Gunslinger Girl

Wow. I wanted to see all the reviews before I wrote my own to see if others had the same inklings about it as I did - and most of them did. As I watched this series, I wasn't quite sure what I was watching or why I continued to watch it, but somehow this essentially plot-less, story-less, moderate action-filled epic drew me in and captivated me. When it was done, I knew I'd have to see it again.

First of all, the title is misleading if not outright terrible for this almost documentary style feature. The concept of prepubescent to pubescent young girls being "conditioned" to be ruthless assassins sounds kind of boring on the surface, but it's not when you see it. The girls are recovered from near-death experiences, being given artificial body parts and turned into cyborgs, but not quite! They work for the social welfare agency part of the government, but it is not about that. They are conditioned to be assassins who kill terrorists, but it is not about that. They have these powerful relationships with their fratello male partner, their handler, whom they essentially love, but it is not exactly about that either. There is enough action in the gory, bloody combat scenes we are privy to, where the girls coldly eliminate their targets, but it is not about that either. That was what flummoxed me.

What this series is about is a noir study in humanity, that humanity represented by these young girls who are part mechanical and part human. And both of these parts are explored and examined in detail, as we see them go through their everyday lives. These days and these lives are brutal, chilling, emotional, thought-provoking, and filled with pathos, as we see little girls battle their dual egos, human and conditioned machine, and find that ultimately their human side manages to have the stronger hold and is what keeps one riveted to watching everything that happens with rapt attention. I've never seen anything quite like it, but it was certainly an experience worth having.

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.

I came across the series flipping through channels late one night. I caught it in the middle of the 4th episode and the action immediately got my attention. Because of the times it was being aired I was unlikely to get to see the entire series on TV. I bought the entire series off ebay, paid top dollar but still less than retail. Watched it from beginning to end and I must say it was worth every penny I paid for it. The characters are easy to identify with and I soon found myself worried of what their outcome would be. The attention to detail in the backgrounds of Italy is awesome the story line is first rate. I recommend this highly to everyone.

Yeah, I thought the same thing when the opening started rolling: girls barely into their double digits kicking ass, killing indiscriminately with a vast array of powerful fire arms. God, it seems anime has gone to far…

But it's absolutely fantastic.

Give it half a chance and you will find it has amazing depth in its characters, beautiful and subtle production, and its not constant action. The majority is quite insights into the chaotic world of these girls. When it does give you action, it will raise the hairs on the back of your neck, it's breath taking.

If you're any kind of an anime fan, you will love this series.

Nick Anderson~

To the outside world, the Social Welfare Agency is a benevolent organization dedicated to helping children with life threatening injuries and severe disabilities. However a darker secret lies behind the compound walls. The young girls the Agency claims to save are in fact fitted with artificial body parts, chemically brain washed, and trained in the art of killing. They are the girls of Section Two. An elite squad of deadly assassins charged with doing the Italian Governments dirty work.

Each girl is paired up with a Handler – a male agent who is responsible for training and caring for his partner. The two together are called a fratello. The "conditioning" the girls are put through emotionally bonds them to their handler, making them fiercely loyal. The relationship within each fratello is different. Jose is very kind to Henrietta, treating her like a little sister. Hilshire and Triela seem to have a dysfunctional father daughter thing going on, while Jean treats Rico as nothing more then a tool to be used up and discarded.

Even though they kill without remorse, they still have all of the emotional ups and downs of normal adolescent girls and it's these internal conflicts that make this anime so fascinating. You truly feel for these girls as they struggle to hold on to their humanity under very inhumane circumstances.

If nonstop action is what you are looking for, then this is probably not for you. Yes there is plenty gunplay and copious amounts of blood and gore, but that is not the main focus of the series. What it concentrates on is the relationships between the girls and their handlers and each other.

I'll admit that at first I found the subject matter of this series disturbing; children being turned into ruthless killers in the name of Italian national security. However, the longer I watched, the deeper I was drawn in. It becomes a story of how the girls survive a situation that would break most adults. It becomes a story of their inner strength and perseverance.

Whether or not you are an anime fan, (I am not) you definitely should give this one a watch. I highly recommend it.