Facts of the Day

October 31st: Retooled Ideas, Angelica Part 1



Now we get to the most extensive reapplication of a manga idea, and the one I had in mind when I conceived of this set of posts.

"The Prince of the Pasta Kingdom," is the title for both the chapters and episode related to Angelica.  In the manga it is a sweet story that shows all the care she is given by those at the Agency, and how she loses it from Marco when he no longer tells it to her.  The anime contains this, but more: 



Marco: "Though I just make the story up as I go along."
Bianchi: "Oh?  That was your story?  I figured it was from one of Patrizia's children's books."

This isn't just any story.  This is Marco's story.  In the anime, he is the Prince and the tale he tells is his own.  One can see the rearrangement and emphasis compared to the manga panels above, Bianchi's surprise highlighting this crucial point.

But to what end?  As is the anime's habit, it is to prove a point the opposite of the source.  Angelica was precious and innocent and needed protection.  Everybody around her knew it, knew that training her to kill was wrong.  No, more than wrong.  Profane.  Yet none of them opposed it, and when the time came all these people who apparently cared so much about Angelica abandoned her.  And running through it is the fairy tale, a tragic reminder of exactly how terribly she was failed while everybody just watched. 



(And thanks TSM, I appreciate it.  And you haven't even gotten to my big thesis yet...)

November 1st: Retooled Ideas, Angelica Part 2



As I began yesterday, the fairy tale told by Marco is his story with Angelica, and in a sense the story of all the girls and their trainers.

The title card hints at this in two ways.  The first is the contrast of the two names.  Many of the episodes have a Japanese and Italian title which are not the same, and in turn complement each other (material for future FotDs).  Here, they are telling us explicitly in the Japanese that this episode is a fairy tale; that is one of its actual names.  This is reinforced by the music, which switches to a short whimsical trill, just the sort that begins fairy tales.  It is heard nowhere else (the musical vocabulary of the series is another future FotD series...). 



Now, the title card doesn't stand alone.  It comes in the middle of Henrietta's interview with Bianchi, which is in my view the greatest opening scene in the series for more reasons than will be discussed here.  It opens nicely, with Henrietta giving off a chipper vibe; nothing wrong here.  But after the title card fades, the interview shifts, and it begins to give a glimpse of the dissonance that all those watching represent.

(Continued tomorrow)

In both the anime and the manga - especially the manga - the interviews with 'Etta and Ange are some of the creepiest and most disturbing moments in the series. Can't wait to see what you have to say about them.

November 2nd: Retooled Ideas, Angelica Part 3



It begins with Bianchi.  In the original he is a nice guy.  He chats casually with Henrietta, apologizing that she has to be put through this.  Looking closer, one can see a ring on his finger, and several photographs of his family on his desk.  This is a man who sees in these girls his own children, and is trying to give them the best advice he can.  Sometimes it might be hard, as in the first image above, but he tries to follow it with kindly sentiments: 



All of this vanishes in the anime.  The minor chit-chat is removed, his internal laments erased.  He has no ring, no images of family on his desk.  And finally, when he tells Henrietta to control her emotions it simply stops there: 



What is left is a man who looks on a crying and distressed child and simply tells her it would be best if she just stopped feeling... like he has.  Working at this place has robbed him of something, and when Angelica enters it becomes clear that his laughs were only for himself as a way to avoid the tragedy sitting in front of him.

(TSM: this is a rush job I'm doing for these facts.  I try not to advertise or pressure too much, but this far better on my site where I can give it the full verbage it requires.)

November 3rd: Retooled Ideas, Angelica Part 4



The seconds fare little better than Bianchi.  They make kindly comments, and at first seem like nice enough people.  But then the test again comes with Henrietta, and the knowledge that she is truly suffering (the manga tears rapidly dry up, the anime ones remain as Henrietta walks from the room).  Olga offers a single regretful comment... and then their attention is called back to the game: 



We've seen this before, in an anime-only scene in Promessa where as Raballo struggled to decide to what was right for Claes they could only sit and comment about how "The MP is near his breaking point."  "Probably for the best, considering the business we're in."  Casually, like it's the weather. 



These people are dead.  They look alive, but they're not.  All that are left are husks who sit and watch, knowing they once cared, but now have nothing left to do but burn their free time with games and use the smoke to hide before quietly filing out of the room. 



Combined with Marco's apathy and Jose's inaction in the face of Henrietta's suffering (she looks at him through the mirror in the anime), this sets the stage for Pasta, and why the fairly tale is so central.

November 4th: Retooled Ideas, Angelica Part 5




"In this kingdom there was a prince who loved pasta and he ate pasta everyday."

Now after all that setup, onto the story.  It begins with the Prince.  Marco had a good life; ability, health, and opportunity were his.  His first meeting with Patrizia has been changed to reflect this: 



In the anime he doesn't complain about the unfairness or try to act cocky or macho.  But importantly it retains his fond comments toward Patrizia; he can still keep sight of what's important even when bad things happen.  This is a good man.

"But there was only one fork in the whole kingdom, so the prince always had to eat pasta alone.  Even though the pasta was delicious, it was not fun to eat alone."

The second sentence is anime-original (I'll return to the first line later).  It is eventually reflected in Stella Cadente at the end, but for now it modifies the story crucially: the unfortunate part was that a lone human being cannot enjoy good fortune.  It has to be shared, and having found a Princess the outcome of such a story is only natural.  Through his benevolence she, too, will be happy: 

Tomorrow is gonna be gooood….

November 5th: Retooled Ideas, Angelica Part 6

Yesterday I remarked that it was a shame that Marco was alone... and in the same post that I talked about Patrizia.  This is because she functions not as his partner but as his conscience and better half: 



The first indication is when Bianchi mistakes Marco's story for hers, but where it becomes more clear is the second meeting with her: 



This scene follows on the exchange with Bianchi.  In the manga Marco just hasn't time to tell her, and is perhaps putting it off since he'll have to lie.  The scene unfolds with his deception, and that she's happy he got a job from "that nice doctor" and that since he'll be in Rome they can see each other any time.  The anime takes this substrate and modifies it: 



Bianchi asks if Marco has talked to Patrizia yet in a guilty tone, and Marco replies with a quiet, "No... not yet..."  Their hunched bodies do them no favors; Marco has been avoiding Patrizia on purpose because he knows what he is involved in is wrong.  When we see Marco meeting with her he no longer faces her head on: 



He can't look at his conscience anymore.  Here when she asks about his work and he tells her Bianchi got him in she blinks slowly in response: 



In this version, she/his conscience knows something is wrong, and the line where she praises Bianchi is gone.  When she asks him directly what he will be doing he turns away from her (and the camera) completely as he says he will be taking care of children: 



As before, she replies, "That's great.  Now we can see each other all the time.  It's the perfect job for you!"  But notice, something is missing.  In the anime he never told her he was working in Rome.  This isn't about physical distance.  It is his conscience letting him know the truth: if he is truly caring for Angelica then his better half will never have to be far away.  And of course, like all good consciences she has a bite; this is the perfect job for a caring and honest man, just... like... him... 



(This probably wasn't quite what you expected today to be about TSM, but I'm getting to the rest of the story soon...)

November 6th: Retooled Ideas, Angelica Part 7



Priscilla: "Don't all fairy tales have a princess?"
Olga: "A princess kidnapped by a dragon or something..."

