009-1

Reviewed: May 2012
Version: English dub

With its eye-catching cybernetic bombshell heroine and her futuristic arsenal of weapons and gadgetry, 009-1 appears, at first glance, to be an average spy-fi adventure series with a focus on action and sex appeal, but a close viewing of this anime’s 13-episode run shows it to be more. It is a work that questions beliefs and the dichotomy of right and wrong. It is an examination of the forces that drive individuals and nations alike. Perhaps above all, it is the story of a young girl tossed into a sea of troubles, clutching onto the one thing that helps her weather the storm as she grows into adulthood, and eventually coming to wonder if her life preserver might not be as sound as she once believed.

Based on a 1960s manga by the legendary Ishinomori Shōtarō, and immediately lending itself to comparisons to such classics as the James Bond franchise and Charlie’s Angels, 009-1 should appeal to fans of old-school spy drama. Its primary setting is a Europe of the future—probably the last quarter of the 21st century—in which the Cold War never came to an end, a setting that aficionados of the secret agent genre will probably find familiar. Moreover, it’s got the kind of action, gadgetry, and titillating content that have come to define the genre. As a bonus, the English dubs come complete with fake Eastern European accents. Fortunately, for those who prefer some depth to the storyline, 009-1 provides it.

009-1 centers around the agents of the Zero Zero Organization, an intelligence group for the Western Bloc, and primarily around it’s number one agent, Miléne* Hoffman, whose parents were killed while defecting to the West in pursuit of the ever elusive ideal of freedom and who was subsequently raised in an orphanage before being recruited into the intelligence community and given cybernetic enhancements, including superhuman speed and flexibility, boosted senses, and machine guns implanted in her breasts. Miléne performs her job with the aid of nearly a dozen other agents, all presumably women, though only three of them (009-3, 009-4, and 009-7) are featured. The world in which they work is one not so much of peace as absence of war, and it is a world strikingly similar to that of the era in which the original story was written, at least in terms of politics and ubiquitous technologies; that is to say, the worldview is somewhat simplistic (West vs. East, freedom vs. oppression, etc.) and the only advanced technology seems to be in the hands of those waging the behind-the scenes battles (government agencies have laser weapons, cyborgs, holography, and more, while personal vehicles, cityscapes, and spaceflight technology appear to be right out of the ’60s and there’s not a mobile phone or tablet computer to be seen).

The series is presented in an episodic manner—that is to say, with most episodes focusing on a single storyline that gets resolved by the end of the 24-minute segment, each episode being a mission presented to Miléne by her boss, Number Zero. Despite this, there are a number of underlying currents, themes that recur throughout the series—the questions of perception and absolutes, of good and evil, of right and wrong, of freedom and oppression, of what to do when one is no longer sure of one’s fundamental worldview—along with recurring characters who serve as catalysts. Unfortunately, the series falls short; the undercurrents are not brought to the surface long enough to examine, nor are the questions they raise given enough consideration. Its episodic nature combined with a short run causes it to miss the mark and fall short of its full potential.

The manga on which the anime is based has been reissued a few times over the years since first publication in the 1960s, but it hasn’t yet seen its way into translation. I have a feeling that Ishinomori developed the undercurrents more fully in the manga, and those responsible for the adaptation should have seen fit to continue Ishinomori’s story to its conclusion—or else, why bother adapting it in the first place? What could have been a great series became only a good one, a step above mediocrity and, though underrated, in my opinion, nonetheless understandably overlooked by many in the anime community.

*Note: In the English subtitles and credits, her name is transliterated as Mylene and occasionally pronounced my-LEAN rather than me-LANE.

The breakdown

Story: 7

The tale of Miléne Hoffman and of a cold-war world perpetually on the verge of exploding is an intriguing one that touches upon important issues in a straightforward, if occasionally too simplistic, manner. The series presents some intriguing themes and poses important questions, but it falls far short of developing them to the extent demanded by their nature.

Character: 7

Most characters are present to support Miléne and her exploits and are therefore understandably lacking in depth; others, like Miléne herself, Dr. Green, and Ironheart, are well rounded individuals. Like the themes and questions the stories present, some of the characters also suffer from the short, episodic nature of the series. Most, despite their shortcomings (occasionally including poorly written dialogue, lack of subtlety, melodrama, and contrived emotionality) are well acted—although, as mentioned, some have pretty cheesy accents. Alice Fulks especially does an excellent job portraying Miléne; what seems at first to be a flat (although not completely emotionless) delivery is slowly revealed to be a deliberately cultivated composure, a reflection perhaps of the façade of peace the world at large knows, for like that peace, which could explode at any time, so could Miléne’s composure break, allowing her emotions to burst forth with unintended consequences.

