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Argento Soma
アルジェント ソーマ (Arujento Sōma)
Genre	Adventure, Drama, Mecha, Military, Science Fiction
TV anime
Director	Kazuyoshi Katayama
Studio	Sunrise
Licensor	Bandai Entertainment
Network	TV Tokyo
Original run	6 October 2000 – 22 March 2001
Episodes	26
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Argento Soma (アルジェント ソーマ, Arujento Sōma ^?) is a 25-episode anime TV series that aired on TV Tokyo from 6 October 2000 to 22 March 2001.^[1]

Episode 26, "Alone and by myself" (孤独と孤独, Kodoku to kodoku ^?), was released direct-to-video.

Plot

In an effort to learn more about the metallic aliens that have been plaguing the planet for the past years, Dr. Noguchi and his assistant Maki Agata try to bring to life a construct pieced together from the destroyed aliens. They recruit Takuto Kaneshiro, Maki's boyfriend at the college they both attend, into this project because of his talent for metallurgy. While Takuto is unhappy with Maki keeping secrets from him again, he reluctantly helps with the project. However, in the process of reviving the monster that Dr Noguchi has aptly called Frank (short for Frankenstein), unidentified soldiers invade the MORGUE facility. They cut the power, leading to a power surge which violently brings Frank to life and causes an explosion that kills everyone in the facility except Takuto.
"Mr. X" visits the scarred (emotionally and physically) Takuto in the hospital, and offers him a chance to get his vengeance on the monster he blames for killing Maki and destroying his life. Months later Lt. Ryu Soma is reborn from the ashes of Takuto's soul, as a military pilot who joins FUNERAL. This is the organization which deals with the attacking aliens, and has also recaptured Frank (who escaped after the explosion at MORGUE).
It quickly becomes clear that Frank has become the best weapon FUNERAL has to defend against the aliens, which leaves Ryu torn between revenge and the desire to protect his comrades. Further complicating the picture, the only person who can communicate with Frank is a young girl named Hattie, who bears a striking resemblance to Ryu/Takuto's lost love Maki. As it becomes apparent that Frank is more than a simple monster, Ryu and his FUNERAL comrades have to come to terms with questions of human identity, grief, and loss.

Cast

Japanese cast

• Houko Kuwashima as Harriet "Hattie" Bartholomew/Maki Agata
• Souichiro Hoshi as Takuto Kaneshiro/Ryu Soma
• Jouji Nakata as Michael Heartland
• Kikuko Inoue as Guinevere Green
• Sayuri as Lana Ines
• Takehito Koyasu as Dan Simmonds
• Yūji Takada as Frank, Yuri Leonov, Defense Official, Henry Harris
• Yui Horie as Sue Harris

English cast

• Stephen Apostolina - Army Official B
• Beau Billingslea - Captain Michael Heartland
• Richard Cansino - Mr. X
• Dorothy Elias-Fahn - Maki Agata
• Lynn Fischer - P.A., Kroka Leonov
• Sandy Fox - Harriet 'Hattie' Bartholomew
• Crispin Freeman - Morgue Military Official, First Lt. Dan Simmons
• Steve Kramer - Funeral Board, Army Official A, Astronomer, Cook
• Lex Lang - Frank
• Wendee Lee - Joan
• Dave Mallow - Bird House Operator, Guard, Doctor, Defense Man B, Base Guard, Ulysses Transmission, Ground Control, Additional Voices
• Michael McConnohie - Funeral Unit Commander, Dignitary A, General
• Mary Elizabeth McGlynn - Countdown Announcement, Stacey, News Anchor, Apartment Super, Scarlet, Auntie
• Lara Jill Miller - Second Lt. Sue Harris
• Tony Oliver - Gate Guard, Border Patrol Pilot B, Dr. Takahashi, Air Force Official B
• Paul St. Peter - Morgue Officer
• Tony Pope - Official
• Simon Prescott - Air Force Official A, Scientist A
• Jamieson Price - Base Alert, Funeral Board, Government Man, Colonel Kilgore, Control Tower
• Derek Stephen Prince - Lab Assistant B
• Michelle Ruff - Narrator, Reporter, Funeral Operator, Nurse (voice: English version)
• Philece Sampler - Ai, Elaine Symond, Secretary (voice: English version)
• Melodee Spevack - Commander Lana Ines
• Steve Staley - Takuto Kaneshiro/Second Lt. Ryu Soma
• Doug Stone - Dr. Ernest Noguchi
• Julie Ann Taylor - Joan #2, Amian
• Paula Mattiloi Walker - First Lt Guinevere Green
• Dave Wittenberg - Sheriff
• Tom Wyner - UN Officer, Grandpa

Episode Titles

• 1. "Rebirth and Death" (再生と死と, Saisei to Shi to ^?)
• 2. "Death and the Maiden" (死と少女と, Shi to Shōjo to ^?)
• 3. "The Maiden and the Meeting" (少女と出会いと, Shōjo to Deai to ^?)
• 4. "The Meeting and Hatred" (出会いと憎悪と, Deai to Zōo to ^?)
• 5. "Hatred and War" (憎悪と争いと, Zōo to Arasoi to ^?)
• 6. "War and Escape" (争いと逃避と, Arasoi to Tōhi to ^?)
• 7. "Escape and Memory" (逃避と追憶と, Tōhi to Tsuioku to ^?)
• 8. "Memory and Loneliness" (追憶と孤独と, Tsuioku to Kodoku to ^?)
• 9. "Loneliness and Sorrow" (孤独と哀と, Kodoku to Ai to ^?)
• 10. "Sorrow and Malice" (哀と殺意と, Ai to Satsui to ^?)
• 11. "Malice and Betrayal" (殺意と裏切りと, Satsui to Uragiri to ^?)
• 12. "Betrayal and Despair" (裏切りと絶望と, Uragiri to Zetsubō to ^?)
• 13. "Despair and Hope" (絶望と希望と, Zetsubō to Kibō to ^?)
• 14. "Hope and Chaos" (希望と混沌と, Kibō to Konton to ^?)
• 15. "Chaos and Confusion" (混沌と葛藤と, Konton to Kattō to ^?)
• 16. "Confusion and Answers" (葛藤と決意と, Kattō to Ketsui to ^?)
• 17. "Answers and the Past" (決意と過去と, Ketsui to Kako to ^?)
• 18. "The Past and Crimes" (過去と大罪と, Kako to Daizai to ^?)
• 19. "Crimes and Punishments" (大罪と戒めと, Daizai to Imashime to ^?)
• 20. "Punishments and Awakening" (戒めと覚醒と, Imashime to Kakusei to ^?)
• 21. "Awakening and Truth" (覚醒と真実と, Kakusei to Shinjitsu to ^?)
• 22. "Truth and Destruction" (真実と破滅と, Shinjitsu to Hametsu to ^?)
• 23. "Destruction and Courage" (破滅と勇気と, Hametsu to Yūki to ^?)
• 24. "Courage and Love" (勇気と愛と, Yūki to Ai to ^?)
• 25. "Love and Rebirth" (愛と再生と, Ai to Saisei to ^?)
• OVA. "Alone and By Myself" (孤独と孤独, Kodoku to Kodoku ^?)

References

External links

• Argento Soma (anime) at Anime News Network's Encyclopedia
• Argento Soma at the Internet Movie Database
• Argento Soma at TV.com