Anime Gunslinger Girl

[Dagger]

Gunslinger Girl is a thirteen-episode series that just finished airing in Japan. Created by the studio Madhouse, which is renowned for its slick and innovative action sequences, GSG revolves around the lives of five seemingly innocent young girls.... who are in actuality trained killers. This set-up may sound somewhat familiar; when I first read a synopsis of the show, I figured that it would be similar to Noir. Having never seen very much of Noir, I'm unable to compare the two series, but I like to think that GSG is fairly original--both in terms of content and execution.

After experiencing all sorts of tragedies, the girls are taken in by a social welfare organization that replaces their battered, disabled bodies with mechanical limbs. While they look like ordinary children, they are far stronger, tougher, and faster. The organization (which, as you may imagine, has priorities other than "social welfare") conditions them to forget their past suffering and become professional assassins.

Although certain parts of GSG may be disturbing, it's gorgeously animated and deadly serious--if you're a fan of comedy, do yourself a favor and try to avoid this series. It unfolds at a rather sedate, deliberate pace, but never seems overly slow (unlike, say, .hack//SIGN). The opening theme is heartbreakingly beautiful, and, interestingly enough, sung entirely in English. Meanwhile, GSG's ED has Italian lyrics and is clearly inspired by operatic arias.

Despite the fact that I haven't finished watching Gunslinger Girl, I think it could easily become a classic. At the very least, it's already a fan favorite--and that's got to count for [i]something[/i], right?

I'd love to know what you think about this show. ^_^

~Dagger~

[ChibiHorsewoman]

[color=violet]I saw two issues of the manga in Media play, but have yet to either buy it or see the anime.

From what you've said, it sounds like a rather interesting series. Of course, I'm more of a lover of comedy thatn tradgedy myself, but I think I may start sending some of the manga to my husband after he gets his over seas addy.

The artwork in the manga is impressive though, but that's about my only other take on this topic.[/color]

[Godelsensei]

[COLOR=Gray][SIZE=2][FONT=Courier New]*jumps around*

"Did he have his little sister with him?"
"Yeah..."
"...god damn it..."

*maniacal laughter*

Another wonderful, serious, disturbing, show that I love oh-so-much! Though the fact that my internet died for weeks a while back has caused a chain reaction with my up-to-dateness (concerning several things) I love Gunslinger Girl. I need to download the last three or four episodes, though.

*cries*

I love Triela! She's the best of all of them. Heh.

Anyway, if you like Gunslinger Girl, you will like Narutaru! *is still trying to make people watch Narutaru, though it isn't really working*

Alot of things will make your eyes widen and your stomach cramp throughout GG. Not only that, but you're going to cry. And cry and cry and cry and cry and cry...

Oh well, it's still [I]tres magnifique[/I].[/FONT][/SIZE][/COLOR]

[Dagger]

The GSG manga has already been made available in the States? o_O I had no idea. That's really exciting, particularly if its artwork is as good as you suggest. Can anybody tell me more about this?

Although Gunslinger Girl's OP and ED sequences aren't widescreen, the episodes themselves seem to have been made in letterbox format. However, their black bars are really pretty, with all sorts of subtle decoration and embellishments. I'm curious as to whether these were added purely for an atmospheric effect, or if GSG, like Last Exile, is a genuine widescreen series.

~Dagger~

[JazzLady22]

I just bought the Gunslinger Girl manga at Barnes and Noble yesterday! *Jumps up and down* I haven't watched the anime yet, so I can't really compare them.

This series, from what I've seen thus far, is similar to Noir in a way. Although the main difference (and this is what drew me in) is that Noir is pretty much a stylistic, slick type of story, while Gunslinger Girl makes you feel the pain of the girls who have to live in this horrible fashion. I can tell that by the end of this series, I'm going to be reguarly crying my eyes out. I should probably watch this when my family isn't home, so I don't attract stares...

Triella is my favorite, too, Goden-sensei!

