Neo Tokyo (1987)

A trilogy of separate stories. In "Labyrinth labyrinthos", a girl and her cat enter a strange world. In "Running Man", a racer takes on the ultimate opponent. In "Construction Cancellation Order", a man must shut down worker robots.

Directors:

Yoshiaki Kawajiri, Rintaro (as Rintarô)

Writers:

Taku Mayumura (short stories), Rintaro (screenplay) (as Rintarô)

Stars:

Hideko Yoshida, Masane Tsukayama, Yû Mizushima

Cast

Credited cast:
Hideko Yoshida	...	Shôjo Sachi (segment "Labyrinth*labyrinthos") (voice)
Masane Tsukayama	...	Bob Stone (segment "Hashiru otoko") (voice)
Yû Mizushima	...	Sugioka Tsutomu (segment "Kôji chûshi meirei") (voice)
Iemasa Kayumi	...	Buchô (segment "Kôji chûshi meirei") (voice)
Jôji Yanami	...	(segment "Kôji chûshi meirei") (voice)
Hiroshi Ôtake	...	Robot 444 no 1-gô (segment "Kôji chûshi meirei") (voice)
Banjô Ginga	...	Zach Hugh (segment "Hashiru otoko") (voice)
Yûsaku Yara	...	(segment "Kôji chûshi meirei") (voice)
Kazumi Tanaka	...	(segment "Kôji chûshi meirei") (voice)
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Robert Axelrod	...	Tsutomu Sugioka (segment "The Order to Stop Construction") (voice)
Cheryl Chase	...	Sachi (segment "Labyrinth") (voice)
Barbara Goodson	...	Mother (segment "Labyrinth") (voice)
Steve Kramer	...	Chief Technician / Walla (segment "Running Man") / Boat Pilot / Chalkboard (segment The Order to Stop Construction") (voice)
Michael McConnohie	...	Reporter (segment "Running Man") / Announcer (segment The Order to Stop Construction") (voice)
Jeff Winkless	...	Zach Hugh / Walla (segment "Running Man") / Robot 444-1 / Boat Crew (segment "The Order to Stop Construction") (voice)

Storyline

In "Labyrinth labyrinthos", a little girl and her cat find within the old longcase clock in her house a doorway to a strange supernatural world. Is it real or just a figment of her vivid imagination? In "Running Man", the champion of a popular deadly racing championship, where racers usually get themselves or each other killed, takes on the ultimate opponent. A reporter is there to witness the supernatural event. In "Construction Cancellation Order", a man is ordered to shut down robotic construction workers who are building some new facility for the government. Since the robots are all programmed to finish their work no matter what, they refuse to be shut down. A deadly game of cat and mouse begins between the man and the machines. However, the game was rigged from the start.

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Plot Keywords:

swamp | robot | reporter | race car | race car crash | 

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Taglines:

It's not just a city... It's a state of mind

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Genres:

Animation | Adventure | Fantasy | Horror | Sci-Fi

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Details

Official Sites:

Kadokawa Pictures [Japan] Yoshiaki Kawajiri Official site - Archive: Neo Tokyo [Japan]

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Release Date:

20 November 1992 (USA)

Also Known As:

Labyrinth

Company Credits

Production Co:

Project Team Argos, Madhouse, Kadokawa Shoten Publishing Co.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

50 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The segment "Running Man" made its first US appearance in an episode of Liquid Television (1991) originally broadcast October 20, 1992, in a different, censored English version, narrated by Rafael Ferrer. The whole, uncut anthology with the dub cast listed here was subsequently released theatrically in North America by Streamline Pictures on November 20, 1992 as part of a double feature with Silent Möbius (1991).

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Alternate Versions

The "Running Man" segment had a different English dub, narrated by Rafael Ferrer instead of Michael McConnohie, when aired on MTV's Liquid Television program than the Streamline or ADV home video versions.

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Connections

Featured in Anime Abandon: Wicked City (2012)

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Soundtracks

Gymnopédies
Written by Erik Satie
Played during Labyrinth Labyrinthos

User Reviews

One, Two, Three - Enjoyment Guarantee

A 1987 science fiction anthology film written and directed by three big names in the Anime world before they got big. Yoshiaki Kawajiri would go on to make 'Vampire Hunter D: Bloodline' and 'Ninja Scroll', Katsuhiro Ôtomo 'Akira' and Rintaro 'Metropolis'.

Story #1: "Labyrinth-Labyrintos", which starts and ends the film and of which #2 and #3 are sort of a part of, is a whole lot of random stuff that is at least dark, moody and excellently animated. I take it its aim is to simulate the experience of a child walking through this wondrous world, especially in the context of the ending, which has the kid sitting in front of a TV set, supposedly after watching what we just watched, making the film itself part of this world out of a kid's perspective, a film that could be described as exaggerated and excessive. "Labyrinth-Labyrintos" is fun for the time lasting - which isn't too long - it certainly doesn't overstay its welcome.

#2: "The Running Man" made by Yoshiaki Kawajiri - it's the name that I watched 'Neo Tokyo' for - and the segment didn't disappoint. Naturally the plot is thin, but the narrative style is all the more complex. There is close to none backstory about the main character but in my interpretation of the story the racer got so obsessed with racing and his will power got so strong that he developed supernatural powers. The other option would be that he always had supernatural powers and that's how he survived the races successfully for so long, but I much prefer the first scenario. The sheer plasticity on display in a race that seems suspended in time is exciting to look at. Also atmospherically "The Running Man" succeeds, it feels wonderfully cinematic in that it isn't just a succession of sequences without rhythm. The multi-perceptual style and the content accommodate each other well in that the magical occurrences of the story remain just that, magical and unexplainable.

#3: "The Order to Cease Construction" is an interesting reimagining of 'Apocalypse Now'. Especially in the beginning that's what it looks like and at least the atmosphere maintains throughout and the Francis Ford Coppola film hovers like a shadow over the whole segment, even if after the beginning the literal journey for the main character ends, but the fantastically frightening discoveries never end. Although undoubtedly most viewers will think "2001" when a robot fails to comply the orders of the man because it is programmed to finish the project at all costs, and the robot even threatens the man's life to succeed in doing so.

The animation of #1 and #2 are especially impressive for its age but also #3 is full of details in the depicted technology hullaballoo. Superbly rich and satisfying for its short running time of 50 minutes it is recommended viewing for all fans of moody Animes and technology freaks.