Sep 13, 2014
As my username might give away, I love cyberpunk, and I always have. Ever since those first few ambient skyline shots from the original Ghost in the Shell, I've been hooked. For me, anime is as much about the characters as the setting itself. Cyberpunk anime always seem to offer backdrops oozing with emotion, from lonely and derelict alleys to streets bustling with life.
Mardock Scramble is by no means perfect, and I loved it just the same. While it does have a few flaws, I hope this review can highlight the strong moments for which I hold it so fondly.
STORY- 7
I won't give away
...
any spoilers here. What you do need to know is that Mardock Scramble is only part one of the trilogy. With that in mind, the ending is quite abrupt, leaving almost all questions unanswered. Many reviewers looked at the movie from a stand alone basis, and gave it a an accompanying low score due to this issue. However, I chose to look at it as a whole, and while the movie's questioned are left open, you can be rest assured they will be tied up in the following movies.
The big issue with this movie is an admittedly slim storyline. The movie is really held up by the characters in it and their interactions with each other, but I'll get to that later.
ART- 10
Spend literally forty seconds watching the movie and you'll know what I'm talking about. The colouring in particular is incredible (I'm Canadian, you caught me). Almost every scene has contrasting hues, from murky greens to clear neon blues. It really is sugoi.
SOUND- 8
The music isn't extraordinary, but it helps to build the setting with ambient techno themes. What really caught my eye (or ear) was the end theme, a chilling rendition of "Amazing Grace" which came out of nowhere like a cat burglar and blew my mind.
CHARACTER- 9
Ho ho! My favourite part (fantastic animation aside). Rune Balot is a young prostitute and the unlikely heroine of the movie. What makes the movie so great is that she never strays from this character. There aren't any sudden upbeat moments or humour that seem to plague most anime today. Her past is incredibly dark (as you'll find out), and you're constantly reminded by it in her character.
But the greatest part of this movie is Oeufcoque. Yes, Oeufcoque, the golden mouse, and Rune's companion in the series. Oeufcoque is the polar opposite of Rune, and their interactions are the high points of the movie. I don't want to say more than that, but even the idea of a companionship between a talking mouse and a prostitute should pique your interest. C'mon.
OVERALL- 8
Okay, so this movie has a few issues, the biggest being the sudden and totally incomplete ending. But like I said, looking at the series on a whole this really is a non-issue. Everything gets covered in the end, and that's what matters. The movie is only 45 minutes after all so it's hardly an issue of time commitment to finish the series. I gave this rating with the knowledge that the story will be completed in the end. If you're only planning to watch the first movie, I can imagine your rating would be considerably lower. But with that cliff hanger at the end, why wouldn't you go on????? The story isn't too special either, but it's the characters that hold it up. And the animation is some of the best I've ever seen, hands down.
So watch it. (Oh, and did I forget to mention the nudity, obscene language, and horrific violence? It's anime!)
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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