Memories (1995)

 

Memories (1995)

 

8/10

Starring the voices of 

Tsutomu Isobe

Shouzou Iizuka

Kouichi Yamadera

 

Directed by:

Kōji Morimoto (Magnetic Rose)

Tensai Okamura (Stink Bomb)

Katsuhiro Otomo (Chief, Cannon Fodder)

 

Memories is not your typical anime anthology, it is three completely different sci-fi stories that somehow work together to give you something unforgettable. The movie has a nice Japanese voice cast and wonderful score.

A friend suggested it, and I took my time to see it, and I can tell you I will not forget this gem. There are some amazing anime classics from the 90s that I am just getting to know, and this is one of them.

The first story in this anthology is called Magnetic Rose, and that story alone is enough reason to see this film. It is a psychological horror that gives off Alien (Ripley) vibes.

Magnetic Rose is about space salvagers who pick up a distress call. They respond by going to a space station located somewhere they have never been before, and all around this station is what looks like a spaceship graveyard. Two of the crew members, Heintz and Miguel, go onboard, only to discover it is haunted by the memories of a dead opera singer.

In just 45 minutes you get characters you actually care about like Heintz, who is grieving over his daughter, Miguel losing himself in the illusions, and it all feels so heavy and so real. Most movies cannot build this much in two hours, but here you are watching it unfold, and it is terrifying and beautiful all at once.

Then the second story, Stink Bomb, comes at you from a completely different angle. A lab worker pops the wrong pills and suddenly he is a walking bioweapon, killing thousands just by existing, while having no clue what is happening. The dark comedy works so well because the man is just clueless, while the government and military are running around like headless chickens trying to stop him. It is funny, sad, and scary all at the same time.

The third story, Cannon Fodder, is like stepping into a dystopian painting. A city built only to fire cannons at an enemy we never see, where every single person’s life is wrapped up in this endless machine of war. It is animated as one continuous shot, which makes it suffocating to watch, like you are trapped in that city with them.

The animation across the three is insane for 1995. Each story has its own look, for instance, Magnetic Rose is lush and operatic, Stink Bomb feels cartoonish but dark, and Cannon Fodder is grimy and industrial, like living inside a war poster.

Now, here is the thing, the problem with Memories is that Magnetic Rose is such a masterpiece that the other two can feel weaker next to it. They are good, don’t get me wrong, but the first one sets the bar so high it is almost unfair. Also, Cannon Fodder is just 15 minutes long, so just when you are fully inside that world, it ends.

This is a wonderful anime to see, and I can guarantee that even the weakest of the stories will entertain you.