Anyways, more here when I've actually seen the anime.

[Godelsensei]

[QUOTE=JazzLady22]

Triella is my favorite, too, Goden-sensei!

[/QUOTE]

[COLOR=Gray][SIZE=2][FONT=Courier New]Yay! Triela's the best.^_^ I love how she guilt-trips that guy for not making contact with his daughter just by talking to him. She's more of an individual than the rest of them, so I guess her personality is refreshing.

"Why the hell do I have to come while he takes a piss?!" Haha...that was funny.

"They're just cramps. Because [I]somebody[/I] had to make me run..."

^_^[/FONT][/SIZE][/COLOR]

[Dagger]

Oh, Beck, you [i]must[/i] watch the GSG anime. For some bizarre reason, it actually reminds me of Fruits Basket (strange, I know >_>). The two shows have virtually nothing in common besides the fact that both are absolutely heart-wrenching, and can make you tear up over characters whom you've known for less than five or ten minutes. Despite its lush artwork and amazing animation, Gunslinger Girl is ultimately about tragedy, hope and complex relationships--and those three elements are featured prominently in many of my favorite anime.

I am [i]so[/i] thrilled about reading the manga. From what I can tell, it looks fantastic... as soon as I can get my hands on ten bucks, I'm sprinting to Borders and grabbing a copy of GSG.

Even though I like Triela--they're all pretty loveable, as a matter of fact--Claes is currently my favorite of the girls. I cried like a little baby during the episode about her past, just as I did during episode 8 of Fruits Basket. Speaking of which, some of GSG's camera angles are vaguely Daichi-esque (Akitaroh Daichi is the man who directed FB, as well as Now and Then, Here and There). I guess I find it interesting to compare the ways in which FB and GSG play with the viewer's emotions.

~Dagger~

[stormy001_m1a2]

[COLOR=Navy]Welcome to OtakuBoards, stormy. ^_^ You obviously know a thing or two about how to write interesting, high-quality posts, and for that I am exceedingly grateful. Just bear in mind that OB doesn't permit double-posting (which is why I merged your replies). If you have any questions, feel free to PM me.

Anyway, happy posting. I look forward to reading more from you. ^_^

~Dagger~[/COLOR]

One thing for sure, the ending of GSG will piss many Western anime fans off. I for one, have no problems with open endings, but it is just a speculation from me though. As to what many said about random episodes, I do not share their beliefs. Every earlier episode is meant to geared to the ultimate showdown of psychology and emotional conflict in the final arc of the story , starting from episode 10 onwards. The ending might not visibly dramatic or wounds up in grand firefight in tradition of OK Corral, but a very deep and meaningful insight in emotional and psychology terms. It is also meant to question our own humanity and what is ethics; I have this impression after I read the manga. Off course the last point is bit off tangent and highly debatable, it is just mere POV from me.

My commentaries on other neglected or overlooked aspects:

Captain Rabarro or Ravallo has [spoiler]accidently created a trigger in Claes. By asking her to wear the glasses, he is asking her to be human but he also specified that she also must do utmost to complete her assigned mission. However with current absence of captain or her instructor or controller, it is difficult to imagine if she will be doing covert operations anymore.[/spoiler]

I personally think that Claes is the scariest girl, here is a person who keep taking abuses but not complaining at all to let off any steam. If one day she took off the glasses, a lot of people will lose their lives because of a postal amok brainwashed highly trained assassin girl. Right now she is pretty much enigmatic and silent but I do figure that her will be the major factor in the conclusion of this story. In the group, she is most intelligent and cool headed bionic operator ever. Episode 12 will reveal as to why I say so.

