This week we focus on action anime, but not just any type of action anime - specifically the sub-genre we like to call Girls with Guns. There is nothing more interesting than watching women with guns fighting it out, be it as good guys or baddies.

The first anime on the menu is a series called Noir.

Noir
Bee Train anime studio

Noir was produced by the Bee Train anime studios in 2001. This action-packed gun-fest is the tale of  two female assassins, Mireille Bouquet and Yuumura Kirika. Kirika starts off the series suffering from amnesia, with the only thing she can remember being the word 'Noir' which means 'black' in French. Mireille is from a powerful Corsican crime family, one of two survivors after a brutal attack on her family.

These two form a dark alliance, calling themselves 'Noir', both setting off on a personal journey to find answers to the mysteries of their past. At first they seem only vaguely related to each other, but as the series progress they are lured into traps set by a secret organisation named Les Soldats ('The Soldiers' in French) with which the share a mysterious past. Les Soldats is a strange, thousand year old organisation born from revenge and blood.

All this make for great viewing. Noir is suspenseful, grim, emotional, dramatic and very psychological. If you expect any comic relief as in the usual anime, there is none, this is a serious anime that deserves respect. If you prefer technicolour haired, cute and funny characters, skip it, but if you are looking for a serious, memorable anime, this one is for you.

The exotic European locations and beautiful animation will have you hooked and the soundtrack is so amazing that there are quite a few people I know that went out and looked for the soundtrack, this reviewer included.

Also check out: If you like Noir may I suggest you watch the anime El Cazador de la Bruja.

Gunslinger Girl
Madhouse

Gunslinger Girl was produced in 2003 by Madhouse, and its focus is on young cybernetic girls as well as their adult handlers who use those girls as assassins under the directive of an Italian government organisation.

The Social Welfare Agency (or simply 'the Agency') is hidden in plain sight as a charitable institution sponsored by the Italian government. They claim to aid in the rehabilitation of physically injured girls but is actually a military group specialising in counterintelligence and counter-terrorism.

Section 2 of this organisation employs young girls who have experience traumatic and near-death situations. They are given implants and used as agents. These implants include synthesized muscles as well as other goodies granting them heightened strength and a greater resilience to pain and damage.

Each girl is partnered with a male handler and each team is referred to as a fratello (sibling in Italian). The handler is responsible for his charge's training, welfare as well as field work, and is free to do so by whatever means be considered usable. Some handlers treat the girls cruelly, others treat them as little sisters or daughters, like Henrietta that is a very polite petite girl with a deep affection for Jose, her handler who really cares for her.

This anime is not about the missions they perform, although there is a lot of action, it is more about the relationships between the girls and their handlers. Different viewpoints are also used effectively, with certain scenes shown from different characters’ perspective. In one episode one girl knocks on a door and starts shooting, while in another episode the same scene plays out, but shows another girl backing her up with a sniper rifle. Each girl's thoughts and handler's story unfold in an almost 'Pulp Fiction-esque' way.

Whereas in Noir there is not a lot of blood, in Gunslinger Girl there is loads, plus gore and even more violence (check the trailer below). The mission scenes are fluid, but are few and far between. Each episode is a sub-plot on its own, yet the series as a whole weaves a bigger story. If you love character-driven anime this one is just for you. Gunslinger Girl is well-drawn, above average quality anime, filled with truths, ironies and great dialogue.

Also check out: More anime that you might find interesting in the Girls-with-guns subgenre is Bubblegum Crisis and Gunsmith Cats.

About our contributor: Allen Simpson is a blogger and a published poet who has a deep passion for anime. He is also co-owner of AnimeFanatika, a reliable source of information on Anime providing fans with the latest news, reviews and goings on in the industry. Visit their Facebook page and become a Fanatik today. Sugoi!