Review of Memories
Memories is a collection containing 3 shorts that vary in tone,setting and genre (Since all three are different and episodic in nature, I will also be assigning each short it's own score.) They appear in the following order: 1)Magnetic Rose: (9/10): This short was the primary reason to even watch memories and it was because of this short that this collection came under my radar.It is a Psychological thriller written by Satoshiro Kon and it is the strongest of the three. With a 40 minute run time it manages to establish the environment and atmosphere while also providing the viewer with an immediate sense of suspense. The story deliveredfelt complete and concise and had enough time to explore tiny details that make the characters believable.The sound design and animation quality are especially impressive and hold up today even after all this time.
2)Stunk Bomb(6/10):
This is where the collection will probably lose people.Stunk bomb is a 40 minute light-hearted comedy that doesn't do really well with the comedy.The premise is amusing but it never really does enough to warrant any actual laughter, or even a smile for that matter.It's the type of thing where you think to yourself "oh, that's funny" but your face looks uninterested throughout. I found it to be a passable attempt at entertainment that really has nothing special or memorable about it. Definitely the weakest link in the collection.
3)Cannon Fodder(8/10) :
Cannon fodder is interesting because it can be polarizing.I'm pretty confident that most people would enjoy magnetic rose and be indifferent to Stunk bomb(or even hate it) but this is what decides your overall enjoyment of the collection.The art style is immediately different from the two and not something we see often.There is no real 'story' or plot and it feels more like an exercise in world building. The environment and atmosphere is where this is the strongest.The world on display here is a very detailed steampunk-esque land that reminded me of George Orwell's 1984, the war-time atmosphere, generally unhealthy looking people,naive children, the repeat use of slogans etc. The camera work here is very noticeable and can be jarring at times, but it keeps the short moving in a one shot sort of style(especially with it's transitions). The show does a lot with the 20 minutes it's given and I personally enjoyed everything shown in this strange, gloomy world and felt like this was a day-in-the life of men, women and children of this land.