Saber Marionette J

It's not a perfect show by any means... but I like it. I remember the first time I saw it, I really hated it. The beginning relied on so many anime cliches, that it was hard to really be interested. Of course, the less exposed you're to anime, the less annoyed you'd be by this aspect. This was my brother's first entry into anime, and he loved it to death. Nevertheless, for me it was an exercise in patience.

But 'lo and behold, after the beginning introduction episodes, the plot started to move, even if very little. It was that plot that kept me clinging onto the show until the last 8 or so episodes which totally pulled me along for the ride. The setting is a planet full of men who survived by cloning their offspring. No woman can be found because of an accident that happened 300 yrs ago. But to fill that void, these men created their own machines with female likeness called marionettes. Enter Lime, Cherry and Bloodberry - special marionettes with a unique "heart" that gave them emotion. As good-natured Mamiya Otaru discovers each of them and nurtures them with love, they begin to learn what it means to be human. But little did he know what role he and his marionettes would eventually play. Little did he know what purpose those three marionettes were created for. Little did he know why an evil dictator would pursue him to no end.

When the plot finally kicks in, it kicks in. It went from an entirely forgettable show to an interesting one to one I could not stop watching. It'll throw you in an emotional roller-coaster, with so many heart-felt scenes of love, sacrifice, and pain. It is a social commentary on what it means to be human. It blurs the boundaries between man and machine. But most of all, it awakens a part inside of you that allows you to feel the characters' warmth, experience their struggles, and cry with their pain. It may take a while to get going, but when it does, you'll experience one of the finest forms of entertainment out there.