[Gunslinger Girl] - 5
I had forgotten just how
impressive this series is. Everything about the production is pitch-perfect and the direction is coldly effective. To convincingly pull of such a scenario without succumbing to any of the dreaded 'anime tropes' is remarkable. So far, at least, it hasn't taken a step out of place.
This episode performs a dual-purpose role in that it tells a complete story in 22 minutes and it helps flesh out the world and characters that exist in the show. It's a very simple story of a character named Rovaldo who comes into the agency to be a handler for a new girl that they've acquired. As the agency is staffed by clinical, cold and efficient military figures you essentially know what to expect from the Rovaldo and his interactions with his trainee.
What's unusual about his arc is that Rovaldo doesn't change as a character, it's just his ability to sit idly by and witness the inhumane practices carried out by the agency diminishes over time. This explains why most of the characters in the show have similar outlooks when it comes to using the girls and a similar coldness when it comes to their job. No other kind of human being would be ale to work for the agency.
One scene in particular stands out very clearly. Rovaldo is very brash and he's quick to hit those he sees as doing something very stupid. This leads to a nasty confrontation during target practice where one single mistake nearly leads to situation where people are getting killed. There's no need for the girls to reach for their weapons - it's not like Jose is in serious danger - but that doesn't stop the situation escalating badly. This nicely underscores the result of the girls 'training' and how they don't have anyway to deal with any kind of social conflict without resorting to extreme violence. When Henrietta picks up the whole bench in one swift movement we're also reminded that these girls posses enormous physical strength and enhanced abilities, something that isn't always obvious when they're just shooting fools.
Oh, and the show looks really good as well. Nice, fluid animation, 2D cars and, gun-recoil sakuga. Firehawk would approve!
