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1991-1995 Anime Primer Battle Angel (1993)

In the distant future, a floating utopia called Zalem looms over the ravaged surface of the Earth. In its shadow lies Scrap Iron City, a dumping ground for Zalem’s garbage and gathering place for the dregs of society. It’s among the hellish trash heaps that Ido, a genius cyber-surgeon, discovers an angelic young girl. Though all that remains of her is a head and torso, her brain is intact, and he soon has her up and running in a small but sturdy steel body. Since she doesn’t know her own name, Ido christens her Gally after his dead cat and dotes on her like a pet. But Gally is no pussycat. While she may not recall her past, she instinctively remembers the deadly cyborg martial art Panzer Kunst. Employing her skills as a hunter-warrior, Gally seeks her destiny in battle.

Battle Angel is a two-part OVA created to promote Yukito Kishiro’s manga of the same name; the anime adds an original character and streamlines plot points to create a work that is both preview and stand-alone. The ultra-violent action and gritty environs are the main appeals of Battle Angel, but the emotional development of its heroine is also handled with surprising deftness as she grows rapidly from innocent child to burgeoning adolescent and, finally, somber adult.