Recently in sci-fi Category

Karas : The Revelation
[Karasu]

Genre: Explosive Conclusion to this Kick-Ass Sci-Fi Samurai Epic

review in one breath

This final half to the visually explosive Karas storyline will certainly not disappoint. Rendered in both cell anime and crisp CG techniques, this entire tale of Shinto-esque resurrection and samurai-like vengeance is truly one to behold. Fans of (testosterone fueled) tales of revenge and vengeance will certainly get their fill here. And fans of redemptive, humanistic struggles and triumphs over moral ambiguities and wrong decisions will also be knee deep. If you can, certainly see this.


Categories:



Paprika
[Papurika]

パプリカ

Genre: Psychedelic Sci-Fi Anime
Director: Kon Satoshi (2006)

review in one breath

Dreams and Reality collide with devastating consequence in this highly colorful and imaginative anime by director Satoshi Kon. After years of effort, a research team has nearly perfected a device which taps into a subject's dreams. The goal of the project is to use the device to help subjects overcome psychological obstacles and enhance the growth of consciousness. But it the wrong hands and quickly proves a malevolent weapon which not only melts the minds of its victims but soon overlaps objective reality with the subjective manipulation of Nightmare.

Categories:


Moon Child

MOON CHILD

Genre: Friendship Drama Involving Guns and Vampires

review in one breath

The year is 2014 and a young orphan in a squalid urban wasteland befriends a vampire! As the years go by, the young boy grows into a formidable ruffian capable of causing problems for the local yakuza thugs. Their violent lifestyle, however, puts their friendship to the test when ultimate decisions will need to be made. Starring pop rock stars Gackt and Hyde, this intentionally cute and weepy tale undoubtedly has mass appeal to high school girls throughout Japan.


Categories:


Apple Seed
[Appurushîdo]

アップルシード

Genre: EXCELLENT (!) Sci-Fi Action CG Anime -- Please Don't Wake Me Up

review in one breath

With humanity on the brink of self-annihilation due to prolonged and numerous wars, human-like androids endowed with artificial intelligence are dispersed throughout the population to "balance" mankind's irrational emotionalism. But as the androids appear ready to surpass humanity on the evolutionary stage, a subversive movement is spawned to overthrow the new life forms, and with them the critical balance to humanity's darker side. This is such an incredible visual experience that I can only implore that you see it for yourself!


Categories:


Ghost In The Shell 2 : Innocence
[Inosensu: Kôkaku kidôtai]

イノセンス: 攻殻機動隊

Genre: Surreal Futurist Vision of Mind Meets Machine

review in one breath

In this highly acclaimed sequel, not only has the technological bizzarities of the world gone rampant, but the producers have taken a qualitative evolutionary step in their anime rendering. This is an amazing piece of eye candy wrapped in an intellectually satisfying Sci-Fi tale. The futuristic vision presented here is quite impressive and often jaw-dropping.


Categories:


Ghost In The Shell
[Kôkaku kidôtai]

攻殻機動隊

Genre: Matrix Meets BladeRunner in an Existential Spiral

review in one breath

This "cyber-punk" animation follows the human-machine hybrids Major Kusanagi and Batou of the Anti-Terrorism Unit as they pursue a mysterious and formidable hacker known as the Puppet Master. In this futurisic world where computers blend effortlessly with the human psyche, human strength can be multiplied many times through robotic enhancements. Of course, it also means that one's mind is only as safe as the cyber-security surrounding it. This is a highly memorable film which held significant impact upon the anime community.


Categories:


Devilman

デブルマン

Genre: Damien Meets the X-Men Meets the END OF THE WORLD!!!

review in one breath

When a freak scientific exploration breaches the underworld, Hell itself soon floods the world of the living, transforming millions into gross demonic creatures and obliterating any remaining global social order. As humans turn against humans in a beserk and violent witchhunt for the demonic mutants, global war and chaos ensue as Satan himself scoffingly watches humanity self-destruct. And yet one frighteningly powerful creature cannot cast off his human heart and thus becomes the Devil/man intent on protecting those he loved. Based on the manga, this is an incredible visual explosion which puts any Western apocalyptic tale to shame.


Categories:


Ghost System
[Gosuto shisutemu]

ゴーストシステム

Genre: Supernatural Sci-Fi Horror

review in one breath

After receiving a cryptic message from a long missing friend, Misako and Wataru go searching and stumble across a large abandoned facility deep within the forest. Inside they discover a research project gone berserk, tearing down the barrier between the world of the dead and the world of the living.


Categories:


Marebito
[A Stranger from Far Away]

稀人

Genre: Insanity Sci-Fi Horror

review in one breath

Videographer Masuoka is obsessed with capturing fringe psychological states on film, ranging from the quiet fear of the paranoid to the terror-filled eyes of the suicidal. Through footage he captured of the final moments of a horrified man's life, he finds clues which point him to the doorway into an underground labryth of madness and escape. There he finds a mysterious and beautiful being which gives him a renewed purpose for living while at the same time forces him to descend even deeper into the abyss of madness.


Categories:


Gunhed
[Ganheddo]

ガンヘッド

Genre: Giant Fighting Robot Snooze Fest

review in one breath

The year is 2038 and a rag-tag team of misfits must save the world from the doomsday plan of Kyron 5, the most advanced computer ever built. Their only weapon is Gunhed, a massive talking robot with a soft spot for baseball. This sci-fi film replaces kaijuu with robots but keeps all the miniature scale special effects and explosions.


Categories:


Parasite Eve

パラサイト・イヴ

Genre: DNA-Morphing Sci-Fi Thriller

review in one breath

When the beautiful wife of DNA Researcher Nagashima is tragically killed, he attempts to recreate her using an experimental treatment. The initial results look promising but then quickly spiral out of control when an ancient consciousness within the DNA is awakened and seeks to birth a higher order of being in the evolutionary scale.


Categories:





Subscribe to feed

Miscellaneous Books on Japan Japanese Movies Japanese Religion Japanese Folk Lore Japanese History