Metropolis

In the great city of Metropolis, severe community structures and prejudice dominate a world where humans and robots live together. Unrest and violence increase with each new day.

Searching for the scientist Dr. Laughton, suspected to violate human rights by trading organs, the Japanese detective Shunsaku Ban and his nephew Kenichi arrive at Metropolis. In the scientist's laboratory, Kenichi discovers a girl without any memory of her past life. He decides to help her, so they run away together. His uncle follows him and penetrates the dark secrets of the city to find Duke Red, the man ruling from the shadows. Meanwhile, Kenichi desperately tries to protect the mysterious girl from the people hunting her. However, Duke Red and his adoptive son have their own deep reasons for chasing the girl. These reasons are connected to her true identity and the struggle for the domination of Metropolis...

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Holmes, Rock Main

Okada, Kouki Japanese

Tima Main

Imoto, Yuka Japanese

Hige Oyaji Main

Tomita, Kousei Japanese

Shikishima, Kenichi Main

Kobayashi, Kei Japanese

Fifi Supporting

Aikawa, Rikako Japanese

Ham Egg Supporting

Ebara, Masashi Japanese

Lamp, Acetylene Supporting

Chiba, Shigeru Japanese

Red, Duke Supporting

Ishida, Tarou Japanese

Pero Supporting

Wakamoto, Norio Japanese

Foodstand Vendor Supporting

Maruyama, Masao Producer, Planning

Maseba, Yutaka Producer

Rintarou Director, Planning

Mima, Masafumi Sound Director

Reviews

Nov 19, 2024

MochiWiz

Recommended

There are films that leave a fleeting impression, and then there are those, like Metropolis, that etch themselves into memory with their striking visuals, compelling narrative, and profound themes. This animated masterpiece stands as one of the finest examples of the genre, merging breathtaking artistry with thoughtful storytelling.

Inspired by Fritz Lang's 1926 silent classic and based on Osamu Tezuka's 1949 manga, Metropolis takes the spirit of its predecessors and transforms it into something uniquely its own. Directed by Rintaro and written by Katsuhiro Otomo—legendary creator of Akira—this film spins a tale that blends the spectacle of a futuristic city with timeless questions about humanity, love, ... and power.

From the opening moments, the city itself becomes a character. Its dazzling, multi-layered design—spanning grand skyscrapers and shadowy underground levels—is a visual feast. The Ziggurat, a towering architectural marvel, symbolizes both progress and oppression, hinting at the ambitions and tensions brewing within its walls. It’s a world as rich in detail as it is in imagination, and every frame invites viewers to marvel at its intricacies.

At the story’s core lies a poignant relationship between two young characters, one human and one artificial. Their bond is the emotional anchor of the film, exploring whether love and humanity can transcend the boundaries of biology. Surrounding them are characters driven by their own desires: a jealous son, a mad scientist, a determined detective, and political figures grappling with the future of their city. Each adds depth to a tale that is both intimate and grand in scope.

The animation is nothing short of extraordinary. It captures the sweeping destruction of epic conflicts with clarity and power, while also finding moments of quiet beauty. Small, deliberate touches—like the turn of a page in an ancient book or the quirky design of the Hotel Coconut—highlight the filmmakers’ meticulous attention to detail. These elements ground the fantastical in a sense of reality, making the world feel alive and tactile.

The music enhances this rich tapestry with its surprising Western influences. Dixieland jazz, soulful ballads, and iconic classics underscore key moments, giving the film an unexpected emotional resonance. Ray Charles’ "I Can’t Stop Loving You" playing over a pivotal sequence is a stroke of pure brilliance.

Metropolis is more than just an animated film; it is a deeply layered exploration of life, identity, and society. It tackles themes of technological progress, human connection, and the sacrifices of ambition with intelligence and heart. While paying homage to its inspirations, it charts its own course, creating a cinematic experience that feels as fresh as it is timeless.

Whether you are new to anime or a lifelong fan, Metropolis is a must-see—a shining example of animation’s ability to tell stories that resonate far beyond the screen.

Reviewer’s Rating: 10

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Dec 18, 2022

bergars

Mixed Feelings

I could feel those animators crack their knuckles, the blood and bones from their hands sticking out. A visual showcase of mastery like not many other animated films, sadly, I wish I could say the same for the story.

Metropolis explores a futuristic dilemma of humans being replaced by robots. As functional beings, the story of robots being better is something of a typical sci-fi element these days. The story is taken from an old manga, and it really shows. A dated protagonist with dated sidekicks, dated villains with dated motives. By dated, I don't mean to say it's inherently bad, but when adapting a story ... from an old medium, compromises have to be made.

The biggest flaw in the story is, if characters weren't the way they are, the story can't happen. Extreme people that go to insane lengths without much rhyme or reason; could be because they had to cut several parts of the story.

Motives aside, I still give a 7/10 for the animation only. The movement of hair, clothing, eyes, facial expressions, tracking shots and the cinematography were flawless. If you like a visual style like no other, even pinned against a cliché story, give it a go. Maybe the ending was the best part, since it manages to shake off those clichés for a great second of perfection. Nevertheless, good experience.

Reviewer’s Rating: 7

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Apr 19, 2022

Ciaran_Zagami

Not Recommended

WHOOOOO BOY

The fancy CGI, the main selling point of Metropolis is terrible.
The best shots are the ones where there are no humans because all the humans look hilariously awful. Everyone is drawn like a mutant Stretch Armstrong accept for Kenichi who looks an awful lot like Astro Boy.


The story is deeply unoriginal.
The worst use of the tower of Babel myth I've ever seen, mixed in with dozens of other cliches, the Naive super weapon robot child, robots as a metaphor for classism or some other ism whatever is in vogue, at least 15 fake out deaths mostly of the same handful of characters.

Metropolis ... never gives its character's a single second to breathe, out side of Rock whose at best a tertiary villain I don't know anyone's motives.
Rock's sole character trait is he never got hugged enough as a kid which moves him to do a bunch of random acts of violence that only happen to further the plot and push characters together whenever the story starts lagging.

I think a big cause for all the issues at hand is Metrpolis is itself, deeply unoriginal with no driving thought of its own. The original Metropolis is a 1927 German silent film, then someone made a manga based off a poster for it in 1947, then many years later we got this hot mess. Trying to combine the themes of classism from the 27 original, robots and anime from the 47 manga with its own themes of... robots are good? Bad?

I have no idea what the story is trying to tell because what we really have is three different stories of extremely different tones and meanings all fighting each other.
Like I said its at its best when nothing is happening and you can just soak in the quirky art deco designs.

Reviewer’s Rating: 3

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	Poll: Metropolis Episode 1 Discussion Naruleach - Aug 1, 2009	49 replies	by L-S-M-F-T »» Nov 6, 11:36 PM
	I use to think the climax of this film was a dream I had ChristmasCookies - Aug 16, 2016	2 replies	by SliverDio »» Dec 4, 2022 10:09 AM
	How much Steampunk, how much Cyberpunk? ukonkivi - Dec 13, 2009	5 replies	by asei »» Jun 16, 2022 2:33 AM
	its a good one...too. kisami - Dec 19, 2008	5 replies	by BohemianRhapsody »» Oct 26, 2015 11:07 AM
	German 1927 Silent Film Pierre_Bezukhov - Sep 1, 2009	5 replies	by CynicalXperiment »» Mar 16, 2014 12:24 AM

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