This is going to be a contrarian review but personally I think Avenger is great and highly underrated. The basic premise of Avenger is set on Mars in the future under a dystopian backdrop where children are not being born and are replaced with dolls. The main characters are Layla Ashley a mysterious young woman who has a grudge with superb fighting skills, Speedy a happy cheerful mechanic and Nei a mysterious 'doll'. Layla is not a friendly person by any means but she cares for Nei. Character development is minimalist with Layla's hunger for revenge and her relationship with Nei being the major focalpoints.

The art and animation is fine for it's day with rather odd and interesting camerawork and angles that match the harsh Martian landscape. The music is done by the eclectic Ali Project with a space opera aesthetic which I enjoyed, the track 'Kofuku no Zouhei' with it's mix of soulful desolation and private intensity was my favourite.

What really stood out for me in Avenger though was not the story, art, sound or character. It was the anime's economy of concept and execution. Without spoiling, Avenger to me has the single mindedness of a fable with metaphors imposed on the characters and ideas (Domes, barberoi, gladiator battles) to express it's themes with a powerful atmosphere intense and harsh as Mars itself. This unity of concept/execution/atmosphere made it a great show for me.

From above I understand Avenger is an anime that isn't going to be everyone's cup of tea. If you like more experimental/art/indie anime shows or atmospheric/ minimalist storytelling and where things are not explained and answered, Avenger might be for you. For me this anime is unique, immersive and got me thinking.