FilmRoar

A must have for Matrix fans, The Animatrix (2003) is a collection of nine animated shorts by some of Japan’s top anime artists. Some segments are better than others and some more important to understanding the Matrix Universe. I believe the nine segments each deserve their own short review:

4 - Good
Final Flight of the Osiris is written by the Wachowski brothers, and directed by Andy Jones who was animation director for Square USA’s hyper-realistic animated movie Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within (2001). They were able to use the same models of the universe and machines created for the special effects of the Matrix trilogy and the story is written to dovetail right in between The Matrix (1999) and The Matrix Reloaded (2003) giving FF a unique status among the shorts of feeling more like a continuation of the movies than an independent entity. Given the freedom of a digital reality the synthespians were able to deliver a training room fight scene and acrobatics beyond anything we have seen their flesh and blood counterparts perform. There is still unsettling about the unnatural way that the natural looking creations move, but Final Flight is still an impressive showcase of what advances in animation software and processing power have made possible for virtual world creation.

4 - Good
Second Renaissance Parts I and II are also written by the Wachowskis and fill in the missing pieces of the Matrix storyline. The story explains how it is that human created machines came to claim independence and eventually turn against their creators bringing us from current times to the future of the Matrix. I was a bit disappointed with the explanation that was offered (and can see why people are calling for a tie in to the Terminator series) but thought the format of the story was superb. Primarily news-reel looking footage is used to explain events up until the war, then once records are ‘no longer available’ symbolic and iconographic representations take over. The animation directed by Mahiro Maeda (Robot Carnival (1987), Laputa: Castle in the Sky (1986), Blue Submarine No. 6 (1998) (V)) is a superb demonstration of Anime in it’s top form.

2 - OK
Program was probably the short I least enjoyed. The interesting story is done up by Yoshiaki Kawajiri (Demon City Shinjuku (1988), Ninja Scroll (1995), Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust (2000)) in a highly stylized very Japanese animation form that is frankly distracting and at times ugly. Watching this segment with the director and producer commentary turned on was a bit of a laugh, they keep complimenting each other on how Japanese the animation is to the point of being ridiculous.

2 - OK
World Record, directed by another Ninja Scroll veteran Takeshi Koike also had an animation style that was very artistic but not very palatable. The story of an athlete who becomes aware of the Matrix by realizing he can perform what should be a superhuman feet of speed also seemed rather weak.

3 - Enjoyed it
Kid’s Story again broke from standard animation form, this time using rotoscoping to draw distorted heavy-line fast flowing action. Shinichirô Watanabe (“Cowboy Bebop” (1998)) shows a great sense of timing as he relays the story of a young hacker perused by agents after he starts to discover ‘the truth’. All of you who wonder who the kid (that thanks Neo for saving him) in Reloaded is need to watch this segment for the answer.

3 - Enjoyed it
A Detective Story also by Watanabe had a unique visual style using a grainy black and white and Film Noir techniques that I really enjoyed. The story was not great, but the alternate vision of life inside the Matrix was quite excellent.

5 – Whoa!
Beyond was by far my favorite piece in the set. Kouji Morimoto (Robot Carnival (1987), Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989), Akira (1988)) excels in building a beautiful and magical world where a group of kids enjoy the effects created by some code-gone-bad governing a group of buildings in the Matrix. The kids play at jumping into a zone where the laws of gravity are loosely defined and at catching a bottle they find will reform every time it is thrown and shattered. The lovingly completed delicate animation imbues the characters and the story with feeling and sentiment missing from other pieces and from most animation.

3 - Enjoyed it
Matriculated is Peter Chung’s (“Aeon Flux” (1995)) contribution to the set. In his highly recognizable and distinct style he tells us about a group of surface dwelling humans who use psychological reprogramming to turn captured machines to fight in their side of the war. While Chung’s animation is not among my favorites it is always refreshing to see work from someone with such talent and style.

The Animatrix DVD also includes a number of extras including a superb documentary “Scrolls to Screen: The History and Culture of Anime” with commentary by Frederik Schodt, author of Manga! Manga!: The World of Japanese Comics, a book dear to my heart. I found a copy of “Manga! Manga!” at my local public library when I was in middle school and read it front to cover a few times in fascination. Though The Animatrix is uneven in the quality of the included shorts I nevertheless recommend it to both fans of The Matrix and of Anime.

There are additional images posted under:
Film Roar: Additional Animatrix Images