Argentosoma #1: Another Reality

This 2000 TV series borrows heavily from Evangelion, Frankenstein, and The Iron Giant. Takuto, a brilliant college student, follows his girlfriend Maki to the secret lab where her professor is resurrecting an alien cyborg. When the military interferes, the cyborg strikes out, killing Maki and injuring Takuto. A mysterious man who quotes bits of Western literature arranges a new life for the badly disfigured Takuto, who swears to avenge Maki's death. As Lt. Ryu Soma, he joins Funeral, an elite army unit dedicated to destroying the alien robots that are attacking the Earth. The cyborg befriends the strange girl Harriet, who refers to him as an elf. Taciturn and brusque, Ryo is not a prepossessing hero; despite his suffering, he lacks the vulnerability that balances Shinji's alienation in Evangelion. However, American otaku will enjoy the unusual mecha designs and the well-staged battles scenes. (Rated 13 and older: violence, tobacco use) --Charles Solomon