Isaac and Miria
Encyclopedia
and are fictional characters
in the light novel
and anime
series Baccano!
written by Ryohgo Narita
and illustrated by Katsumi Enami. Isaac and Miria are pair of idiotic and eccentric lovers who dress up in costumes and commit strange robberies in Prohibition
-era United States. In 1930, the duo are two of many characters who mistake an immortality elixir for alcohol and drink it at a celebration, inadvertently gaining immortality and eternal youth
. The next year, they board the Flying Pussyfoot express train
and survive the bloody hijacking that occurs. Isaac is arrested for various thefts in 1934 and imprisoned on Alcatraz Island
. He is released the same year and reunites with Miria. The pair continue to live happily, finally realizing they are immortal in 2001. Isaac and Miria appear in the other media relating to the Baccano! franchise, including the video game, the two drama CDs
and manga
adaptation.
Numerous publications in various media have been written on the subject of Isaac and Miria's characters. Most described them as the most entertaining characters and commented on how the series would not be the same without them. One reviewer felt that they are the protagonists of the series, which features an ensemble cast
. They were awarded "Duo of the Year" in 2009 by Anime News Network
.
commented that Isaac and Miria "move" around too much by themselves, causing the plot to deviate from the original concept.
In the Japanese version of Baccano!s anime adaptation, Isaac has been voiced by Masaya Onosaka
and Miria has been voiced by Sayaka Aoki. In the English version, Isaac's role has been played by J. Michael Tatum
and Caitlin Glass
has played Miria. Tyler Walker, ADR director
for the English version, wanted Isaac to be portrayed by someone who can convincingly portray an idiot and had a certain voice from the time period. He felt that Tatum was perfect because his voice was big, but not cheesy, and had depth. While casting Miria, he chose Glass because her voice complemented Tatum's. He wanted a lower pitch than Isaac's voice, but wanted the same enthusiasm for both characters.
, Isaac and Miria "are a pair of idiotic lovers and thieves" who are portrayed as "always enthusiastic and optimistic". They are often mistaken for performers because of the variety of disguises they employ during their heists, such as dressing up as mummies
or as the Tramp
. The duo commit a variety of eccentric robberies, including attempting to steal time by stealing watches, trying to stop anyone from entering a museum by stealing the entrance and stealing the Genoard family fortune to prevent the family from fighting over it. Miria exhibits a complete trust in Isaac and supports anything he says no matter how ridiculous it is and often goes as far to mimic his body language and his speech, although she often does not really know what she is saying. Although the pair are very idiotic, Isaac is not completely stupid and there are occasions that shows that he displays his inner intelligence. He is able to recognize a pair of plainclothes officers because he claims that he is familiar with their speech style.Isaac and Miria may have been born into wealthy families because they state that their parents' homes and the Genoard mansion have similar exteriors.
In the Rolling Bootlegs, set in 1930, Isaac and Miria decide to visit Manhattan
. When attempting to buy several disguises, they briefly meet Camorristi
Firo Prochainezo and Maiza Avaro and befriend the homunculus
Ennis, instilling her with confidence and hope. They decide to rob the very small Martillo and Gandor families. The pair sneak into the Martillo's speakeasy
, the Alveare, to scout the area, and while they are in the storage room, Isaac is nearly killed by a ceremonial gunshot from Firo's caporegime
inauguration downstairs. Firo and Maiza respond to Miria's scream for help, and the couple are invited to the celebration as an apology. Shortly afterward, they leave to investigate the Gandor headquarters. Believing it contains money, they steal a box. However, they find a bottle of immortality elixir inside, which they mistake for alcohol. Disappointed there is no money, they give the bottle to the Martillo thank them for their kindness. This prompts the immortal Szilard Quates, who owns the elixir and created Ennis, to attack the Alveare to retrieve the elixir. He orders Ennis to kill Isaac and Miria, but she attacks Szilard instead. When he is about to kill her, Isaac and Miria defend her, buying enough time for another immortal to devour Szilard, the only way to kill an immortal. It is later discovered that the immortality elixir was not in the bottle the duo stole. Firo, not realizing what it was, had stolen it earlier and distributed it at the celebration, bestowing immortality and eternal youth
on all the guests, including Isaac and Miria. In the anime series, the bottle the pair stole is truly the immortality elixir and they inadvertently distribute it at the party as a gesture of thanks toward the Martillo. Afterward, the two travel to California and search for gold.
