Robot Carnival

👽 Zara 👽4.5

i CRAVE an an anime based on star light angel that shit was breathtaking bro

Blake Bergman "Various Spaghetti"4.5

"Robot Carnival" is a 1987 anime anthology film assembling nine different distinctive segments of respective visions from prevalent directors within the genre at the time. Thematically, the film follows segmented cyber punk based robotic sequences, but other than that there is no clear sequence of events in which a clear narrative follows. It's a wonderful choose-your-own adventure that each respective animator gets to travel down. In this vein there is some sequences that play into dramatic fashion, some dive into comedy or action aspects. Also, as some seem more formal in their narrative delivery, some are completely surreal, each being a carried over work of art with a clear distinctive style that translates directly from the artist's hand.I was especially drawn to a segment entitled "Cloud" from director/animator Manabu Ōhashi. As much of the rest of the film is fast paced with a plethora of colors (which is wonderful in delivery) this excerpt of "Cloud" is a slow progressional build about a sole robot that travels with minimal movement in the corner of the frame with the evolutionary construction and deconstruction of man occurring in the background. It becomes a wonderful metaphoric progression of art that proves that slow stylings can be equally as meaningful if not more than something immensely fast paced. That scene in particular sucked me into a channel focus on this film that is really an exuberant parade of different stylings that comes together for a masterful piece.

Kaijuman5.0

Anime Marches On! 2019Bonus: Robot Carnival My history with this movie goes back over a decade ago. Way back when I was first being introduced to my dads anime collection, I was absorbing to such content. While I couldn’t yet watch my dads more “mature” anime’s (Plastic Little, Wicked City, New Cutey Honey and so forth) I was experiencing Lupin the 3rd, Venus Wars, Ninja Scroll (select scenes my dad let me watch), El Hazard, Demon City Shinjuku, and of course Robot Carnival.I was always split on it, some segments where cool as hell while others bored My young self to tears. As I grew up the OVA grew on me, what I used to find plodding and dull now was wonderfully crafted and unique. It now sits as one of my favorite anime’s.While every segment of this is an accomplishment in its own right, some still stick out more than others:Presence (directed by Yasuomi Umetsu the creator of Kite) is absolutely stunning in every regard. The animation pops in its color and design, the story is beautifully melancholic, and the piano piece accompanying it is haunting.Cloud (directed by Manabu Ôhashi who’s animation credits include Metropolis and Golgo 13) is mesmerizing from start to finish. It follows a young robot as he wanders through history, witnessing the rise and fall of mankind. The animation is done in a scratchboard style that looks utterly gorgeous. I heavily suggest checking this part out, even if you have no interest in the movie as a whole.Chicken Man and Red Neck (directed by Takashi Nakamura, an animator on Akira and Super Space Fortress Macross) is an immensely creepy steampunk take on The Night On Bald Mountain. The mechanical designs are probably the best in the film, and the heavy lighting and shadows used give it a real nightmarish vibe.The other segments are great, but these are my favorites.We need more movies like Robot Carnival, Neo Tokyo, and Memories. A group of skilled animators and storytellers coming together to create unique anthologies that’ll stand the test of time. Robot Carnival stands tall as a milestone of creative ingenuity.