Even before humanity fully grasped what it was doing, it selectively bred plants and animals to better suit its needs. The reproduction of crops, livestock and even pets is manipulated in much the same way as any other tool to make life easier or more pleasant. Yet, there has always been a taboo about overtly applying those same principles to human life. The idea of directing the evolution of humankind to create a super soldier or a “pure” bloodline strikes most as immoral.

In Innocent Venus, the world has been devastated by natural disasters. Japan has implemented a caste system and achieved isolation by pioneering the advent of a new era of warfare; one which began with a discovery that the nervous systems of particular children could be harvested to create functional interfaces in the control of mechanical gladiators. These giant robots assured the martial superiority of their creators, so it wasn’t long before a secret breeding program began to mass produce suitable children.

As the series opens, the audience is introduced to Sana and her two protectors, Jin and Joe, as they are hunted by an elite military organization called Phantom. It is this very group that controls the aforementioned gladiators, but if it seems like an unfair fight, it isn’t. Both Jin and Joe are former members of Phantom and control gladiators of their own.

Phantom is not alone in its desire to use Sana to further its own ambition, but there are also a number of factions seeking to protect her knowing the horrific truth of the gladiators. Along the way, Sana and her companions find unlikely allies in a band of pirates as well as a rogue territory that opposes the class system of the ruling party.

The story is populated with eccentric characters, though most are not adequately developed in the brief twelve episodes the series spans. And while there is plenty of action, it fails to make a strong impression, as none of it is particularly well choreographed or visually remarkable.

The plot does contain one huge surprise that few will have seen coming, but that alone is not sufficient to compensate for what the series lacks. In the end, the story feebly delivers what could have been a strong warning about the dangers of messing with human life to advance society.