In the two Grand Punk Railroad novels, set during late 1931, the pair receive a letter from Ennis and decide to visit her in Manhattan. To buy her a gift, they create a plan to rob a train, but instead steal money from the Russo family and make their escape aboard the Flying Pussyfoot express train
. There, they befriend gangsters Jacuzzi Splot and Nice Holystone and the immortal boy Czeslaw Meyer. They tell the legend of the Rail Tracer, a monster that eats train passengers, causing Jacuzzi to leave in a panic. Shortly after, the train is hijacked and they escape in the confusion. Later, the duo discover the conductors' mutilated bodies. Believing that the story of the Rail Tracer has come true, they assume Jacuzzi has also been eaten, only to discover otherwise. Isaac and Miria make up their minds to ask the Rail Tracer to leave, oblivious to the seriousness of the situation and how dangerous the Rail Tracer is. They find Czeslaw's body underneath the train in their search for the monster. When trying to rescue him, Isaac cuts himself, revealing their immortality to Czeslaw. Believing they are trying to devour him, the boy decides to devour them first, but changes his mind after they rescue him and promise to be his family. After the train arrives in Manhattan, they realize they never bought Ennis a present and tell her their gift is Czeslaw, who will be her younger brother.
Afterward, they stay with the Martillo and spend their time in the Alveare restaurant setting up and knocking down dominoes. In The Slash, Firo's purposely knocks over their dominoes, enraging Isaac and Miria. The pair decide to spend the night at the Genoard mansion with Jacuzzi. When Tim and the Larvae arrive at the mansion, they believe that the display of Dallas' immortality is a magic trick and the fights are dances. Isaac inadvertently reveals his own immortality when he receives a cut trying to praise the "dancers." After everyone departs the mansion, the duo decide to "steal" Ronnie Sukiart and Ennis, two people precious to Firo, in an attempt to make him apologize. However, Firo wrongly assumes that Dallas kidnapped Ronnie and Ennis. Isaac and Miria are confronted by plainclothes officers in 1934 in Imprisoned Chapter Alice in Jails. Isaac knows they are in fact police-in-disguise and realizes that Miria is unaware of this and sends her away. He is arrested for multiple thefts and imprisoned on Alcatraz Island
. Isaac is released later in the year and reunites with Miria in Chicago, as told in Conclusion Chapter Peter Pan In Chains. In Children of Bottle, set in 2001, they finally understand they are immortal after realizing they have not aged at all.
; they survive the Flying Pussyfoot incident in 1931 Local Chapter ・ Express Chapter The Grand Punk Railroad and hope to meet true revolutionaries in a small Mexican village in Firo Prochainezo witnesses the 53rd death of Pietro Gonzalez. The pair are also playable characters in the Baccano! video game and are characters in the two-volume manga; like the first drama CD, the video game and manga adaptations recount the events aboard the Pussyfoot. The pair have also made a brief appearance in an episode of the Durarara!!
anime series, voiced by Sam Riegel
and Minx Lee in the English dub, during which they are in modern-day Ikebukuro
, Tokyo and attend the first meeting of the Dollars, an anonymous online gang.
(ANN). He felt that the pair were "flawlessly in synch" and were "comedic gold". He believed that they are "endlessly entertaining" because of their "kooky natures, dimwittedness, and talents for both disrupting the intended flow of any situation and succeeding despite themselves". Martin also stated that the series would only be "half as great", despite the fact that they are members of such a large cast.