Jan and Jose is siblings (episode 1) and the reason why they were right now is because of revenge. In episode 5, [spoiler]Rabarro/Ravallo asking whether Jan quit the military is because he is on revenge vendetta directly and in episode 6, Jan showed barely repressed anger at the terrorist themselves which is quite out of character of him. I can safely speculate that their family was killed by the anti-establishment terrorist/freedom fighters and they using their underage charges to exact vengeance.[/spoiler] Jan has cast away all his humanity and very single minded in name of revenge, Jose/Giuseppe still retain some humanity by doubting the way it is done to get the revenge itself. ( it is never revealed why both of them so keen to destroy the Republicans, perhaps 3rd vol of manga will answer it)

What interests me also is the inclusion of terrorist/freedom fighter POV in the whole setup. It is obvious the bombers is idealist and they have their own reasons as to why they going against the Italian goverment. It also revealed they also have conscience like an average person would have but it is something about the government that they dead set against and willing to fight it . The older terrorist was talking about inequality of North and South Italy which is indication of perceived social injustice and inequality just like why the ETA doing in Spain now. ( the Basque seperatist terrorist group)

I think the bomber pair is the wasted character study potential in the anime.
-------------------------------------------------

For fun factor:

Here I will do some ideas on characters based on John Woo's style of using gun characteristics to reveal the characters.

Henrietta:
P239 SiG Sauer, compact and lethal yet beautiful plus delicate. Pretty much like the user.
FN P90, ibid.
Walther WA2000 bullpup sniper rifle, beautiful and compact, lethal too.

Rico:
Dragunov SVD sharpshooter rifle, distanced and solitary.
CZ-75

Triela:
Winchester trench shotgun 1894, in-your-face, brutal, straight to the point. If possible into your guts.
HK P7
SiG Sauer P230 SL

Angelica:
Steyr AUG Carbine with Pictanilly rail, very fragile looking assault rifle, just like her.
Beretta M84

Claes:
HK MP 5K PDW, silent and deadly
HK VP 70 stock custom, exotic and experimental


[spoiler]Elsa:[/spoiler]
SiG Sauer P229
SiG Sauer SG552 SWAT Commando, Very well made and sturdy but neglected in arm's market, somehow it did not look very odd that [spoiler]Elsa[/spoiler] was using this...
SiG Sauer SG550 Sniper

Relationship between the girls and their respective, feel free to correct me if I am wrong:

1. Henrietta and Jose- siblings
2. Rico and Jan- Master and servant
3. Triela and Hirscher- I think they are colleagues but my friend said it is more like distant family relationship
4. Claes and Capt Rabarro- Father and daughter
5. Angelica and Marco- Teacher and student
[spoiler]6. Elsa and Raulo- Obsessive love by Elsa, equipment mentality by Raulo/Lauro[/spoiler]

The best episode in my opinion is 9-13 onwards, especially the story of [spoiler]Elsa, the 6th member of 2nd Section bionic operator.[/spoiler]

Sorry if I rambling on too much.

-----------------------------------

Some interesting insight into the anime's character especially the highly popular Triela

[spoiler]The relationship between Raulo and Elsa, is very different from the one between Jan and Rico. Foremost of all, Elsa loved Raulo in a lover?s manner: the situation between Jan and Rico, is an incredibly powerful bond of brother and sister (at least from Rico?s prospective).[/spoiler] There is also this to consider: the Getai have been conditioned for two things above all else ? (1) to be loyal to their Instructor (which warps into love) and (2) to live to serve. What Raulo did in episode 10, was take away the second pillar that the girls live by, leaving only the first ? which Elsa felt she could not do without the second or reciprocation. As ruthless as Jan can be to Rico, he uses her as a tool, and respects her (for lack of a better word) in this. Never once has he told Rico she?s useless within earshot of her: because he is aware of the negative moral it would have, and the lessening of her effectiveness to him (and only for that reason). Let me be clear: Jan has no love for Rico the person, but sees Rico the weapon as a powerful thing. Rico knows this. She respects this. More than any of the other girls, Rico goes by the ?live to serve? pillar. She finds content and happiness in knowing her actions aid in Jan?s career, and so long she can carry them out she?s happy: because it helps her Instructor as well as helps her live. She finds purpose in her work.

