AnimeVision

After the first episode, it wasn't fairing too well - there was very little explanation of what was going on & it very much had the feel of those rather dull fight-of-the-week shows. Couldn't fault the soundtrack, though, so at least Bee Train were fulfilling one of my expectations. I'm nothing if not patient, though, so despite my inital misgivings I moved on to episode 2...

It's Mars, the far future - terraformed into a world where people can live. Protection from sandstorms is provided by domed cities, who fight amongst themselves, a warrior representing each city. Along with Humans are the Dolls (similar idea to Chobits' Persocoms), which brings us to our main characters - Layla (warrior), Nei (doll, and a slightly unusual one at that) and Speedy (doll breeder).

After 3 episodes, I'm still none the wiser as to what's going on..
- Why is Layla so attached to Nei when she obviously hates dolls?
- Why do the cities fight between themselves & what's the significance of the Great Tournament?
- Why is Speedy so intent on joining Nei & Laylas' travels?
- and more besides...
There seems to be a wider plot taking shape regarding Volk's role in events & Layla's past, but the pacing of the show is just too slow for my liking. Ali Project's soundtrack for the show is excellent, but nothing else really stands out - so-so character designs, the characters themselves aren't particularly endearing, and it's just too slow. Overall: Pass.