A slower episode, setting up more story and developing the characters of seemingly the antagonists of this series. We don’t get to see the girls until the last two minutes of the episode sadly, but that’s okay. Just looking forward to a lot of action in ep3 after all this plot setup.

We are introduced to Pinocchio, an assassin trained since youth. He kills ruthlessly but efficiently, and he’s obsessed about that boar pendant, his “father” and trainer Cristiano, and feminine things — like cars.

With a series like this you really don’t know if some people are going to die or not. Case in point the girl in the opening sequence. The target was the man, obviously, but now there is a witness. From what I remember of Rico and that poor hotel bellhop, this isn’t going to end well. But who knows; maybe he’ll show compassion, which we would see as a huge character point later in the series.

But alas not, as he soon shoots her in the face. But why the gun instead of the knife, which he is better at? He says later he doesn’t like guns, so maybe he does the “dirty” extra killing with the gun while he accomplishes his actual mission with the more revered knife (I find all forms of short-range combat awesome). Creepier still is how he empties the whole cartridge into her — not quite sure what that means. Disgust for the gun in general? I guess he’s firing it only because he’s supposed to.

Bright blue eyes…

So in the present day we meet Aurora, a really sweet little girl whom I hope doesn’t die later in the series. She’s already cute; I wouldn’t want anything bad to happen. But is she the trigger to some compassion in Pinocchio’s heartless life? Toward the end of the episode he decided to protect her by telling her to stay away, since the mission ahead is likely to be hazardous. Whether or not she complies is something else.

If you can’t follow orders, questioning them instead, you’re lower than a dog? Well that’s kinda backwards, but I guess it works on one thread of logic. And so Pinocchio follows that doctrine, following in his master’s footsteps.

I haven’t read Pinocchio, x.x so I’m probably missing a lot of references. I’m wondering if it’s pretty simple as it is complicated, where Pino is just a puppet to Cristiano. But I’m sure there is more, too, about the actual characters of Pinocchio and Gepetto as they relate to the characters in this series. Still doesn’t explain the boar, I think.

We meet Franco and Franca, bomb specialists, who seem pretty normal for now. I did like the small confrontation of trust; I kinda wanted to see him evade a gun like that, but it would have been messy. Hope to see more of Pinocchio’s speed next episode.

The Mercedes and the Alfa Romeo Giulieta are feminine. *takes notes* I’m definitely not a car person; I wonder if this is all connected to his feelings toward Aurora or that girl in the opening scenes.

She’s so huggable

And finally our favorite girls appear. Angelica looks healthy; Rico’s got a massive weapon. And Triela is looking attractive as usual.

Others have said the artwork is different here, because it’s trying to follow the manga more. And I guess that’s probably right. I have four volumes on my bookshelf, still unread. x.x Should probably get to it. But I am still enjoying this series; the first season was fantastic on its own, but I still say it’s unfair to speak so badly of the second season already.

And I’m getting the soundtrack as soon as it’s available. I already have the OP single and play it once a day. The second track on the disc is pretty awesome, too.

~Crisu