Oddly enough, Jan is the same. The pair has a lot more in common than either are aware ? their devotion to work and the single-mindedness to getting the job done no matter the cost. I cannot stress this enough: Rico is loyal to Jan, in part because Jan is loyal to his work. She loves this aspect of her Instructor; and it is from this that she gets her ?return.? Jan beating Rico for failure or disappoint, strangely reinforces this ? because it reminds her how much his missions mean to him; and thus they should mean to her...

Make no mistake: Trelia loves Hillsire. Don?t let her rebellious attitude fool you. What this fratello represents, is an incompatible relation between siblings. What Jose and Henrietta have, is the ?perfect brother? grouping (what I like to call Sister Princess syndrome). Jose knows the right words to say, the best gifts to buy, and the correct moment to show up. Hillsire is the exact opposite. He doesn?t know how to be a good brother. Where Jose is a natural, Hillsire must forcefully try. Because the opposite half of the fratello mirror (conditioned?) some of their Instructor?s traits, Trelia seemingly picked up the ?I don?t know how to be a good little sister? personality. And in this she does. She bickers. She disagrees. She wants to do things her way. It?s like a lot of other brother-sister relations. However as said before, Trelia nonetheless cares deeply for Hillsire ? as many sisters who eternally argue with their brothers. Hillsire?s method of ?raising? Trelia are also a significant factor in her personality ? he lets her get away with murder at times (pun not intentional). Where Jan raises his hand, and Jose councils, Hillsire mostly gives a mean glance and then backs down a bit. It should come as no surprise then, that Trelia walks all over him a lot. Yet Trelia is aware of all this, and even cherishes it a bit. What she hopes to do IMHO, is shape Hillsire into the Instructor she wants ? a little reverse psychology as it were. She hopes that with a little bickering here and arguing there, Hillsire will slowly come around and understand who she truly is, and what she truly wants. At the same time however, Trelia is also accepting the unchangeable traits in Hillsire (the teddy bears are a good example). Trelia knows that Hillsire isn?t the best she could have had, be she is fully aware he isn?t the worst. Hillsire tries ? and so she does too. Hillsire is loyal to Trelia (she?s done a lot that would cause a lot of conditioning and punishment, but he never reports it ? and she knows this); and so Trelia is loyal to him. What it boils down to is this: Hillsire won?t give up on Trelia. It goes without saying how she goes for him.

I?d like to stress, that none of the girls have ever considered leaving the Corporation, because it means being away from their Instructors. Wether its because of the conditioning, love, or both ? the Getai are chained to their fate. None of them (even Trelia) questions this. They are aware that the Corporation is their purpose in life and their reason for still living. They are totally content so long the relationship with their Instructors is possible. Saying they will run away from the Corporation, is like claiming Belldandy will ditch Keiichi in Ah! My Goddess. Yes it?s possible, but VERY unlikely. The later chapters of the manga insinuate this far more than the anime has (and probably would).

credits: Nagrakhan

[Dagger]

I've only seen up until episode 7, so don't take this post too seriously.[/disclaimer]

Although I enjoy Gunslinger Girl's action, the characters' complex and carefully developed relationships are what make it a true masterpiece. As for the "random episodes," I completely agree with your remarks. They're intended to introduce the major characters, flesh out their personalities, reveal certain plot points while allowing others to remain veiled in mystery, and create a powerful emotional connection between the viewer and the girls. How anyone could call that filler is simply beyond my comprehension. Obviously watching these requires some degree of patience, as not every single second is packed with flying bullets, but GSG's main strength may very well be its subtlety.

After viewing episode 5, I find it a little difficult to see how Claes is the most likely to go berserk. Perhaps more is revealed about her in later episodes? She strikes me as being an incredibly strong girl, no doubt thanks to Rabello's forgotten influence. Moreover, Claes seems to be genuinely happy, despite the physical pain that she endures silently every day. Rabello gave her the glasses because she was having difficulty shooting without hesitation; if she removed them, isn't it likely that she would become consumed by self-doubt, depression and fear?

