Neo Tokyo Review

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• Neo Tokyo Reviews

It's not a secret that I have a soft spot for anthology films, animation anthologies in particular are often a sparkling well of creativity. Case in point: Neo-Tokyo (also known as Meiky Monogatari or Manie-Manie). It's a Project Team Argos and Madhouse co-production, adapting the work of Japanese sci-fi writer Taku Mayumura and bringing together a unique combination of talented directors. The result is 50 minutes of animation wonder in a project that easily withstands the test of time.

Located in Tokyo, near Zenpukuji Temple, Kujirazuka and Yoganji Temple, NEO TOKYO Shinagawa features free WiFi. All units are equipped with air conditioning, and some have a flat-screen TV, washing machine, a kettle, completed with a kitchen. Home › Anime › The Three Forgotten Stories: Neo-Tokyo Review. The Three Forgotten Stories: Neo-Tokyo Review By Alejandro Hajdar on August 25, 2011. ( 1). Released in September 25, 1987, Neo-Tokyo is an anthology of three short anime films made by three different Directors. Neo Tokyo video slot is the latest game powered by Ganapati software provider with 5 reels and an unconventional set of paylines set on a honeycomb. This is a futuristic-themed slot with cyberpunk love story which is of course set in the skyline of Tokyo. Audience Reviews for Neo-Tokyo. Made in 1986, Neo Tokyo is a collection of three animated shorts by famous animation directors Rintaro (Metropolis), Yoshiaki Kawajiri (Ninja Scroll. Neo Tokyo Review - Scrambled ThoughtsAnime Review - Chojin on Twitter - https://twitter.co.

The late '80 were a great time for Japanese animation. With films like Tenshi no Tamago, Oritsu Uchugun Oneamise no Tsubasa, Akira, Tonari no Totoro, Kido Keisatsu Patoreba: The Movie and Hotaru no Haka all released in under 4 years time, it was clear that something was bolstering over there. Meikyo Monogatari offered directors Yoshiaki Kawajiri, Katsuhiro Otomo and Rintaro a chance to show the world they deserved a place in that scene.

The first of the three shorts (Labyrinth*labyrinthos) is directed by Rintaro and serves as a small introduction to the other two short films. Even though it's very light on plot, there is a basic storyline about a clock serving as a portal to a labyrinth world, discovered by a little girl and her cat while playing hide and seek. It's a rather experimental short, toying around with outlandish camera angles, novel animation techniques (there are some very limited computer animations in there) and a very unique art style.

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Red star reviews. Labyrinth is not your typical anime short, then again Rintaro is not your typical anime director. There's also a short continuation at the end of the anthology, making it a rather strange but fulfilling wrapper episode, with enough wonder and stand-out moments to warrant it a 'full short' status. Just don't try to make too much sense of it, but approach it as a fever dream with a particular goal that needs to be met to kick off the other two shorts. 4.5*/5.0*

The second short is called Hashiru Otoko and is directed by Yoshiaki Kawajiri. Kawajiri made a name for himself directing anime classics like Wicked City, Monster City and Ninja Scroll, a very particular type of anime that introduced many boys in the West to the world of Japanese animation during the early 90s ( while also giving it somewhat of a bad rep over here because of the rather graphic gore and erotica that make up a huge part of these films).

Hashiru Otoko is a little different, as it focuses more on its scifi setting and on character development, playing like a darker and more serious version of Takeshi Koike's Redline. The film's about a legendary race car driver who eliminates his opponents with his telekinetic abilities. Things get hairy when his mind is starting to give in and he ends up racing his own mental image. While a bit cruder in style, the build-up of this short is excellent and the pay-off is more than worthy. 4.0*/5.0*

The final short (Koji Chushi Meirei) is helmed by Katsuhiro Otomo, a year before he would adapt Akira into a feature film. Still new to the field, Otomo used this chance to get acquainted with directing scifi material, something that would help him out when he finally got around to directing one of the biggest anime films ever made. The short tells the story of a young supervisor who is sent to shut down a self-sufficient plant in the middle of the rainforest.

His job is to stop the robots from finishing the plant as they're burning through raw materials, but that's easier said then done since the robots are programmed to deliver the plant on time. It's a cute little short, bristling with small details, crazy animation (Koji Morimoto was on the team as key animator) and quirky ideas. It's not as serious of Otomo's other films, but there's a clear underlying message about AI and robotics that has been gaining traction again the past few years (now that's we're actually nearing technology like the one displayed in this short). 4.5*/5.0*

Neo-Tokyo (together with Robot Carnival, another 1987 anthology sporting promising names) helped to pave the way for a respectable stream of animated anthology films coming out of Japan. Every few years a couple of directors come together to give the best of themselves, enjoying the freedom to make something that doesn't necessary needs to meet customer demands. They use this freedom remarkably well, which is why these type of films continue to pop up in my list of favorites. If you're into animation, Neo-Tokyo is a definite recommend. How to play bingo in vegas. The film has clearly aged, but the animation is still impressive and there's still enough left to wow you into liking it.