Martin praised the performances of J. Michael Tatum
and Caitlin Glass
, citing the actors' ability to "steal the show in every appearance" and "sell [the pair] as thoroughly as any voice actors could possibly do, giving them every ounce of verve and idiotic enthusiasm that their characters' action say they should have." Hartel comments that the voice actors "deserve special recognition for some flat out, insane voice work." Although Surat and Tool were not opposed to the English dubbing, they felt that Isaac's accent sounded weird and "might get on someone's nerves."
In his review of the series, Martin called them as the "most entertaining characters" of the series and "one of anime's liveliest and most entertaining couples". He described their constant glee as infectious and their "bizarre logic" as priceless. He felt that their presence "elevates the series from merely a very good one to a truly exceptional one." He believes that they always "make the most of their screen time", noting how every one of their actions "give an entirely new twist to the events otherwise playing out normally." Carl Kimlinger, also from ANN, adds that "the things those two can do to a well-laid plan are simply appalling." Davey Jones of Active Anime felt the pair was the "highlight of the story" and should have their own series. Chris Beveridge from Mania Entertainment described the two as "very off center in a colorful and fun way" and believed they stood out from the large cast because they were "far more outgoing." He felt that the connections they make with the rest of the cast "are fun to watch and there's only a kind of elegance to it". Beveridge commented that "when this pair comes on the screen, [he] can’t help but smile" and that he "enjoy[s] all of the scenes that involve [them] because they bring such a lighthearted aspect to the show that’s definitely needed to break up the more intense scenes." DVD Talk
's Todd Douglass felt that Isaac and Miria are "the uplifting and energetic component of [the] show," feeling that it is entertaining to see how they influenced the events. Nick Hartel, also from DVD Talk, believed that it would be cruel not to mention them. He described them to be fulled with "a maniac energy, often brought to a screeching halt by melodramatic breakdowns over trivial occurrences or bold assumptions." Although he admit they seem to have to place in the series at first, he notes that their interactions with other characters "causes a drastic shift in tone." He comments that as the plot progresses, the pair "become a bright spot as storylines take dark turns and serve as a reminder of the goodness that makes up the vast majority of the world." Daryl Surat of the Anime World Order Podcast and quest Mike Toole believed that out of every other character in the ensemble cast
, the pair are the "default protagonists" simply because they meet every other character. They also felt that if ignorance is bliss, they are the happiest people "in the world" because they are "that stupid". The two characters were compared to Bonnie and Clyde
, but the reviewers felt that were more like Blue Falcon and Dynomutt, characters from the animated series Dynomutt, Dog Wonder
. Even if the events become grim, the reviewers could not help but smile as Isaac and Miria appear. ANN columnist Erin Finnegan described Isaac and Miria as " a couple of completely loveable weirdoes". She agreed that the subplot
revolving around them "takes some of the edge off the dark moments." Amanda Tarbet of SequentialTart.com drew parallels between the duo and the trickster
god archetype
. She compared them to the kitsune
of Japanese folklore, which are portrayed "as tricksters, but also as nurturing characters such as guardians and friends". She felt that Isaac and Miria "represent this duality perfectly." Tarbet also described them as part Bonnie and Clyde and part Rodgers and Hammerstein
.
Character (arts)
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
in the light novel
Light novel
A is a style of Japanese novel primarily targeting junior high and high school students . The term "light novel" is a wasei-eigo, or a Japanese term formed from words in the English language. Light novels are often called or for short...
and anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
series Baccano!
Baccano!
is a Japanese light novel series written by Ryohgo Narita and illustrated by Katsumi Enami. The series, often told from multiple points of view, is mostly set within a fictional United States during various time periods, most notably the Prohibition-era. It focuses on various people, including...
written by Ryohgo Narita
Ryohgo Narita
' is a Japanese light novelist. He won the Gold Prize in the 9th Dengeki Novel Prize for Baccano!, which was made into a TV anime in 2007. His series Durarara!! was also made into a TV anime, which began airing January 2010....
and illustrated by Katsumi Enami. Isaac and Miria are pair of idiotic and eccentric lovers who dress up in costumes and commit strange robberies in Prohibition
Prohibition in the United States
Prohibition in the United States was a national ban on the sale, manufacture, and transportation of alcohol, in place from 1920 to 1933. The ban was mandated by the Eighteenth Amendment to the Constitution, and the Volstead Act set down the rules for enforcing the ban, as well as defining which...