~Dagger~

[Godelsensei]

[COLOR=Gray][SIZE=2][FONT=Courier New]Wow, this thread is just one big spoiler, isn't it?^^

Not to mention the dimensions got thrown off by something...could it be that some one decided to make a rather wide row of underscores??_ _U

Anyway, I think Claes is definately one of my favourite characters, though Rico and Triela are, of course, still my favourites.
I never liked Elsa very much, though I guess that's what was intended.

I don't want to ruin anything for any one though, at least no more than I already have, so I will...use the spoiler tag!^_^

[Spoiler]I was very shocked when Henrietta made her statement to Jose: Love me or I'll kill you. Then, I'll kill myself. I honestly thought she had done herself in, and I was terrified.
We're finally getting into the Ponochio mentality here though: why can't I be a real girL? Would Jose-san love me if I were a real girl?

I was also very surprised to hear Jose's statement about Henrietta in episode 11. "It is a very limmited amount of love that I can give her." Or something to that effect.[/Spoiler]

Needless to say, I love this show.[/FONT][/SIZE][/COLOR]

[Dagger]

[quote name='Dagger IX1']Rabello gave her the glasses because she was having difficulty shooting without hesitation; if she removed them, isn't it likely that she would become consumed by self-doubt, depression and fear?[/quote]

On second thought, stormy, we've both ignored certain practical considerations. I personally feel that Claes' glasses are a source of strength and reassurance, not some kind of mental or emotional crutch. For one thing, I doubt she wears them in the shower and while sleeping. That would obviously be rather inconvenient, and lacking any concrete, definite reason to take her glasses wherever she goes (as Claes has no memory of Rabello), I don't see why she'd do so.

EDIT: I'll spoiler-tag his post sometime tonight, Godel.

~Dagger~

[stormy001_m1a2]

[QUOTE=Dagger IX1]On second thought, stormy, we've both ignored certain practical considerations. I personally feel that Claes' glasses are a source of strength and reassurance, not some kind of mental or emotional crutch. For one thing, I doubt she wears them in the shower and while sleeping. That would obviously be rather inconvenient, and lacking any concrete, definite reason to take her glasses wherever she goes (as Claes has no memory of Rabello), I don't see why she'd do so.

EDIT: I'll spoiler-tag his post sometime tonight, Godel.

~Dagger~[/QUOTE]

One thing for sure, I don't want to be around when she take off the glasses. Watch episode 12 and you will understand why I say so. But I do agree that she have practical reasons to take it off. The bionic operators have gone thru severe form of classical and operant conditioning so even simple act(s) like voluntary removal of glasses by Claes is very significant. In the manga for example, Henrietta blushes a lot more everytime she is talking to her beloved Jose/Giuseppe even in simple conversation.

Elsa struck me as single minded and aloof. At least the anime let us look into her personality instead the manga's rather stand offish treatment of her in vol 1. Episode 11 is one strongest statement of underlying tragedy of GSG and needless to say, my favourite episode of anime.

However, can anyone tell me the significance of the white flower in episode 1?

[densuke]

This show gives me the bloody horrors. I dislike the name, which put me off to the extent that I have just started to watch it this week. The visual design is sooo cooold it gives me the shivers just to look at it - something to do with the palette and the creepy entablatures at the top and bottom of the screen. Which reminds me, all the medical stuff is overemphasized - it makes me think that there is some far-out fetish being expressed or catered to.

The character designs don't quite do it for me. I am not much on the characters either - after watching 4 episodes I feel that the show has given me the bare minimum of personality from each.

