Memories: Otomo Katsuhiro

^Memories is an 1995 anime movie made by Katsuhiro Otomo, comprising three short stories that were based on an Otomo's manga of the same name. Although produced by Otomo, each story in Memories is directed by a different person. But that doesn't take any merit to this movie - I think it only adds to the overall quality of Memories!

Before I continue, I feel obliged to praise my fellow Hubber Dohn121 - he's been a constant presence through my hubs and always adds something to my writings. And it was him also that recommended me this incredible anime movie, that could have gone unnoticed by me otherwise. 1up to you Dohn!

Well, if you read any of my other reviews you should know this by now: The plot!

All of these stories are short indeed... but they are intense, very well written and even the shortest ones (Cannon Fodder only lasts 15 minutes or so) can make you connect with the characters and at the same time convey a great deal of emotions - which can be as diverse as fear, repulsion, confusion, sadness or an outright urge to roll on the floor laughing!

This happens because each of the stories are completely different from each other. I will now elaborate on each one of them...

Magnetic Rose, directed by Koji Morimoto, is the biggest chapter in Memories and considered by many the best one. Myself thinks, quite humbly, that all the three stories are great!

So what is Magnetic Rose? Well, upon viewing, I would call it one of the best space-ghost-opera I have ever seen! Basically a space freighter receives a strange distress call from a remote location in deep space, a ship graveyard, where countless spaceships hang around in a huge pile of debris due to a powerful magnetic field that surrounds the area.

Upon arriving, they discover that the SOS is coming from a derelict space station. Two men are sent to investigate and when they enter, that's when the fun starts! Not only them, but even you, are in for a hell of a ride. You'll soon find yourself wondering what's real and what's not, as dreams and reality mix up, in what appears to be the home of a beautiful opera diva.

Magnetic Rose is, in my view, the story truest to the overall theme of the movie, as it portrays in a surreal way the power of memories, how they surround and affect us (yes, because no one is immune to our memories, especially the most painful ones).

Full of incredible imagery and with Yoko Kanno's amazing (as usual ^_^') soundtrack, including a disturbingly good interpretation of Puccini opera by Maria Callas, Magnetic rose is an hymn to the senses and reaches right at our heart.

And I won't say more, because you know I hate spoilers :)

Stink Bomb, directed by Tensai Okamura, is the comical piece of this set! A black, satirical and brilliant comedy by the way!

You'll laugh like hell with the misfortune of a young lab researcher that takes the wrong pills. Instead of getting better from the cold and dripping nose that's been hassling him for days he falls asleep for a whole day! When he wakes up... all his lab is dead (or comatose, you can't really be certain about it ^_^).

Turns out he took a experimental drug by accident that makes him a living biochemical weapon! And what a weapon! Muahhahahahah!!! (yes, I won't say more about this, you just have to watch it!). The best part is that he doesn't even realise he's the actual cause of all the mayhem. But the Japanese authorities know it, and try at all costs to stop his movements - and failing miserably everytime, for an added comic effect!

You'll find surprises in every corner of Stink Bomb and you'll laugh with each one of them - especially the grand finale!

Cannon Fodder was directed by Katshuiro Otomo himself and is the shortest story of Memories. Despite of that, it's the 'heavier' one, in the sense that in those 15 minutes it delivers the most powerful message of the three - being a strong surrealistic critic to the cynicism and ugliness of War.

In Cannon Fodder you will follow just an average day of a family. It starts and ends with a child in the bed...

But the town where he wakes up everyday and where everyday he lies down is unique. It's a walled city, perpetually at war, filled with cannons - from the giant ones, that are fired constantly, to cannons the size of a cork, they use cannons to everything in the city. In fact, the very existence of this nameless city depends on the existence of cannons and on the war effort against an unseen enemy, but that is always nearby (at least, that's what all the media says so).

Watching Cannon Fodder reminds me immediately of George Orwell's 1984 novel where people become mere puppets of the regime, behind the dystopian smoking glass created by authorities. A world where the brightest future possible is to be the man that fires the cannon...

... you definitely must watch Otomo's Memories.

You'll find something there for everyone, anime hardcore fans or just your random film critic.

Magnetic Rose will stun anyone that loves a good sci-fi plot. With mind-boggling scenes, awesome music and a great detail to the behaviour of objects in sub-gravity environments, this story will make you start thinking about strong themes such as loneliness, memories and self-delusion.

Stink Bomb can make even an autistic person smile, with all the chaotic nonsense that's involved! With funky jazz background music, you'll love this story even better if you have a fascination about weaponry, because you'll see with great detail animated replicas of most of japan's war tools (tanks, planes, heavy artillery, you name it, everything appears in this one! - even NASA).

Cannon Fodder is the less-likable of the stories. I guess many people can't cope with all the implicit critique present. But I disagree. To me Cannon Fodder is quite unique. Animation geeks like me appreciate finer details - like the fact that this whole chapter was done in a continuous shot (yep, that's right... watch it again and you'll notice... the 'camera' never stops rolling - no image cuts for 15 minutes - this is unbelievable hard work in anime!). And the theme of war is universal and we should never discredit it. Because history tends to repeat itself...

The common denominator is this: all of these stories are well written and achieve the goal they were created. And, most of all, they make you think! (well, Stink Bomb, makes you think of silly things, but still does!)

So, 5 Stars to Memories!!! It's really deserved!

The videos posted on this page concerning the anime show were not uploaded by me on the video servers. They have lower quality than the originals and it's main purpose is for the viewer to have contact with a work not seen previously.

If you liked what you saw PLEASE BUY the original product in the links of Amazon I provided or in another official retailer.