Pumpkin Scissors: Honor and Blood, Vol. 1

While the title of this anime series may suggest Halloween skullduggery, Pumpkin Scissors is actually a military sci-fi thriller with a surprisingly strong female central character: Second Lieutenant Alice L. Malvin, who—despite her aristocratic upbringing—frequently heads up hazardous relief work on behalf of the Imperial Army's Intelligence Division. And there is no shortage of jobs, as the world is just starting to emerge from a disastrous global war, and former soldiers have turned into bandits who are victimizing many poor townfolk. Alice's mission takes a new tack when she discovers that one of her colleagues was part of a secret military experiment to create a new breed of soldiers capable of withstanding extraordinary levels of pain. Despite a vigorous concept, Pumpkin Scissors often feels formulaic and predictable—at one point, Alice and her comrades appear to be engaging in an obvious riff on The Most Dangerous Game—but perhaps the stories will become more focused and vibrant as the series progresses (this four-episode compilation is the first of six volumes). Presented on an extra-less dual-language disc, this is recommended. [Note: Pumpkin Scissors, Vol. 2 is also available, with Vol. 3 debuting on Feb. 26.] Aud: P. (P. Hall)