For example, I was thinking after the first two "Gee, there should be some sort of contrast here between these girls and someone normal"... so then in episode 3 you get the scene with the porter... (._.) *sigh* Then I thought "Gee, these brother dudes are real zombies! What's with that?" I am lucky that one was the Christmas episode, I guess ^_^;;;

I guess I don't know what to wish for in the 5th episode O_o

It's not that I hate the show - I just seem to get a far different reaction to some of the features of it than other people posting here. For all I know this is exactly the kind of effect they were going for. At least they went and got a real Scottish indy band when they wanted an OP in English instead of using BOA or somebody.

[Dagger]

[quote name='densuke']This show gives me the bloody horrors.[/quote]

Haha, that's kind of how I feel about Marimite. But I'm downloading the second episode as I type, so I plan on reserving further judgment until I've seen more. Nice work convincing me to stick with it. ^_~

[quote]The character designs don't quite do it for me. I am not much on the characters either - after watching 4 episodes I feel that the show has given me the bare minimum of personality from each.[/quote]

I can see why you would dislike the character designs; they're a bit unusual (for one thing, the girls' eyes are oddly shaped). In terms of sheer style, I prefer the manga, which has a lot in common with the anime but still manages to make everyone look several times more attractive.

However, I'm surprised that you're unsatisfied by Gunslinger Girl's character development. For me, it's what drives the show. Henrietta's devotion to Jose, which hovers between the affection of a daughter or sister and that of a young girl discovering love for the first time; Rico's bittersweet happiness at being able to function like a normal human being; Triela's blunt kindness and practicality...... All of them possess certain obvious attributes, but their interactions with other characters are what reveal their hidden qualities. Triela, for example, has a strong sentimental streak. Yet even while narrating, she tries to play it down, speaking with the slightly blase tone of any worldly teenage girl.

*shrugs* I admire you for keeping up with the series, though. If I don't like an anime, I usually give up on it very quickly.

~Dagger~

[stormy001_m1a2]

GSG is meant to be [I]disturbing[/I]. Anyone who watch it and do not get disturbed by it's basic premise even once has some serious issues and should consider to seek counsellor's help.

The tactical logic is sound and ruthless accompanied with overwhelming cynicism but morally it is too damn wrong. And if some of you wonder why only females is deployed as bionic operators by Section 2, it is because most boys is too aggressive and unruly to be reliable black operation operators within Section 2's MO.

Unfortunately in reality, the intercenine civil anarchy in some parts of Africa and Asia used underage personnel in active military work, disregarding their right to be children. NTHT is inspired by this, GSG takes on this premise and turn it into more preplexing moral dilemma with style and finesse thrown in. The question in GSG is, even after all conditioning and training they received in Section 2, are they still capable of emotions?

After episode 13, my personal verdict is yes.

[Godelsensei]

[COLOR=Gray][SIZE=2][FONT=Courier New]After episode 7, my verdict was yes. Heh.

I must say, even though what happened with [Spoiler]Elsa[/Spoiler] was highly predictable and clear as soon as it occured, it was still executed flawlessly.

[Spoiler]They introduce this character that no one likes, and make you dislike her, as well, but still manage to send shivvers down your spine when she pulls a murder-suicide. [/Spoiler]

Unless, that is, something else happened, and I just haven't gotten there yet. >.> <.<

My favourite character is Triela--because she seems to be the most human. She's pretty damn near a typical girl of her age, despite everything she's been through.

"Because [I]somebody[/I] had to go and make me run after him!"

And the scene with Henrietta's purse? I didnt know whether to laugh (every series needs a part where the characters kick regular-human rear) or cry. Or just be disturbed. o_o[/FONT][/SIZE][/COLOR]

[densuke]

[QUOTE=stormy001_m1a2]
GSG is meant to be disturbing. Anyone who watch it and do not get disturbed by it's basic premise even once has some serious issues and should consider to seek counsellor's help.... Unfortunately in reality...[/QUOTE]
The thing that puzzled me was that I felt that little was done in the early episodes to cause me to empathize with the characters. You make a good point about real-life parallels.[quote name='Dagger IX1']However, I'm surprised that you're unsatisfied by Gunslinger Girl's character development. For me, it's what drives the show.[/quote]
From episode 5 to the end much more was done to fill in the characters. The show and the characters became more emotionally expressive. I respect the fact that I was not arm-twisted into liking the girls. I think the storytelling was very well done. There is a relentlessness to the plot; certain outcomes were not surprising at all, but made their impact through their inevitability. Even the early episodes had some very good scenes (I always consider good scenes more important than anything. I am not talking only about action scenes).

