Argentosoma - Another Reality (Vol. 1)
This 2000 TV series borrows heavily fromEvangelion,Frankenstein, andThe Iron Giant. Takuto, a brilliant college  student, follows his girlfriend Maki to the secret lab where her professor is  resurrecting an alien cyborg. When the military interferes, the cyborg  strikes out, killing Maki and injuring Takuto. A mysterious man who quotes  bits of Western literature arranges a new life for the badly disfigured  Takuto, who swears to avenge Maki's death. As Lt. Ryu Soma, he joins Funeral,  an elite army unit dedicated to destroying the alien robots that are  attacking the Earth. The cyborg befriends the strange girl Harriet, who  refers to him as an elf. Taciturn and brusque, Ryo is not a prepossessing  hero; despite his suffering, he lacks the vulnerability that balances  Shinji's alienation inEvangelion. However, Americanotakuwill  enjoy the unusual mecha designs and the well-staged battles scenes.  (Rated 13 and older: violence, tobacco use)--Charles Solomon