Art: 5

In one word, I’d sum up the artistic style as retro-futuristic. Overall, it and the animation are decent—indeed, in some scenes, style is used to good effect, and the explosions were general well done—but it was difficult for me to get past the faces. Although Miléne and her compatriots, as well as a few others, are drawn fairly realistically, many of the characters seem to be grotesque mockeries, with beakish or lumpish noses and disproportionate features, and that particular stylistic choice drags the score down a bit.

Sound: 8

The basic voice dubbing and sound effects in this series presented no outstanding technical flaws. What did stand out, however, were the great melodies of Iwasaki Taku. Various jazz riffs, simple piano melodies, driving action beats, and more are used throughout the series, and each fits its scene precisely. The choice of composer was a perfect one, and his choices in pairing onscreen events with music were all brilliantly done. Moreover, the opening theme, “Destiny Girl”, as sung by popular artist Minato, is catchy and quite fitting. Of all the elements that make up 009-1, I think the soundtrack is, perhaps, the best.

Enjoyment: 7

To those looking for good old secret agent or sci-fi action, this series should be at least mildly entertaining. For those who want some story and character development, the show provides some, although, as mentioned, not enough. I found it fairly enjoyable myself and can see myself re-watching it on occasion. Of course, if the anime had continued for a longer run, delving further into Miléne’s past and psyche, as well as the alternate future world as a whole, I’d probably enjoy it even more.

Overall: 6.8
Final Score: 7/10 or 3.5/5

Rating: PG-13

Although officially rated TV-MA, I feel this anime is suitable for viewers 13 and older, with some parental guidance.

Language/Thematic Elements: Typically pretty mild, but a few episodes throw in some harsher curse words and misogynist epithets. National politics play into the series quite a bit, including military tactics, the use of people as weapons, the threat of nuclear war, and the way in which a faction in a dispute sees and acts upon right and wrong in relation to its own particular worldview—all or some of which would most likely go over the heads of viewers younger than 13. At various points the series introduces questions regarding the roles of individuals in relation to broader political goings-on.

Violence/Gore: Gunfire and explosions permeate the series, and agents and others are killed in the line of duty. Gunshot wounds and blood are often shown. Some particularly gruesome, although not overly detailed, scenes involve images of characters being crushed by machinery, sliced in half, or beheaded. At one point, Miléne is tortured.

Sexuality/Nudity: Sex appeal is part of what makes this series what it is. That said, sexual situations and innuendo are, overall, fairly mild. Miléne manages to show a fair amount of skin, but for the most part, she remains strategically covered by clothing or bedsheets. A couple times, her breasts are exposed, but nipples aren’t seen. She does engage in sexual intercourse a few times throughout the series, as a means to a job-related end, but the act itself is never shown, only implied. Rape is verbally threatened once through innuendo when Miléne is captured and tortured, but the captor is not presented with a chance to carry it out.

Final words

+: the action, gadgetry, and sexuality the secret agent genre is known for, along with an engaging storyline featuring interesting characters in an interesting world

-: the lack of development of the characters and their world, dragged down a bit further by a slightly off-putting style of art

Recommended to: anyone 13 or over, but primarily to fans of old-school secret agents like James Bond, Charlie’s Angels, or the Impossible Missions Force

The series “009-1” is a combination of Charley’s Angels, and Cyborg 009, but unlike these show you properly wouldn't want any young viewers under the age of 18 to be watching this show. 009-1 contains: strong language, adult situations, and a lot gore. In my opinion I wouldn't recommend this show to anyone not because of the rating (MA-TV) but because of the unfulfilling storyline, and characters in the show. The animation is okay, since it was made in the 70's and the music isn't so bad neither. If you're into the whole bloody, bad language anime than I'll welcome you to watch. If your not than I suggest keeping away from this one, and see if there anything else on.

Thank You!

Crunchyroll.com does not have the series on their website, if you're looking for the series I suggest Youtube.com where they have all 13 episodes. (short series).