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'Memories' / 彼女の想いで (1995) is an anime film from Ōtomo Katsuhiro (大友 克洋). It was produced by Studio 4°C and aired December 23rd, 1995.
It consists of 3 separate stories, each one displayed in rather short episode. It should be mentioned that those episodes have nothing in common, in terms of a content, as well as introduced matter.

In order to keep my review consistent.. here's a little useless staff information scheme:

- 1st episode - 'Magnetic Rose' (Kanojo no Omoide / 彼女の想いで) was directed by Kōji Morimoto (森本晃司) and is based on Katsuhiro Ōtomo own original story (Memories of Her.. / Kanojo no Omoide). The script was written by Satoshi Kon (今 敏).
- 2nd story - 'Stinking Bomb' (Saishū-heiki / 最臭兵器) was directed by Tensai Okamura (岡村 天斎), and screeplay was written by Katsuhiro Ōtomo.
- The last, 3rd episode - 'Cannon Fodder' (Taihō no Machi /大砲の街) Written and directed by 'Memories' creator - Katsuhiro Ōtomo.
- Music by Yoko Kanno, Jun Miyake, Hiroyuki Nagashima, Takkyū Ishino.

'Memories' seem to attract rather sci-fi audiance, with it's flagship story - 'Magnetic Rose'. However, 'Stinking Bomb' may be described as a.. absurd comedy with a touch of a black humour. But the story which is most attractive in my opinion, is the last one - 'Cannon Fodder' - an abstract (or is it?), in some ways industrial/futuristic tale of regular citizens in indefinite war state.


1st story
'Magnectic Rose' (Kanojo no Omoide / 彼女の想いで) !alert![btw. I wonder if anyone realised what was the original title.. 'Kanojo no Omoide'.. that's more like 'In her thoughts' of 'Her memories'.. whatever..]

Basically, plot of 'Magnetic Rose' is something like that - A bunch of astronauts (who are actually space-garbage collectors) receive an S.O.S signal from suspiciously abondoned space station. As they investigate the place, various holograms appears before them, and as they soon realize, they share some sort of a connection with this station's 'ojou-sama' (some lady who owned this place possibly) memories.
As it comes down to it, all sort of weird things begin to happen. Astronauts seem to be entangled into whole situation, and quickly lose sight of what is real, and what is just a dreadful illusion. The finale is quite.. predictable.

I sympathized with the characters, but I was not cheering for them. Diallouges were rather brief, and they only managed to stay on a fairly tolerable level.

Animation and overall artwork are what this episode should mostly be praised for (in terms of a graphic layout, and basically visual aspect quality, it seems that it becomes quite a pattern in 'Memories'). Fluent and sharp, but toned at the same time. Color pallet was properly chosen, friendly to the eye. I have to admit, graphic production value is pretty unique here, as well, as in other stories. It's clear as day, that character design was done with proper care. It applies to each mecha-device-thingy presented. Long story short, it's easily noticeable how producers focused on a visual side of movie.

But, let's get down into bussines.

As I mentioned above, many veiwers tend to appreciate this episode the most. And.. I can't come up with a reasonable explanation why..

Maybe the majority's opinion on this one is driven by the target audience esteem for sciene-fiction manner of story-telling, which includes many inexplicable chains of events, which are surely here.

I have to admit, I was pretty underwhelmed with the ending.. and I'm not talking about how Heintz struggled to save Miguel from claws of our bloodthirsty diva.. who is revealed to be nothing more than a computing device (which is extremely cutting corners way to explain the whole situation).. No, I'm also not talking about how simple and childish role was assigned to the featured opera music - and that was to create a mysterious, disturbing and uneasy atmosphere. I couldn't help but think that it was a bit uncreative. The flaw that seems to be bugging me with this anime is a bit more generic.

I'm talking about how the whole finale didn't manage in engaging the viewer (both in an intellectual and emotional sense).

Remembrances, disability to move on with one's life, toying with human life, his sense of reality, mysterious collision of transient, fleeting strenght of a human culture (European, especially) in the faco of an immensity and infinity of unknown universe, maybe longing for redemption and eternal life, opera theme as a contradiction to a space-futuristic setting and a loss of a loved ones.. In my estimation, this movie tries to capture and define too randomly developed themes, that I saw and felt no artistic vision in, themes that I can't come up with any reason to present them in such manner to begin with, and with no absorbing concept, which is so significant in that kind of production.

In the end I saw no regardful thought process in storyline construction. I'm aware that whole situation is supposed to be a metaphor, that requires some abstract thinking. And the sad fact is that it leads to no impressive conclusion. This movie is nothing more than space opera. It's a space-themed nostalgic trip that has nothing more to offer, than throwing out some simple, yet not well explored ideas, for which landmark topic is idea of memories being the essence of a human's identity and also the only effective tool that may help find an efficent way to immortalize our existance.