-era United States. In 1930, the duo are two of many characters who mistake an immortality elixir for alcohol and drink it at a celebration, inadvertently gaining immortality and eternal youth
Eternal youth
Eternal youth is the concept of human physical immortality free of aging. The youth referred to is usually meant to be in contrast to the depredations of aging, rather than a specific age of the human lifespan....
. The next year, they board the Flying Pussyfoot express train
Express train
Express trains are a form of rail service. Express trains make only a small number of stops, instead of stopping at every single station...
and survive the bloody hijacking that occurs. Isaac is arrested for various thefts in 1934 and imprisoned on Alcatraz Island
Alcatraz Island
Alcatraz Island is an island located in the San Francisco Bay, offshore from San Francisco, California, United States. Often referred to as "The Rock" or simply "Traz", the small island was developed with facilities for a lighthouse, a military fortification, a military prison, and a Federal...
. He is released the same year and reunites with Miria. The pair continue to live happily, finally realizing they are immortal in 2001. Isaac and Miria appear in the other media relating to the Baccano! franchise, including the video game, the two drama CDs
Radio drama in Japan
Radio drama in Japan has a history as long as that of radio broadcasting in that country, which began in 1925. Some consider the first Japanese radio drama to have been "" which was a radio broadcast of a stage play. Others consider the Japanese translation of Richard Hughes's "Danger" or to be...
and manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
adaptation.
Numerous publications in various media have been written on the subject of Isaac and Miria's characters. Most described them as the most entertaining characters and commented on how the series would not be the same without them. One reviewer felt that they are the protagonists of the series, which features an ensemble cast
Ensemble cast
An ensemble cast is made up of cast members in which the principal actors and performers are assigned roughly equal amounts of importance and screen time in a dramatic production. This kind of casting became more popular in television series because it allows flexibility for writers to focus on...
. They were awarded "Duo of the Year" in 2009 by Anime News Network
Anime News Network
Anime News Network is an anime industry news website that reports on the status of anime, manga, Japanese popular music and other otaku-related culture within North America, Australia and Japan. Additionally, it sometimes features similar happenings throughout the Anglosphere and elsewhere in the...
.
Creation and conception
Author Ryohgo NaritaRyohgo Narita
' is a Japanese light novelist. He won the Gold Prize in the 9th Dengeki Novel Prize for Baccano!, which was made into a TV anime in 2007. His series Durarara!! was also made into a TV anime, which began airing January 2010....
commented that Isaac and Miria "move" around too much by themselves, causing the plot to deviate from the original concept.
In the Japanese version of Baccano!s anime adaptation, Isaac has been voiced by Masaya Onosaka
Masaya Onosaka
Masaya Onosaka , born October 13, 1964 in Osaka) is a seiyū who works for Aoni Production. In 2010 he won the "Best Personality" Seiyu Award.-TV Anime:*Agent Aika *Angelic Layer '...
and Miria has been voiced by Sayaka Aoki. In the English version, Isaac's role has been played by J. Michael Tatum
J. Michael Tatum
John Michael Tatum is an American voice actor, ADR Director, and Script writer who works for anime series at Funimation Entertainment and OkraTron 5000...
and Caitlin Glass
Caitlin Glass
Caitlin Tiffany Glass is an American voice actress and ADR director. While still a college student, Glass was hired by Funimation Entertainment while on a tour of the studio. Her first roles were bit parts on Case Closed until she landed the role of Hiyono Yuizaki in Spiral...
has played Miria. Tyler Walker, ADR director
Dubbing (filmmaking)
Dubbing is the post-production process of recording and replacing voices on a motion picture or television soundtrack subsequent to the original shooting. The term most commonly refers to the substitution of the voices of the actors shown on the screen by those of different performers, who may be...
for the English version, wanted Isaac to be portrayed by someone who can convincingly portray an idiot and had a certain voice from the time period. He felt that Tatum was perfect because his voice was big, but not cheesy, and had depth. While casting Miria, he chose Glass because her voice complemented Tatum's. He wanted a lower pitch than Isaac's voice, but wanted the same enthusiasm for both characters.
