Underplayed Gems

Neo Tokyo (1987)

Neo Tokyo poster
Original title
迷宮物語
Directed by
Rintaro, Yoshiaki Kawajiri, Katsuhiro Otomo
Genre
cyberpunk, science fiction film, Adventure, Fantasy, Horror, Sci-Fi
Country
Japan
Runtime
50 min
Rated
PG
Rating
6.8 of 10 from 124 voters
Elsewhere
IMDb
The 3D catalogue: film cases on wooden shelves, with the cat sitting at the counter next to its greeting.

The catalogue in 3D

The film shelves have a room of their own that you can walk around in. The cat behind the counter is the AI Catbot, and they pick real films from the same catalogue when you tell them what you feel like watching. Nothing is for sale, here or in there. Go in from here and this film is already out on the counter, with more like it waiting on the shelf next to it.

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How it feels

This is a 1987 Japanese animated anthology film with three separate stories. One follows a little girl exploring a strange mental maze. Another is about a deadly high-speed car race. The last is a warning about humans relying too much on machines.

dreamlikeunsettlingdarkfast-pacedsurrealatmosphericvisually lushtension-filled

What happens

Neo Tokyo (迷宮物語, Meikyū Monogatari; literally "Labyrinth Tales"), also titled Manie-Manie on its title card, is a 1987 Japanese adult animated science fiction anthology film produced by Project Team Argos and Madhouse. The film was conceived and produced by Madhouse founders Masao Maruyama and Rintaro, the latter of whom served as composition organizer alongside Katsuhiro Ōtomo on the project. The 50 minute-long film has three segments, each under a different screenwriter and film director: Rintaro's "Labyrinth Labyrinthos", an exploration into the maze of a little girl's mind; Yoshiaki Kawajiri's "Running Man", focusing on a deadly auto race; and Katsuhiro Ōtomo's "Construction Cancellation Order", a cautionary tale about man's dependency on technology. In addition to original music by Godiego's Mickie Yoshino, two prominently feature famous pieces of Western classical music: the first of Erik Satie's Gymnopédies and the "Toreador Song" of Georges Bizet's Carmen in "Labyrinth" and "Morning Mood" from Edvard Grieg's Peer Gynt score, in an ironic manner, in "The Order." The film premiered on September 25, 1987, at that year's Tōkyō International Fantastic Film Festival. Other than festival screenings, Japanese distributor Toho originally relegated the film direct-to-video, releasing a VHS on October 10, 1987, but did eventually give it a general cinema release in Japan, on April 15, 1989. In English, the film was licensed, dubbed and released theatrically (as a double feature with the first Silent Möbius film) and to VHS in North America by Streamline Pictures, the license later being taken up by the now also out of business ADV Films. (from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)

More like this

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