Gunslinger Girl

The anime is really good. I saw some episodes up on youtube and decided to buy the DVD set of the first three volumes. Its not exactly the most action packed anime but its still really good. The manga is great also, I recently started reading them and its very similar to the show. I would suggest the manga if you want to check it out you and can find it like at a Barnes and Noble or something. Unfourtinately I don't think we are going to be getting any more Gunslinger Girl here in America because the ADV manga company that published the book series went out of business and I know in Europe and Japan they already have almost 9 volumes. It makes me wish I could read French or Japanise. But if the anime show is still going on in Japan than I wouldn't doubt that funimation would make those available in America again in English.

As with many good animes, the writer does not shy away from jarring contrasts. Consistently disturbing, frequently sweet. The show has action but is not ABOUT the action. It's main themes are just how human are the girls they are training as assassin? And how should their handlers treat them? The answers to the second question which the individual handlers come up with is invariably influenced by their different opinions on the first.

Well the name is misleading, this series is more about relationships between people than Gunbunny action. It is however an awesome series, and when the actions shows up prepare to be made happy, for it is cool. The series is pretty messed up however, the whole concept of bringing girls back from the brink of death and then giving them cybernetic implants and making them fight brainwashed is quite sad.

As I said though, this series is more about relationships. Relationships between the girls and between their partners who they are made to think of as an older brother. The 'brothers' train the girls using conditioning, which is basically brainwashing and through discipline. Different 'brothers' use different amounts and approaches towards their girls, leaving them with radically different personalities. Jose treats Henrietta like a little sister for example, buying her presents, taking her places, and spending quality time with her, while his brother hit his Artificial girl.

Anyway I think that quote in the title, 'The Girl has a mechanical body. However, she is still an adolescent child.' Sums up the anime quite well, it is brutal yet beautiful. 10/10 It takes a lot to make me cry.

The title might suggest that this will be just about girls with guns going on their various missions. While there is some of that it isn't what the programme is about. It follows the lives of a group of young girls who have all been the victims of some life threatening tragedy. As part of their cure their are given artificial body parts and brainwashed to forget their pasts and become assassins working for the Italian state.

Each of the girls is paired with an adult handler who they are programmed to protect, these handlers each treat their girls in different ways one treats his like a little sister regularly giving her gifts, another it abusive and hits his when she doesn't perform to his expectations. The girls live for their handlers and for their job, we aren't given any angst filled scenes where they question the morality of what they do.

It is impossible to comment on this without praising the visually appearance as it is utterly beautiful to look at, for the most part the colours are of warm sandy shades not garish colours popular in many anime shows. When there are action scenes they are exciting but they don't seem to play up the action, it is just what the girls do and is thus shown in a fairly matter of fact way. The over all feel is sad, by the end of the final episode I was in tears, but I don't think that is a bad thing. If you haven't seen it yet I whole-heartedly recommend you check it out, I doubt you'll be disappointed, I certainly wasn't.

A lot of people were misled by the anime entitled "Gunslinger Girl" mainly due to the fact that these girls are armed to the teeth. The show isn't so much about the fact that these girls ARE killers, but about how they deal with being given a new life, being trained to kill and still having to live vastly shortened lives as little girls. Henrietta has to deal with not being able to act as most little girls should. Rico just wants to please her abusive fratello "brother". Triela just wants to be respected as a person and not a tool. Claes suffers from the severe emotional trauma of losing her fratello "brother". And Angelica is losing her memory and usefulness fast from her "conditioning". Very well done and well written and acted in the sub AND dub. Overall kind of depressing, but it's worth the purchase and stands up to repeat viewing.