This review will echo much of what has already been written here. I saw an episode of Gunslinger Girl last year while on vacation, and was entranced. Sadly, only 13 episodes were ever made. Tonight, I just finished watching all 13 on hulu.com.
Wow. This series makes a real impression on me. It is at times touching, brutal, beautiful, poignant, thoughtful, graphic... this is no Powerpuff Girls here. Each of the girls -- Henrietta, Rico, Claes, Triela, Angelica -- is a distinct character, as is each of their "handlers." The premise, as already described by other reviewers, is that each of these girls is rescued from death's door, loaded with cybernetic implants to be superhuman, brainwashed to be emotionless, and teamed with a handler who trains them to be a ruthless assassin...
...yet they remain firmly, utterly human little girls. And THAT'S where the largest conflict of this story unfolds, as these girls reconcile the humanity and the inhumanity within them, and come to grips with what their life has in store for them.
Layered into the series is the girls' relationship with their handlers -- their "conditioning" has programmed them with utter devotion and love for their handler...but their too-human handlers run the gamut from brother-like to slave-driver, with varying results.
Stylistically, the show features beautifully drawn backgrounds of Italy, and painstakingly accurate firearms. When the action sequences appear, they are almost lovingly created. I watched the dubbed version, and kudos go to the voice acting, as it was powerful and full of emotion.
I thought this was a powerful show. I really feel for these characters, and I admit that I teared up at the end of the final episode. It's one of the few TV shows that leaves me thinking after the end credits have rolled.
Wow. This series makes a real impression on me. It is at times touching, brutal, beautiful, poignant, thoughtful, graphic... this is no Powerpuff Girls here. Each of the girls -- Henrietta, Rico, Claes, Triela, Angelica -- is a distinct character, as is each of their "handlers." The premise, as already described by other reviewers, is that each of these girls is rescued from death's door, loaded with cybernetic implants to be superhuman, brainwashed to be emotionless, and teamed with a handler who trains them to be a ruthless assassin...
...yet they remain firmly, utterly human little girls. And THAT'S where the largest conflict of this story unfolds, as these girls reconcile the humanity and the inhumanity within them, and come to grips with what their life has in store for them.
Layered into the series is the girls' relationship with their handlers -- their "conditioning" has programmed them with utter devotion and love for their handler...but their too-human handlers run the gamut from brother-like to slave-driver, with varying results.
Stylistically, the show features beautifully drawn backgrounds of Italy, and painstakingly accurate firearms. When the action sequences appear, they are almost lovingly created. I watched the dubbed version, and kudos go to the voice acting, as it was powerful and full of emotion.
I thought this was a powerful show. I really feel for these characters, and I admit that I teared up at the end of the final episode. It's one of the few TV shows that leaves me thinking after the end credits have rolled.