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Dec 6, 2018
Gunslinger Girl is a flawed masterpiece. There are plenty of things about this manga that rub me the wrong way. Ultimately, though, it's one of the deeper stories I've read, and it's stuck as one of my favorites. Oh! And I want to say right at the beginning: if you're thinking this is one of those stories where a bunch of older creepy guys have inappropriate relationships with children - it's not at all! So don't let that turn you off.
I'm going to start with the bad.
-The ending is AWFUL. It's weird and it comes out of nowhere.
- Why are at least two
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volumes dedicated to the story of Petrushka, the least interesting cyborg in the series? Any of the other cyborgs would have been better suited to an in-depth focus.
- Jose goes through a bizarre art shift for a couple volumes where he is briefly transformed from an intimidating military man to a slight, cute fluffball. Needless to say, the new look is jarring and it doesn't align with his personality at all. Luckily it seems the author realized that, as it's a temporary makeover. :)
- There's the trope of a villian (just one, luckily!) who fits the "I'm a bad guy just because I want the world to burn, and I'm insane" mold.
- There's the trope of the annoying haunt who plagues a certain character's mind. Ugh.
With that out of the way, I can focus on why I love this series so much! To be honest, I find the plot a little hard to follow in places. But I very much enjoyed the story's focus on politics and terrorism, and some of the nuanced reasons behind terrorrism. I haven't read a lot of series that have a focus on such themes, and I feel that these topics were well integrated into the plotline. Generally, the terrorist factions and the terrorists we meet in the series are understated and their reasons for what they do make sense personally and as part of a larger national issue.
The portrayal of human emotions and longing blew me away. Those of you that have even read the first volume know that the cyborgs are all chosen because they have no other options. Some of them are suicidal. Some of them have terminal illness. Some of them have been in trafficking rings. Whatever the reason, they are chosen because they have a vulnerability. Well, with this dynamic (even though the memories of such events have been erased, sort of), it's no wonder they would seek solace in those around them - who are not equipped at all to fulfill those voids. This particular aspect of the relationship between handlers and cyborgs made the story for me. Maybe I'm a sadist, but the state of wanting affection from someone so much even though they can't or won't deliver it - and vice versa - is an aspect of people that I like exploring. If any of you have read this series, there's a certain scene where a character lights up a cigarette that gives me chills. They don't even need to say anything - the shift in feelings and the relationship is apparent just with that one action. Ah! It's moments like that that make this series what it is. Without giving the plot away too much, everyone in this story is "trapped" somehow. Whether it's the handlers or the cyborgs, everyone has their own trauma that they can't really deal with, and the means they seek out to comfort themselves due to that trauma ultimately leave them hollow. It's not uplifting, but it's realistic, and I feel it makes the story much more relateable.
The story's interpretation of cyborgs is unique. Usually, cyborgs are very machine-like and super-human. You wouldn't even be able to tell that the cyborgs in this story are different from people, and they get injured all the time. Yes, they're faster, stronger, and all that good stuff, but not so much so that they're ridiculous. One of them even goes through special training because she can't take down a target. They also very much have their human heart, feelings, and vulnerabilities intact. (Some people might argue with me on this point because of the drugs the cyborgs are all on, but as a side-note I thought that didn't detract from their emotions. It made them even more compelling, because through this fog of brainwashing and drugs, they still recalled things from the past now and then and they still had obvious emotional voids they tried to fill with various means.) Rather than being long-lived and invincible, the cyborgs lead short, compressed lives, and their mental abilities decrease with their time out in the field. Watching them break down is a bit like watching someone with Dementia deteriorate. It's so sad, but there's nothing you can do about it. In other words - it's perfect.
Finally, I loved the art style. The style of characters in particular appealed to me, as they are a bit more....box-y? than one would typically find in manga. They had weight and impact, they weren't airy with magically flowing hair and ridiculously long limbs. Even the ladies looked realistic and not over-accentuated. No one's drop-dead gorgeous or a bombshell, male or female. They all look like children, former police, or former military personnel - which they are.
