Neo Tokyo (1987)
★★★ — Neo Tokyo (1987)
Released in Japan in 1987 as a direct-to-video anthology (known there as Manie-Manie: Meikyuu Monogatari), Neo Tokyo arrived at a pivotal moment for Japanese animation, roughly two years into the mid-1980s OVA boom that gave studios room to experiment outside the theatrical and television mainstream. The three segments were directed by three figures who each had significant standing in the industry: Rintaro, a veteran whose credits stretched back to the original Astro Boy series; Yoshiaki Kawajiri, a Madhouse regular who would later direct Wicked City and Ninja Scroll; and Katsuhiro Otomo, whose own Akira was already in production and would reshape global perceptions of anime the following year. The project was produced under the Madhouse and KADOKAWA banner, and each segment is loosely inspired by the short fiction of Yasutaka Tsutsui, a Japanese writer with a long association with speculative and satirical fantasy.
Neo Tokyo (1987) is a classic case of anthology unevenness. A sci-fi triptych where ambition outpaces consistency. The first segment, Rintaro's "Labyrinth Labyrinthos," tests patience: a girl and her cat tumble into a surreal, dialogue-light dreamscape that feels less imaginative than inert. The pacing drags, the symbolism floats untethered, and it's easy to see why many viewers (myself included) nearly abandon ship before the credits roll on part one. Yoshiaki Kawajiri's "The Running Man" revives momentum with blistering animation, fluid, hyper-stylized racing sequences that showcase anime's kinetic potential in the late '80s. But the story itself is thin: a racer chasing immortality against a cosmic opponent plays out with little emotional or thematic depth. Style over substance, beautifully rendered but ultimately one-note. The redemption comes with Katsuhiro Otomo's "Construction Cancellation Order," a masterclass in quiet dread. A lone inspector arrives to decommission a sentient AI overseeing a vast construction project, only to find the machine eerily malfunctioning, chillingly sticking to it's role, a direct spiritual cousin to 2001's HAL 9000. The tension builds through dialogue and atmosphere rather than action, and the payoff lingers with philosophical unease. It's so compelling you're left wishing Otomo had expanded it into a feature. An uneven but historically interesting showcase of late-'80s anime talent. Two segments falter under pretension or simplicity; the third soars. Worth watching for Otomo's contribution alone, but temper expectations for the full package.
Rating: ★★★ | Year: 1987 | Watched: 2026-03-23
Where to watch (UK)
Stream: Crunchyroll · Crunchyroll Amazon Channel
Physical: Amazon UK
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