Metropolis

I hadn't heard of this DVD until it was actually released. But it is beautifully done; a bittersweet movie for young & old alike. Osamu Tezuka's masterpiece. Ahead of its time, and a timeless classic!

I'm not sure if there is any deliberate connection to the 1920s Fritz Lang film other than title, but this movie stands out on its own regardless. The animation is simply beautiful, very cutting edge and epic, with a softer, slightly more comedic approach than most anime. The excellent soundtrack is filled almost entirely with different varieties of jazz, that set the mood perfectly from frenetic action scenes to the bittersweet ending. The backround story has to do with political struggles between a number of factions in an immense future city state. The President wants to hold onto his power, labor robots want rights, an upstart Fascist party wants control and glory, underground socialist revolutionaries want jobs and handouts, even the Army has ambitions. All the groups play off one another and plenty of back stabbing commences with enormous bloodshed once the revolution gets going. All of them are portrayed as either cruel or naive or both. Caught in the middle is an amiable private detective and his nephew in town on a seemingly unrelated case that draws them into the thick of it, once they meet up with a mysterious young girl who, unbeknownst to even herself, is a robotic superbeing and a crucial part of the fascist's plans to take over. Well written and engaging and just great to look at. Highly recommended and can be found on Kazaa.