Watch Gunslinger Girl: Il Teatrino

Gunslinger Girl: Il Teatrino, a Japanese anime television series, aired in 2008 on TV Osaka. The show stars a talented cast which includes Yuji Ueda, Ryusaku Chijiwa, Kokoro Kikuchi, Shinobu Matsumoto, Fumihiko Goto, Shoto Kashii, Ai Horanai, Kanako Sakai, Eriko Hirata, Akimitsu Takase, Hiroki Yasumoto, Daisuke Kishio, Masaya Matsukaze, Koji Shimozaki, and Kazuki Yao.

Set in a dystopian Italy, Gunslinger Girl: Il Teatrino is all about the life of five young girls who are given a second chance to live as cyborgs. These young girls are taken in by the Social Welfare Agency, which operates on behalf of the Italian Government. The girls are given a new life and a different purpose, to serve as assassins for the agency, working to eliminate any threat that may damage the interests of the country.

The show initially begins with the introduction of the girls and their handlers. The handlers are the ones who take care of the girls, train them, and assign them their targets. Each girl has a unique skill set and personality, therefore being assigned a handler who can match their temperament is an important aspect of their training. Some of the handlers treat the cyborgs like machines, and some are emotionally attached to them. This emotional attachment becomes a significant liability for the handlers, who are already operating under immense stress.

The series' main focus is on the psychological toll that the girls and their handlers have to endure, particularly as the girls struggle to come to terms with their new existence, which gives them unbelievable strength but also strips them of their individuality. The girls themselves are not without their own unique quirks, with each of them displaying various emotions and reactions to the world they know so little about. This creates conflict among the cyborgs, who are torn between their loyalty to their handlers and their feelings of disassociation with the world around them.

As the story progresses, the girls become embroiled in a dangerous game of politics, as various factions within the Italian government seek to further their interests through the use of the cyborg assassins. These events lead to a chain of events that puts the girls' lives at stake, testing the loyalty of their handlers and their own will to live.

The animation in Gunslinger Girl: Il Teatrino is top-notch, complimented with excellent sound design and voice acting. Each character feels unique and multi-dimensional, with every action and decision given meaning through the skillful writing and direction of the show.

Overall, Gunslinger Girl: Il Teatrino presents a compelling story of the dark side of what is essentially a creation of dangerous machines programmed to terminate at will. The series manages to create a level of empathy for the girls and their handlers, while also presenting the harsh realities of their situation. The themes explored through the show make it a thought-provoking watch that will leave viewers pondering even after it concludes.

Gunslinger Girl: Il Teatrino is a series that is currently running and has 2 seasons (19 episodes). The series first aired on January 7, 2008.