If you've been around anime for a while you've undoubtedly seen some shows come along with very peculiar names. Whether it's a matter of translation or simply a way to draw attention to themselves the fact remains that when it comes to anime there are some weird titles. The latest example of that is Pumpkin Scissors. Sure the name is kind of strange but like the old saying goes you can't just a book (er...anime) but its cover (um...title).

As it turns out Pumpkin Scissors is actually the name of a squadron of characters in Gonzo's latest effort. Created by Ryoutarou Iwanaga back in 2002, Pumpkin Scissors began airing in Japan last year and wrapped up in March with 24 episodes under its belt. After sitting down with the first volume I have to say that this looks like one of ADV's most promising new series. There is a strong Fullmetal Alchemist-like atmosphere and each character appears to have enough depth to keep you tuned in to find out what's going on.

The show begins three years in the past as a lengthy and bloody war ends abruptly with a cease fire agreement. What transpires after that is a period of adjustment as the ravages of war begin to surface all around the continent. Ex-soldiers have become bandits that prey on the weak, commoners everywhere are starving and living in squalor, and nobles have been abusing their influence and financial successes. In these dark times the term "war relief" is something of a misnomer but it's that ideal that the Pumpkin Scissors brigade is aspiring to obtain.

Lead by Lieutenant Alice Malvin, Pumpkin Scissors main duty is to travel around and restore order in whatever way they can. Sure they consist of only a few members and their essentially the laughing stock of the military but they have heart and they have purpose. With Alice's take charge attitude and penchant for jumping into the fray before rationalizing things out in her head the group tends to find themselves in more trouble than they should. Such is the case during the first episode when Alice single-handedly attempts to tackle a tank by herself with little more than a sword depicting her nobility.

The townsfolk stare blankly as Alice confronts the bandits and in their midst a large scarred man watches the Pumpkin Scissors' leader intently. Neither side really does much more than yell at each other but the bandits fire what is believed to be a blank artillery as they leave. Time yields the truth that the shell wasn't blank at all; it contained a chemical agent. Alice and her squad mates formulate a plan to get an antidote while the large onlooker from earlier offers to help. Feeling a ping of icy pain in the back of her neck Alice reluctantly agrees though the sensation has always been her Spidey Sense of sorts that trouble is brewing.

As the Pumpkin Scissors brigade assaults the tank bandits the quiet giant of a man that joined them shows his true colors. His name is Corporal Randel Oland and he was part of an elite and mysterious squadron of anti-tank personnel known as 901-ATT. While Alice sneaks into the bandit's base Randel goes after the massive tank by himself. He flicks a lantern on by his side and appears to lose himself in the battle. The tank blasts him but he still trudges on with no regard for his own life. In many ways he seemed to be a lumbering Frankenstein with a gun but in the end his scarred visage managed to destroy the tank with ease.

Following the events of the tank bandits Randel is inducted into the Pumpkin Scissor ranks and uses his strange power to aide in their war relief efforts. You see, Randel is a good natured bloke despite his bizarre abilities and battle ravaged body. He desires a peaceful existence but the lantern at his side keeps him on the brink of being a monster. Nicknamed Will 'o the Wisps the anti-tank personnel used the blue lamps to steal energy from their soul in order to gain abilities exceeding normal men during times of war. One of the biggest draws for Pumpkin Scissors is watching Randel adjust to life in the time of peace and it certainly adds some layers to his character.

As this introductory volume continues the Pumpkin Scissors squad takes on a couple of standalone missions. No overreaching plot has surfaced as of yet though the mystery surrounding Randel's past is certainly a big theme. Another character driven storyline comes from Alice's position as a noble and how it affects her relationship to the people she is trying to help. Does someone of noble blood really need to be a soldier? Do they need to help the common people? Alice asks herself these questions and more as the episodes continue and it certainly helps to flesh out her character.

After watching the first installment of Pumpkin Scissors I must admit that I'm impressed. The characters are extremely well-developed and the world they live in has a nice background story. The episodic nature of the program thus far feels at odds with the amount of development going on and hopefully we'll see a larger story begin to surface soon enough. For the time being though this is a series to keep an eye on and it's one of the better titles I have seen in ADV's catalog recently.

Pumpkin Scissors wrapped up its broadcast earlier this year and with product by Gonzo you should know going in that the series looks good. The anamorphic widescreen picture captures the detailed world and characters perfectly and the transfer for this first volume is definitely a cut above. Colors appear vibrant and natural with some earthy tones that really reflect upon the ravages of war. Grain is present but it's kept minimal enough so that it never becomes too distracting and flaws such as aliasing and compression are nonexistent. Overall this is a great looking show and ADV did a wonderful job with the transfer.

Like most shows now-a-days Pumpkin Scissors comes with the original Japanese 2.0 stereo track and a beefed up 5.1 English one. The dubbing quality for both is very good though I found the Japanese track felt slightly more natural when all was said and done. Technically speaking both tracks offer crystal clear dialogue, sharp sound effects, and a nicely presented soundtrack. The Japanese selection felt a little flatter than the English one thanks to the 2.0 limitations though the 5.1 English didn't really raise the bar of expectation. Some of the sound effects didn't have the impact that they should have and directionality was kept at a minimum.

If you like clean opening and closing animations then you're in luck; that's all that you're going to find on this disc. There are some ADV previews but that's not technically an extra feature.

The first volume of Pumpkin Scissors is a success. The world, characters, and story come to life with rich detail and a whole lot of development in between. The concept was intriguing and I wanted to see the next episode in order to know what happens next. I can't wait for the next installment though I must admit that the episodic content may wear thin if it keeps up. Hopefully that's not the case and the rest of the series will be as strong as this introductory volume was. Highly Recommended.

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