With the first volume of Gunslinger Girl making a strong first impression, it remained to be seen whether the series could go on to maintain the high standard it had set for itself. Fortunately, as we step back into the lives of the handlers and girls at the Social Welfare Agency, it soon becomes clear that the second instalment is equally capable of holding its own.

That being said, however, the opening episode on this disc is probably the weakest entry in the series so far. Featuring a standalone mission in which Henrietta and the others are tasked with apprehending a would-be terrorist bomber, the episode is by no means a bad one, it simply lacks a strong enough story to be truly memorable, although there is an interesting twist at the end.

Following another, better executed, tale covering one of Jean and Rico’s missions, the disc moves into its second half. If the first two episodes were merely good, then the concluding pair are nothing short of excellent, introducing two more cyborgs; Angelica, the first girl to receive cybernetic implants, and Elsa, Section Two’s newest recruit.

Angelica’s story is a heart-wrenching one from start to finish; after her own father tries to run her down her only hope of survival is to become Section Two’s first cyborg. Her training and development gives us an insight into the early days of the department, and also into the terrible side effects of the implants and conditioning. Meanwhile, back in the present, Elsa’s tale is equally filled with emotional depth; cold and unfriendly toward her peers, she cares exclusively for her handler, despite his indifference towards her.

Apart from the obvious themes, there are numerous subtleties and nuances to pick up on, and these episodes should leave viewers with plenty to think about. In one scene, Henrietta and her peers might be enjoying a cake, or studying German; in another, they might just as easily be practising marksmanship or boasting about how many people they’ve killed in the last month. Easily the most disturbingly compelling element of the series, however, is the girls’ almost unhealthy devotion to their handlers; part conditioning, part adolescent crush, this is both the source of their strength, and a dangerous weakness.

As can be seen from the content of this disc, character development remains the series’ strength and it is refreshing to see that whilst Jose and Henrietta are meant to be the main characters, there is still plenty of screen time devoted to the other fratello as well. A number of potentially interesting minor characters are also introduced in this volume, ranging from bomb makers Franco and Franca to Section Two’s support staff, although unfortunately it is clear that there won’t be time to develop them further.

Visually, the series continues to impress, with a level of detail that perfectly captures the look and feel of modern Italy. Action scenes are often brief, but are nonetheless slick, well presented and perfectly enhanced by the series’ orchestral soundtrack.

In Summary

With some solid standalone stories and another absorbing round of character exploration, Gunslinger Girl turns in another instalment that rarely fails to impress. Perhaps the only disappointment is that with just four more episodes to go, there won’t be time to explore this world as fully as it deserves.