Updated May 15, 2005
Okay, how's this for an anime mix? Guns, girls, cybernetic implants and a government coverup. Interesting, yes? This is Gunslinger Girl, the new action-packed anime from FUNimation. Set in Italy, Gunslinger Girl gives us a look at the world behind the Social Welfare Agency. Officially, the agency gives young people a second chance at life but in reality, they operate a secret and sinister project, transplanting cybernetic implants into terminally ill patients. Equipped with new strength and skill, the half-human half-robot children are trained as operative or fratello, meaning "sibling" in Italian, to handle the government's unspoken affairs.
Our story begins with Henrietta, a young girl left for dead after her family was murdered. Like all the fratello, Henrietta has a handler, Jose, who provides her guidance in her missions and her life. There's Rico, a young girl who has been with the agency since her parents signed custody over to the Agency. Rico was born with severe birth defects and looks at her new body as a blessing.
Triela is a mystery - no one knows when or where she came from but that's ancient history - she's with the agency now. Claes is another Agency mystery, but is confined to the Agency's compound unable to go out on missions after her handler's death. And finally, Angelica, one of the first to undergo the transition and perhaps the most troubled of the team. Angelica suffers memory loss and constantly battles with her desire for approval from a handler who could care less.
Gunslinger Girl hits the DVD shelves on May 17,2005. You can can a sneak peek at the official website, GunslingerGirl.TV.