In the beginning the story had proceeded as it should.  The princess was sad and hurt and alone but the Prince was here now, taking care of her.  Now there is a new problem that must be recognized: the Princess has been captured by a dragon.  Princes ought to protect princesses from such horrible things happening to them.  It's only natural to recognize dragons being evil.  However, Bianchi is quick to offer an explanation: 

"The dragon that kidnapped the princess seems evil at first, but he just wanted a friend, like the prince.  How's that?"

Wouldn't it be best if the place that abducted Angelica was really only acting with good intent too?  Yes, that's for the best.  This is all about helping Angelica; everybody can tell themselves that this is a welfare agency.  Up in the balcony Georgio gripes: 



"What the hell is that ex-elite public securities and Russian spy doing?  They should just remodel Angelica for combat and give us jobs already."

 It would seem that the dragon knows exactly why it's capturing princesses, and is not so enamored by her goodness as the Prince is, a reality that is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore... 

November 7th: Retooled Ideas, Angelica Part 8



Now the story begins to fall apart in earnest.  In both Marco is now being forced to actively misdirect Patrizia, but in the anime they removed his internal thought about not having enough time.  Marco is not merely getting involved in secretive work that is putting a strain on his relationship ("So that's why you've been so busy" in the manga); he is actively seeking reasons to avoid his conscience now ("I was wondering why you stopped seeing me" in the anime).  Her body language is also noticeably different: 



Even as Marco pretends closeness with his arm around her, Patrizia's knees are pointed away and there is a bit of a space as the intimacy dwindles.  There is a bit of a bite as she comments that she never thought he'd use telling stories to a little girl, convincing himself he is doing good, to avoid talking to his conscience.  However, then she becomes far more serious: 



It is the same line, but no longer spoken innocently as in the manga.  Here she is worried: Marco, you need to come clean with me, realize that what you are engaged in is terrible.  Soon it will be too late.  But Marco just throws his head back: 



"Sure.  The 'Social Welfare Agency.'  It's your average government group."

Using its own line and cover.  He doesn't spend time with her anymore, and that more than anything confirms the lie.  She gives him one last chance: 



Patrizia: "Is... it?"
Marco: "Yes, it is."

November 8th: Retooled Ideas, Angelica Part 9

Returning to the story itself, it too is becoming increasingly distanced from the events.  The Prince who began by lamenting that there was only one fork is now talking about how he is special: 



This point is emphasized by the anime's removal of the panels in which the Prince successfully acquires a new fork.  That isn't what is happening here.  In the meantime, all the people around the Princess who were supposed to protect her are failing:  




"Like how the Pasta Prince rescued the Pizza Princess, I wanted to rescue you too.  At this rate, I think I'm the one who's going to be protected."

It's the sad truth.  Priscilla, even though she tells Angelica about having the strength to do what is needed, cannot find it in herself.  And those that have strength misuse it like fools: 



Everything is backwards now.  Even though there was a script everybody knew, and even contributed to, it isn't being followed.  Just carrying on, hoping being nice to this girl will work out.  Then in a quiet anime-original scene Marco is at last forced to confront the truth: 



This is what he has aided in accomplishing.  This is what he has guided his angel, his Princess, to.  It is sacrilege to harness her love and innate desire to do good for this.  Seeing that smile, completely untouched by the evil that surrounds her, he reflexively turns off the tape, sitting in the dark, unable to accept what he has done. 

November 9th: Retooled Ideas, Angelica Part 10

Today is going to be a little different.  I'm going to use an excerpt from my Gnosis because I simply cannot say it better than I did there.  It is the scene where Amadeo and Georgio come to apologize, expanded in the anime both for subtlety and tragedy: 



Angelica sits in front of flowers, admiring them; her essence is incorruptible.  Marco watches over her, but his face has begun to fall, and his agreement about the pretty flowers lacks enthusiasm.  He is now fully realizing the depths of what he has done and can no longer see her, or himself, the same way. 



They are interrupted by Giorgio and Amadeo back from their punishment.  Amadeo is cheery and holds a bouquet while Giorgio still keeps his face averted.  After exchanging pleasantries, he gifts Angelica the flowers for the trouble, a fond expression lingering.  She takes them, but with surprise.  Amadeo needles Giorgio until he offers a barely-acceptable apology as well. 



Angelica: "Did something happen?" (Smiling)

Everybody is stunned, but it is Marco who is most devastated at this revelation.  His actions... not only has he abused her goodness for violence, but now he is losing... her.  He knew her life would be shortened, but he ignored this too.  And now, all too soon, the child that mattered the most to him in the world is fading. 



Then Marco's face hardens in the final step of the metamorphosis that leads to the present.  Angelica is gone and he cannot accept what he has done.  It is somebody else's fault.  Bianchi.  He knew about this place and lured Marco here anyway.  The scientists and technicians.  They stole from Angelica the memories Marco had so lovingly given her.  The other members.  They are still working here, unburdened by this loss like he is.  Angelica.  She can't do this to him, she can't abandon him... But all of them will not be enough, for there is only one person who loved this child so much and failed her so greatly. 



Yet Angelica is still alive.  She is confused, unsure of what caused this sudden upset.  Nobody is explaining it to her, but it seems to be her fault and she doesn't want that.  So she smiles disarmingly, patiently, waiting for the answers of what is happening and how she can do better.  They don't come.  To protect themselves, everybody abandoned her one day and never told her why.

November 10th: Retooled Ideas, Angelica Part 11



Afterward Patrizia is seen with Biachi, having separated from Marco.  The lines are similar, but as always, modified: 



Bianchi: "I never thought you two would break up..."
Patrizia: "Dr. Bianchi, what is his real job?"
Bianchi: "It's..."
Patrizia: "...against the rules to tell me?"
Bianchi: "Eh?" (Surprised)
Patrizia: "He said the same thing.  While still smelling of gunpowder..."
(Patrizia turns away, troubled)
Patrizia: "I want Marco to be a normal person... (She turns back) ...so I broke up with him." (Calm)

The order changed, and with it the meaning.  Patrizia's explanation for why they broke up wasn't because they were having disagreements or problems (see next page below).  It was because Marco's conscience could no longer remain with him even as he smelled of what he had done.  He can be a normal person now, as they seem to do just as well without her. 



As to the story, it is over.  It was one of self-absorption and failure, where a prince defrauded himself of all his riches.  His princess lost everything as well while everybody in the kingdom just watched.  And now they're making side stories with new girls, a tragedy so awful that Bianchi laughs to cover the sorrow.  



Patrizia no longer comments she's glad Marco was telling that story.

----
As a bit of an afterword, I find Episode 8 to be the most deeply saddening of the series.  Fairy tales have morals, and by their nature are archetypal; they are the narratives that help us make sense and tell us what is right and wrong.

This wasn't a tale of evil overpowering good, or of hidden evil being revealed in good people, but simply of mediocrity undermining the good that was there.  That is what makes it so painful; these were not bad people and it did not have to end as it did.  In my Gnosis the only way I got through it was remembering Stella Cadente, and the small piece of hope that is offered here: 



Buon Ricordo, "Good Memories," plays at the end.  Patrizia has ensured that Marco won't forget what he once knew, and the cap on the pen is off.  The story was not quite over.

November 11th Fact of the Day



When Jose bribes the waiter in Episode 2 he holds a 500 Euro note in front of his eyes.  There are two errors here:

1) 500 Euro notes are pink, not green.