Synopsis

Neo Tokyo is a three-part anthology of fantasy and science fiction anime short-films from the minds of Rintaro, Yoshiaki Kawajiri, and Katsuhiro Otomo.

Review

Neo Tokyo is what happens when you take three famous anime craftsmen and give them a budget and free reign to let their imaginations run wild. Neo Tokyo pulls three vastly unconnected stories together, and makes it all work as a fantastical whole.

The first story-Labyrinth-is, by far, the most surreal of the three short films. Rintaro takes the helm of this story which revolves around a little girl named Satchie who's feverish imagination gets the better of her as she ventures through the looking glass, Alice in Wonderland style. Her reluctant and terrified cat, named Cicerone joins her on this wild ride against its will, and they both enter a world filled with strange creatures, surreal sights, and a circus that are visually reminiscent of the works of cartoonist Gerald Scarfe. The film has little to no dialogue, except for the beginning, and tells what scanty story the anime has purely through action. Despite some of the dark imagery that is laced through the visuals in this short, Satchie is never portrayed as a scared child, but as a curious observer and even Cicerone learns to enjoy the whimsical ride. Symbolically, the anime is about the power of imagination, as well as an allegory for the fear of the unknown, and the joy of discovery. All in all, it ends on a rapturous note.

Neo Tokyo Reviews

The second story of this triad of short films-The Running Man-does not end so pleasantly. Unlike the dark, yet whimsically upbeat imagery of Labyrinth, the world of The Running Man is centered around a cruel, nightmarish dystopia and focuses on a man named Zack Hugh. Zack is a champion racer who literally becomes one with his car as he, little by little, loses his humanity. The entire story is told through the eyes of a reporter who acts as nothing but an observer to his violent end. Visually, there is nothing in The Running Man that is original, the world feels like another Blade Runner incarnation with grime covered buildings glossed over by neon-billboards displaying cheap consumer goods. The story can be called a cautionary tale about mankind's incessant obsession with technology and how it dehumanizes us. This dehumanization leads to the literal death of Zack Hugh, and is exhibited in one of the most beautifully horrific ways imaginable. Oddly enough, this part of Neo Tokyo feels out of place when in comparison to the other two, for its violence.

The final segment of Neo Tokyo-The Order to Stop Construction-is (subjectively speaking) the best one of the triad. In its own way, it is a light comedy that also acts as a parable for technology that goes out of control. Being that this part of the anime omnibus was put together by Katsuhiro Otomo, the theme of technology going haywire is a strong one. But unlike some of the other works by Otomo such as Akira, Steamboy, and Roujin Z, the theme of technology going bad is presented in a less threatening fashion in part of the main character, Sugioka. The character design of Sugioka is comical, and acts as a satire on the stereotypical Japanese salaryman; his hair is neatly-parted, he has a chipmunk overbite, and his glasses are as thick rimmed as can be. Sugioka is sent to a fictional South American nation to halt a construction that his company began, a while back, in the Amazon. He is the only human at the site, and the robot foreman in charge of construction has been programmed to finish the job. No matter what. This is where man and machine clash, and since Sugioka is viewed as a threat to the completion of the project, he is kept locked up in his office by the robot foreman.

The second short is called Hashiru Otoko and is directed by Yoshiaki Kawajiri. Kawajiri made a name for himself directing anime classics like Wicked City, Monster City and Ninja Scroll, a very particular type of anime that introduced many boys in the West to the world of Japanese animation during the early 90s ( while also giving it somewhat of a bad rep over here because of the rather graphic gore and erotica that make up a huge part of these films).

Hashiru Otoko is a little different, as it focuses more on its scifi setting and on character development, playing like a darker and more serious version of Takeshi Koike's Redline. The film's about a legendary race car driver who eliminates his opponents with his telekinetic abilities. Things get hairy when his mind is starting to give in and he ends up racing his own mental image. While a bit cruder in style, the build-up of this short is excellent and the pay-off is more than worthy. 4.0*/5.0*

The final short (Koji Chushi Meirei) is helmed by Katsuhiro Otomo, a year before he would adapt Akira into a feature film. Still new to the field, Otomo used this chance to get acquainted with directing scifi material, something that would help him out when he finally got around to directing one of the biggest anime films ever made. The short tells the story of a young supervisor who is sent to shut down a self-sufficient plant in the middle of the rainforest.

