First up is Pandora Groovesnore. A young heiress to a wealthy family, she was caught in a shipwreck with her brother and "rescued" by the devious Captain Rasputin, who holds them for ransom. Using her own wits, and with some help from Corto, she manages to escape the pirates and return home.
Next is Duchess Marina Seminova, a Russian noblewoman caught up in the Bolshevik Revolution. She is tasked with guarding a train full of gold against all attackers. Corto ends up working both with and against her throughout the story.
And finally, we have Shanghai-Li. A mysterious woman working for a secret society called the Red Lanterns, Shanghai-Li wants to steal the gold to help liberate China and free it from foreign influence. She saves Corto's life from an assassin and enlists his aid in stealing the gold. She's no stranger to violence, and has no qualms with gunning down her enemies while completely naked.
That's all for this one. I'm sorry for the quality of some of these caps, since there aren't any HD videos available. Sadly, there aren't any more episodes with barefoot moments in them, but the series is interesting enough to warrant a watch. It has a very different style of storytelling that doesn't really focus on a plot so much as the people and their decisions. It feels a lot like you're watching real people and the unpredictable events of history. It's definitely not for everyone (I honestly found it a little boring at times), but if you're curious about European animation I'd say check it out!