In essence, if you like stories with a more nuanced plot and special attention to inner human struggles, you might enjoy this one. But if you're the type that doesn't like depressing stories, I'd avoid this like the plague. There's not a lot of personal triumphs, just a lot of setbacks. Oh, and for all of you that have read it, I'm just going to gush and say that Triela and Hilshire are the best! They're the adorable bright spot in this series both together and individually - y'all know what I'm talking about. :)
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Oct 23, 2014
I started off reading this manga because I heard it was a fun, happy-go-lucky kind of story. It was! I laughed out loud a lot and the message was upbeat and positive. But it was more than just a good time. I finished the series feeling not just satisfied and cuddly, but inspired.
I'm a sucker for creators who take an everyday life concern and turn it into a compelling story. The concept which this manga is based on, that of having dreams or an ideal self, is something I think everyone can relate to. I know I struggled with identity when I was younger. Getting
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to see Amu initially discouraged by what she lacks and slowly begin to understand and believe in herself is a beautiful thing. Combined with her other trials of having friends move away, trying to find out what love really is, and being a responsible older sister/buddy, this really makes her a dynamic, relatable character. Throughout the story as she gains confidence she has an awesome power to change those around her for the better. This is one area I believe the story did well at.
Most of the villains in the story are fairly likable. None of them are evil "just because". They are smart in their methods as well. I was never groaning at how silly a bad guy was acting, because what they did made sense. Additionally, those who are redeemed retain their original personalities and turn to good because they remember what they have lost. I enjoyed that rather than just beating enemies down through sheer magical power, Amu also worked at their hearts.
Initially I was skeptical about the Guardian Characters. Normally when something small and cute shows up its bound to be annoying. But I ended up feeling the opposite towards them. They were all hilarious! I liked their distinct personalities and their interactions amongst themselves. As for their relation to the plot, I think they were a really good manifestation of ideals. Some of them took a distinguishable form of a future career, such as an air-hostess. Others embodied a state of being such as freedom. A few characters had more than one Guardian Character. Sometimes they would disappear or turn to darkness. They could guide and give power to those who believed in them. All of these aspects are things that can be true of dreams in real life.
I waver about whether relationships among characters were handled well. On one hand, the romance aspect of the manga is amazing. I normally shun romances, but this one made my heart skip a few beats. Amu's innocence and tendency to blush made her adorable! Her quest to understand love and her uncertain feelings towards various characters remind me of many young people and myself at times. Growth in her romantic relationships is clearly shown and really cute! You can tell what Amu is feeling in all of these interactions. I know some people don't think the romance went far enough or ended satisfactorily, but I feel the consideration Amu's love interests have for her (and the grace they have for each other) is what's really important. And that is there in spades.
On the other hand, I think friendships could have been fleshed out a bit more. Particularly between Amu and Nadeshiko, there wasn't a lot of development. The first season of the anime does a better job of this with episodes that show them hanging out together. As a group the Guardians are pretty cohesive. Individually, however, there wasn't a lot of time for clear, deep bonds to form. Towards the end of the manga was kind of weird. I felt that hints of romance forming between side characters were unnecessary and a bit at odds with individual personalities. It seemed like a rushed "as long as everyone has someone" kind of resolution.
Pacing of the story moved right along. There weren't a lot of uninteresting side stories or filler chapters. Powers and transformations stayed fairly tame and weren't blown out of proportion or continually upgraded in an attempt to keep things interesting. In a world where most series resort to such tactics, this was refreshing.
Overall, I found Shugo Chara! to be a feel-good series with a surprising amount of depth and relation to life. I'm not about to say it's world-class writing and that it opened my eyes or anything like that, but there are many insightful moments in this story. It's a wonderful series to pick up if you're ever feeling down about life.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Sep 17, 2012
This is easily the most heart-breaking anime I've ever seen. At the start, I was unsure whether it was worth continuing. The random sexual acts drove me mad, and a number of things led me to believe it would be the same plot I had seen and hated zillions of times. Rival gangs in a run-down city? An orphan who was clearly destined to become the classic tormented anti-hero with daddy issues? A mysterious tribe with a despondent clairvoyant? Yet another heavily symbolic world of synthetic technology? And that name! Shameful! How could this be good? To anyone who is thinking along those same lines,
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I highly recommend that you stick it out. Because this anime turned out to be anything but ordinary.