In the light novels and anime series
Within the series, set during the Prohibition-era of the United StatesProhibition in the United States
Prohibition in the United States was a national ban on the sale, manufacture, and transportation of alcohol, in place from 1920 to 1933. The ban was mandated by the Eighteenth Amendment to the Constitution, and the Volstead Act set down the rules for enforcing the ban, as well as defining which...
, Isaac and Miria "are a pair of idiotic lovers and thieves" who are portrayed as "always enthusiastic and optimistic". They are often mistaken for performers because of the variety of disguises they employ during their heists, such as dressing up as mummies
Mummy
A mummy is a body, human or animal, whose skin and organs have been preserved by either intentional or incidental exposure to chemicals, extreme coldness , very low humidity, or lack of air when bodies are submerged in bogs, so that the recovered body will not decay further if kept in cool and dry...
or as the Tramp
The Tramp
The Tramp, also known as The Little Tramp was Charlie Chaplin's most memorable on-screen character, a recognized icon of world cinema most dominant during the silent film era....
. The duo commit a variety of eccentric robberies, including attempting to steal time by stealing watches, trying to stop anyone from entering a museum by stealing the entrance and stealing the Genoard family fortune to prevent the family from fighting over it. Miria exhibits a complete trust in Isaac and supports anything he says no matter how ridiculous it is and often goes as far to mimic his body language and his speech, although she often does not really know what she is saying. Although the pair are very idiotic, Isaac is not completely stupid and there are occasions that shows that he displays his inner intelligence. He is able to recognize a pair of plainclothes officers because he claims that he is familiar with their speech style.Isaac and Miria may have been born into wealthy families because they state that their parents' homes and the Genoard mansion have similar exteriors.
In the Rolling Bootlegs, set in 1930, Isaac and Miria decide to visit Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
. When attempting to buy several disguises, they briefly meet Camorristi
Camorra
The Camorra is a Mafia-type criminal organization, or secret society, originating in the region of Campania and its capital Naples in Italy. It is one of the oldest and largest criminal organizations in Italy, dating to the 18th century.-Background:...
Firo Prochainezo and Maiza Avaro and befriend the homunculus
Homunculus
Homunculus is a term used, generally, in various fields of study to refer to any representation of a human being. Historically, it referred specifically to the concept of a miniature though fully formed human body, for example, in the studies of alchemy and preformationism...
Ennis, instilling her with confidence and hope. They decide to rob the very small Martillo and Gandor families. The pair sneak into the Martillo's speakeasy
Speakeasy
A speakeasy, also called a blind pig or blind tiger, is an establishment that illegally sells alcoholic beverages. Such establishments came into prominence in the United States during the period known as Prohibition...
, the Alveare, to scout the area, and while they are in the storage room, Isaac is nearly killed by a ceremonial gunshot from Firo's caporegime
Caporegime
A caporegime or capodecina, usually shortened to just a capo, is a term used in the Mafia for a high ranking made member of a crime family who heads a "crew" of soldiers and has major social status and influence in the organization...
