Herlock shows no sign of degradation in the third volume, as it explores the topic of responsibility. Daiba acted rashly in the previous volume and endangered a fellow crew member's life. On the same note, Chief Engineer Maji lost a worker in a mine shaft that echos with Noo's evil influence. In this volume, both men must atone for their mistakes; that is, after the Captain puts the Noo in their place.

Captain Herlock appears to be more and more like the ultimate Man of Men as the show goes on - which is a big part of why the show is so impressive - but he's a relatively static character. While he is immovable as a mountain, Daiba has room for tremendous growth. The static nature of Arcadia's seasoned crew matches well with Daiba's reckless youth, giving his discoveries throughout the show more significance. Retaining some measure of certainty helps keep the focus on things that change, and frankly, I'm surprised that most shows don't do this. However, that's another topic for another time.

Kei Yuki: Super Space Hottie.	Daiba is no match for the power of boobs.

Maji helps Daiba face his responsibility in this volume, as the two are held by the Noo in order to lure Herlock away from the Arcadia. The Chief Engineer also boards the Arcadia once again, as she heads off toward the research vessel that the Noo have made into their headquarters (of sorts). The Noo aren't giving up on defeating Herlock. Quite contrarily, they attempt to destroy the ship by taking over an injured crew member's body (the crew member whom Daiba is responsible for hurting). This is Daiba's first opportunity to shine, and the scene plays out well.

Not to sound like a broken record, but Geneon has done a terrific job putting out this series, and I don't expect a lapse in quality for the upcoming final volume. The audio tracks are still in glorious surround sound, and the video still looks sharp. This volume's lone extra is a textless version of the ending sequence. If I had any complaints at all, it would be the lack of good extras. It would have been nice to see interviews with the actors or Matsumoto, in order to convert those of us who aren't yet raving fans.

In short (I know, too late), Herlock is without a doubt a must-see, must-have show. You really can't go wrong with a good space opera, and this is as good as they come.

Video Quality: A+
Audio Quality: A+
Presentation: B+
Content: A+
Overall: A+