Memories (1995) [Anime Review]

Memories; or, Space Butterfly
     Memories aren't an escape!
I think it would be fitting to begin this review by stating that After Akira there were Memories… How come no distribution label used this as a tagline?! So yes, indeed, Memories is an anime feature, an anthology of science-fiction tales to be exact, adapted from manga stories created by Katsuhiro Otomo.

Release Info

Directed by: Koji Morimoto, Tensai Okamura, Katsuhiro Otomo

Language: Japanese Original Title: メモリーズ Runtime: 113 min

Synopsis
The movie presents us with three stories: Magnetic Rose; Stink Bomb; Cannon Fodder. The first one is basically a rescue mission in deep space which goes totally wrong. The second one presents us with a scientific worker who wakes up from a nap and discovers that all of his colleagues are dead. Whereas the final vignette introduces a bizarre world of a society that is at war with an unknown enemy and their lives constantly revolve around cannons.

In the Realm of Sci-Fi
I do not want to call this movie a spiritual companion to Akira (1988), but it goes without saying that Memories bears a distinct auteur mark of Katsuhiro Otomo in terms of animation style, colours, and motion fluidity. Nevertheless, this is first and foremost a joint-project made by three directors and their distinct visions.

As a result, Koji Morimoto’s Magnetic Rose consumes the majority of the film’s runtime, and rightfully so, because it is a stunning piece of sci-fi storytelling. It obviously takes visual cues from Alien (1979) and 2010: The Year We Make Contact (1984), but this segment also manages to precede with its ingenious storyline Paul W. S. Anderson’s Event Horizon (1997). Magnetic Rose is an enchanting (Madama Butterfly!) yet at the same time demanding viewing experience. I felt so exhausted towards the end that I had to take a break and check out the remaining parts of Memories later on.

Tensai Okamura’s segment called Stink Bomb is undoubtedly the most light-hearted one in the entire movie. Thanks to bright visuals and kick-ass jazz/funk music score by Jun Miyake, the viewers can have a laugh at the wild misadventures of Nobuo Tanaka, a nerdy scientist who is determined to transport a top-secret drug from Kofu to Tokyo at all costs! This is my personal favourite segment, and allegedly, it was inspired by a real-life incident that took place in the US in 1994.

Last but not least, there is Katsuhiro Otomo’s Cannon Fodder. This is, unfortunately, the shortest segment of Memories, yet it does not mean that it is weak or bad. Within 20 minutes, Otomo really grabs you by the heart with his hot take on Fritz Lang’s Metropolis (1927) mixed with a touch of George Orwell’s 1984. Many questions were running through my head with regard to the setting, context, and characters, but Otomo does not provide any answers at all. When a child asks his father about the enemy they are fighting, the father does not provide the details but only replies, “You’ll understand when you get bigger.”

Recommendations
All things considered, I highly recommend Memories if you are in need for a dose of old-school anime science fiction. The movie was released last year on Blu-ray from Discotek Media. I believe it is also available on Tubi, at least according to the letterboxd site.Overall score: 8/10

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