Saber Marionette J can be described as a Sci-Fi-Harem-Comedy that is basically light-hearted with a bit of action thrown in. The story is about Otaru, three female androids called Marionettes, and there struggles to cope in a world without actual women. It came to be this way because of an accident on a colonization ship that left six men alive on the surface, and they use genetics to populate the planet of Terra II. The direct clones of the six survivors rule the six nations that exist on the planet, Otaru being from Japoness which looks like feudal Japan. Otaru tries to grow the personality ofthe three Marionettes throughout the series while having to deal with Gartland's (Germany during World War II) ruler Faust and his own set of three Marionettes. The story is alright if you don't have a problem with small details that could be considered giant plot holes with a lot of thought.

The art is dated even for a show from 12 years ago. The marionettes look vibrant, but completely out of place. The backgrounds of the other nations seemed to have been picked because they are easier to depict. Action scenes look merely average. It's not horrific, but it would be hard to call it good.

Characters are a much stronger point. Otaru is not your typical male harem lead. The marionettes show diversity in character as the series progress from one-dimensional to something more.

Overall, Saber Marionette J is a solid, if not spectacular, series. It sets the table well for the OVA and second series that followed, though a conclusion could have been provided in this series if they really would have wanted it.