Don’t you just hate it when power-mad or otherwise crazy aristocrats chase commoners down in tanks that are suspiciously higher in tech than those of the actual army? Dislike the inconveniences of spooning out soup to ungrateful war survivors, chasing down the mother of babies left on your doorstep, or being forced to assault rustic lordships to stop the food hoarders? Too bad! In a land ravaged by war, the only place to get three squares a day (plus pay!) is in the Army, and their main task these days is war relief. Luckily for us, these missions never turn out to be what they seem.
The newest recruit (or ‘adoptee’) of Section 3, Randel Oland was hoping for a quiet assignment delivering supplies or food to commoners, but as time wears on, his past with the supposedly non-existent 901-ATT unit keeps cropping up and preventing him from living a normal life. Oh yeah, “ATT” means anti-tank trooper. As in, individual troopers who fight tanks one-on-one. With very large handguns. Hooray for hypnosis-induced courage!
I do enjoy the day-to-day aspect of this show, as it is a pleasant break from the constant action I was expecting in a military-themed anime. Pumpkin Scissors focuses as much on the individual members of their unit as they do on larger missions or overarching themes of the show. The way the storylines are blended is so subtle as to remain largely unnoticed, and it’s easy to find myself as interested in Malvin’s constant fights with her family regarding her ‘unladylike’ behavior as I am in watching Oland confront the blood-soaked memories of his past. I will admit that the biggest mystery is Section 3’s occasional and gentle attempts to prove for information about the 901st unit, but where I would have focused the entire show on that mystery, Pumpkin Scissors spreads the information out quite well without seeming to force the show along. Part one also gives you a hefty chunk of anime to get you through those dry spells, with 12 episodes of Scissor-y goodness.
The art is nice, and if anything, I would say it’s easy to get so caught up in one storyline that you don’t want to switch to a new one. A fun show, and easy to relate to, the characters are likeable and well-developed. I’d recommend giving this show a try, as it has something for everyone .
I will admit that I never expected such…colorful humor from a hospital situation. I mean, it makes sense, as Oland is well over 6 feet tall, and immense compared to normal people, but…
Still the show is a wonderful standby for times when awaiting your dearest favorites next release date. Give Pumpkin Scissors a try, and you won’t be disappointed.