A man from my old film days recommended this film to me. I took chance on it, and the recommendation delivered. What we have here is a poetic expression of tales woven together to form a tapestry about an extension of ourselves; the robot.
The robot is brought to us through a visual feast of respectable animation that shows us worlds and times beyond our imagination, and how those arenas and their players might play out.
Each one is touching in its own way, and delivers a nice message that can be appreciated by all. Whether you like action, some youthful romance, the tale of years, comedy, or just plain adventure, this film is for you.
Reminder, this is an anthology, so the pacing is going to be a little slow. But the showcase revealed to the curious minded audience that has a hankerin for good "Japanimation" will be very pleased.
Me, I happen upon the film a year or two after it was released. I then bought a VHS in the mid to late 90s, and happened upon a special edition DVD from Japan when the film was first reissued. The DVD gives a magnificent picture and overall rendering of this incredibly beautiful film.
I'm not certain I would call it family friendly, but kids over a certain age (pre-teens) and maybe just a little bit younger, might appreciate it. There is some mild violence and just some plain wacky and bizarre situations that might spook really young viewers, so guidance is suggested here. But, boys and girls and parents alike should find this an interesting watch.
Me, I like it on its own merits. I think it's an intimate look at how people might interface with technology in a variety of settings. This is anime before anime became an international sensation; i.e. during the time when the US, Canada and the UK were the primary export markets for Japanese films.
Please watch and enjoy this film. You won't regret it.
