Corpse Princess

Makina Hoshimura is a teenage girl who looks like any other student, except she’s undead and armed with twin machine guns. To earn a place in Heaven she has to track down 108 other restless dead, a brutal list that forces her into violent confrontations across cities and rural backroads. She’s not alone, a small corps of monks trained for this grim work provides logistics, weapons training, and occasional moral counsel, and those relationships add tension as loyalties shift. The show balances gunfights and supernatural horror with quieter moments that reveal why Makina keeps going, keeping the focus on missions and character rather than on any single twist or final reveal.

Released in 2008, the series is adapted from Yoshiichi Akahito’s manga and credits creators Yoshiichi Akahito and Sho Aikawa, who shaped the TV version’s tone and plot pacing for animation audiences.

The series didn’t rack up major mainstream awards, but it found a niche audience among action anime fans, earning modest recognition at genre-focused conventions and online forums rather than at large awards ceremonies.

Visually the image of a schoolgirl wielding heavy firearms became a talking point, and the show generated fan art and online discussion about its unusual mix of school imagery and hard violence. Certain scenes and character designs are often cited in conversations about edgy late-2000s anime that blended gothic and modern aesthetics.

Critics and viewers gave it mixed to positive responses, reflected in modest ratings and a small but steady fanbase. The series leans into themes of duty, redemption, faith, and the costs of violence, asking whether a single mission can redefine a soul. Performances, pacing, and the contrast between youthful appearance and brutal action are commonly noted in reviews, making it an interesting pick for viewers who like genre mashups with a dark streak.