Based off of a manga by Yu Aida, Gunslinger Girl is a thirteen episode anime that did well for FUNimation. The publisher released it a while ago, revisited their stock recently, and repackaged everything for a Viridian Collection release. That's a lot of attention being paid to this otherwise underdog of a program but you know what? It's worth it.

If you haven't seen Gunslinger Girl then you're missing out on one unique experience. This series carries a very somber tone, boasts a moody atmosphere, and nails its concept flawlessly. You'll be transfixed the entire way through the program and though the premise is farfetched you probably won't care. As if we needed evidence of the show's popularity in Japan a second season is being released on TV there soon enough. That's good news for us because after checking out this show you'll be craving more in a big way.

But, just what is this whole thing about anyway? The basic premise backing Gunslinger Girl follows the creation of an ultimate assassin team. The series takes place in Italy which instantly sets it apart from most other anime on the market. I don't know about you but I think it's always nice to see anime take a look at the world beyond the borders of Japan. That fact helps this show gain its unique sense of self-being though arguably it's the cast that propels it forward and ushers in that The Professional mentality.

The main stars of Gunslinger Girl are a group of girls that have found their way into the employ of the Social Welfare Agency. On the surface the agency deems to aid the injured, assist orphans, and help people out through charitable contributions. Deep within the agency is a hidden agenda that works directly for the Italian Government. With some nifty cybernetic implants and mental conditioning there is a military project at play to fix up some girls and induct them into their ranks as ultimate assassins.

In the world of Gunslinger Girl the girls who go through this project are placed in the hands of a trainer who helps them through the process and stand over them as instructor. These handlers are essentially big brothers to these little girls two work hand in hand within the confines of the assassin unit. Henrietta, Rico, Triela, Claes, and Angelica all proved to be unique in their own right and their relationships with than handlers were equally so.

Each of the episodes here focuses on the girls and presents their unique situations though arguable Henrietta takes the center stage as the main character. The show often follows the pattern of presenting the girls with a mission, showing us the action, and then taking the time to explore their psyche a little more. Naturally each of these girls has a lot of issues that no amount of training can fix. Some are emotional and some have to do with their past lives but it's the way they handle these flaws that draws out their true character. There is also a tragic element associated with this as frequent memory wipes begin to degrade their personality.

As this is a complete collection I don't want to divulge too much of the plot at work here but if you want to check out my previous reviews for the series I do go into a little more detail regarding the story. Volumes one, two, and three were released not too long ago by FUNimation prior to the Viridian line coming out. I left those summaries out of this review to keep spoilers at a minimum. In the end I have to say that Gunslinger Girl turned out to be a very impressive series that I'd qualify as a must see. It runs at a slower pace but the world is so unique and interesting that you won't mind at all. The story is deep and the girls develop nicely during the series.

Presented in the original aspect ratio of 1.78:1 and enhanced for anamorphic widescreen playback, the image quality for Gunslinger Girl is stellar. I suppose it helps that the design of the characters and world they live in is slick and stylish. Everything from the backgrounds to the purposeful animation gives the show a unique look. There is a good amount of contrast within the production of this show and you'll notice that some colors appear more prominently than others so they jump from the screen. Some compression artifacts crept in during the darker scenes but otherwise this transfer by FUNimation is impeccable and virtually flawless.

The sound direction here is another feather in the cap where the show's presentation is concerned. For both the English and Japanese dubs the quality is perfectly handled and there is fantastic voice work all around. Along with the dubbings it's safe to say that the musical scores help set the mood and solidly reaffirm the fact that the show takes place in Italy. The show comes with English 2.0 and 5.1 options as well as the original Japanese 2.0 track. Each audio selection here offers some fine quality though I have to give the most points in favor of the English 5.1 track. The sense of immersion is much better and the way the rear channels pick up the sound effects helps draw you into the show.

While the artwork and packaging for this release is different at least the bonus content has remained the same. That means newcomers will find some noteworthy bonus material to sink their teeth into. Some lighter fair such as character profiles, trailers, and a line-art to full-art building of the girls are included but there is much better stuff on DVDs two and three.

The second DVD includes an interesting feature which collects videos for the five main girls. Each girl's voice actor talks about the character at length and they really get into what they like what their part. The third disc kicks it up a notch with two commentary tracks. One features the voice director and some of the cast talking about the show's English production and cracking jokes. For the most part they goof around and have a good time while making fun of some bits of the show. The second comes to us thanks to the production staff but it features significantly less energy than the voice actor one.

Gunslinger Girl is just one of those shows that will leave its mark on you after you sit down and watch it. The deliberately slower nature of the series combined with a lot of action and character development compliment the atmosphere very well. This was one of the hidden treasures of 2005 and it's nice to see FUNimation re-releasing the title at an affordable price with the Viridian line. As stated check out the reviews for the individual volumes if you want more precise episodic summaries because they have been omitted from this review to save on spoilers. All you need to know is that this show comes highly recommended if you have not seen it yet.

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