Noir

A select few items actually distinguish out from their contemporaries.
Every so often, a series will bring together all the threads that things before and after have attempted to connect but failed to do.
Examples from the fantasy genre include Fullmetal Alchemist, Ghost in the Shell, a work of post-cyberpunk science fiction, and Azumanga Daioh, a work of slice-of-life comedy.
Noir is another in the somewhat specialized proto-genre of "ladies with firearms." 

Noir's premise isn't particularly original; in fact, it's a patchwork of tired ideas. An amnesiac who can't decide if her incredible fighting skills or total lack of regret are more odd team up with a wronged and vengeful assassin to learn the truth about both of their pasts, and they learn more than either of them anticipated.
Add one part Luc Besson, one part HKBO, one part spy thriller, a pinch of memory loss, and one part anime. 

STRUCTURE

In that almost every episode, our heroines have someone new to kill, a new location to do it, and something new to consider in how they do it and how they relate to one another, the structure of this 26-episode series works as a perfect blend of the overarching plot and episodic formats; however, each episode a little more is revealed to them about the power behind the shadows - the pacing is slow, but perfect. 

The plot is the only thing that each and every episode is about.
Additionally, it keeps you in suspense and does a great job of preserving the air of mystery. Every time a new piece of the jigsaw is added, the overall picture is slightly altered, the goal posts are adjusted, and new questions must be addressed.
This is by far the best assassin movie or secret society tale I have ever seen, and I don't just mean anime. Noir's story is complicated, meaty, demanding of attention, and, in the end, immensely fulfilling. 

CAST

The cast is small, and there is not a lot of dialogue.
Kirika Yuumura, a Japanese schoolgirl who has amnesia and is extremely shy and reclusive, seems to have trouble interacting with others.
Her business partner, seasoned Corsican assassin Mireille Bouquet, does not share her early unwillingness to completely accept her own brutal, cold-hearted ruthlessness.
Their relationship is tense, fragile, and fascinating; she is considerably more outgoing than he is, but also much more vulnerable in some aspects. 

The conversations between these two are made incredibly entertaining and convincing by the excellent acting of Kotono Mitsuishi and Houko Kuwashima.
Though even this fantastic dynamic can only hope to survive 26 episodes, Chloe, the knife-throwing, child-voiced character, always manages to spice things up.
She rattles up these connections just perfectly and keeps everything nicely off balance. She is a completely mysterious character who comes out of left field.
Scenes between these three very different characters are tense and electric, and Aya Hisakawa's inventive voicing, plain demeanor, and naivety give her a marvellously weird air.
Though the scripting is limited, everything of the dialogue appears natural, and every line rings true. 

Noir is not one of the most well-known anime series, but its music is by far its most well-known feature.
Although Yuki Kajiura had previously created a few anime soundtracks, Noir's musical score is essentially what first caught the attention of anime OST enthusiasts, and Noir is frequently listed among the top ten anime soundtracks of all time.