Gunslinger Girl
Sugar and spice, my ass!
Review by: Craig "God, I wanna be a sniper" Norris
Length: 13 episodes
Genre: Action, drama
Watched: 1-13, subbed
Gunslinger Girl holds the unique distinction of being one of the few animes that got me interested from the title alone. Such an upfront title had me believing that it would be similar to Noir, with lots of bloody action and cute girls. Well, the action was bloody, and the girls were cute, but for the wrong reason; none of them were above middle-school age. I was shocked and disappointed at that turn of events, but at the same time intrigued. After all, a girl carrying a sniper rifle as big as herself makes for some interesting potential.
Plot synopsis: The Department of Society Welfare is often called upon to perform special covert operations, such as assassination and witness protection. Their secret weapons are gitalis, young girls that have been robotically enhanced and trained in gun and hand-to-hand combat. Paired with older instructors to form fratellos, the girls are given instructions to infiltrate dangerous situations and kill mercilessly. However, when all is said and done, these killing machines are young girls at heart, and in the end it is the relationship of the girl and her “big brother” that determines her success.
Artwork: The animation overall is solid. From time to time the character designs look a little sloppy, but it seems to fit in with the grittiness of the series. The backgrounds are impressive in their attention to detail, right down to cityscapes of Sicily and famous paintings. Action sequences are excellent, with no sparing of motion or blood spray. By today’s standards it may seem normal, but the visuals all work together very well and make for a complete package.
Music: Personally, I loved the soundtrack, but it’s not for everyone. It ranges from snappy lounge music to sullen orchestra, with little vocals and short tracks seldom exceeding two minutes in length. Often, I felt the music was used to prevent the action or emotion of the show from raging out of control, which it does very well. It helps maintain a dark, somber mood, keeping the emotion from overpowering.
Characters: Even though the girls were rebuilt to be killing machines, they do have some of their own unique traits. Henrietta, for example, is easily the sweetest of all the girls, possibly due in large part to her relationship with her “big brother” Jose. She is very emotionally attached to Jose, though it is not clear whether that is her own choice or due to conditioning she received. 
Her weapon of choice is a P-90 machine gun inside a violin case. Triela appears to be the eldest of the group, and is looked at as a big sister by the girls. She is roommates with Claes, and has a small collection of teddy bears that were given to her by her “big brother” Hirscher. Claes is quiet, often preferring to read a book rather than socialize. She never officially completed training, so she is not often used for missions. Rico is Henrietta’s roommate, and despite being treated as more of a tool than a person by her own “big brother,” she manages to maintain a happy attitude around the girls. Angelica was one of the first girls to become a gitali, and her status as a prototype sometimes shows through when she trains. Because of this, she also is not often used for missions. For the most part, the girls stick together and support each other, sometimes much more so than their older male counterparts.
Plot: The biggest flaw of this show is the lack of focus in the plot. A lot focused on the relationships of the fratellos, and there were a few episodes dealing directly with the Department, but there were never any central issues that came up that really made me get interested or care. Sure the fact that 
little girls are being used as elite assassins is an interesting idea, but it seems the show never evolved past that. In that respect, it became very one-dimensional, choosing to display the abilities and weaknesses of the gitalis rather than have them involved in any kind of major situation. If not for the lack of plot, this series had the potential to be truly great.
CHICKS!: Hope you like ‘em young. They get a few points for being cute, but the fact remains that they are noticeably underage. Sometimes they show their vulnerability as young girls, and then you feel like you want to give them a big hug. But anything else would be quite illegal. Not to mention the girls would snap your neck if you tried, anyway.
Overall: As much as I wanted to love this series, I couldn’t deny that it was being held back. Almost all the ingredients were there, and I was ready to make this one of my all-time favorites, but alas, it was not to be. Things just didn’t pan out as much as they could have, and in the end I was left unfulfilled. It has its moments, no question, but it feels far from complete. There’s a lot about the series to like, though, so if you don’t mind being a bit disoriented from the lack of plot, Gunslinger Girl might be worth a shot.
IN A NUTSHELL
+ Pleasing soundtrack
+ Good animation
+ Nice mood
- Plot lacks focus
- No real ending
Rating: 7/10
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