Neo Tokyo (1989)

Very best movie i ever watch

Just perfect...

Fresh and Exciting

Fun premise, good actors, bad writing. This film seemed to have potential at the beginning but it quickly devolves into a trite action film. Ultimately it's very boring.

Neo Tokyo is an interesting, often surreal work of anime. It covers two rather dark science fiction pieces through the framework of a young girl's imaginings. Each piece was made by a different filmmaker, making for very different animation styles and narrative approaches.The first piece "Labyrinth-Labyrinthos" is frankly surreal, and follows the daydreams of a young girl and her cat as they look into a mirror. The short is very imaginative, with borderline psychedelic imagery. Overall, it's a good piece, though the animation is at times headache inducing.The second short, "The Running Man," has a much more obvious narrative structure, although very little dialogue. Following the story of a futuristic race car driver with some interesting abilities, it represents a 180 degree turn from Labyrinth. The animation is excellent, with very realistic and at times disturbing renderings of car accidents. However, the lack of dialogue in this short makes it somewhat difficult to follow, a matter compounded by the fact that parts of the film are dream sequences.The third, and best, piece is "Order to Cancel Construction," which follows the attempt of an executive to shut down a robotic construction site. The robots, which have been programmed to follow a rigid schedule, defy the executive. What makes this piece good is the subtle irony that the executive ultimately becomes as single-minded in his task as the robots are in theirs.Ultimately, this film is good, although not great, and worth a rent.

A 1987 science fiction anthology film written and directed by three big names in the Anime world before they got big. Yoshiaki Kawajiri would go on to make 'Vampire Hunter D: Bloodline' and 'Ninja Scroll', Katsuhiro Ôtomo 'Akira' and Rintaro 'Metropolis'.Story #1: "Labyrinth-Labyrintos", which starts and ends the film and of which #2 and #3 are sort of a part of, is a whole lot of random stuff that is at least dark, moody and excellently animated. I take it its aim is to simulate the experience of a child walking through this wondrous world, especially in the context of the ending, which has the kid sitting in front of a TV set, supposedly after watching what we just watched, making the film itself part of this world out of a kid's perspective, a film that could be described as exaggerated and excessive. "Labyrinth-Labyrintos" is fun for the time lasting - which isn't too long - it certainly doesn't overstay its welcome.#2: "The Running Man" made by Yoshiaki Kawajiri - it's the name that I watched 'Neo Tokyo' for - and the segment didn't disappoint. Naturally the plot is thin, but the narrative style is all the more complex. There is close to none backstory about the main character but in my interpretation of the story the racer got so obsessed with racing and his will power got so strong that he developed supernatural powers. The other option would be that he always had supernatural powers and that's how he survived the races successfully for so long, but I much prefer the first scenario. The sheer plasticity on display in a race that seems suspended in time is exciting to look at. Also atmospherically "The Running Man" succeeds, it feels wonderfully cinematic in that it isn't just a succession of sequences without rhythm. The multi-perceptual style and the content accommodate each other well in that the magical occurrences of the story remain just that, magical and unexplainable.#3: "The Order to Cease Construction" is an interesting reimagining of 'Apocalypse Now'. Especially in the beginning that's what it looks like and at least the atmosphere maintains throughout and the Francis Ford Coppola film hovers like a shadow over the whole segment, even if after the beginning the literal journey for the main character ends, but the fantastically frightening discoveries never end. Although undoubtedly most viewers will think "2001" when a robot fails to comply the orders of the man because it is programmed to finish the project at all costs, and the robot even threatens the man's life to succeed in doing so.The animation of #1 and #2 are especially impressive for its age but also #3 is full of details in the depicted technology hullaballoo. Superbly rich and satisfying for its short running time of 50 minutes it is recommended viewing for all fans of moody Animes and technology freaks.

So here's what you wanna do: get about ten people together and rent Heavy Metal and this. now your friends will have already seen Heavy Metal, but it's a safe bet they haven't seen Neo Tokyo. watch Heavy Metal first, it'll get them in the mood, and the right frame of mind for the second course. pop in Neo Tokyo and just watch as their jaws drop! it's a one-two punch that they'll not soon forget!one friend I did this double feature with hadn't seen either. needless to say, he's been catatonic since ;)

I was lucky enough to obtain this film off an online auctions. And this is my review the film displays three short stories all extremely trippy.The first one involves a girl, a circus, a cat and a mirror and a parade of very odd animals. This one makes you feel like your on acid at one point.The second on is called the running man about a psionic race car driver who pushes his limits. Very Cool.The third one contains probaly the most talking out of all three. itis a grim sardonic comedy about a man who can't stop a robot crew from working. it has a very ironic ending.