My verdict(!) on the show is that it is outstanding among series of comparable duration. I did not find the series as moving as some but certainly enjoyed it and would consider rewatching it. I imagine not many people saw the whole series in one day the way I did. (I notice that people who watch [i]Noir[/i] via DVD are annoyed by elements I found entertaining when watching week-to-week via fansub.)

[Dagger]

It's cool that you've come to like (or at least respect) the show, densuke. ^_^

I read the Gunslinger Girl manga before watching episodes 9 and 10, so I was a little surprised by how the anime's director handled the Elsa situation. In the manga, only two chapters are devoted to [spoiler]the aftermath of Elsa's death,[/spoiler] and she is never once shown alive. While I find it interesting to watch her interactions with Raulo, and I do think that she's a rather sympathetic character, some of the mystery surrounding [spoiler]her demise[/spoiler] is lost.

The entire series may be based on a very small portion of the manga. I have no idea how long the manga actually is, as I only own one volume, but the first book covers most of the major events in the anime--at least up until episode 10. It appears that the remainder of Gunslinger Girl focuses on [spoiler]the ramifications of Elsa's suicide.[/spoiler] Although this is naturally fascinating material, I find myself disappointed to think that the anime could easily have lasted for another season (assuming that the manga encompasses several volumes).

On the other hand, it's much better to have a solidly plotted, beautifully produced thirteen-episode series than one which marches off into the horizon with endless filler and gradually weakening animation.

~Dagger~

[densuke]

[quote name='Dagger IX1']It's cool that you've come to like (or at least respect) the show, densuke. ^_^[/quote]I never thought it was bad or that the writing wasn't solid. I enjoyed it a lot and it's still kicking around in my head 3 or 4 days after I watched it. Most action series don't manage to mess with me that much.

I think GSG is about failure and alienation more than anything else.[QUOTE]I read the Gunslinger Girl manga before watching episodes 9 and 10, so I was a little surprised by how the anime's director handled the Elsa situation.[/QUOTE]
I read the first volume of the manga too. I think the anime's treatment made a contrast between Elsa's lone wolf approach and the solidarity shown by the girls in the final arc.

ADV really did a bad job on the manga (the Azumanga Daioh adaptation is terrible also). The action/comedy label on the back is scary.

The manga spends too much time trying (badly) to explain how the girls are put together, which somehow emphasizes the implausibility and contradictions. The anime wisely maintained silence about some of these matters. I also notice more of the creepy medical-fetish stuff that I complained about seeing in the anime.

I am seeing 3 volumes of the manga on the web but I don't know if it is still being serialized.

[Dagger]

[quote name='densuke']ADV really did a bad job on the manga (the Azumanga Daioh adaptation is terrible also). The action/comedy label on the back is scary. The manga spends too much time explaining things, which somehow emphasizes the implausibility and contradictions.[/quote]

Ah, yes, I forgot to mention that. When I saw the label, I started wondering whether the manga was crammed with sarcastic quips or super-deformation (which would've been quite bizarre). Once I read it, I quickly came to the decision that [i]someone[/i] at ADV is clinically insane.

I also thought the Azumanga Daioh translation was something of a let-down; maybe I'm just incredibly slow, but it took me a while to figure out why the girls were learning Spanish. >_< This makes me fear for the future of Shinsengumi Imon Peace Maker, as it too has been licensed by ADV, and serves as the foundation for what could potentially become my favorite anime franchise.[/off-topic]

Godel, you've pinpointed the secret of Triela's popularity. She's very perceptive and considerate, of course, but she's also extraordinarily normal. This becomes particularly clear when she mentions that there's little difference between conditioning and love. I doubt the other girls would have recognized that fact on their own.

