Robot Carnival: A Celebration of Captivating Animation and Storytelling

Robot Carnival - An omnibus of unique robots

"Robot Carnival," released as an OVA on July 21, 1987, is an omnibus of seven short stories created by unique animators with the theme of "robots." It is a rich variety of content that displays each animator's creativity, from entertainment to artistic video works. This work was produced by APPPCO.,LTD, and Otomo Katsuhiro was in charge of the opening and ending themes as general director. Each short story in the 90-minute work was drawn by a different director, and each has its own unique story and visuals.

The story of each short story

Franken Gear

Director: Koji Morimoto

This is the story of an old mad scientist who creates robots and plots to take over the world. To achieve his ambition, the old man completes a giant robot. However, when the robot starts to go out of control, the old man risks his own life to stop it. This short story depicts the power of science and the dangers of human desire. Koji Morimoto's unique visual style adds depth to the story.

DEPRIVE

Director: Hidetoshi Omori

The story is about Tsu Muzi, a work robot who transforms himself into a combat robot and enters the enemy's base to rescue a captured girl. Tsu Muzi decides to sacrifice his own life to save the girl. This short story depicts themes of self-sacrifice and courage, and the detailed illustrations by Hidetoshi Omori enhance the story.

Presence

Director: Yasuomi Umetsu

The story is about the protagonist, an ordinary office worker, who has a secret: he has hidden a girl robot he created himself in a shed in the forest. As the protagonist spends time with the girl robot, he notices that she begins to have a personality. This short story depicts the themes of human loneliness and love, and Umetsu Yasuomi's delicate direction adds depth to the story. The cast includes Moritsugu Koji as the protagonist and Machida Junko as the girl.

STARLIGHT ANGEL

Director: Hiroyuki Kitazume

The story is about a girl who visits a robot amusement park and is introduced to her new lover by her friend. The lover turns out to be the man who betrayed her in the past. The protagonist is confused by her reunion with her traitor, but she must face her own feelings. This short story depicts the themes of the complexity and growth of human relationships, and Hiroyuki Kitazume's unique visuals enhance the story.

CLOUD

Director: Maolamdo

The boy robot keeps walking with his head down. Behind him, the sky, storms, and explosions appear and disappear. What did he see in the end? This is the story. This short story depicts the themes of loneliness and hope of the boy robot, and Maoramdo's abstract visuals add depth to the story. What the boy robot sees at the end will deeply move the viewer.

Strange Tales of the Meiji Karakuri Civilization: The Invasion of the Red-Haired People

Director: Hiroyuki Kitakubo

In the early Meiji period, a foreigner named Jean-Jacques Vaucarson III attacks the city of Edo with a giant automaton. Mikichi and other Edoites fight back with the giant contraption, the Steam Land Carrier Benkei. This short story depicts the fusion of history and technology, and the detailed illustrations by Kitakubo Hiroyuki enhance the story. The cast includes Toyama Kei as Mikichi, Yokoyama Chisa as Yayoi, Miwa Katsue as Assistant Mayor Fuku, Shiozawa Kaneto as Denjiro, Nishio Nori as Omaru, and James R. Bowers as Jean-Jacques Vaucarson III. The main robots that appear are the Steam Land Carrier Benkei and my beloved Tinkerbell.

Chicken Man and Red Neck

Director: Takashi Nakamura

Late night in Shinjuku. A drunk man witnesses a performance of monsters and is chased by the mysterious Chicken Man. This short film depicts the theme of darkness and the mysterious in the city, and Takashi Nakamura's unique visuals add depth to the story. The night in Shinjuku depicted from the drunk man's point of view gives the viewer a mysterious feeling.

Appeal and evaluation of the work

Each short film in "Robot Carnival" is directed by a different director, allowing viewers to enjoy a variety of visuals and stories. Each short film deals with themes such as science, self-sacrifice, loneliness, love, human relationships, history, and the supernatural, deeply moving viewers. In addition, the directors of each short film make the most of their individual personalities, drawing viewers in with their unique visual styles.

In particular, Katsuhiro Otomo's opening and ending scenes enhance the sense of unity of the entire work. Katsuhiro Otomo's meticulous drawings and dynamic direction leave a strong impression on the viewer. In addition, the directors of each short film delve deeply into their own themes, allowing the viewer to learn a lot from each short film.

This work utilizes the OVA format to attempt experimental expressions that would be difficult to achieve in a feature film. This allows viewers to experience new possibilities in animation. Also, since the stories of each short are independent, viewers can enjoy their favorite shorts over and over again.

Recommendations and related works

"Robot Carnival" is highly recommended for viewers who enjoy robot-themed works and are looking for unique animation, and viewers should also check out the other works of the directors of each short film, as they are all very interesting.

Related works include Katsuhiro Otomo's "AKIRA," Koji Morimoto's "MEMORIES," Hidetoshi Omori's "Evangelion" series, Yasuomi Umetsu's "Ghost in the Shell" series, Hiroyuki Kitazume's "Macross Plus," Maoramudo's "Digimon Adventure," Hiroyuki Kitakubo's "Gundam Series," and Takashi Nakamura's "JoJo's Bizarre Adventure." These works also highlight the individuality of each director, and viewers can learn a lot from them.

"Robot Carnival" is a work that will make viewers feel the new possibilities of animation and leave a deep impression. Please watch this work and enjoy the charm of each short story.