inauguration downstairs. Firo and Maiza respond to Miria's scream for help, and the couple are invited to the celebration as an apology. Shortly afterward, they leave to investigate the Gandor headquarters. Believing it contains money, they steal a box. However, they find a bottle of immortality elixir inside, which they mistake for alcohol. Disappointed there is no money, they give the bottle to the Martillo thank them for their kindness. This prompts the immortal Szilard Quates, who owns the elixir and created Ennis, to attack the Alveare to retrieve the elixir. He orders Ennis to kill Isaac and Miria, but she attacks Szilard instead. When he is about to kill her, Isaac and Miria defend her, buying enough time for another immortal to devour Szilard, the only way to kill an immortal. It is later discovered that the immortality elixir was not in the bottle the duo stole. Firo, not realizing what it was, had stolen it earlier and distributed it at the celebration, bestowing immortality and eternal youth
Eternal youth
Eternal youth is the concept of human physical immortality free of aging. The youth referred to is usually meant to be in contrast to the depredations of aging, rather than a specific age of the human lifespan....
on all the guests, including Isaac and Miria. In the anime series, the bottle the pair stole is truly the immortality elixir and they inadvertently distribute it at the party as a gesture of thanks toward the Martillo. Afterward, the two travel to California and search for gold.
In the two Grand Punk Railroad novels, set during late 1931, the pair receive a letter from Ennis and decide to visit her in Manhattan. To buy her a gift, they create a plan to rob a train, but instead steal money from the Russo family and make their escape aboard the Flying Pussyfoot express train
Express train
Express trains are a form of rail service. Express trains make only a small number of stops, instead of stopping at every single station...
. There, they befriend gangsters Jacuzzi Splot and Nice Holystone and the immortal boy Czeslaw Meyer. They tell the legend of the Rail Tracer, a monster that eats train passengers, causing Jacuzzi to leave in a panic. Shortly after, the train is hijacked and they escape in the confusion. Later, the duo discover the conductors' mutilated bodies. Believing that the story of the Rail Tracer has come true, they assume Jacuzzi has also been eaten, only to discover otherwise. Isaac and Miria make up their minds to ask the Rail Tracer to leave, oblivious to the seriousness of the situation and how dangerous the Rail Tracer is. They find Czeslaw's body underneath the train in their search for the monster. When trying to rescue him, Isaac cuts himself, revealing their immortality to Czeslaw. Believing they are trying to devour him, the boy decides to devour them first, but changes his mind after they rescue him and promise to be his family. After the train arrives in Manhattan, they realize they never bought Ennis a present and tell her their gift is Czeslaw, who will be her younger brother.
Afterward, they stay with the Martillo and spend their time in the Alveare restaurant setting up and knocking down dominoes. In The Slash, Firo's purposely knocks over their dominoes, enraging Isaac and Miria. The pair decide to spend the night at the Genoard mansion with Jacuzzi. When Tim and the Larvae arrive at the mansion, they believe that the display of Dallas' immortality is a magic trick and the fights are dances. Isaac inadvertently reveals his own immortality when he receives a cut trying to praise the "dancers." After everyone departs the mansion, the duo decide to "steal" Ronnie Sukiart and Ennis, two people precious to Firo, in an attempt to make him apologize. However, Firo wrongly assumes that Dallas kidnapped Ronnie and Ennis. Isaac and Miria are confronted by plainclothes officers in 1934 in Imprisoned Chapter Alice in Jails. Isaac knows they are in fact police-in-disguise and realizes that Miria is unaware of this and sends her away. He is arrested for multiple thefts and imprisoned on Alcatraz Island
Alcatraz Island
Alcatraz Island is an island located in the San Francisco Bay, offshore from San Francisco, California, United States. Often referred to as "The Rock" or simply "Traz", the small island was developed with facilities for a lighthouse, a military fortification, a military prison, and a Federal...
. Isaac is released later in the year and reunites with Miria in Chicago, as told in Conclusion Chapter Peter Pan In Chains. In Children of Bottle, set in 2001, they finally understand they are immortal after realizing they have not aged at all.
In other media
Isaac and Miria appear in the series' two drama CDsRadio drama in Japan
Radio drama in Japan has a history as long as that of radio broadcasting in that country, which began in 1925. Some consider the first Japanese radio drama to have been "" which was a radio broadcast of a stage play. Others consider the Japanese translation of Richard Hughes's "Danger" or to be...
