Memories - Ferraro

"Memories"
Autuer: Katsuhiro Otoma
2004

This week I've screened the works of "The Master of Animè" Katsuhiro and his film "Memories". Basically the theme of this movie, which is composed of 3 different tales, revovles around the motif of one's memory. For example, the first story "Magnetic Rose" an artificial intellegent android is programmed with the memories of a legendary opera singer named Eva. She uses them to create her home in the depths of space, and uses the memories of the protagonist, Heintz, agaisnt him by making him relive the moments of his young daughter's death.

Otoma also makes use of a doll theme. Near the beginning of "Magnetic Rose", a doll-like music box falls off the table and smashes. Later, in the end, the living-memory of Heintz's daughter falls over and smashes much like the doll did. Also, in the second story, one of the female characters grows a doll-like face when she falls unconcious and falls over.

The second story is called "Stink Bomb" and is pretty much a humorous version of "Akira", another work of Katsuhiro Otoma. The director goes with the same plot of a young man who is unwittingly infected by a strange disease and becomes a threat to society. The only way to save everyone is to destroy the "monster".

Otoro's films, like any other known director, has the same style of structure. His stories involve a thrilling event, usually a life or a society is in mortal danger, and either takes place in the future or the present given futuristic elements. But not only that, the style of animation is always similar to the next, smooth and high-octane.