "D"
Hiroshi Yanaka
Tomoyo Wakagi
Junko Iwao
Tokiko "Key" Mima
Hiraoki Sato
Writer
Koji Masunari
Director
Koji Masunari
Storyboard Artist
Hiroyuki Horiuchi
Key Animation
Toshiyuki Tsuru
Key Animation
Hirofumi Suzuki
Key Animation
Misao Abe
Key Animation
Takuya Saitō
Animation Director
Hiromi Niioka
Key Animation
Katsushi Sakurabi
Key Animation
Shiho Takeuchi
Key Animation
Shosuke Shimizu
Key Animation
Toshiko Baba
Key Animation
Takao Maki
Key Animation
Osamu Takatsu
Key Animation
Haruo Oogawara
Key Animation
Takahiro Kishida
Key Animation
Takahiro Sannichi
Key Animation
Hidenori Matsubara
Key Animation
Motohide Nishimura
Key Animation
Akira Kano
Key Animation
Ryoji Nakamori
Key Animation
Tetsuya Saeki
Key Animation
Hiroichi Misawa
Key Animation
Yoshiyuki Ichikawa
Key Animation
Takumi Oshima
Key Animation
10. Bug
Ah, this is a really satisfying episode... so much so that you end up wishing the whole series ran at this pace. First, you've got Tsurugi being Tsurugi. Then there's Ajo trying to milk every drop he can out of Miho. (Recording singles in the ICU, anyone?) Prince Snake-Eye is doing his level best to put the fear of god into anyone who's even thinking about giving Key a try-out. And Shuichi decides now's a good time to go play private investigator in Mamio Valley (where Key and Sakura grew up). Amazingly, he actually manages to turn up a few clues about the life and death of Key's 'grandfather', Doctor Mima. And if that isn't enough action for you, Ajo craves screen time and keeps cropping up, first selecting new girl Beniko as Miho's soon-to-be replacement... and then crossing paths with Shuichi in Key's old village!
Show Hayami
Jinsaku Ajo
Toshiyuki Morikawa
Shuuichi Tataki
Miki Nagasawa
Sakura Kuriyagawa
Jūrōta Kosugi
Sergei / "D"
Hiroshi Yanaka
Tomoyo Wakagi
Junko Iwao
Tokiko "Key" Mima
Hiraoki Sato
Writer
Yamaguchi Yorifusa
Director
Nobuhiro Kondo
Storyboard Artist
Yoshinobu Ando
Key Animation
Toshinobu Kikuchi
Key Animation
Shinichi Shigematsu
Key Animation
Osamu Sato
Key Animation
Masakazu Kawazoe
Key Animation
Katsushi Sakurabi
Key Animation
Toshiko Baba
Key Animation
Yoshihito Hishinuma
Animation Director
Ryoji Nakamori
Key Animation
Toshihide Masudate
Key Animation
Yasuhiro Saiki
Key Animation
Hiroto Yokote
Key Animation
Tomoaki Chishima
Key Animation
11. Save
Apparently all the excitement of the previous episode overwhelmed both the show's author and Shuichi alike, because abruptly he's back in Tokyo and 'a month has passed'. (No, this temporal discontinuity is never addressed. It's just a convenient way of giving all the other characters time to do things, without actually saying what any of these things were or even illustrating their consequences.) So it's no wonder that Sakura's miffed when she finds out he's been back 'all this time'. The two of them have a little chat. She reveals that things haven't been going so well on the auditions front, but she can't figure out why. He reveals a bit about Key's mum, then hands over a ticket to Miho's next concert. (As you do.)
Show Hayami
Jinsaku Ajo
Toshiyuki Morikawa
Shuuichi Tataki
Miki Nagasawa
Sakura Kuriyagawa
Jūrōta Kosugi
Sergei / "D"
Hiroshi Yanaka
Tomoyo Wakagi
Junko Iwao
Tokiko "Key" Mima
Hiraoki Sato
Writer
Takashi Watanabe
Director
12. Virus I
The story machinery starts grinding down towards the last of the TV-length Key episodes. Shuichi catches Prince Snake-Eye in the act of sabotaging Key's 'career', but this really isn't nearly as important as what 'D' has managed to do back at the ranch. (No, I'm not going to tell you.) Key – having heard about Miho's concert from Sakura of 'Shuichi only gave me the one ticket and you can't bloody well have it' fame – tries to convince Tsurugi to get her in.