The story and environment design were very well done, but the thing that resonated with me the most in this series were the characters. Even the characters I despised I could identify with and understand. There were few shallow fillers; each individual had their own interesting psychology. For example, Doc. Oh did I hate that woman with a burning passion. But, I could see exactly where she was coming from. She represents many women, I feel. Even though she is talented, successful, beautiful, and smug about it all, she is never really satisfied. She can't be. There exists a void within her, a starving desire for love and affection which she has never received and subtly tries to fill throughout the series. And I have to mention Ichise, my favorite. Ichise is a marvel to me because he is unlike any other main character or hero protagonist I've met. In the beginning he is a complete animal, which is a very rare state to be portrayed in. I was expecting for him to be reformed into the bad boy with a heart of gold, or maybe the kid with a hard-edged personality who doesn't always let people off easy, but does it for the greater good or out of disgust for the depraved. But Ichise is none of these. He cannot be called a hero in even the loosest sense of the term. He is merely a survivor who does wrong more often than right, and the good that he does is usually out of a sense of loyalty, duty, or yearning to belong. He isn't intended to be a role model. In this way he is just like most of humanity. But besides being just as awful as the rest of us, he maintains uniqueness. Talking isn't really his thing, he only does it when he has to. Even if a direct question is posed to him, he rarely answers it. He is passive, almost to the extent that you could consider him a doll at times, and yet he has free will. He is also extremely detached and hardly ever shows emotions. Few bonds are made with him throughout the series, despite the attempts by some, and he is disinterested in any physical touch. And, happily for viewers, although his deceased parents do play a role in his psyche, they are rarely brought up and there are no "please feel sorry for me, I had such a tragic past!" moments. Also very refreshing is the fact that Ichise is not undefeatable. He is extremely determined to survive and a strong fighter, but able to be conquered.
Whew, sorry about that long paragraph, but I was very much enthralled by the characters of this series. Moving on, the storyline also turned out to be quite lovely. Even though a few stereotypes remain in this series, for the most part it was surprisingly deep. Worlds and human minds are masterfully and chillingly depicted, and everything that occurs can be described as hauntingly sorrowful. The overall feeling of the series is very disconnected, and many of the interactions and emotions are inconspicuous. How characters really feel is often open to interpretation. Texhnolyze is one of the few series I have watched that I have not sat back and thought, "hmm, I could have done so much with this to make it better". I won't give anything about the plot away, but as I said in the very beginning this anime is heart-breaking. If you are looking for a feel-good show or just a happy ending.... it's not here, ha ha. It does not get light-hearted or even remotely satisfying at any point. While it is poignantly dark and beautiful, it is not for the faint of heart and will only become a favorite of viewers who enjoy very solemn shows.
After re-watching this series over a few years, I have to mention that some of the plot points stick with me, particularly when it comes to human integration with technology. The author's interpretation is that the more "engineered" humans become, and the more their body parts become replaced with "better" cybernetic ones, the less human people become. I know we aren't in that stage of the future yet, but I think we will be someday, and I very much enjoyed the speculation on this topic. I'm fascinated by the idea that even something basic - like our organs - can carry pieces of our souls with them, and that if enough pieces of our body are replaced, we might cease to have souls.
Some little things about this series that caught my attention:
Music. The theme song!!!!! I Love it! It's a rare thing indeed when an anime has a mainly instrumental opening, especially one that fits so well.
Lack of common symbolism. There is much symbolism in this series for sure, but you won't hear cicadas or go into any weird "mind state" episodes.
No psychological oddities. This series is psychological in many ways; however, it is mostly out there in front of you, and with some thinking you can figure it out. You won't be tripping acid to understand what's going on.
Rewatch value. This series would actually be great the second time around, and a second viewing would heighten understanding. I can say that with certainty after having re-watched it at least three times now.
In closing, this is a beautifully done, character driven, well-written series, but it is definitely not for happy-go-lucky types of people.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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