His job is to stop the robots from finishing the plant as they're burning through raw materials, but that's easier said then done since the robots are programmed to deliver the plant on time. It's a cute little short, bristling with small details, crazy animation (Koji Morimoto was on the team as key animator) and quirky ideas. It's not as serious of Otomo's other films, but there's a clear underlying message about AI and robotics that has been gaining traction again the past few years (now that's we're actually nearing technology like the one displayed in this short). 4.5*/5.0*

Neo-Tokyo (together with Robot Carnival, another 1987 anthology sporting promising names) helped to pave the way for a respectable stream of animated anthology films coming out of Japan. Every few years a couple of directors come together to give the best of themselves, enjoying the freedom to make something that doesn't necessary needs to meet customer demands. They use this freedom remarkably well, which is why these type of films continue to pop up in my list of favorites. If you're into animation, Neo-Tokyo is a definite recommend. How to play bingo in vegas. The film has clearly aged, but the animation is still impressive and there's still enough left to wow you into liking it.

Synopsis

Neo Tokyo is a three-part anthology of fantasy and science fiction anime short-films from the minds of Rintaro, Yoshiaki Kawajiri, and Katsuhiro Otomo.

Review

Neo Tokyo is what happens when you take three famous anime craftsmen and give them a budget and free reign to let their imaginations run wild. Neo Tokyo pulls three vastly unconnected stories together, and makes it all work as a fantastical whole.

The first story-Labyrinth-is, by far, the most surreal of the three short films. Rintaro takes the helm of this story which revolves around a little girl named Satchie who's feverish imagination gets the better of her as she ventures through the looking glass, Alice in Wonderland style. Her reluctant and terrified cat, named Cicerone joins her on this wild ride against its will, and they both enter a world filled with strange creatures, surreal sights, and a circus that are visually reminiscent of the works of cartoonist Gerald Scarfe. The film has little to no dialogue, except for the beginning, and tells what scanty story the anime has purely through action. Despite some of the dark imagery that is laced through the visuals in this short, Satchie is never portrayed as a scared child, but as a curious observer and even Cicerone learns to enjoy the whimsical ride. Symbolically, the anime is about the power of imagination, as well as an allegory for the fear of the unknown, and the joy of discovery. All in all, it ends on a rapturous note.

Neo Tokyo Reviews

The second story of this triad of short films-The Running Man-does not end so pleasantly. Unlike the dark, yet whimsically upbeat imagery of Labyrinth, the world of The Running Man is centered around a cruel, nightmarish dystopia and focuses on a man named Zack Hugh. Zack is a champion racer who literally becomes one with his car as he, little by little, loses his humanity. The entire story is told through the eyes of a reporter who acts as nothing but an observer to his violent end. Visually, there is nothing in The Running Man that is original, the world feels like another Blade Runner incarnation with grime covered buildings glossed over by neon-billboards displaying cheap consumer goods. The story can be called a cautionary tale about mankind's incessant obsession with technology and how it dehumanizes us. This dehumanization leads to the literal death of Zack Hugh, and is exhibited in one of the most beautifully horrific ways imaginable. Oddly enough, this part of Neo Tokyo feels out of place when in comparison to the other two, for its violence.

The final segment of Neo Tokyo-The Order to Stop Construction-is (subjectively speaking) the best one of the triad. In its own way, it is a light comedy that also acts as a parable for technology that goes out of control. Being that this part of the anime omnibus was put together by Katsuhiro Otomo, the theme of technology going haywire is a strong one. But unlike some of the other works by Otomo such as Akira, Steamboy, and Roujin Z, the theme of technology going bad is presented in a less threatening fashion in part of the main character, Sugioka. The character design of Sugioka is comical, and acts as a satire on the stereotypical Japanese salaryman; his hair is neatly-parted, he has a chipmunk overbite, and his glasses are as thick rimmed as can be. Sugioka is sent to a fictional South American nation to halt a construction that his company began, a while back, in the Amazon. He is the only human at the site, and the robot foreman in charge of construction has been programmed to finish the job. No matter what. This is where man and machine clash, and since Sugioka is viewed as a threat to the completion of the project, he is kept locked up in his office by the robot foreman.

Visually, this is a stunning piece of work and is the most believable of the three stories. The robots of the construction site work endlessly through the grime and sludge of the harsh natural world, and end up falling apart because of it. The construction site is a sprawling network of machines that infringe upon the beauty of the natural habitat. Sugioka's cartoonish frustration at the machines apparent inability to heed his order for the construction to stop is amusing, and acts as a catalyst for most of the humor. This was a short, but sweet, film and is one Otomo's best works.

Conclusively, Neo Tokyo is not the most spectacular anthology of anime out there (compared to, say, Robot Carnival) but it does more than hold its own, and has enough intriguing ideas and fascinating imagery to warrant a viewing or two. In hindsight, it was well worth the $7.99 bargain bin price at the video store.

An anime that utilizes visuals to their full potential and earns its solid four star rating. Take away a star if the violence in The Running Man disturbs you. — Dallas Marshall

Recommended Audience: Aside from the violent scenes in the running man, I do not understand why ADV films rated this DVD with a TV MA rating, though that segment is best viewed by adults. 'Labyrinth' and 'The Order to Stop Construction' can be safely viewed by younger viewers.