Customer Reviews

Gunslinger Girl: Complete Box Set

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

It's a glorious yet calm look into the lives of girls who are cyborg assassins. The interactions between them in their every day lives and the relationships they have with their brothers/trainers. It's very different.

Art style: realistic, think Ghost in the Shell. no oversized or exaggerated expressions/body parts. A lot of attention to details (except in like the first scene there is a moment where you go "nah . . .").
Setting: modern, set in Italy.
Violence level: high. Shows children shooting guns and killing people. The violent scenes do not play an integral part of the story. Has blood.
Theme: what is it to be normal?
Pros: Realistic themes with a deep exploration of the character's emotions, motivations and reactions. How well would you survive being a little girl "forced" to shoot guns and kill people? Could you be normal?
Cons: Action wise, suspense wise, plot twisting wise, mysterious question answering wise . . . it fails to deliver. It is subdued and quiet, a sort of "peaceful" anime without a huge hook or a glorious finale. It leaves you with many questions. This anime just "IS," Ivan Denisovich style even.

Yeah, so girls with guns. The back read something about them being cyborgs from a secret agency. Ok, so then a cliched plot entered my mind: they are generally silent, innocent looking girls that can kick some major butt, and then there'll be a huge conspiracy with their agency and they end up having to fight to discover the truth and to make it out alive.

Boy, that was WRONG! (in a good way) And that doesn't give away the plot. Why? Because there really isn't a plot. There is no main enemy, no big conspiracy, no end objective in the entire three disks. There is NO unifying force that the girls are united against . . . tagible force that is.

The series is about these girls who were terminal patients or victims. They were restored back to life through bioengineering, cybernetics and a lot of weapons training . . . and they were made into assassins. However, the series does not focus on their missions, the action or the combat. In fact, such scenes are kinda there because they have to be. Rather, the drive of the series is the interaction between the girls and between the girl and their handler, or "brother." Each handler is different with his girl, treating her differently, conditioning them differently. It's this relationship between the young girl and her handler that makes the series move. Each episode is a little more about the girl and how she and her handler interact.

[Disk 1]
The first DVD introduces the main characters in 5 episodes (though it does not introduce Angelica to a good range, just mentions her name). The first two episodes are hard to follow as they jump back and forth between scenes happening at different times, or the same scene again from another light or the same scene from another character's perspective. It basically introduces Henrietta, Rico, Triela and Claes, in that order. I ended the first DVD feeling very good about it, having the protagonists' introductions out of the way, and feeling as if the action was about to pick up a lot.

[Disk 2]
The second DVD did not do that . . . but neither did it disappoint. It is further development about the girls and their handlers. It has a little more action, but not by a great deal. We get introduced to the last two characters and their handlers: Angelica and Marco, Elsa and Lauro. The first half of the DVD deals with RF bombers in which the main three fratello are involved. Next is a look at Rico. The last two episodes deal with the last two girls introduced, and the stark differences between the fratello of Elsa and Lauro and of Henrietta and Jose.

[Disk 3]
It's not a complicated DVD to watch because it doesn't really DO anything spectacular, though it starts off with a surprise. The first two episodes focus on Henrietta and Jose as they are on "vacation" after an incident. The latter two episdoes have a focus partly on Angelica. The last episode is about all the girls. In the end of the DVD it just finally develops the girls. It would not be a spoiler to say that the ending is rather subdued. The ending is not one of great climax or incredible revelation; it just simply is, realistically and tenderly. It doesn't answer many of the questions you might have. In fact it leaves you sort of wanting and wishing that there were more. For some, it could easily leave you feeling like you've wasted your money.

[Over all]
Basically . . . it's 13 episodes of getting to know these girls. Yes, they are cyborg assassins working for a secret government agency in Italy, but the focus is not on the action, not on the missions or the secrecy or the conspiracies or the shadow of their pasts coming back to haunt them. It is about their present lives, how they are handling it, how real they actually are and what kind of lives they live. It really is interesting, though i'd honestly have to say that it could really be boring. I'm very interested in stories and character interactions. The concept of the anime is about the girls' relationships with each other and their handlers, not about their action sequences. Therefore, it can easily leave someone with many questions, a sense of disatisfaction or worse. As well, it has a smaller amount of dialogue than most other anime. The moments of silence reminded me of that uncomfortable moment in Evangelion in the elevator. Though there are action sequences, they seem to only be there to reinforce something about the relationships between the girls and their handlers.

Finally, I liked the anime. I thought it was very different from what I originally percieved it to be, and so it was a nice surprise later on as I got to understand what it was about. I love the characters and could sympathize with them. It is definitely not an action anime and I can't really think of any other anime to compare it to. Perhaps best compared to Now and Then, Here and There.