; they survive the Flying Pussyfoot incident in 1931 Local Chapter ・ Express Chapter The Grand Punk Railroad and hope to meet true revolutionaries in a small Mexican village in Firo Prochainezo witnesses the 53rd death of Pietro Gonzalez. The pair are also playable characters in the Baccano! video game and are characters in the two-volume manga; like the first drama CD, the video game and manga adaptations recount the events aboard the Pussyfoot. The pair have also made a brief appearance in an episode of the Durarara!!
Durarara!!
, often romanized as DRRR!! in Japan, is a Japanese light novel series written by Ryohgo Narita, with illustrations by Suzuhito Yasuda, that has also been adapted in to a Japanese anime series. As of February 2011, nine volumes have been published by ASCII Media Works under their Dengeki Bunko...
anime series, voiced by Sam Riegel
Sam Riegel
Samuel Brent Oscar "Sam" Riegel is a voice actor, writer and director who appears in many television cartoons, anime, and video games. He began as a child actor in theater in Virginia, and moved to New York City to perform in Broadway and off-Broadway shows...
and Minx Lee in the English dub, during which they are in modern-day Ikebukuro
Ikebukuro
is a commercial and entertainment district in Toshima, Tokyo, Japan. Toshima ward offices, Ikebukuro station, and several shops, restaurants, and enormous department stores are located within city limits....
, Tokyo and attend the first meeting of the Dollars, an anonymous online gang.
Reception
Isaac and Miria have been named one of two of 2009's "Duo of the Year" by Theron Martin of Anime News NetworkAnime News Network
Anime News Network is an anime industry news website that reports on the status of anime, manga, Japanese popular music and other otaku-related culture within North America, Australia and Japan. Additionally, it sometimes features similar happenings throughout the Anglosphere and elsewhere in the...
(ANN). He felt that the pair were "flawlessly in synch" and were "comedic gold". He believed that they are "endlessly entertaining" because of their "kooky natures, dimwittedness, and talents for both disrupting the intended flow of any situation and succeeding despite themselves". Martin also stated that the series would only be "half as great", despite the fact that they are members of such a large cast.
Martin praised the performances of J. Michael Tatum
J. Michael Tatum
John Michael Tatum is an American voice actor, ADR Director, and Script writer who works for anime series at Funimation Entertainment and OkraTron 5000...
and Caitlin Glass
Caitlin Glass
Caitlin Tiffany Glass is an American voice actress and ADR director. While still a college student, Glass was hired by Funimation Entertainment while on a tour of the studio. Her first roles were bit parts on Case Closed until she landed the role of Hiyono Yuizaki in Spiral...
, citing the actors' ability to "steal the show in every appearance" and "sell [the pair] as thoroughly as any voice actors could possibly do, giving them every ounce of verve and idiotic enthusiasm that their characters' action say they should have." Hartel comments that the voice actors "deserve special recognition for some flat out, insane voice work." Although Surat and Tool were not opposed to the English dubbing, they felt that Isaac's accent sounded weird and "might get on someone's nerves."
In his review of the series, Martin called them as the "most entertaining characters" of the series and "one of anime's liveliest and most entertaining couples". He described their constant glee as infectious and their "bizarre logic" as priceless. He felt that their presence "elevates the series from merely a very good one to a truly exceptional one." He believes that they always "make the most of their screen time", noting how every one of their actions "give an entirely new twist to the events otherwise playing out normally." Carl Kimlinger, also from ANN, adds that "the things those two can do to a well-laid plan are simply appalling." Davey Jones of Active Anime felt the pair was the "highlight of the story" and should have their own series. Chris Beveridge from Mania Entertainment described the two as "very off center in a colorful and fun way" and believed they stood out from the large cast because they were "far more outgoing." He felt that the connections they make with the rest of the cast "are fun to watch and there's only a kind of elegance to it". Beveridge commented that "when this pair comes on the screen, [he] can’t help but smile" and that he "enjoy[s] all of the scenes that involve [them] because they bring such a lighthearted aspect to the show that’s definitely needed to break up the more intense scenes." DVD Talk
DVD Talk
DVD Talk is a website for DVD enthusiasts founded in January 1999 by Geoffrey Kleinman when DVDs and DVD players were first beginning to hit the market.The site started as an online forum, an email newsletter, and a page of DVD news and reviews...
