Cyborg

Subtitled "The Cyborg Soldier," the 2003 version of Cyborg 009 is the third TV series based on Shotaro Ishinomori's 1964 manga. Joe Shimamura, an orphan falsely accused of murdering the priest who raised him, has been turned into a cybernetic warrior by agents of the sinister organization Black Ghost. Joe (a.k.a. 009) joins forces with Cyborgs 001 through 008. With the advice of Dr. Gilmore and Dr. Kozumi, the powerful but distrustful Cyborgs gradually form a team capable of challenging Black Ghost and its string of increasingly powerful Cyborgs (0010 through 0013 in these episodes). The cartoony character designs recall the work of Osamu Tezuka: e.g., Dr. Gilmore looks like Duke Red in Metropolis. Cyborg 009 has all the elements of a classic sci-fi anime adventure, but the unexpressive, puppet-like characters, tame battles, and obvious dialogue leach the excitement out of the story. (Rated 13 and older: violence) --Charles Solomon