I would recommend this to people who like characters, because that's honestly what it's all about. It is very subdued, realistic and without just about any plot twists. If you're a fan of big action or comedy, like most other anime out there, and not open to watching Ghost in the Shell without the action sequences, then I would not recommend this. I would not recommend it to children. It's rather mature in its topics, not to the point of sexually mature or violently mature, just that the concepts and ideas are complex, requiring the ability to relate to the characters somewhat and understand their individual situations. This is not going to be your typical anime. It's quiet for the most part and it's calm for the most part.

What this anime really needs is a better title.

"[I hated them at first, half carbon and fiber optics. But when you get to know them they're just normal little girls, running the gambit of emotions, seeking approval, unsure of their adolescent feelings . . . and can't cook worth a darn.]"

It's been pointed out already that Gunslinger Girl is a highly atypical anime. This isn't only because of its overall tone (a number of bright, cheerful, high-energy titles like Love Hina, Fruits Basket and Mahoromatic tend to overshadow more serious work) or its visual and narrative style (whereas many titles make use of animation to create exaggerated poses, expressions and action sequences, Gunslinger Girl could be filmed live with little alteration) but because it is, purely and simply, a work of art--it has a coherency of style, theme and purpose that very few other titlesa can match. With no slight to series that are, first and foremost, entertaining (like the aforemnentioned Love Hina), Gunslinger Girl attempts to do something much more difficult than entertain, and succeeds.

If that sounds obtuse: GG has more in common with most great films and novels than with other anime series. Even those that are dramatic and violent generally rely on visceral thrills, and the few, like Neon Gensis Evangelion and Serial Experiment Lain, that seem to have a "higher" artistic purpose, often fall short in the final reckoning (does anybody really understand these two titles?).

Visually, GG is extremely simple. The majority of the characters are either built on the model of a figure-less prepubescent girl or a middle-aged man in a suit, and except for the sequences of violence (which, it should be noticed, are rarer than it might at first seem) many shots are composed of characters standing around and talking in plain uninflected voices. (Side note: There is some hysterical audio commentary on these discs. On one of them, one of the voice actors playing a handler says to another: "Yo, I think we should talk like this in real life. [gruff, flat] "Hey, I think we should go out for a pizza. How does that sound?""Roger, copy that.") The animation is still of a very high quality in the action sequences, but the attention is drawn away from the visuals and to the story.

Hopefully there's no need to restate the series' presence. What should be stated, though, is that the series is not about violence, or social problems, but overwhelmingly about love. The basic horror or the premise--that small girls are brainwashed and forced to commit political murders--is almost taken for granted by the final episode; the way that people treat each other and their affections are of much greater importance, and ultimately far more horrifying. Violence is a visceral expression of wounded human emotions, and it's no accident that the series is soundtracked by the sublimely depressing "Hate" (The Delgados)--songs about longing and loneliness, but on examination, perfectly suited to this world.

All this is just to say that Gunslinger Girl should be taken for what it is: a singular work with a specific style and a dogmatic theme. It has very little in the way of entertainment (although there are a few funny moments), sexiness, violent kicks or uplifting morals about how, if you believe in yourself, you can get into Tokyo U. It may not be to everyone's taste, but I would highly recommend it both to anime fans and also to those who might never watch another anime title, but want to see something of chilling, heartbreaking emotional power.

This work really squeezes the sadness from the idea that children are abused.

Keeping in mind the story is pretty well thought out... in this case their abuse is done as humanly as one could hope for.

The girls are fearless, know no pain, and don't have the emotional baggage that a past would slow them down with.

All and all I think this is fine work. The animation is solid. The characters are well developed. And, there is a sense of "lesser of two evils" that is the prevailing wind with this work.

The sadness embodied in this effort has a bitter-sweet feel that seems to make one appreciate the value of healthy happy life. In a way this reminds me a lot of a documentary I saw on HBO about Tourette Syndrome.

Sad and happy all in the same brush stroke.

Anime has alot of tear jerking stories. This one is too hard for me to watch. The animation is good and the story is interesting. I watched it because I was intrigued by the story. But the subject matter is far too depressing.

When I watch a show, I invest emotionally in the characters. That just can't be done in a show like this. Trying to imagine little girls turned into brain-washed killers is an act of evil I can't even imagine. The way a few of the handlers treat their girls is hard to even watch.

