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Alien Nine
Some imperfection is rather appealing 
Studio: Genco/J.C. Staff
Format: 4 OVA Released: 6/25/2001 to 2/25/2002 by Face - June, 2004 
Alien Nine is a bizarre and unforgiving story about three adorable 6th grade girls. But do not be fooled by the happily-colored cover, this anime is much more than it appears to be. All at once it is funny, shocking, disturbing, charming, gross and manipulative; it's an amalgam of the perky and the uncanny. It's a story where cute 12-year-old girls battle alien monsters, where sentient beings are worn as protective helmets... where everyday could be one of those dreadful alien landing days.
In the not so distant future, aliens have become an ever-constant problem. It seems that everyday more and more arrive. Of course, they must be stopped, but they must not be killed. To take on this task are the newly elected Elementary School Alien Hunters, Yuri, Kumi and Kasumi. Together, it is their job to capture the aliens that land on the school grounds. But to survive the last year of Elementary school, Yuri must overcome her fears of aliens. After all, she won't always be able to depend on someone else to save her. Yuri's emotional frailties are brought up countless times through streams of tears, cringing expressions, and awkwardly emotive smiles. From the not-so-everyday school experiences to the darker, more brutal situations, director Jiro Fujimoto delicately explores the emotions of a timid escapist. As Yuri distressingly copes with her new role, the profound and traumatic effects of her adolescent adjustments are exposed. Yet, as the series progresses, Yuri's incessant bellowing quickly beleaguers. Ultimately, it confines her character within a continuous cycle of insecurities, leaving little room for growth. What Alien Nine lacks is a psychological depth beyond the scope of its characters' insecurities. The series singularly focuses on perfunctory character dilemmas that never materialize into anything. Sadly, the characters suffer as a result.  However, what makes Alien Nine such an intense triumph is the way each character is portrayed. All of the girls are presented so realistically it is nearly impossible not to feel sorry for them. As they are pushed into situations of such extreme torment, their pain and suffering is palpable. They all have different reasons for being involved with the Alien Hunters, some had no choice, others chose it to escape responsibility, but at the center of their lives is the same overbearing, ambiguous crisis: adolescent alienation.
* * * (Good) Updated: August 11, 2009
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