IFC presents two new half-hour anime series, Gunslinger Girls and Basilisk, premiering on Friday, January 5 at 11pm and 11:30pm ET. The anime block will be followed by IFC’s new film strand, “Grindhouse” which includes classic indie suspense and lurid horror cult films.
Gunslinger Girl, 11pm
Set in scenic Italy, Gunslinger Girl uses beauty to offset the story’s tragedy. Officially, the Social Welfare Agency is a government sponsored organization that is in the business of saving lives. At least, that’s the ruse. In reality, the fringe agency gives terminal little girls a second shot at life using cybernetic implants and then conditions them to become efficient killing machines who handle all of the government’s dirty work. They’ve been given a second chance at life…but at what cost? The series was licensed by FUNimation Entertainment, produced by Madhouse Studios, and directed by Morio Asaka.
Basilisk, 11:30pm
In 1614 AD Japan, deep within the Edo Castle, loyalties lie in a twisted socio-political tangle. Throughout the kingdom unrest brews over the impending appointment of the third Tokugawa shogun. To determine the third shogun and resolve the conflict, the Kouga and Iga mutant ninja clans are pitted against each other, in one final battle to the death. But amidst the combat lies a love story between the young heirs of the two clans. Reared from birth as sworn enemies they must now decide between love and war. Basilisk was licensed by FUNimation Entertainment and produced by Japan’s leading anime studio GONZO.