Battle Doll: Angelic Layer

Misaki Suzuhara is a 12-year-old who moves to Tokyo and quickly becomes absorbed in Angelic Layer, a competitive pastime where players control small electronic fighters called angels. Starting as a beginner she picks up tactics and customizes her angel's abilities, while making friends, rivals, and mentors who push her skill forward. The story switches between everyday school scenes and the tension of matches, showing Misaki's optimism and the relationships that form around the arena. Each bout highlights different strategies and personalities without giving away major outcomes, so the focus stays on character growth, teamwork, and the emotional stakes of competition.

Released in 2001, Angelic Layer was created by Ichiro Okouchi, Mokona Apapa, and Nanase Okawa, adapted from CLAMP's manga, and produced as an animated TV series, featuring voices from Ayako Kawasumi, Chiemi Chiba, Kikuko Inoue, and others.

Angelic Layer didn't win major industry awards, but it built a loyal fanbase and helped sustain interest in CLAMP's work. The show is often remembered by fans for its distinct character designs and the performances of its voice cast, and it still gets mentioned in discussions and screenings among retro anime communities.

Its mix of competitive matches and personal drama helped popularize the idea of pint-sized combatants linked to their pilots, and it supported a line of merchandise like figurines and collectibles. The series kept CLAMP visible to international audiences and influenced later anime that blend toy-like competition with everyday life and character-driven moments.

Audience ratings skew positive, with a small sample listing 7.2/10. Viewers and reviewers often point to themes of friendship, youthful ambition, technology as play, and identity formation. Many appreciate the show's warm humor and accessible battles, though some note its episodic structure can make momentum uneven across the run.