2) The Euro was not adopted in Italy until January 1st, 2002 while this event supposedly takes place in July 2000.

November 12th



Jose drives a Porsche Boxter, which along with Jean is a far nicer and flashier vehicle than any other member of Section Two.  Both a tip of the hat to his rich boy background as well as a hint of the compensatory showing off he indulges in.

November 13th



Welcom to Napol

What's stranger: that a sign in Italy is printed in English, or that it's misspelled?

November 14th



The last shot of the series is Henrietta staring at the camera, a clear reflection of an earlier image.  However, if you compare them you'll see that a slight change was made since Fratello: her left collar is now shaded.  I would love to give symbolic significance to this, but I suspect they just realized during production that given the angle of the light it should be darker. 



(TSM: I didn't think about that.  That is funny.)

November 15th



In Fratello/Orione Henrietta drinks her tea reflexively as Claes demeans her devotion to Jose.  It's a small tell of hers when she's unsettled, that she retreats to doing exactly what Jose taught her.



In Simbiosi (ep12) this animation is reused (one of the indications that it wasn't given as much attention as other episodes) when Henrietta is discussing the riskiness of the upcoming mission with Triela.  However, it was altered in two significant ways.  The first is the speed; in the first version Henrietta takes a slow sip while here it is a shallow, furtive gulp, emphasizing the heightened distress.

The second is that the color tone has been changed to make it match the rest of the episode which is dominated by flat-lifeless, sunset lighting (befitting its role): 





This deepening of the dusk continues into the opening scene of the final episode, where parts of the animation are reused yet a third time: 



Henrietta, however, does not drink in this scene.  She is not comforted; the night is coming, and they're all going to die.

November 16th: Board comparison



During planning sessions the board behind the Chief can be seen to have a spread of relevant information, indicating the thoroughness and efficacy of Section 2.  In Simbiosi before the mission to use Claes as a decoy it is different: 



There's almost nothing.  Just a picture of Filippo who informed them and the senator's daughter who resembles Claes.  It's one of several indications that this is a rush job, poorly-planned and, as a result, poorly-executed.

November 17th



To keep on the Simbiosi theme: When the terrorist surprises Angelica during the raid he says the most singularly stupid line: "Don't move.  Although you'll be shot even if you don't."  Why would he say this?  If he was going to just shoot her he shouldn't have said anything, and it gives every incentive for Angelica to fight back. 



The answer is that it is for the audience.  A moment after he speaks Claes comes charging down the hall, striking him with the coal rake, and causing him to release one last barrage of bullets which wounds Angelica.  Without this line it might be construed that Claes has accidentally gotten Angelica killed, and that her reaction is one of horror at what her actions have caused: 



This is not what the events are trying to convey; blame for what happens to Angelica is not on Claes' shoulders.  What Claes feels afterward is another sort of guilt. 

November 18th



When Elsa and Lauro are found dead, a pair of crows flies away into the sky.  The symbolism is obvious, even more so knowing that crows are spirits and/or messengers of the otherworld in Japanese folklore (see: Haibane Renmei).  However, in a parallel of these two with Henrietta and Jose, as the latter two leave for Sicily a pair of representative white birds follows them in flight away: 



These two gulls return at the end of episode 11 after Henrietta has tried to kill herself.  They're still alive, and the two gulls wheel overhead, still flying for now. 

I've always thought that Claes smacking Ange in her hospital bed was a sort of panic reaction. She apologized for it rather nicely for it later.

November 19th: Claes Part 1



Claes is my favorite, or tied for favorite, character in Gunslinger Girl.  However, she is an enigmatic character and we are given little to go on; in fact, the anime inserts several novel scenes just so that we have enough to piece together what is going on inside her. 

I want to take a few days to step through these, as her development is extraordinarily understated yet deeply touching to me.  Like ep8 I will be using several manga comparisons as I feel that is the best way to show what the anime is doing.




Claes is first encountered when Triela brings Henrietta to the room for tea.  Frankly, in the manga she's just a jerk.  She's smirks at insulting how hard the other two are trying, and her expression is none too nice when she joins Triela in teasing Henrietta.  It establishes her as antisocial from the beginning.

The anime divvies this scene up between four separate episodes.  The initial framing of Triela and Henrietta finds its way into ep12 and the "sweetie" teasing is given to ep13, where it takes on a somber meaning.  What remains is the core, but reframed.  First is how Claes begins it: 



In the anime, Claes has a specific irritation: she was happily listening to music and reading when Triela dragged Henrietta in.  After finding herself unable to ignore them she grins to herself (header image at top) before interjecting: 



"But Triela, isn't that all we can do?  Although if I were him, I'd resent being that devoted to."

As she speaks the above image is shown, emphasizing that underneath her dig at Henrietta is an element of pride: she looks down on the other girls.  In other words, her insults aren't just mean-spirited;  Claes specifically doesn't think much of the others' devotion to handlers for purpose in their lives.  Her first episode debut ends here.

(TSM: I think you pushed me over the edge into starting this series, because it is a panic reaction, but its source is the root of Claes' character and one of the best insights of the series.)

November 20th: Claes Part 2



Continuing from yesterday, episode 2 replays much of this same scene.  This is predominantly for understanding Henrietta, revisiting it underscore how distraught she is and how her tea-drinking habits, even as Claes mocks her, are the surest sign of devotion. 




"But it's still okay.  Young ones, enjoy your youth."

Henrietta's upset isn't lost on Claes in the anime.  The above line in the manga was about making fun of Henrietta's childish love of sugar... but that setup is gone now, moved to ep13.  Instead, it follows Claes giving a measured look at Henrietta before sitting up elegantly and speaking them.  They are something else: reconciliation.

Claes is not cruel or anti-social.  She had wanted some quiet and resented the interruption, the topic of conversation being one she finds particularly irksome.  Her statement was intended to silence, and perhaps let them know of her disdain, but not to wound.  Seeing Henrietta drink in response, even more upset, she is trying to apologize.  Yet even in her amends she retains a patronizing aura, letting the little girl it's okay to be misguided, because clearly Henrietta doesn't know any better.

November 21st: Claes Part 3

I'm now going to take a short survey of three anime-only scenes which further demonstrate who Claes is in the present. 



The first is the rooftop conversation in episode 3.  She is not present in the manga version, again being more anti-social, but in the anime she is here to contribute her own character: 




"How about music?  You practice the violin, don't you?"

On hearing this question Henrietta's reaction is complicated, both pensive and embarrassed; Claes seems to have a peculiar grasp of this soft spot in Henrietta, the tension between serving and the relationship not being quite right.  And as before at tea, Claes is smiling faintly at it.

------------------------


Triela: "You're fine with Claes but not with Elsa?  Claes is pretty unsociable too." (Playful)
Henrietta: "I don't really know how, but she's just different..." (Serious)

The second is in episode 9, which is entirely anime-original.  Triela has been talking with Henrietta in the cafeteria, but is caught in the act of teasing her roommate by Claes herself.  The subsequent exchange between them is clever and pleasant, an emphasis on their friendship, before Claes gives them the result of her cooking. 



There are a few things to note here.  First is that Claes is cordial in her own way.  Maybe she's a recluse, but as emphasized in the dialogue, Claes is different from Elsa.  She isn't a hostile loner like the other poor girl.  That she is also Triela's close friend is even more significant in the anime; I cannot underscore just how profoundly good Triela's character is, and she would never be close friends with somebody who wasn't sincere.  Claes isn't sociable, but she is true.
------------------------



"I'll leave this up to you, Triela."

