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REVIEW: 009-1 DVD 1

the series gives off a vibe that an American viewer will interpret more as a cross between classic James Bond and the original Charlie's Angels than a variation on a more philosophical hard sci-fi series like Ghost in the Shell.

the series emphasizes Mylene's sex appeal by offering healthy and regular doses of fan service,

The purely episodic nature of the first four episodes prevents any overall plot from forming; you could watch the episodes out of order and still perfectly understand everything.

it is clearly aimed at an older and somewhat more sophisticated audience

What am I missing?

Supporting roles are infused with all manner of colorful accents in the English dub, but these are not overdone to the point of caricature and are not out of line for the kind of characters who use them.

See, when I think anime that targets a sophisticated audience, I think Ghost In The Shell or Paranoia Agent, not Charlie's Angels-esque girls with guns.

Although the name was originally intended as a play on words which allowed the “9-1” part to be interpreted in Japanese as “female ninja,” its formalized English translation has instead become a play on Cyborg 009, another of Ishinomori's well-known titles.

P.S. Am I the only one who thinks that the setting (Future Cold War) is a briallant idea?

Perhaps "mature" would be a better choice than "sophisticated" in the review. As I was watching the first volume, the series clearly felt to me to be targeted more at the kind of audience old enough to actually remember watching the original Charlie's Angels than at younger audiences just hungry for fan service. It's certainly skewed more towards adults than teens.

And as one person commented, although they are deeply-buried, there are some underlying political themes that only an older and more educated viewer would be likely to catch.

I'd say that this goes back further in time to The Avengers with 009-1 being similar to Tara King or Mrs. Peel. Also the Cold War not being over and spy games being played were also in The Avengers. It all depends on how deep those themes and stuff like moral ambiguity are explored. If it goes that route, then it becomes something for a "mature" and "sophisticated" viewer imo.

Quote:

Supporting roles are infused with all manner of colorful accents in the English dub, but these are not overdone to the point of caricature and are not out of line for the kind of characters who use them.

I watched the free episode too, and I don't usually have gripes with reviews, but... the English agent's accent was quite painful to listen to. Words were clipped in the wrong places and over-enunciated, and some of the English colloquial phrases she used weren't appropriate for the situation- this is coming from someone who's entire family is English, though, so others might not have a problem with it.