Katsuhiro Otomo Presents: Memories

Director: Kôji Morimoto, Tensai Okamura, Katsuhiro Ôtomo
Studio: Sony Pictures
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com

Although these three shorts were made to be shown together, they have little in common beside lavish production values. In "Magnetic Rose," a two-bit salvage rig answers an SOS in deep space from the palatial ship of a former opera diva. Koji Morimoto (Fly Peek!) blends shimmering visuals and snatches of Puccini, turning the derelict vessel into a lovely, fatal siren's song. Nerdy researcher Nobuo Tanaka takes an experimental drug and begins emitting a murderous gas in Tensai Okamura's (Kikaider) "Stink Bomb." Too silly to be scary, but too grim to be funny, it's the weakest entry. In "Cannon Fodder," Katsuhiro Otomo (Akira) uses long tracking shots and an acid palette of khaki greens and faded reds to depict a militarized civilization where gargantuan machines dominate vapid little people. This brief but timely vision of the insanity of war suggests a mixture of 19th century Prussia and World War II Japan. (Rated PG-13: profanity, violence, tobacco and alcohol use) --Charles Solomon

Description

The masters of anime join forces to create this stunning animated film featuring three separate stories: Magnetic Rose, Stink Bomb and Cannon Fodder. In Magnetic Rose, two space travellers are drawn into an asteroid world created by one woman's memories. In Stink Bomb, a young lab assistant accidentally transforms himself into a human biological weapon set on a direct course to Tokyo. Cannon Fodder depicts a day in the life of a city whose entire purpose is the firing of cannons at the enemy. Created by the world's leading animé talent: Koji Morimoto (The Animatrix), Tensai Okamuro (Android Kikaider: The Animation), Katsuhiro Ôtomo (Upcoming Steamboy, Akira), Satoshi Kon (Tokyo Godfathers, Millennium Actress, Perfect Blue).

Customer Reviews:

I got what I paid for.......2007-05-14

Memories lived up to my expectations, as did the shipping. It is worth the price for this classic masterpiece. If you like anime of any sort, this is the DVD for you.

Memories or not .... you be the judge..........2007-02-25

The movie is really three different short works. The first is "Magnetic Rose" where the crew of a space garbage collection ship answers a distress call. The two men who go into the wreckage to find the beacon get separated and confused by holographic programs, automated systems, and an AI of the original owner of the ship -- who believes she is alive. In "Stink Bomb" a young man gets a flu shot and goes to work where he takes a dose of an experimental drug rather the cold medicine he thought he was taking. The mix of drugs in his system has an strange and catastrophic effect on those around him. Then there is "Cannon Fodder" where we spend a day with a family who live in a city fighting a war. A war that they've fought so long that no one remembers who they are fighting anymore or even why.

All of these are beautifully rendered and each has their own unique look and mood from the dark, dreamy, chaotic feel of "Magnetic Rose", to the buccolic "Stink Bomb", and the urbanized, regementation of "Cannon Fodder". Each of the three pieces in some way hinge on memory -- to one degree or another -- but that link it sort of up to the viewer to make as they process the film after viewing.

Like most anime, you're dropped into the story and must make your own leaps of logic to pull it together and add the meaning to what is going on. They don't spoon feed you the 'message' of the film, it's for you to determine what it is.

Animation Masterpieces.......2006-09-03

Possibly the finest compliation of pieces ever put together. There is not a second of this DVD or its 3 movies that I am disappointed with. Magnetic Rose being my favorite of the three. Im not sure I could say it any better then some of the other reviwers on here. Just wanted to toss my two cents in.

Excellent Storytelling.......2005-10-19

Memories consists of three seperate Anime stories, all with their own style but with themes that are very alike, that being technology and its effect on humanity. Each story takes its own direction, with "Magnetic Rose" taking the horror side, "Stinkbomb" taking a comedic side, and "Cannon Fodder" taking a side somewhere between the both of them, with an emphasis on animation rather than story. When put together, Memories makes one great Anime film to sit down and watch all at once or seperately. This is a great film for introducing people to Japanese Animation. It's never too violent, there's no nudity, and it's not so serious as to strangle you with tension.

Great!.......2005-10-04

I loved Stink Bomb! It's on the scale of the classic Twilight Zone episodes! Great story with a great ending! Everything else is so high quality that it really makes you appreciate animation when it's done well.

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