| Overall |
8 |
| Story |
7 |
| Animation |
7 |
| Sound |
6 |
| Character |
10 |
| Enjoyment |
9 |
This anime has a terrible title. "Gunslinger Girl". Makes you think all action, no substance. That's how I saw it at least. But it's a good thing the title of an anime doesn't necessarily correlate to the quality of its content, cause "Gunslinger Girl" is definitely a worthwhile watch.
Story wise, there isn't much you need to know beyond the synopsis. It's really not that interesting. The story serves mainly as a backdrop for the characters, character development, and character interactions. In other words, this series is all about the characters, and it does a damn good job at it. The girls that the anime focuses
on seem just like ordinary girls. They drink tea, read books, blush, cry, and most of all, they are capable of loving and strive to be loved, exactly how a normal child would. That's why seeing them mowing people down with machine guns and counting how many people they've killed is so eery. At their core they are still children, and yet they've been brought up numb to the sight of bullets and blood.
The other characters in the series all have their own perspectives on the girls. Some see them only as weapons, some as freaks of nature, and then there are those that see them as the children that they are. It's fascinating and often, heart-breaking to see them interact with the girls. This is especially the case with the handlers; the men who act as their guardians. They each form a unique relationship with their "sister", but there is often tension involved between the two that keeps the character development fresh and unpredictable.
As for the art, it was relatively standard. There were certain scenes, like the ones with city backdrops, where there was a substantial amount of detail, but there were also scenes that just seemed lazy on the animator's part (violin not matching the music). The action scenes were relatively good though. All in all, no significant problems, but nothing especially outstanding either. The sound isn't really worth noting too much. I didn't notice the soundtrack for the most part and the VA performances weren't especially ear-catching either.
So what I want to say is, don't be misled by the title. If you're only hungry for action, this series isn't for you. Strangely enough, this is a series that actually makes you think. read more
