Animatrix

Having never seen the Matrix, but being a loyal anime collector, I came across this high ranked animated feature.

Never in my life has I seen something as close as brilliant and poetically nightmarish that Ghost in the Shell has delivered, bringing the Matrix franchise closer to "art and soul" than "blockbuster".

Some of the amazingly dramatic episodes in this feature may make Animatrix a parallel brother to Ghost in the Shell itself. And the animation is very dreamy and expertly crafted, the second best thing that this feature will bring you.

If anime is your thing, or the matrix, or getting started to both, I couldn't recommend this higher.

Animatrix is composed of nine excellent episodes, each of them of running time of about ten (10) minutes, showing parts of the concept and universe of 'Matrix'. There are at least three films that are outstanding: the first one ("Final Flight of the Osiris"), which uses the same technique as 'Final Fantasy', and the second and third movies ('The Second Renaissance I & II"), where the war between humans and the machines is explained in details. I watched this series of short movies two days ago, but I intended to see them again and again, to catch more details, especially in the extras of the DVD. The fans of Sci-Fi in general (and 'Matrix') and animes will love this DVD. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "Animatrix"

This was the most brilliantly interpreted, scripted and thought provoking thing I have seen in a very long time. The DVD gives you background filler for what the Matrix is and the Wachowski brothers allow some of Japan's best anime artists to interpret the 9 different stories on their own. I think, just like art, each viewer will have a different type of experience. You have 9 wonderful compelling stories and the visual style is so different that it adds much value to the telling of the stories. The brothers had a vision and clearly the Matrix affected many people and, what a wonderful gift they gave by incorporating the world of anime into the telling of their vision. But not only is it visually stunning and stylish, but the music is dead on. There are all sorts of morals in the stories. From SECOND RENNAISSANCE'S man's destructive nature and his down fall, to the sort of, don't-play-with-fire nature of MATRICULATED and the playfulness and joy of BEYOND. Plus the DVD special features take us into each director of each piece explaining his "art" and how the film the Matrix affected them. We even get a little history on the origins of anime. It was just really enjoyable to watch people who are so passionate about their craft and about the Matrix. I think you will enjoy this immensely and take something out of it yourself.

Art is beautiful, beautiful as the world outside and the world inside. Such is the case with movies, which is has excelled at a purely imaginative and visual level. A concept is born, yes, but what is more important is that it is fleshed out in grand and spectacular form in uniqueness and inspiration. Art is what an individual expresses in pictures and ideas and imagination. If art is to be fully realized in a bold and grand vision, the creator must take many steps to make sure that it is unique and impressive. It must break new ground with originality and ingenuity, a long and quite arduous task, but grants rewarding results. And with that, a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction is felt heartily within the soul of the creator and as well in the viewer.

Movies are an expression and also an art medium, spanning decades from the 18th century and now in the 21st century. But another medium exists, born from distant lands with a different culture and different view on the take of art. In Japan, anime was born. Anime are cartoons or drawings told in Japanese style with deep and compelling story lines. Since then its popularity has exploded with Western audiences and worldwide. Unlike traditional animation, which caters to American audiences, anime is culturally different in that its characters and style is more centered on drama and dialog rather than on pure action and one-liners.

1999. A year that a remarkable science fiction film graced American and world audiences. That film was The Matrix. Directed by Andy and Larry Wachowski, the film was a box-office smash hit and became the most successful film in the genre. It was influenced by anime and comic books as well as philosophy. The nature of the film deals with perceptions of reality and the role in discovering the true nature of the "world". It also spawned two sequels which expanded the storyline of the Matrix, but never explored the Matrix itself; leading to some criticism from moviegoers and critics alike. However, the Animatrix is a cool gem in itself that more than garners interest in the world of the Matrix.

Told in a series of 9 vignettes, the Animatrix is a new take on the Matrix concept as it explores the back stories of the first film and features new exciting tales for fans of the films and anime lovers. As in the case of the other reviews on this site, no details will be revealed. Just like in the original film, you have to see it for yourself.

To see the Matrix universe in film version is great but to see it expanded in anime form is simply breathtaking. The visuals are so out of this world and engrossing that you can't help but be immersed in its world. It is truly something to experience and a sight to behold.

A marvelous way to tell a story from a different artistic perspective. Check it out for yourself and appreciate it all over.

The Wachowski brothers managed to create an inspiring new sci-fi universe when they released their now-classic "The Matrix" in 1999. The premise of a virtual world where the mind "lives" proved to be limitless with the release of this collection of 8 animated shorts; each one of them exploring the Wachowski's "Matrix" universe in very different and interesting ways. With superb animation by veterans of different styles of animation, some of "The Animatrix" shorts at times feel even better than the Matrix series themselves.

Andy Jones, one of the minds behind "Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within", starts with "The Final Flight of the Osiris", a movie done completely with computer generated graphics that shows a race against time in order to warn the citizens of the rebel city of Zion that the machines found them and are going to destroy them. The beautiful and fluid animation is very good, but overall the story doesn't live up to the expectations. It is a cold start, but very good after all.

Veteran animator Mahiro Maeda continues with a 2 part story called "Second Renaissance", a story detailing the events that lead to the creation of the Matrix which easily ranks among the best shorts of the compilation. Its fabulous animation done in anime style is visually beautiful and in a short time it tells a powerful story with a great message. True masterpiece.

Shinichirô Watanabe, director of the acclaimed "Cowboy Bebop" directs two segments, "Kid's Story" and "a Detective Story". The first one is a bit uneven, with good animation but a weak story. No wonder why it is the shortest of all as it has no place for development. On the other hand, "A Detective Story" is a brilliant segment very reminiscent of Watanabe's own "Cowboy Bebop". Mixing perfectly film noir with the Matrix universe, this superb anime is definitely a must-see.

Another big name of anime, Yoshiaki Kawajiri, directs "Program", dealing with the doubts of those who have been awakened of the Matrix. With a beautiful setting in Medieval Japan, Kawajiri manage to show true emotions through the vivid visuals. I feel this short is a bit underrated and that it is more than what it seems.

The lead animator of the world famous "Ninja Scroll" (1993), Takeshi Koike, directs "World Record"; an interesting tale of a man who manage to awake by his own means, while trying to break the 100m dash time world record. While the story is top notch, the stylish design for the characters at times looks a bit too over-the-top, however, it still is one of the best shorts of "The Animatrix".

Koji Morimoto directs one of the most most imaginative shorts in the collection: "Beyond". A tale about a place where "The Matrix" has had a processing error, turning it into a "haunted house" where some kids go to test reality and go literally beyond imagination. This short truly shows what anime really is about, with an enormous display of creativity, not only in the visuals, but also in the writing.

Finally, "Æon Flux"'s creator Peter Chung delivers the grim "Matriculated". A tale about a group of humans who try to "humanize" the machines. Despite it's dark tone, this is probably the most optimistic short, and the most humane. The animation feels like another chapter of Chung's famous miniseries, so fans of his work will be pleased.

"The Animatrix" is definitely a must-see for any fan of sci-fi, as in the tradition of "Heavy Metal", it explores different aspects of science fiction, going even beyond what "The Matrix" movies have done. 8/10