I can't really recommend this anime. Too dark and depressing. I gave it three stars because it is well-written and animated. The handling of the little girls is unique as their is no revenge motive or associated emotional motivation to their actions as is common in most heroic characters. They come off as real little girl brain-washed killers. Sweet little girls most of the time, that become ruthless cybernetic assassis when ordered. Just too evil to imagine.

Gunslinger Girl is a great series. The animation is top notch, the weapons and locales were properly researched and reproduced, and the characters well rounded and presented. It truly creates an intriguing and provacitive world.

There are few small things which you should be warned about, though. Half of the second episode is a recap of the first episode, often showing the exact same sequences from the same perspective. I find this a bit trying every time I watch the series again. The ultimate climax is emotional and does not tie up the terrorist plotline. The ending actually transcends the need to know what happens after it, but a lot of people will be disappointed at the maze of unresolved plot threads. You get a lot of background on a lot of the characters throughout the course of the series, but Jose's past is ignored. The storytelling revolves tightly around the Jose and Henrietta fratello throught the series and this character hole will bother you even if you think that they made the correct ending choice.

Overall an amazing series, but not quite the 5 stars that so many are giving it.

Gunslinger girl is not your typical anime. Its plot is not what you will usually find in "action animes." In fact the plot isn't really about what the organization does or about the cool action scenes, but rather focused on the lives and existence of the main girl characters. Not to say this is a bad thing...but for those looking for something else in the plot, there is none! If you think you will be turned off by this, don't watch it or you will be disappointed. I, on the other hand, found it interesting. Though I wish there was more to the story(maybe an extra 13 episodes) I think I would have loved it more. Besides this, the rest of the anime is great. The careful attention and details to the firearms used is very good and the animation is great. Not for kids (like 13 below), as there is violence, usually very bloody (not gory though.) I give this anime 3.75 stars, but since there is none, I give a 4.

There exists an intrinsic morbidity to this series that's beautiful. The overlaying premise aside, one cannot ignore subtle layers present.

Training the cybernetic girls to become stoic assassins leaves their humanity behind. They become no more than conditioned animals, the notion reinforced during one episode in particular. After her beloved "handler" perishes, the agency decides to use one of the girls for experimentation, pushing her body beyond its limits in the name of technology/science. She, of course, feels no pain, but the audience is faced with a moral quandary: Outrage by the cold, indifferent treatment shown her, or apathetic acceptance in the name of advancement?

This theme concerning how to interpret the girls (objects, animals, or humans?) may be viewed throughout the series, which overall is a terrific work of art. Everything from writing to animation deserves admiration -- truly an anime series worthy of any serious collection.

I saw a preview for this on another Anime I had watched and I was instantly intrigued by its premise. "Gunslinger Girl" just looked phenomenal and action packed. On the back of one of the DVD's it said "Anime's answer to `The Professional'..." by Rob Bricken, a reviewer at Anime Insider. Needless to say this definitely caught my attention. "The Professional" is one of my favorite films with an absolutely phenomenal story.

"Gunslinger Girl" definitely poses a very controversial concept, but that's what makes it very good. The show takes place in Italy and primarily centers on the story of a little girl named Henrietta. The premise is based around a top secret government organization that is part of the Social Welfare Agency. It's not about giving children new homes; it's about giving terminally ill patients a new chance at life. The one catch is that, regardless of the fact they're children, they have to become super assassins for the government. The children are given new cybernetic bodies to accomplish these seemingly inhuman feats for children. However, despite these enhancements they are still children and they need extensive training, as well as re-learning how to use their new bodies. Although not everything on a girl is replaced as we later learn with Triela. Each girl is teamed up with a handler (together called a fratello (siblings)) who is responsible for training her in combat and supervising her on missions. This is where that whole line of ethics becomes heavily blurred. I know some people will dismiss the idea of training children to be assassins as just plain wrong. But the fact remains that without the agencies interference they would be dead. Not to mention these super assassins are fighting against terrorists that would further harm other innocents. It's not like they're taking little girls that could live normal lives, they are taking those that are already damaged beyond repair. The only part that makes me curious is the girls undergo something called "conditioning" to increase their obedience and docility to their handlers. It also makes them forget their tragic past. They really didn't get into the details of what they do or what its effects are. The handlers have the ability to choose how much conditioning a girl receives, which brings us into the ethics of their trainers.