The final clip is in episode 10, when Pietro and Elenora come to interview about Elsa's death.  As soon as Rico explains why they are there, Claes closes her book, stands up, and inhospitably walks from the room. 
 She even gives a back-handed comment to Triela, which earns an irritated glance in return (the manga does not have this exchange; Claes is simply gone when the interview starts).

This is strange.  Claes, while she can be unkind, has not failed to be polite until now; for her to be uncivil means she is truly bothered by something.  But what?  This requires some explanation, but is key to understand.

All the girls in the anime knew why Elsa died, not just Henrietta.  It's indicated in the details of how Rico stares at where the body was, and how Triela is not uncertain but sad during the interview with Pietro.  Claes knew too, and this reminder elicits such an anger in her that she even throws a barb at her friend.  And notice again, it's the same thing she's repeatedly mocked Henrietta about: (excessive) devotion to a handler.

November 22nd: Claes Part 4

Now we turn to Claes' past in Promessa.  Thematically it is the least-changed episode in the series, although as always the details have been refined.  I've covered some of these before (Oct 28th and 29th), but today the focus is on an anime-original scene:  



"I don't participate in operations like everyone else.  I don't even step outside the agency.  To the best of my knowledge, this is the only way I've ever lived."

There is no need to explain that she has lost something central to her, but what the scene draws attention to is that her life was pointless and she felt it.  She doesn't do anything like the other girls; she simply exists, day after day, coming and going: 



Moreover, there is nothing else "outside" of this that she's aware of.  This is the extent of life, and as such she can hardly be called alive; boots in an empty room are all the evidence that she exists.  Then... Buon Ricordo, "Good Memories", begins to play.

"As I do this each day, something often comes to mind."

To appreciate the implication, I turn to a manga comparison: 



In the manga her visit to Henrietta is happenstance, and it is only a stray thought that causes her to invite the other girl.  As she explains, she just woke up from her nap and impulsively wanted to make a garden.

The anime erases the nap and has now made the garden part of Claes' character.  The thought came to her, yes, but she wondered on it, and has now purposefully come to enlist help (she doesn't mock Henrietta in the anime).   Raballo lives in her not just as poignant unremembered automatisms but has given her part of her core ethos.  Claes is proud, but she is principled, and after being lost has found a new way to live.  This brings us to the last segment for today: 



When Claes replies to Henrietta in the manga she is openly angry, drawn mid-turn as she lashes a reply back.  Reflexive again.

In the anime, though, we have this previous darkness of her mind to reflect on when she speaks.  Claes is still angry, but the framing as she draws herself up before answering is indignant.  Claes may be alone in the world, but she has rebuilt herself into an impressive person and she will not have that belittled by Henrietta's pity.  Or ours.

November 23rd: Claes Part 5

Today is going to be a little different (and long), as before we move forward to the final two episodes I want to take stock of who Claes is and what she means to the anime. 



Claes is a proud, proud girl.  This isn't a superficial pride but her core trait.  She lost everything and now it is this belief in herself that sustains her in a world, alone, without a trainer or purpose.  She lives through her principles and her activities, and she defies being pitied for it. 



It is this pride that, when turned outwards, becomes scorn, especially toward Henrietta.  Being absolutely dependent upon a handler is childish and pathetic, worthy of being mocked.  Henrietta, and all the other girls, just need to grow up.  And Elsa... Elsa was horrific; the worst sort of meaningless devotion that led to an even more meaningless death as a result. 



Such an attitude is why she stands apart from the other girls.  Losing Raballo didn't make her a maladjusted loner; Claes' haughtiness has a particular source, and while she can be unkind she never stoops to being vicious or vulgar.  To lose composure would be a personal failure.  Like everything she has her own standards, Raballo's gentle girl that lives on, and in this way she holds herself above the rest.

-------------------------------
At this point I must introduce my interpretation of the series: the essence of Gunslinger Girl (S1) is that of a religious allegory, one that has adapted the psychology of the setting to the greater human search for meaning.  I won't try to substantiate it here, for it would take far too much space, but the last two episodes are indecipherable without it. 



The briefest of primers, though: Henrietta is the star, a girl who believes absolutely in her Orion.  He brought her to life speaking her name, cares for her, and knows everything: 



By having such a center, Henrietta's life has been given purpose.  It may be hard, but it makes sense, and she can have faith in a happy future as long as she is by Jose's side.  There is far more to be said, but again this will have to do. 



Returning to Claes, see if her attitudes sound familiar within this framework.  She has no trainer.  She scorns those who believe in them, considering it humorously ignorant at best and lethally stupid at worst.  She may not have an inherent purpose or handler, but she doesn't have to feel bad about that; her life is what she has made of it and the last thing she needs is misguided pity over being "lonely."  Ultimately, she believes in herself, and from that foundation has built an impressive personality in defiance of her circumstances.

At risk of mistaking a label for a person, Claes is the best sort of existential humanist.  As with Henrietta, there is more to her, and I wish to stress that I am not suggesting the girls only "stand for" their positions.  This is why I did not introduce metaphor until now, for I believe that appreciating the psychology for itself is valuable.  One does a disservice to Gunslinger Girl to say it is "actually" about spirituality or to view the characters as merely avatars of their beliefs.  They are so real, and it is this reality that allows them to resonate with us.

Anyway, this was a lot for today (it could have been more...), but now we're ready to tackle the critical developments of the final two episodes.

November 24th: Claes Part 6



Verily, verily, I say unto you, еxcept a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. - John 12:24

"If a fallen wheat grain survives, it stays the same.  But if it dies, much grows from it.  In other words, we have to be willing to sacrifice ourselves or nothing will happen." - Claes, ep12

Simbiosi (ep12) is an episode of preparation (and entirely anime-original).  Most of the series was dedicated to building Henrietta and Jose, and after the climax on Sicily they are sidelined so that the last pieces can be put in place.  Marco and Angelica need set up and so too, crucially, does Claes. 



Sitting together as they often have, the girls talk about the upcoming mission.  Henrietta asks if Claes is afraid of being a decoy:

Claes: "Not really." (Casual)
(Pause)
Triela: "You intend to be a grain of wheat?" (Innocuous)
(Claes gives Triela an indecipherable look before responding after a weighty pause)
Claes: "Nothing like that.  I'm just following orders." (Politely dismissive)
Henrietta: "What about wheat?"
(Claes closes her eyes and begins to recite)

Faced with a mission in which she is to be at risk Claes is stoic; she values self-control and won't be ruffled.  As she emphasizes, this is just what is expected of her, and it's not like she's going there to die.  Yet something is amiss, for even as she shrugs off Triela's comment she is able to quote the scripture from memory. 



This piece of voice acting is absolutely beautiful.  For those not aware, Claes is voiced by Ami Koshimizu, better known for Holo (Spice and Wolf), Kallen (Code Geass), and Ryuuko (Kill la Kill), and her talents are on full display here.

She begins controlled... but quick.  Unnaturally quick, sprinting through the sentences and resting with breaths between them.  This is costing Claes.  Despite her protestations she is not calm, and when she is done she stares blankly into space, lost in thought: 



As a final note for today, the verses above are also to be found at the beginning of The Brothers Karamazov, one of the great achievements of Western literature.  Claes is not alone in finding significance in these words.

