One of the major things that shocked me this season is the almost lack of interest of Gunslinger Girl ~IL Teatrino~ by most anime blogs. A cursory look at the various moonspeak suckers raw-viewing bloggers (I still love you, Totali) other than Random Curiosity made me realize that Gunslinger Girl is not in their radar at all. I guess I am somewhat disappointed at the fact that the new art design seems to turn off some people, but I will make an argument later in the thoughts section how the art style actually helps to enhance the viewing experience.

This episode continues on from the previous episode where Triela and Hilshire is tracking Pinocchio and the other two bombers.

Episode summary

Triela was thinking about what Hilshire tells her about not killing people unless it is required, and how she responded that she should be given more mental conditioning. Triela made her leave to the reconnaissance mission as Angelica took care of the bear Triela was given. The handlers are discussing with Hilshire about the reconnaissance mission, Pinocchio and the Padania. Jeremiah asks if they need help but Hilshire declined saying that Triela is exceptionally skilled. Hilshire is discussing with a comrade that she refuses to “condition” Triela, and will try his best to control Triela. He also quips that he is perhaps not suited to be a handler.

Triela and Hilshire reach their destination, and Triela comments that she feels out of place. Hilshire says that her dressing will be just nice in a restaurant, and she looks nice in it. As they eat in a cafe, they discuss about the officer, whose car is still in the town. Triela wonders about Pinocchio and wonders why they have to do a job for searching. Triela comments that they are always surrounded by enemies, but Hilshire says that he is accompanied by a reliable partner. Triela is surprised that Hilshire calls her a partner, blushes and nearly chokes on red wine.

Triela and Hilshire checks out the room of the officer as Hilshire bribes the owner of the hotel. While they walked along the corridor, Triela comments that Hilshire really acts like a cop, and he says that his previous job experience makes him look like one easily. Triela adds that she is all fake. As they entered the room of the officer, they found a few hints of an address, while Triela reads the story of Pinocchio from a book inside the officer’s suitcase.

The next day, Triela met Aurora and realizes where Pinocchio is staying. She slips in a receiver into the food basket that Aurora is holding. Triela returned back to the hotel, as they discussed to wait for backup before any action. As Aurora looked for Pinocchio, she found a gun on the table as Franco stopped her. They thought that Aurora is part of the Social Welfare Agency but Pinocchio says that she is just a neighbor and reminds her that it is bad to be close to him. Hilshire commands Triela to charge in and save Aurora. Triela questions his rash decision as they know little about the enemies but Hilshire says he cannot leave a girl to die. Triela clearly agrees with him as she agrees with a smile.

Pinocchio says that he has to kill Aurora since Aurora realizes who he is, but Franca says that she has the right to decide who gets killed. Franco also respects her decision as Pinocchio backed down. They decide to leave this town quickly but Triela infiltrates the room. Franco and Pinocchio flanks her and Pinocchio’s knife stops her enough to get closer. Pinocchio tells Franco to leave first. She tries to attack Franco but Pinocchio stabs a knife on her wrist. As she attempts to attack her again, he evades her attack sensing some previous injury on her leg that hampers her speed and knocked her unconscious with an uppercut to her chin. Pinocchio takes her gun and is about to shoot Triela, but did not do so eventually as he remembers his mission as a child.

On the other hand, Hilshire tries to capture Franca but allows her to escape as the three Pandania members manage to escape. In the aftermath, Hilshire finds Triela waking up as it seems that Triela suffers a brain concussion. Triela asks about Aurora, and it seems that the officer died. Triela is angry how she allows the three to escape without any injury, but Hilshire says that their aim of saving the girl is solved. Triela notices that Hilshire is injured, and says that her body is modified. She says that there is no purpose for her to be around if her body cannot defeat their enemy.

Hilshire wants to comfort her but she tells him to leave her alone. She continues to sob in a corner as she does not even look up to Hilshire. Hilshire also notices the dog pendant of Pinocchio thrown by Pinocchio during the fight with Triela. The Pandania decides their next path, as Franca tells Pinocchio that the pendant is not important as it is the memories within the heart that is more important.

Thoughts

I will be probably the first person to say that the artwork makes the show better. It is perhaps a very different style, perhaps more moe for the casual viewer. However, thinking of it, isn’t Gunslinger Girl a story about irony? It seems like the art style is very innocent and somewhat not applicable for a series. Yet, the drawing seems to indicate the sense of innocence that the little girls are, yet the things and actions that they have been conditioned to do are anything but innocent.

The art style complements the story in the irony that the girls are facing. The innocence is stained by the worldly shady demands of the government, yet the stain is not apparent to the girls. I can understand the cognitive dissonance that the viewers of Gunslinger Girl will feel. I have the exact reaction like some of you when I saw the first episode. It feels very strange since the first season is more melancholic, with a strong touch on realism on the art style. However, with a bit of thinking, it probably captures the feel of the original author, one of innocence and irony embattled in this intense story.

Somehow, I am extremely disturbed at the outbursts in which the girls are experiencing. Despite the fact that Triela says that she is a modified “fake”, the truth is that her mind is active. Due to Hilshire’s demands that her conditioning is minimized to a low extent, she is able to think for herself even though most of her thoughts are warped. It is also clear that the conditioning when reacting to harm of their handlers can cause their mental state to crumble. Triela is perhaps one of the calmest girls, and it is really painful when she crumbles like this in this episode.

This once again brings the question that always linger in this story: are these girls mentally fit to conduct such missions? I wonder if it is a good idea that these girls are commissioned to work since their mental state will completely disappear when their handlers die or are hurt. In a way, in the face of a good and organized rebel group like Pinocchio, Franco and Franca, it is highly likely that they will be defeated as they are surprisingly very dependent on the state of their handler in order to perform well.

On the analysis of the action scene, I feel that there is a strange lack of urgency in the fight between Pinocchio and Triela. I do not feel my pulse rising when it happens, but I guess that this is perhaps one of the new animation company’s Achilles heel. None of the “action” scenes feel as good as some of the other action fare in current series. However, Gunslinger Girl isn’t a series that you should be awaiting action scenes to be honest. Of course, we always have the right to have something better, and complain about it.

The next episode seems to be Angelica returning to the force.