To the untrained eye, Rin Asōgi looks like just an average office lady out doing her job, but to those who truly know Rin, they can see that she is actually a private investigator who runs her own PI agency. She'll take on any job, no matter how big or how small, and always succeeds despite all odds. Maybe it is because she has two advantages over her competition: Rin is a capable fighter, and is virtually indestructable. She is an immortal being, unable to die, always fated to come back to life and stay looking the same age for all of eternity. With her bubbly assistant Mimi at her side, Rin will explore the darker side of Tokyo life to bring justice to her clients – until her own secrets from the past come out to haunt her.
Highlights:
The series opens rather dramatically, as Rin runs from a mystery assailant and is shot multiple times before falling off a building, only to somehow survive and return to the office she shares with Mimi the next day with not even a scratch. Her case involving a missing cat goes awry when she ends up bringing in a young man named Maeno who is suffering from memory problems. Intrigued, Rin's investigation leads to a secret research facility, a doctor who loves all things sado-masochistic, and the true origins of Maeno's problems. Later, with Maeno as her new partner, the trio of private eyes follow a string of bloody murders connected to a mysterious creature who spells bad news for any immortals in the area; Maeno, meanwhile, helps a young woman try to find her missing brother, whom she is convinced has turned into an angel.
Twenty years later, Rin meets a girl who dies mysteriously in front of her, and discovers the truth about Death Island and the horrible weapons that were being tested there. When Rin is kidnapped and taken to the island, she runs into an old enemy previously thought dead, who has been brought back to life with some terrible technology. As Rin fights to keep the organization's plans from destroying the world, a close ally makes the ultimate sacrifice to save everyone through the worst way possible, deeply affecting everyone in the agency. Fourteen years later, Maeno's son Teruki gets caught up in a world of cybersex and androids, and the final confrontation ends up dissolving the investigation agency and losing Rin – only to find her again, thirty years later, regenerated and suffering from amnesia. As Rin struggles to regain her past with the help of Teruki's daughter Mishio, a duplicate Rin is seen running about killing people, and the villian Apos is coming ever closer to completing his grand scheme of controlling the Earth's population.
Overall:
The series Rin: Daughters of Mnemosyne has a lot of great, unique ideas, from the concept of "immortals" and "angels" to the tree Yggdrasil and the Time Fruit. It takes some patience on the viewers' part to unravel most of the mysteries, as this show is soaked in blood and sex; entire moments of plot advancement lie centered around lesbian action and bioengineered non-consensual sex. This is not a series for children, or people who are just plain uncomfortable with so much sex and violence in an anime series. To be fair, the DVD's cover, with its image of a sexily clad Rin lounging on a bed and surrounded by semi-visible naked bodies, is a good clue as to what lies in store for viewers.
Rin herself is not as sex-crazed as the series itself is; though she enjoys dressing provocatively on occasion, and flirts with/sleeps with people both female and male, it is not something she does all the time. She is a pretty but plainly-dressed private investigator who hates running and enjoys a little vodka in the morning and likes to stick her nose in very dangerous business. Her inquisitive nature and stubborn gutsyness is what drives the series; it's no surprise that so many of the cast seem to be naturally attracted to her in one way or another. One problem I had with Rin, however, was some instances of inconsistent characterization, scenes in which she seemed terribly out-of-character for no reason. I was hoping these moments would be explained, but no luck.
On the other hand, the villian of the series – Apos – is an unfortunate example of a dark evil badass done wrong. He is a one-note caricature who switches back and forth between two moods: "vaguely broody" and "psychotic nutso insane". Even after his big twist of his character's genetics is revealed, it does nothing to make the character more interesting. Apos' henchman Laura is equally one-note: her only purpose in the series until the very end is to hunt Rin down and try to kill her. Pro tip: if barrages of human-grade bullets and bombs can't kill an immortal, maybe it's time for Plan B.
The art can be at times both beautiful and boring. Some of the character designs seem sloppy when set against the sleek city skyscrapers and the majesty of the impressive Yggradsil tree in the background. Intimate scenes between characters often have the most detail, whether it be two people talking in a run-down apartment or Rin in another woman's bed requesting information. Storyline wise, the several time skips is not a hindrance at all but further highlights the difference between regular humans and immortals like Rin. The soundtrack is very good and reminiscent of mecha anime from the late 80s/early 90s, with its careful use of synthesizers and other electronic methods. The opening theme is full of terrible English verse but grows on you after a few listens; the ending theme, by the same artist, is much better. They will appeal to fans of Japanese metal and bands like MUCC and D'espairsRay.
Overall, Rin: Daughters of Mnemosyne is a solid release with plenty of high-octane action and fantastical elements to keep viewers amused, if they can get past the near-constant barrage of nudity, sex and free-flowing blood. It's a detective adventure with a supernatural twist powered by a diverse cast of characters and a mystery that will keep you wondering after the ending credits stop rolling.
ComicsOnline gives Rin: Daughters of Mnemosyne The Complete Series 3 out of 5 Yggdrasil spores.