Henrietta is the girl we get to know best, along with her handler José. You really do like this pair, because they seem to compliment each other quite well. José treats Henrietta like a little sister and truly does care about her feelings. He wants her to be happy in her new chance at life. Not all trainers are like José though. Jean, on the other hand, is very demanding of Rico, but Rico seems to deal with this personal strife better than some could imagine and she's fiercely loyal to Jean. Triela and her handler have sort of an understanding, she's the oldest and most self sufficient, but she still wants her handler to be proud of her and he's happy keeping his distance. Not everything works out this well for a fratello, because in the case of Angelica and Marco things are not going so well. There seems to be some serious memory flaws because of the implants (Angelica was the prototype) and Marco has a very difficult time dealing with helping this child overcome her problems and then her forgetting. The worst case scenario is probably Elsa and her handler. He is so uncaring and cold to her that it just feels wrong; to him she is just a tool. You intrinsically know that regardless of the fact that they are cyborgs, they are still children and need nurturing. They need to feel like they're accomplishing something. Most of the girls are very grateful for a new chance at life and genuinely enjoy what they do. They even know they have been conditioned and sometimes question whether it's their brain washing talking or it's the real them.

As you can see I thought the story concept was brilliant. You go through all kinds of episodes dealing with different missions and different teams. Primarily we see Henrietta and her story, but you get to see what happens with all the other girls I mentioned, as well as Claes, who has a very interesting story. You see their handlers deal with the problems of having to essentially raise children and how they go about doing this. A lot of them can't treat their girls like any other weapon, it's tough to do that, especially when it speaks and you know there is a conscious mind behind the words! I do wish there was more of a central story to the whole series though. Watching the missions and getting to know the characters was really great, but at the end it just ended. There wasn't a huge blow out ending or anything. It makes me hope that they write another series in this universe with these girls, this one just feels so introductory.

I thought this was a very good series and I would definitely recommend it to just about anyone. Just don't expect it to be all action, like I had initially thought. It really is more like "The Professional" when I think about it because that dealt a lot with the issues and emotions of training a child in the art of assassination. One thing I do commend "Gunslinger Girl" for doing is making all the weapons real. It's funny because I recognized a lot of the guns from the video game Counter Strike, so it makes me wonder if there was some influence there! In the end I have to say my favorite character was Triela. I really thought she was the most interesting character in some ways because it felt like she had the most personality and she was also playing the big sister role. I do wish this series delved more into the technology, because they referenced that the cyborgs lived a shorter life-span, but they never say how short that is, or if they are working on technology to increase that. In the end I am left with a lot of questions and wanting more episodes, so maybe someone will read this and make more in the spirit of this first installment. This set comes in three normally sized DVD cases complete with a slipcase to package all three. This really should get 4.5 out of 5.

Not much else can be said that hasn't been already. Gunslinger Girl is an incredibly moving, emotional work of art. Yes, I said art. It's that good. There are moments in this show that will tug the heartstrings of even the most jaded of viewers; I was moved to tears on several occasions throughout. Watching the girls interact with their handlers, each other, and the outside world is what makes this show a gem. The plot is basically just there as a backdrop.

While there have been plenty of other "cyborg females with guns" type shows out there, the one twist that sets this series apart is the fact that it's all done to children. It's a bone-chilling, heart-wrenching premise that delivers the empathy in spades, made even more tragic by the fact that every single girl was a victim of some terrible circumstance (ie, rape/assault, cripping illness, attempted murder by her parents). It's a very dark show in that respect. No sex/nudity here, but definitely not for the kids.

The production value of this show is through the roof; Funimation outdid themselves with this series. This is one of the best voice acting performances of any dub I've ever seen.

I have only one caveat to this glowing praise; it's too short. The ending is not very satisfying (although many fans were happy with it, I was not). Despite that, it still gets 5 stars from me.

Fortunately for diehards like me who can't get enough of these emotionally moving girls, a second season of Gunslinger Girl is now in production in Japan! No word on any sort of US release date, but I imagine Funimation will be all over this. If the same all star cast returns, and they should, we will have another winner on our hands.

All in all, on a scale of 1 to 10, this show scores a 12. If you're even remotely into anime, buy this series. You won't regret it.

Now I hear you saying, "horror?". But I am not talking about "horror" as in slasher movie horror. I am talking "horror" as in, say, Shirley Jackson's short story "The Lottery", where the horror is implicit in the basic premise -- of young girls resurrected, rebuilt, and used as tools by a desperate government.

As such, it is a quiet series that is intelligent and surprisingly character-oriented. It is also deeply moving in places. This is not some shallow action flick with cardboard characters that are moved around like drawings on celluloid, this is a deep and troubling series that especially in these times is worth viewing. Does the ends justify the means? Whether it is waterboarding a suspected terrorist or using a little girl as an anti-terror weapon, that's a question that is worth thinking about in these times of terrorism and fear. After all, if torture can be justified, why should rebuilding dying little girls into killing machines be a moral and ethical issue? Watch, see, think.