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Number of Episodes: 13
Characters:
Summary: A child is still a child, even if she is a killing machine. In Gunslinger Girl, we meet five young girls, all separated from their families and left without hope of a future. They are thus turned over to an organization that masquerades as welfare, but actually takes these girls and turns them into assassins. By adding mechanical parts, and brainwashing the children (taking away their old memories and giving them new ones), they are given new lives and a reason for being. Each girl has a partner, an adult, who trains them and takes them out on missions. Though some treat the girls with respect and fatherly/brotherly love, others view them as mere tools and try not to think of them as human beings.
Commentary: This is a very sad story that brings up many important philosophical questions. These mechanical girls have lost their past and are mere killing machines. Are they still human? Even though they have no past, they still have feelings and needs. The anime shows the general idea but also shows the individual girls and lets us see their stories. The animation is beautiful and the music fits well with the series. Though this series leaves a few questions, such as why children, and more specifically why little girls, some of these are addressed and others can be figured out with a little bit of interpretation. Some people believe there is a bit of a pedophillic vibe to this show, but I think that some people are going to see that no matter what. I personally think it is a good show with some very interesting ideas and messages. This title is currently only available in Japanese, but has been licensed by Funimation and should be coming out in English soon.
Rating: 9/10
Reasons for Rating: Great animation, music fits well, wonderful ideas with philosophical questions to be asked (and answered), a little short.
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