Based on the ‘40s comic by Osamu Tezuka, the godfather of all things Manga, and scripted by Akira creator Katsuhiro Otomo, Metropolis has an impeccable anime pedigree and a unique retro style.
As fans of Fritz Lang’s eponymous silent masterpiece will know, Metropolis is an industrial citystate of the future, struck by crisis: robot workers have replaced humans, sparking terrorist attacks and rioting. A Machiavellian politician’s plan to seize control of the city is jeopardised when his secret weapon, Tima, an ultra-powerful robot, goes missing. She believes she’s human, and her journey through the city’s vast subterranean regions becomes an intriguing exploration of human hubris and mechanical humanity.
While fans of the genre may be disturbed at the lack of violence and the linear plotline, this is a vision of the future tinged with echoes of the past: traditional animation rubs shoulders with computer generated work, and the Dixieland jazz soundtrack gives the film the feel of a period piece. Much more than just a curio.