November 25th: Claes Part 7

I have debated on how to approach this.  There are two ways: follow the events chronologically or jump to the end to gather the piece that causes Claes to make sense before going back through the rest of Simbiosi.  I have opted for the latter, so we begin today with Claes at Angelica's bedside: 




"I'm not that strong.  I can't handle being in pain, and I'm afraid of death.  I think I read books and draw everyday (breath) just to tell myself that I'm not (breath) wasting my days (breath), so I won't regret anything."

This is Claes' core, her essence and her fear.  Willful, intelligent, and intent on her own values she is an admirable individual.  In the face of everything her life has subjected her to, she continues to live.  



But she is alone.

I do not merely socially isolated, but that she is adrift in the universe.  There is nothing greater to be a part of, and when a human is not a part of something they are incomplete themselves.  And eventually, she will die.

This is the fear which haunts both her and the ideals she embodies.  That even with all her efforts the meaning of her life cannot survive death, and that when she is gone nothing will remain, not even a memory of her secluded existence.  She has fought against this fear using her powerful pride, enacted through her activities and achievements, but in quiet moments it would return, reminding her of this inevitability:  



This was what the grain of wheat means to Claes, why it affects her and why it terrifies her.  It is an injunction that the ego must die in order to grow, and that maybe there is a way out of her dilemma.  But her ego, her pride, is her.  With nothing else to believe in, she is all she has left; to give that up would leave nothing behind.

This is her confession, that she is scared and small and weak and that she doesn't want to die.  What happened to this indomitable girl to force such a statement?

"We're all going to die, empty and alone."

November 26th: Claes Part 8



Returning to Simbiosi, Claes has now been captured.  Despite her ordeal she seems to be holding up well: 



Franca: "Aren't you scared?"
Claes: "I'm fine.  (breath)  I feel relaxed whenever I'm reading a book.  I think I've liked books since a long time ago (breath).  Besides, I'm not a grain of wheat."

However, it should be obvious by now what these breaths mean.  Claes is not fine.  She's too smart to have failed to noticed things aren't going as planned.  While she is able to put on a front for Franca, her first expression as the woman entered was more true: 



Bold statements of just doing her duty are fading in light of the events; she is feeling less like the self-controlled woman of her ideals and more like a scared little human.  Her choice of book is particularly telling: a tome on plants, a desperate call to whatever is left of Raballo in her to help.

But the give-away is the grain of wheat.  Claes volunteers the comment spontaneously, which only serves to confuse Franca.  It is Claes arguing with herself.  No, she might be scared, things might be going poorly, but she refuses to give in.  She will endure this like she has endured everything else in her life.  Her pride and her will shall see her through as they always have; she isn't a grain of wheat and never will be! 



At this point Franca leaves, taking with her the distraction that allowed Claes to pretend.  Claes watches with a blank face that pleads with Franca not to leave, to let her keep acting she is calm and in control, and a "sayonara" slips out.  Despite its rendition in English as merely "good bye" it is better understood as "farewell."  Even as Claes struggles against it, part of her is beginning to believe that she will never see anybody else ever again.

(TSM: And we're getting there soon...)

November 27th: Claes Part 9



Today we're going to cover one of my favorite short scenes in the series.  It is brief, mere seconds, and so easily flows by unnoticed, but when I figured it out I had chills.

Hours have passed now and Claes is no longer reading; all distractions have abandoned her as she stares morosely forward at her fate.  She is going to die.  She is going to die.  She is going to die.  She was always going to die and she had just avoided accepting it.  Her eyes suddenly widen and she looks into the window and sees a sad, scared person staring back: 



Then she cocks her head curiously, surprised by what she sees.  The series lets you think that maybe it was the helicopters (they are not there), but recall her eyes widened first; she was moved to look into the reflection by a thought.  Being rescued is not her salvation.  Then the view shifts to what is behind Claes, and you realize there is something strange with the reflection: 



The guard is missing and the door is open.  It is one of the most subtle and excellent images of the series.  Underneath this physical captivity is a metaphorical-spiritual struggle for Claes.  She is trapped.  She is going to die and she knows it; she has known it for a long time and cannot escape this fear and this fate.

Now, in extremis, she is no longer able to pretend otherwise.  The distractions have abandoned her and her pride has been stripped away by hours of mortal fear.  She has nothing left to protect her... and that is when the vision comes: Claes only believes she is being prevented from leaving.  In truth the way is open, waiting for her to walk through it and be free.

Beautiful observation. It's hard to believe the creators at madhouse put such deep and subtle symbolism in nearly every episode of this series, but it's even harder to believe that these tidbits are random - they must mean something. Your interpretations are insightful and coherent and make me look at the first season with fresh eyes.

November 28th: Claes Part 10



The SWA has arrived.  Claes is rescued at last... and it is one of the most unfortunate moments in the series, for it is when Claes loses herself.

Guard: "What is it?  The police?"
Claes: "No, it's not." (Coldly)

On seeing the beginning of the assault Claes does not outwardly celebrate.  She just stares, registering what this means, and then she takes off her glasses and gives the guard an ugly, ugly look: 



It is a glare of hardened disdain, of hours of fear that have now become hatred for the people who caused it.  She wants to hurt somebody.

Before he can react, Claes beats the guard to death in an uncontrolled fury.  Running then to the fireplace she grabs a coal rake, a brutal primitive weapon, before leaving the room to wreck further havoc.  The glasses and book, abandoned, look on mournfully: 



This is the real loss.  The series does not criticize Claes for wanting to live, nor for protecting herself.  Her failure lies not the killing of a man.  It is that she has failed herself.  She came here believing she was indomitable, that through her will she could overcome anything, even stand fearlessly before her own death.

Now she has been proven wrong, not by hardships but by hope.  As long as death seemed inevitable she could restrain herself, but when the possibility of living arose all self-control was swept away.  The vision of the harder path is forsaken.  Her glasses off, Raballo's book forgotten, she has set aside her values, herself, in order to not die.  It will ensure that she survives, but it means that she did not truly escape.

(TSM: Thank you as always for the kind words.  I'm always nervous because I believe deeply in my general interpretation but it is difficult to convey, let alone convince.  GSG S1 tackles some difficult and profound subjects and I have found over the years people have a great deal of credulity toward my explanations.  It's nice to have a fan. )

November 29th: Claes Part 11



Now the conclusion and fallout of the raid.  I commented on this for the November 17th Fact, but to review: it is not Claes' fault that Angelica was shot.  The blame for that lies with Marco more than anybody.  Seeing Angelica, though, Claes is arrested in her rampage in the dark: 



Dumbfounded, weapon limp in hand, Claes can only stammer out Ange's name.  What is Angelica doing here?  Was this poor, broken girl trying to... save her?

This is a shame beyond words.  Claes was always superior in her mind.  She could be friendly with the other girls, but she also scorned them for their faith and their devotion.  For relying on something greater to serve.  It was really only fear of being alone and mediocrity that kept them from being independent.  Claes would show them; she could do anything she wanted through her own merits, even face down death here.  Talk of grains of wheat and sacrifice were just foolishness.

Now, in just this time when she has lost herself, the weakest and most pathetic of them has come from her hospital bed and safety to be here.  To be seen in this state... what can Claes possibly say? 