's Todd Douglass felt that Isaac and Miria are "the uplifting and energetic component of [the] show," feeling that it is entertaining to see how they influenced the events. Nick Hartel, also from DVD Talk, believed that it would be cruel not to mention them. He described them to be fulled with "a maniac energy, often brought to a screeching halt by melodramatic breakdowns over trivial occurrences or bold assumptions." Although he admit they seem to have to place in the series at first, he notes that their interactions with other characters "causes a drastic shift in tone." He comments that as the plot progresses, the pair "become a bright spot as storylines take dark turns and serve as a reminder of the goodness that makes up the vast majority of the world." Daryl Surat of the Anime World Order Podcast and quest Mike Toole believed that out of every other character in the ensemble cast
Ensemble cast
An ensemble cast is made up of cast members in which the principal actors and performers are assigned roughly equal amounts of importance and screen time in a dramatic production. This kind of casting became more popular in television series because it allows flexibility for writers to focus on...
, the pair are the "default protagonists" simply because they meet every other character. They also felt that if ignorance is bliss, they are the happiest people "in the world" because they are "that stupid". The two characters were compared to Bonnie and Clyde
Bonnie and Clyde
Bonnie Elizabeth Parker and Clyde Chestnut Barrow were well-known outlaws, robbers, and criminals who traveled the Central United States with their gang during the Great Depression. Their exploits captured the attention of the American public during the "public enemy era" between 1931 and 1934...
, but the reviewers felt that were more like Blue Falcon and Dynomutt, characters from the animated series Dynomutt, Dog Wonder
Dynomutt, Dog Wonder
Dynomutt, Dog Wonder is an American animated television series produced for Saturday mornings by Hanna-Barbera about a Batman-esque super hero, the Blue Falcon and his assistant, a bumbling yet generally effective robot dog Dynomutt, who could produce a seemingly infinite number of mechanical...
. Even if the events become grim, the reviewers could not help but smile as Isaac and Miria appear. ANN columnist Erin Finnegan described Isaac and Miria as " a couple of completely loveable weirdoes". She agreed that the subplot
Subplot
A subplot is a secondary plot strand that is a supporting side story for any story or the main plot. Subplots may connect to main plots, in either time and place or in thematic significance...
revolving around them "takes some of the edge off the dark moments." Amanda Tarbet of SequentialTart.com drew parallels between the duo and the trickster
Trickster
In mythology, and in the study of folklore and religion, a trickster is a god, goddess, spirit, man, woman, or anthropomorphic animal who plays tricks or otherwise disobeys normal rules and conventional behavior. It is suggested by Hansen that the term "Trickster" was probably first used in this...
god archetype
Archetype
An archetype is a universally understood symbol or term or pattern of behavior, a prototype upon which others are copied, patterned, or emulated...
. She compared them to the kitsune
Kitsune
is the Japanese word for fox. Foxes are a common subject of Japanese folklore; in English, kitsune refers to them in this context. Stories depict them as intelligent beings and as possessing magical abilities that increase with their age and wisdom. Foremost among these is the ability to assume...
of Japanese folklore, which are portrayed "as tricksters, but also as nurturing characters such as guardians and friends". She felt that Isaac and Miria "represent this duality perfectly." Tarbet also described them as part Bonnie and Clyde and part Rodgers and Hammerstein
Rodgers and Hammerstein
Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II were a well-known American songwriting duo, usually referred to as Rodgers and Hammerstein. They created a string of popular Broadway musicals in the 1940s and 1950s during what is considered the golden age of the medium...
.