Based on a quick 'Memories' reviews web research, it seems that my opinion doesn't exactly meet the majority's view on this one.

I hope my thoughts won't be taken as so-called 'hating'. It's not my intention to 'hate' on 'Memories'. I'm frankly trying my best to keep my opinion as objective as possible. In order to do this movie a justice I rewatched most key scenes from it, gave it a proper thought, and still.. 'Magnetic Rose' doesn't satisfy me, as a spectator, who was promised something unique. It might be a bit harsh for someone out there.. but this episode seem to be somewhat overestimated.

'Magnetic Rose' tried to bring up some serious themes, but didn't succed in doing so. It's an empty shell.. It only appears that there's more to it, but there's really nothing intriguing and captivating.


2nd story
'Stinking Bomb' (Saishū-heiki / 最臭兵器)

I'll keep it short with this one.

Generally speaking, it a dark comedy. Your everyday Japanese office-working male in his thirties is fighting his cold. So his fellow advices him to grab a new powerful medicine, which is still under research. That seems to sound reasonable, doesn't it?
When our protagonist wakes up from after-drug nap he comes to realize.. that everyone around him are unconscious. Afterwards, he is ordered to deliver some documents and this medicine (which turned out to be some sort of prototype biological weapon) to some higher-up of the lab he was hired in.

As the action proceeds, the mix of medicines he took to fight off his cold and mysterious pill started to cause some freaky chemical reactions, and resulted in him ejecting and eventually being enveloped in a deadly, hazy mist. Our poor Nobuo has no idea what is going on. So he tries to get to Tokio.

As it goes on.. he becomes a threat to a capital of Japan, and everone want him dead. o_O

So.. yes, it is quite crazy, even considering anime's tendency to shock viewer with insane ideas for a film, this one is top notch.

Well, not exactly top notch.. but entertaining enough. Someone might even find it worthwhile.

In terms of production value 'Memories' doesn't let you down, again. It's very colorful movie, and I like me some colours..!

Music here actually plays a bigger role than in previous episode.. it succeds in creating crazy atmosphere, apparently.

This story is not something that deserves groundbreaking, in-depth analysis. Absurd, and sometimes over the top - 'Stinking Bomb' is a ..ridiciouls film.


3rd story
'Cannon Fodder' (Taihō no Machi /大砲の街) !alert![title translation is messed up, again - it should be 'City of Cannon']

Reviewer's often describie this story as a : 'heavy one', 'less-likeable' or 'monotonous' compared to the previous two.

Because of the fact that this movie actually tries to portray some issue in an infrequent manner?
Or because of it's quaintness and uneasy problem it tries to bring up?
Or because it provokes you to thinking?

This is certainly not an entertaing piece (in a nowadays understanding of a 'entertaining' term). Production value is still high, but this time it succeds in appealing to spectator with a new point of view, with a constant, continious shot that applies to the content and matches harmonically with the brought up theme.

It's a short image portraying one of the most dwelling issues of history in XXth century presented with a slice of behaviourism which makes it's essence even more powerful, and frightening.

It's a critical diagnosis of totalitarian regime, which controls every aspect of one's life, even his way of understanding world, even his dreams and ambitions (last sentence in this episode is more than enough to prove my point).

And in this manner this story is both tragic and hope giving - It's tragic because the one's life is bound by regime limitations, even to a point when he's self-aware slave in a hopeless situation during hopeless times (in both historical and social meaning). However the faint gleam of hope shimmers, because the system will eventually evolve, and then, the new descending life (even though it's contaminated with crumbling ideology) will rise, and will keep on living.

Last scene is very figurative, as the little boy lies down on the bed, and possibly dreams of becoming who he yearns to become in the future.. he doesn't even realize that alarm lights outside flash and light his room for a brief seconds.. as he waits.. I tend to understand this part as an allegory of an expectation for 'wind of change', which may as well be just different political/social/economical situation that may lead to widely understood evolution and historical developement. As life changes, it takes different shapes and forms (both socially and politically) it's still on the same track of evolutionary progress which has it's up's and down's and leads us to unknown future, as we all wait..

People will always find a way to 'exist', no matter the circumstances.

Hell on earth made by none other than ourselves, await, and humanity's abilty to adapt - these are the key terms here.

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To wrap things up a bit.. I should give some kind of an basic overall rating.
If I were to rate each one separately it would be something like this:

'Magnetic Rose' - 5 (average)
'Stinking Bomb' - 6 (fine)
'Cannon Fodder' - 7.5 (good 'and a half')

But 'Memories' is a complete whole.. so I guess I should give it