Do any of you know how old each of the main characters is? I'm sure that a few have mentioned their ages in passing, but it'd be nice to see some definitive answers.

~Dagger~

[Godelsensei]

[color=gray][font=Courier New][size=2][color=gray][font=Courier New]I've been wondering about their ages, too.

I have this impression that Triela and Claes are thirteen, but I don't know where I got it from. Perhaps it was mentioned at some point and I don't remember the exact context...?

Anyway, I would imagine that they are all between eleven and thirteen years of age, though some of them look like they could be nine...*cough* Rico *cough*. As an offhanded statement, I *love* the name Rico.

Actually, I quite like Henrietta and Triela, as well. Another few names for the Big List of Names to Name Characters Some Day.

And, now, if you will excuse me, I have business to attend to.

(that is: looking for another interesting post^^)[/font][/color][/size]

I just watched episode 12, and I thought that it was amazing.

[Spoiler]The hospital scene was sad. The music they used in it was exquisite--I love this series more with each episode...[/Spoiler]

The "No." part with Claes was simply...I don't know...satisfying, maybe? [Spoiler]It's always fun to see the characters whupp major ***[/Spoiler].

[color=#503f86][size=1][b][font=Tahoma]I merged the two posts- I thought at first it was a double-post, but then I saw Asuka had deleted the message inbetween them, heh. -Solo[/font][/size][/color][/b][/font][/color]

[Queen Asuka]

[QUOTE=stormy001_m1a2]Rico - 11
Henrietta - 10
Triela - 13
Claes - 11/12
Angelica - 10/11
Elsa - 11/12[/QUOTE]

[color=hotpink][size=1]I'm sorry, but this post is spam and will be deleted. If you're going to tell something, you could at least put it into sentence form instead of just listing. Please observe these rules from now on.[/color][/size]

[0ber0n the Neko]

Ooh. I just got the first manga of GSG! All I have to say about it is thus:

Wow. :faint:

It was absolutely fantastic :excited: ! Yu Aida (sorry if i spelled that wrong... The manga is not on hand right now...) is a splendid writer, and definetely knows how to put hidden meanings into her work! I read the manga at least 30 times on the 7 hour drive back from Las Vegas (Lacrosse Tournament! We got fourth place!)...

Well I really cannot give a completely accurate opinion of the series until i have read/seen the entire thing (I'm guessing there's more than just ONE manga...)but I think it really rocks! It is not like some animes that are exclusively for guys or gals, it has lots of action :blowup:, but also romantics and deep insights upon human thought and emotion :love: . This is what attracts me to this title, and I hope that you'll give this one a chance!! :excited:

:shifty: Nobody suspects the butterfly... :shifty:

[stormy001_m1a2]

Yu Aida is a he, and he started his mangaka career by penning hentai doujins under group name of Jewel Box.

Now he is doing Bittersweet Fools, a game that focuses on another Section 2 department which located in Florence and doing the same thing as Section 2 in Rome. Only difference is, the girls is lttle bit older, the handlers come from more seedier background like Mafia or assassins. They do more field intelligence work instead of active assassination.

[Godelsensei]

[COLOR=Gray][FONT=Courier New]I recently finished Gunslinger Girl (the anime), and I must say, the ending was surprising. But it was surprising in a wonderful, uplifting way.

It wasn't what you would expect from a series of this nature, and, quite honestly, I thought it was beautiful. [Spoiler]I mean, what better way to end a series than to have all the characters start singing up to the stars? And in German, at that![/Spoiler]

Now, that, my friends, is what I like to reffer to as True Majesty.

*draws majesty around Gunslinger Girl*

And, as always, Triela just has this way of being utterly awesome.^^[/FONT][/COLOR]