At the end, as Angelica is taken out to the helicopter, Claes watches with the rest of the girls.  She holds her glasses tightly before bowing her head and reluctantly returning them to their place. 



Claes doesn't want to see clearly, for coming back to her senses she is forced to confront all that has happened.  When the time came she lost herself.  Watching Angelica being carried away she realizes with a harrowing guilt that underneath her sorrow is relief that it is not her, and that although she had been the decoy she had never been willing to die. 

When you say the glasses help her see clearly, I assume you're talking in the metaphorical sense, since, after her conversion, she didn't actually need corrective lenses.

November 30th: Claes Part 12



Everybody is back at the hospital now, standing around Angelica's bed.  They all offer their sympathy... except Claes.  Her turn comes to speak and she says nothing, staring intensely at Angelica, waiting for recrimination, for blame.  "Brittle" is the word that always comes to mind when I try to explain that expression; just waiting to break.  Then come the defining lines of the series: 



Angelica: "You all know the truth.  We're all going to die!  We're going to die not knowing anything!  If Marco is going to keep treating me coldly, then I'd rather die now!"

The other girls stare worriedly but Claes is in blank shock.  To hear this... it's too much.  Crying over a trainer Claes does not have, expressing a willingness to die Claes can never match, and declaring a truth Claes fears above all others, Angelica has pushed her over the edge: 



"If you want to die, then die!  I shouldn't have saved you!"

This is a hysterical exclamation, not even rational anymore.  She is scared and she is humiliated, and her pride is now in pieces because of her own actions.  All she has left is her revolted admiration, knowing full well it was not Angelica who was rescued.  With this, Claes flees the room.  



Henrietta: "I couldn't see behind Claes' glasses well enough to tell if she was angry or crying."

With even the appearance of control having deserted her, in front of all the other girls no less, Claes just wants to hide, to get away from the fear, the frustration, and the overwhelming shame of her failure.

December 1st: Claes Part 13



In episode 13, Claes is still running away.  She sits high on her bunk, protected, ignoring the troubles of the other girls.  Drown them out, pretend she has all the answers like she always has.  Be in control again. 

Her continued flight brings us to another favorite scene of mine: the conversation in the garden: 



Claes is building a wall around what matters most to her.  It is an outward reflection of what is going on with her psyche.  She intends to keep hiding forever, isolating herself entirely from the world and everybody else.  It is the price of maintaining her pride, even if the garden within it is barren.

At first it might appear that Triela is assisting her but a second look reveals a delightful metaphor.  Triela's segment of the wall is not actually a wall.  It is stairs leading upward; to help others ascend is what Triela does, even if they don't ask for it, and she won't let her dear friend do this to herself.  Some day I will have to do a series on Triela, because she is luminous, and even her friend's disparaging remarks about the good she does cannot deter her.  As Henrietta passes with her bouquet Triela remarks: 



"Is she visiting Ange?"

It is not Henrietta that Triela is looking at in that image.  Claes pretends she doesn't hear, but the prompting is there.  Angelica is going to die, Claes... and so are you.  You need to make amends with this.

More detail so easily missed till it's brought to the reader's intention. I noticed some of this stuff when I watched the anime, and when I read the manga as well ( Claes's garden, for example ) but had no interpretations for much of it, though I was certain it meant something, and just assumed it was stuff that would be obvious to a Japanese viewer. I see now that much of it is truly universal, you just have to know how to look for it - and look at it. Thanks again, Neichus. 

December 2nd: Claes Part 14



We now at last return to the confession of November 25th, now with all that has happened inside Claes behind us.  Shaken by her failures and shamed by the actions of those she disdained, she is no longer the confidently proud woman she once was.  There is even a final humbling discovery awaiting her: 



Angelica: "Someone just came... Who was it again?"
(Claes looks thoughtfully at the flowers on the nightstand for a long moment before turning back)
Claes: "I guess you're right." (Small smile)

Henrietta, that foolish little girl that Claes always mocked, came here to confront death first while she was still hiding.  It elicits a small smile even, to realize how wrong she had been about so much.  Now, after all this, she can finally admit:

"I'm not that strong.  I can't handle being in pain, and I'm afraid of death.  I think I read books and draw everyday (breath) just to tell myself that I'm not (breath) wasting my days (breath), so I won't regret anything."

This may seem an admission of abject failure, but to my mind this is Claes' crowning moment.  She was magnificent, utterly magnificent, in her belief in herself and her defiance of her limitations.  That she has fallen short in the end does not detract from that towering ambition, or the greatness of character it evidences.  Having said her piece, Claes stands: 



I interpolate here, as she says nothing further on the subject, but her smile evidences peace.  It is the tranquility that no longer avoiding the truth brings.  Claes is only human.  She knows this now, and there is a paradoxical affirmation of her true greatness in that moment when she finally accepts that she can be no greater.

(TSM: I liked that little post, and I find it interesting because I would never have picked up on the metaphor if I didn't have the overall idea to guide me, while you nabbed in its essence even without that indication.  This series really is riddled with a great deal of meaning, and it forms a beautifully coherent narrative.  I truly view it as art, because it was produced to express this idea, not just entertain us.  And thanks again on the compliments.  Just one more to go to finish the ode to my favorite girl.)

December 3rd: Claes Afterword



Today's last entry on Claes is going to be more off-the-cuff, as I want it to be genuine.  Despite all the criticism, the troubles, and the failures that I have detailed with regards to her I have the utmost fondness for her character.  I think part of it comes from Promessa, when she comes running for Raballo, and for a moment I had a sense of what he was feeling toward his beautiful daughter.  She was something worth sacrificing for. 
 


However, it's more than that, more than a simple sense of affection for a child.  In her striving I see something truly great, and I think every reflective human feels that at least once in their life, a desire to be better than the creature that they are.  I said this yesterday but it bears repeating: that she fell short is not an indictment against her.  It is why people may have noticed that I have a tendency to refer to her as a woman rather than girl, for it fits to my mind her true stature (as well as her appearance, mannerisms, and troubles).

Moreover, why she fell short I believe is important to appreciate.  The other girls draw a strange power from being in the service of something (even if they are mistaken about its nature, that message being the essence of Henrietta's story).  Claes' individualism, despite its strength, has the ultimate limitation that she can never care about anything enough to sacrifice herself for it. 



As for her final actions, they bear contemplation.  After her admission to Angelica she leaves this CD on the shelf: Beethoven's 9th.  It is a supreme offering of the arts, the very best of human creation that Claes values so, and yet in its essence pointing to something greater.  And one remembers that Triela was humming this tune in Amare as Claes sat near her and read.  She was listening.

I do not believe the implication is that she is "converted," for that would sell her short.  It is rather that she has been freed from her circular problem, that as long as the ego is central then the battle to preserve it cannot be won.  Her death is inevitable, but it is not tragic is there is more to her than the self.  This, she can accept. 
 


In that last sublime scene, Claes stares up with the rest of the girls.  She has strived and suffered to be here too and I love the incorporation of the star chart.  She's still Claes, still intellectual, and still approaching this as best she knows how.

December 4th: Bookmarks



These last few weeks reminded me of a few minor Claes trivia.  If you look you'll see that her bookmark is a plant, yet another little remembrance of Raballo.  It is likely Anchusa azurae based on its leaf and inflorescence structure, an identification reinforced by the fact that one of its common names is Italian bugloss.  



