Title: ガンスリンガー・がーる (Gunslinger Girl) Vol. 1
Artist/Author: 相田裕 (Yu Aida)
Book Size/Pages: B-6, 178pp., w/o furigana
Original Serialization: Monthly Dengeki Daioh 7.02-11/02
Rating: 3/4

I was going to get the anime to this, but after reading the manga, I've decided not to (plus the fact that they're not releasing the DVDs until after its peer shows have already finished). I'm not very impressed by the story. It's interesting, but not something that made me want to read it cover-to-cover in one sitting. What I do like about this manga is the mood that it sets, particularly the psychology of the characters couple with the character design. I think the characters here, especially the girls, are drawn very straight and rigid, making them seem to lack personality. That's really how they are, given that they know almost nothing about their past and are half reconstructed to be killing machines. To add to that, the unwavering loyalty to their bosses adds to the tension, and "freakiness" of their persona. This aura makes up a bit for the lack in story.

There's nothing extra in this book, not even a little intro by the author on the front cover flap. And just as a note, the names and places in this story throw me off a lot as a lot of the names are in katakana, and aren't necessary in English. I'm not good at names, especially if they're in languages I'm not familiar with (I've never like Russian literature because of that...Russian is tough stuff).

1. 天体観測 (Stargazing): Henrietta is "saved" by Jose from a social welfare company, which is in fact a front for an organization that takes these terribly disfigured children and makes them into partially mechanized assassins. They also make the children forget their previosu lives as to make them more efficient killers. Henrietta becomes one of them after her family gets murdered and she's the only one alive, but left with missing limbs. This job is for her and her master (I guess), Jose to take out an Albanian man. She loses her cool when a henchman roughs up Jose a bit and causes the mission to fail. She herself gets injured and needs some repair. She thinks she's made Jose mad by failing the mission, but Jose takes her up to the roof and enjoys the night sky with her.

2. Love Thy Neighbor: This chapter features Rico, another girl assassin. She wakes up at the beginning of the day, grateful that she can do various chores by herself. At the training range, the girls talk about what makes them happen, and it seems like pleasing their masters/guardians is it. On the mission, Rico is told to scout out the surroundings of the building, but she meets a nice boy named Emilio. They have a long conversation which causes her mission to be delayed another day. At home, she and Henrietta talk about boys in general. The next day, they go make the hit and Emilio shows up unexpectedly. Heeding what her master, Jon, hold her, she kills him happily.

3. THE SNOW WHITE: This chapter features Toriella and her guardian, Hirusha. During one interrogation, she kills the prisoner in haste despite her orders. At home, she's going through her period, and although it's painful, she savors it because it means she's alive. Her next mission is to take into custody and protect a somewhat important figure. However, he doesn't not lend himself to be held captive and always seems to find a way to escape. She captures him again, and he explains to her that he just came back to town to see his daughter. Apparently moved by this, she lets him go and plans to tell Hirusha that he escaped.

4. エルザ・デ・シーカの死（前編）(The Death of Elsa de Shika, First Part): Raoul and his assassin girl, Elsa are found dead. In particular, Elsa seemed to have died a gruesome death with a gun wound through her eye and out her head. Ferumi and Gabrielli are brought in to investigate who could have done such things. Meanwhile, Jose gives Henrietta camera for Christmas and it seems like their relationship is getting even closer. Ferumi and Gabrielli interview Toriella and Rico as well as visit Elsa's room.

５．エルザ・デ・シーカの死（後編）(The Death of Elsa de Shika, Last Part): Henrietta and Jose are away at a distant hotel, probably to keep them away from the potential murderer. F & G interview them and as Gabrielli talks to Henrietta, we slowly see how much she is tied to Jose. In the end, she reveals that if something ever happened to Jose, she would kill herself, in the same manner that Elsa did.

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