Volume 2 of Crest of the Stars began a rollercoaster of events that put two major military powers on edge and put two young people in a world of trouble as they tried to reach safe territory to report in. Volume 3 picks up where Volume 2 left off: with Lafiel opposing the will of the Baron Febdash to continue her mission of escorting Jinto to safety. It also carries along the excitement and intrigue of the previous volume.

Lafiel has caused quite a scene in the Febdash territory, turning some of the Baron's aids against him and trying to find where Jinto is. Through a daring rescue attempt, she picks up Jinto and the Baron's father (who the Baron keeps locked up). The Baron doesn't take this lying down though, and a fight ensues which disables the Baron from causing any further trouble. The value of this exchange is in the Baron's father and his understanding of Abh culture. He helps Jinto comprehend Lafiel's seemingly rash actions, and promises to educate him about the Abh if he returns to Febdash.

Jinto and Lafiel continue their journey toward Sufugunoff, the nearest Abh military installation. When they arrive, however, Sufugunoff has come under attack, and the two are forced to make an emergency landing on a nearby planet when they are discovered by enemy ships. The volume ends with the two trying to blend in on a planet occupied by the enemy, and to figure out how to return to the safety of an Abh installation.

Ticking off an Abriel is not a good idea, or so they say.	The Baron of Febdash, who intends to show Her Highness that he won't be pushed around.

Volume 3 continues the mood of personal discovery set by the first two volumes, with each scene adding something new to the mix. In this show, the parts are far greater than the whole. The beauty of the series lies in the subtle nuances displayed in each character and between the two races: Abh and Human. As earlier, the majority of these subtleties are displayed through the interaction of Jinto and Lafiel. The fact that Abh are always brutually truthful above all sense of self preservation, and the fact that they never run from a fight no matter what the chances of victory are just a couple of the many things we learn through Jinto. Also a good development is the fact that the Abh rarely set foot on land, making Jinto's terran roots an asset when they are forced to the surface.

Another facet of the plot that becomes more prevalent is the show's mood toward the human attackers, making them out to be the bad guys in the conflict. Or perhaps the natural reaction is to see the humans as bad, because we know their nature. This idea is pushed to the forefront of the show when the Abh Empress and United Mankind representatives argue over the Gosroth. The UM representatives are taken aback by the Empress' unwavering confidence, and their pride starts a war.

Volume 3 continues to deliver the goods in the audio and video departments. The video has the same improved clarity that the second volume had, and the audio remains blemish free. Throughout the show, the music has been recycled quite a bit. Being that the dialogue is the main focus though, the recycling causes few problems. In fact, it seems to benefit the show's presentation of ideas in some places. Similar music is played when similar events or dialogue occur. This helps in associating ideas with Abh culture or humans.

The packaging for Volume 3 shows the young Baron Febdash on the front, along with Lafiel in ceremonial dress and Seelnay, a vassal of the Baron who favors Lafiel. Extras on the disc include a textless ending sequence and trailers for other Bandai shows. The insert with the DVD has some useful information about the Abh royal families. Though the DVD is short on extras, the insert proves to be a good addition.

The third volume of Crest of the Stars does nothing but strengthen the show's premise, offer more smooth and flowing action akin to the second volume, and instill into the helpless viewer a desire for more. To put it simply, if you've liked the show up to this point, you will want to finish it after watching this volume. With political intrigue of the caliber of Gundam and character development rivaling the best shoujo romance titles, it's no surprise that Crest of the Stars has turned some heads.

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