Junko Iwao
Tokiko "Key" Mima
Hiroshi Yanaka
Tomoyo Wakagi
Jūrōta Kosugi
Sergei / "D"
Miki Nagasawa
Sakura Kuriyagawa
Show Hayami
Jinsaku Ajo
Toshiyuki Morikawa
Shuuichi Tataki
Hiraoki Sato
Writer
Yamaguchi Yorifusa
Director
Atsuko Nakajima
Key Animation
Atsuko Ishida
Key Animation
Hirofumi Suzuki
Key Animation
Takaaki Yamashita
Key Animation
Yoshinobu Ando
Key Animation
Kazunobu Hoshi
Key Animation
Katsushi Sakurabi
Key Animation
Hirotake Shibuya
Key Animation
Yoshihito Hishinuma
Key Animation
13. Virus II
Much like the first in this set, everything is geared to reach a climax of sorts in this last episode of the disc. Again, it would be rubbish of me to ruin all the fun for you. Let's just say that everyone who's anyone makes it to Miho's concert. And yes, mayhem obligingly ensues. Oh, and you finally get to properly hear the 'lullaby' song that Key's author has been teasing the audience with for a while now.
Junko Iwao
Tokiko "Key" Mima
Hiroshi Yanaka
Tomoyo Wakagi
Jūrōta Kosugi
Sergei / "D"
Miki Nagasawa
Sakura Kuriyagawa
Show Hayami
Jinsaku Ajo
Toshiyuki Morikawa
Shuuichi Tataki
Hiraoki Sato
Writer
Kazunori Mizuno
Director
Misao Abe
Key Animation
Nobutaka Ito
Key Animation
Hiroyuki Horiuchi
Key Animation
Akiko Funakawa
Key Animation
Tsuguyuki Kubo
Key Animation
Tsuneo Ninomiya
Key Animation
Yoshiyuki Kishi
Key Animation
Yūichi Endō
Key Animation
Yukihiro Kitano
Key Animation
Toshinobu Kikuchi
Key Animation
Tomomi Ishii
Key Animation
Tadakatsu Yoshida
Key Animation
Shinichi Shigematsu
Key Animation
Osamu Sato
Key Animation
Noriko Morishima
Key Animation
Naoyuki Owada
Key Animation
Masakazu Kawazoe
Key Animation
Masahiko Yoda
Key Animation
Koji Watanabe
Key Animation
Keiko Shimizu
Key Animation
Hirotaka Kinoshita
Key Animation
Hiromi Niioka
Key Animation
Haruo Okawara
Key Animation
Haruo Miyagawa
Key Animation
Eiji Suganuma
Key Animation
Keiichi Ishikura
Animation Director
Shiho Takeuchi
Animation Director
14. System
Exposition and backstories. All mysteries are revealed, the significance of the photograph found in Tomyo village, the life story of Doc, how the child Tokiko was replaced by the robot Key, the ways in which all the characters are connected, everything.
Junko Iwao
Tokiko "Key" Mima
Hiroshi Yanaka
Tomoyo Wakagi
Jūrōta Kosugi
Sergei / "D"
Miki Nagasawa
Sakura Kuriyagawa
Show Hayami
Jinsaku Ajo
Toshiyuki Morikawa
Shuuichi Tataki
Hiraoki Sato
Writer
Shigeru Ueda
Director
Hidetsugu Ito
Key Animation
Hiroto Tanaka
Animation Director
Toshinobu Kikuchi
Animation Director
Toshiyuki Tsuru
Key Animation
Toshihide Masudate
Key Animation
Takayuki Shimura
Key Animation
Toshihide Masudate
Key Animation
15. Exit
Key's friends rally for the final battle, but if they go against Ajo will they all make it out alive? And will Key be a living human at the end, or will she make a different choice?
Junko Iwao
Tokiko "Key" Mima
Hiroshi Yanaka
Tomoyo Wakagi
Jūrōta Kosugi
Sergei / "D"
Miki Nagasawa
Sakura Kuriyagawa
Show Hayami
Jinsaku Ajo
Toshiyuki Morikawa
Shuuichi Tataki
Hiroaki Sato
Writer
Hiraoki Sato
Writer
Shigeru Ueda
Director
Jun Kamiya
Director
Jun Kamiya
Storyboard Artist
Shigeru Ueda
Storyboard Artist
Kazuhiko Ikegami
Storyboard Artist
Hidetsugu Ito
Key Animation
Hideyuki Motohashi
Key Animation
Hirofumi Suzuki
Key Animation
Hiroto Tanaka
Key Animation
Masahiro Neriki
Key Animation
Misao Abe
Key Animation
Matsutake Tokuyuki
Key Animation
Wataru Abe
Key Animation
Yoshihiro Taniguchi
Key Animation
Yoshiharu Fukushima
Key Animation
Yoshinori Tokiya
Key Animation
Yuuji Nakao
Key Animation
Yuriko Nagaya
Key Animation
Keiko Shimizu
Animation Director
Noboru Furuse
Animation Director
Takuya Saitō
Animation Director
Toshinobu Kikuchi
Animation Director
Yuji Nakao
Key Animation