Later on in ep13 when Claes is running from herself, it cannot be seen.  Whether this is intentional/significant I am not confident enough to claim: 

December 5th: Claes' reading

One can read the titles of Claes' books when she was younger, Tom Sawyer and Anne of Green Gables:  




Oddly, the titles are in French while Claes' original name (Fleda Claes Johansson) is more a name one would find in Sweden.  Implications of this are unknown, although it was made clear that she was from an educated family.  Continuing to the present if one looks closely it's possible to see the lines on the pages of what she reads currently: 



The exact words are impossible to discern, but the structure is that of stanzas, implying that Claes is reading poetry or a similarly-organized piece of art like an epic or play.  This stands in contrast to the one book we are told about explicitly, her tome on Italian flora in Simbiosi.  Claes is broadly-read.

December 6th: Claes' hairpins



The hairpins that Claes wears are usually silver-gray.  However, in a few scenes they happen to be red/pink: 





I have tried to find some meaning in this ("Does red mean an emotion?", etc.), but my conclusion is that it is likely an error.  Claes is wearing the same outfit in all these scenes (vest + shorts) and it gives me the impression that the same person likely drew her in all these circumstances and therefore made the same mistake repeatedly.

December 7th: Henrietta's surprise



Rico: "I wish Ange could see this too."
Claes: "She's probably watching it while listening to the Ninth Symphony." (Smiling)
(Henrietta looks at Claes curiously; Triela sits up in the background)
Triela: "The Ninth Symphony?  Beethoven's?"
Claes: "Yep."
Triela: "That's a perfect symphony for a night like this." (Appreciative)

Today's just a fun little detail, but when the girls are having the conversation out on the grass, Henrietta gives Claes a strange look when she speaks the line above.  This is because the last time Henrietta saw Claes was in the hospital, slapping Angelica and then storming away.  Now Claes seems to know what Angelica is listening to and is strangely peaceful mentioning her name.  Henrietta is understandably surprised at this change that's taken place. 



It's also notable that this segment was also altered from the original, where it was Triela who gave Angelica the CD, not Claes.  You can see how the lines were flipped; Triela's statements in the middle left panel are given to Claes in the anime, and Claes' rejoinder in the bottom left panel is delivered to Triela.

One thing that is unusual, though, is that in the manga Henrietta also has a confused look (middle right panel).  It occurs before the exchange that generates her surprise in the anime, and seems to be in response to Triela's musings.  It's just interesting to see how once again the anime took an idea and transposed it for a new purpose.

December 8th: Little Liar Claes



Raballo: "It's been a while, Claes.  You got out of the hospital today?" (Deadpan yet... tired)
Claes: "I got out a day early.  I was looking for you." (Anxious)

The final Claes factoid for now: Claes is quite a proficient little liar in Promessa.  It's a slight change from the source, and another case of slightly massaging the material to get a different character.  I'm going to start near the end then work back. 



In the original Claes remarks that she was looking for Raballo, but in the anime she specifically says that she got out early.  Raballo gives her a raised-eyebrow: 



Of course, Claes snuck out and he knows it.  This is when the earlier scene becomes more clear: 



When she came before to him she said that Jean had sent her, to which Raballo replies he wasn't told.  In the context of the anime, there is no way that Jean would ever send a cyborg to just chat with her handler.  Claes wormed her way in here this time (whether this is intended in the manga I cannot be sure). 

In this context, I find the latter raised eyebrow very poignant.  Earlier Raballo was wrapped up in himself and couldn't see the signs of how much Claes cared for him.  Now at the end, before they part, when he has finally decided to do what's right, it's clear now.  This girl truly loves him and will do whatever it takes to be by his side.  



As a last piece, Claes is almost certainly lying about getting permission for her garden.  She doesn't even turn around, a slight hiding of her face.  It is a small defiance, that she will make her garden in this place and with all that they do to her.

Your take on Claes is certainly complex, and very mature. One thinks of the cyborgs as being locked in place, emotionally and intellectually, by their conditioning, with any attempt to develop beyond the limits set by the Agency stymied. Your girl has found a few ways to assert herself as a person, something more than a tool.

Again, the first-season anime treats her situation and circumstances differently in the manga, which portrays Claes as constantly hemmed in by her conditioning, struggle though she might to free herself. I frankly like your version better.

December 9th: Lycoris radiata Herb



The title of Elsa's episode, #9, is Lycoris radiata Herb, the scientific name of the red spider lily.  In Japanese folklore this flower is associated with death and the afterlife, with many myths around it.  I won't pretend to be an expert on them, but there are two that I find most pertinent and poignant:

1) In Japanese flower language they symbolize loss, longing, and abandonment.

2) They are said to bloom along the path of somebody whom you will never meet again.



(TSM: Thank you as always.  You hit on a crucial difference between the anime and the manga in its view of the conditioning and how it affects the girls.  I considered making that today's Fact, but I think it will have to wait a little as I don't have the time to give it fair due tonight.)

December 10th: Alternative Titles

Yesterday's tidbit reminded me of an interesting pair of episode titles.  As I mentioned for Pasta, several have an English/Italian as well as Japanese name (in Pasta's case, it is called "Fairy Tale" in JP).  Episodes 10 and 11 are the same. 



Episode 10, Amare ("To Love") is so named for its focus on why Elsa did what she did.  Its Japanese title, however, is "Fever," highlighting the intensity as well as building into... 



Episode 11, Febbre Alta ("High Fever") is when the tension that has been building in Henrietta finally breaks.  However, in the background, the Japanese title is, "Tender Feelings."  What Henrietta feels for Jose is not harsh or violent; it is unbelievably sweet.

These pairings are important and reflect what the series is trying to convey.  It is true that Henrietta/Elsa have an extraordinarily intense love for their handlers, one that like a fever can be harmful as it grows, but so too is there something genuine as well.  They aren't robots, and they aren't psychotic little yanderes who are a moment's notice away from murder-suicide.

December 11th: The Conditioning

After yesterday I had the thought to discuss Elsa, but realized that I couldn't do her justice until another subject had been broached first.  As TSM had already brought this up a few days ago, I figure it's two birds with one stone. 


The manga and anime have a different idea of what the conditioning actually does.  The manga treats it as standard brainwashing, that it exists outside the girls and that it forces them to do things whether they want to or not. 



The anime is crucially differently.  The conditioning is part of the girls.  It's more like an instinct, that like ducklings the conditioning caused them to bond to their handlers.  Really, even that comparison is a bad one; it's more like children to their parents.  Just as we don't choose whether or not to bond to our parents, so do the girls not choose whether they bond to their handlers.

But it's real.

That's the difference.  The conditioning is viewed as artificial in the manga, always is.  The question that torments characters is whether their feelings are "real."  That isn't the conundrum of the anime.  Rather it is a reflection on humanity, a question of what constitutes "real" feelings at all by exposing that what these girls experience is not fundamentally different. 



The pictures I've been linking are one of the better demonstration of this.  You can see in the manga that Rico doesn't want to die but the conditioning is flushing her with forced adoration.  And when Jean says she should she agrees with a brainwashed-happy smile.  



In the anime Rico's smile has a different tone.  She's an abused child, one who is bonded to her "parent," and cannot simply decide to not care about him.  Her response is one of despair here, knowing that what Jean says is not true... but that she cannot defy him anyway.

December 12th: Elsa, part 1



Elsa is Henrietta.  Not literally, of course, but the essence of Elsa's story is that these two girls are the same personality, separated only by chance and circumstance, and that by understanding one you understand the other.   



