Plot/character elements shared by Soul Link and Murder Princess

[myopius]

Hey!

Spoiler for Introduction, feel free to skip:

It's been a while since I asked for a recommendation. I'm usually good at finding one myself, but this is kind of an odd one. That's because I can't simplify what I like to a particular story element or author, and MAL recommendations haven't worked for me.

I apologize for liberal use of bolds, I just wanted to be clear about what I'd like. If there's any chance I can get a real response, I want to minimize the # of misguided replies so that forumgoers won't be less inclined to click on my thread out of the idea that I have already been helped.

I think it's very possible no one what I'm talking about after I describe these "plot and character elements", but here goes.

Let me explain what I mean by "plot/character elements" for those 2 anime.

Soul Link was a short, probably low-budget 2006 anime adaptation of an eroge by Navel, the company that did Shuffle. I will quote a person on AniDB who criticized it, because what they criticized, I loved (read):

can't decide on a genre to use it for. Namely, it hops from one scenario to the next about every 3-4 episodes. What starts out as a ecchi space-moe tale soon leaps into a "Die Hard"-ish siege action phase, only to turn into cheap B-horror setting shortly after... which, in turn, is dropped for a pseudo-philosphical finale. Finally, add the fact that the plot repeatedly either relies on predictable twists or on totally cheesy/alien turns of events

Of course, I liked the moe, liked the action, like the horror, liked the philosophy...

On top of that, the characters were... well, they have good designs, and there's a large cast of them, and they have their own "back story" even if it is rushed. Their personalities tend to flow very well with the plot, making it more entertaining through their brief actions, rather than hijacking it with personality hang-ups.

So in other words, what I want for plot component = has several styles it goes through with little transition, while character component = lively and varied characters who don't take focus away from the plot.

Murder Princess is a short, 6-episode OVA with fairly decent budget that also suffered in ratings because of the plot component. I would say it's very similar to Soul Link in how plot twists were often quite unusual. Ancient technology, betrayal, robot lolis, body swap between warrior and princess. The characters essentially were half the plot, but as with Soul Link, they didn't hijack the plot (more than very briefly).

I'm currently aware of other titles by the same creators such as the MP manga author's Ratman, and Navel's Oretachi ni Tsubasa wa Nai and Shuffle, so no need to recommend those.

Feel free to recommend anime, manga, visual novels, or light novels (if light novels are allowed).

So here is my question:
Does anyone know one that has a combination of plot and character elements similar to what I described for Soul Link and Murder Princess, referencing my specific descriptions of what I appreciate about them?

I'm sure there's no perfect fit, but thanks in advance for any ideas that seem to approach that.

[klare]

i saw both of them and roughly know what u mean, but Soul Link only left me the impression of having very good OP and ED

anyway, u can try:

- Angel Beats (fits your char and plot requirements)

- Ga-Rei Zero

- Mezzo (the TV series)

- Birdy the Mighty (body swapping)

- Alien 9