Episode 1

## Act 1

**Crimson is the Sound of Dawn** (紅は暁に奏でる, *Kurenai wa Akatsuki ni Kanaderu*) is the first episode of the *Metallic Rouge* original Japanese anime series.

## Synopsis

In the year 2128, on Mars.
A singer named Sara Fitzgerald stands on stage at Canal City and becomes acquainted with a mysterious girl named Rouge Redstar, forming a close connection with her.

Around the same time, there is an incident where individuals dealing in a drug called Nectar, necessary for maintaining the life of artificial humans known as Neons, are attacked by unknown assailants.

Involved in this illegal drug trade is Sara's lover and an executive at the Panacea Corporation Mars branch, Herman Hayward, the manufacturer of Nectar. After finishing her performance, the attackers also appear before Sara, who had been spending time with Herman.

A mysterious man approaches her, narrowly escaping harm. Meanwhile, a woman identifying herself as Naomi Ortman appears before Rouge, passing on certain information concerning Sara.

What secrets lie hidden in Sara's past, and what is the true purpose of Rouge...?

## Summary

Rouge is looking into a well-known singer named Sara Fitzgerald. After a concert, Rouge updates Naomi, who communicates indirectly through a mechanical bird. The two agents are trying to determine if "Sara Fitzgerald" is one of the nine individuals with the true name Viola. At the same time, an unusual man is trying to steal a large shipment of Nectar from a company that hires Neans.

Later that night, the singer Sara, who was believed to be human, injects herself with Nectar using a concealed port on her body, revealing herself as a Nean. Suddenly, a person in a red mech suit, known as "the red gladiator," appears and attempts to attack Sara. She manages to escape with assistance from security guards. Following this incident, she informs Jaron, who reveals that the mission to seize the Nectar shipment failed. It turns out Sara had agreed to assist in organizing the Nectar heist in exchange for Jaron's protection. However, their plans are now unraveling.

Viola, who is revealed to be Sara, becomes upset when she discovers that Jaron, her ally, was the one who attacked her. Jaron, a Nean with a joker-like mech suit that has a yellowish hue, possesses the ability to disguise himself as other mech types. In this instance, he mimicked the appearance of the red gladiator, Rouge's battle form, to carry out the attack on Viola. When questioned about his motives, Jaron explains that he intended to push Viola to take action against the enemy who was investigating them, namely Rouge.

Talking about Rouge, she and Naomi met face-to-face for the first time. Jaron destroyed the robotic surveillance bird that Naomi used, prompting them to arrange a meeting at a restaurant. While there, they learn about a violent incident involving a red gladiator. Despite that, their immediate objective is to confront Viola. Even though Rouge hesitated to view Sara as an adversary, Naomi is now convinced that Sara is indeed Viola. This certainty arose from witnessing the singer inject Nectar just before the robot bird was destroyed.

Now that the truth is out, Rouge and Naomi move in on Viola. Initially, Jaron appeared willing to assist Viola in the battle, but at the final moment, he backed out, leaving Viola on her own. While Naomi observes everything from a nearby rooftop, Rouge puts on her battle suit and initiates the confrontation. Viola also transforms into a mech gladiator, primarily in shades of purple. The two metallic androids then engage in a intense battle.

In the midst of the battle, Viola cries out that all she wanted was happiness and the freedom to sing. She questions why she should be treated any differently from a human. Adding to her anger, Viola reveals that two of her friends, fellow members of the Immortal Nine, had already fallen victim to Rouge's attacks. Despite Viola's powerful onslaught nearly causing Rouge to melt, she uses her superior agility just in time to leap behind her adversary and extract her heart. This "heart" or core resembles a glass ball with colorful stripes and a barcode.

Having accomplished their mission, Naomi and Rouge make their way back to safety. They have successfully eliminated three out of the nine dangerous Neans. If Rouge harbors any reservations about the mission involving the termination of her own kind, she keeps them to herself. Despite Viola expressing genuine fondness for Rouge before her demise, Rouge appears indifferent to the death of the beautiful singer. Without any evident doubts or regrets, Rouge contentedly indulges in a chocolate bar that Naomi had prepared for her. The episode concludes at this point.

## Characters in Order of Appearance

* Naomi Ortman
* Jaron Fate
* Sara Fitzgerald *(Unknown)*
* Rouge Redstar