They are both introduced through combat, which in their choices reveals their attitudes.  They do not simply carry out missions.  They assault with fury, charging into danger without a thought of their own safety.

This recklessness is not just the conditioning.  Again, I must emphasize this: in the anime the conditioning creates a bond, a desire to be loved and appreciated, and so a willingness to serve.  While all the girls will die for their handlers, it is only Henrietta and Elsa who are so eager to prove themselves (except, note, Angelica in Simbiosi when she believes it is her last chance).  


"I just wanted to help you."


As for why they are so eager, nay desperate, that is for tomorrow.

December 13th: Elsa p2



No child who knows she is cared for would ever say such a line as the one above.  Underscored in the anime is the conundrum of Jose: that despite his conspicuous care there is something missing.  At first Henrietta didn't notice: 


"Just having him with me is enough."

But by the latter part of the series, around Elsa's arc, this has eroded: 



Henrietta keeps saying the same words, but they don't feel right anymore.  This is the origin of her growing desperation.  She is a deeply earnest girl who is willing to serve with everything in her.  She wants to do right, to be right, for her handler, doing everything he asks (such as be a "normal" little girl).  Yet, in crucial moments, when she most needs his care it is missing: 



Which brings us to Elsa.  If Jose has failed to reliably support Henrietta, Lauro has never shown Elsa a single ounce of love.  All she got from him is her name.  Paradoxically, her response is not to stop caring; she is bonded to him, she loves him, and like Henrietta desires deeply to serve.  So she has gone the opposite direction: 



In her mind, it isn't Lauro's fault that she isn't shown care.  She's confident he cares for her.  It's just that she's not good enough.  She needs to try harder, she needs to give more up, she needs to give everything.  Deny herself and live in a cold, empty room.  Sever all social ties to think only about Lauro.  She is a sad, lonely fanatic: 



This is the reality brought home by Elsa.  Both of these girls are missing what it is like to simply be appreciated for who they are, believing they must "earn" the right to be loved.  So they dream of a future when they are enough, living with a hidden fear that they will be found insufficient.

To a lesser degree, I think the same can be said of Triela: "Jose wants a little sister. Jean wants a tool. What does he want me to be?"

The events in Taormina take on a new significance in the light of your analysis. It can't be denied that Jose paid her a lot of attention when she had a gun to her eye. And afterward, she seemed to exhibit  a feeling of pleasure and release that was almost post-coital.

December 14th: Elsa part 3



Triela: "It all depends on the person who's in charge of you and the conditioning..."
Henrietta: "The person in charge...?"

Lycoris is an episode of realizations for both Henrietta and Elsa.  For Henrietta, it is when things begin to slip, starting with her conversation with Triela.  Notice the differing translations above; it is because the word used for handler/trainer in Japanese literally means "one who is in charge."  What has happened here, and what doesn't translate well into English, is that for the first time Henrietta is actually thinking about what Jose's title means.  He's not "the one who cares for her" but the one who is assigned to control her.  It shocks her so much she can't face it, and she retreats to drinking tea, as she always does when she is distressed: 



This is also why later on, when she is talking with Elsa, she stammers: 



It's not that Henrietta has stopped loving Jose, but that doubt has entered her mind.  If all these people are just here to use her, like she knows from last episode in Bianchi's office, why is Jose here?

Elsa's realization, however, is... devastating.  I repeat myself from yesterday, but it must be understood: Elsa willingly sacrificed for Lauro because she loved him (as Henrietta does for Jose).  Everything she did, she did for him as a sign of her devotion, believing that he understood what her actions meant.  He just found her wanting.  Yet as she stares into the rearview mirror on the way to Siena, she sees Henrietta smiling and talking to Jose: 



Her car is silent, though.  Maybe Lauro just needs some prompting.  So she sends her signal again: 



"I'm here Lauro, I'm doing my best for you just like you want me to.  I'm a good girl, ri..."  



She is shocked... and can't understand.  She's letting him know she's here for him, ready and willing.  Why isn't he reciprocating?  What is it that she is doing wrong? 



It is in this state that Elsa reaches Siena, and one of the most tragic scenes of the series ensues.

(TSM: Triela's relationship deserves a post all its own, but I essentially agree with you.  As for Henrietta's actions, I don't believe they mean that to her.  That's something that we'll get to in the next few days, though.)

December 15th: Elsa Part 4



Jose: "Lauro.  How is Elsa today?"
Lauro: "Huh?  What do you mean by, 'How is she'?"
Jose: "Nothing.  She just seems a little eager.  They often miss when they're like that."
(Lauro laughs at this last statement)
Lauro: "Elsa has never failed before.  Isn't that what the conditioning is for?"

That Lauro didn't care about Elsa was already evident, but here on the roof his attitude is made explicit: he doesn't even consider her human.  She's a piece of high-grade machinery that makes his job easier.  It's like Jose asked, "How is the sniper rifle today?"  He laughs at such misplaced anthropomorphism.

As for Elsa, she has feverishly redoubled her efforts.  She even brings in a Hecate sniper rifle, which at this range and target is overkill.  This is the state she is in, trying her absolute best, going overboard, to let Lauro know what a good, devoted girl she is.  She needs him to know this.  



Then, she is removed, and she has no explanation.

Of course she made a mistake, but that's not the point.  Up until this she had been able to figure out some excuse for Lauro's behavior.  Maybe he just didn't happen to notice earlier in the car.  Maybe she needed to try harder.  Maybe it was for her own good.  Maybe... maybe... maybe... but there's no maybe here.  Her record is flawless, yet with the slightest blip she is exchanged like a malfunctioning piece of equipment.  She would die for him without hesitation but for him to have no hesitation in casting her aside... 



...the only way he could do this, the only way Lauro could either so ignore her sacrifices or fail to reciprocate them... 



...is if he doesn't love her.

Dunno. Lauro chastised her first for losing focus, then for an incredibly inept lapse (leaving your safety on as you're about to take a shot, then having to look for it on a weapon you've handled God knows how many times). Surely Elsa wouldn't regard those as small mistakes.

December 17th: Elsa Part 5



We all know what happened after this.  However, the question remains: why would Elsa kill her handler and then herself?  



In the manga the answer is that the cyborgs are psychologically unstable.  They're innocent children but the conditioning has forced them to love and serve and kill against their will.  They're two opposite things shoved into one and Henrietta breaks down because her unnaturalness.  She edges into psychotic yandere territory, threatening violence to herself and Jose as the whole package of programming and lovelorn girl malfunctions.  That is the lesson of Elsa. 



The anime takes a different route.  As I've stressed, the conditioning is part of who they are as much as anybody's preferences or instincts are part of them.  They aren't experienced as compulsions from the outside but desires from within.  They love their handlers and it isn't fake. 



What has destroyed Henrietta and Elsa is that they are uniquely devoted girls by nature, doing everything their handlers have asked and more... and yet they are not loved back.  They have tried everything.  Elsa in her service and sacrifice, Henrietta in trying to be a normal little girl like Jose wants.  When Henrietta breaks down in Febbre Alta it is not confusion over her two halves, it's that Jose has demanded the impossible for the price of his love.  It is the horrible, horrible dawning realization that Elsa had crushingly thrust upon her in Siena: that her handler might never love her.

So this leads to the question: what can they do if the normal methods are not working?