"Manie-Manie Labyrinth Story": A thorough review of this fascinating collection of short animated films!

"Manie-Manie Labyrinth Story": Three parallel worlds depicted in an omnibus format

Premiering at the Tokyo International Fantastic Film Festival on September 25, 1987, Manie-Manie is an anime film based on the novel by Taku Mayumura, and is an anthology of three different stories. The film was produced by two studios, Project Team Argos and Madhouse, and three renowned directors, Rintaro, Yoshiaki Kawajiri and Katsuhiro Otomo, each of whom worked on an episode. Although it is a short film of only 50 minutes, it is deep in content, visually beautiful and narratively powerful.

■ Story

"Labyrinth * Labyrinthos"

While playing with her pet cat, Cicerone, the young girl Sachi gets lost in a strange world. There, she is invited by a clown to enter a circus tent. In the circus tent, surprises and horrors beyond her imagination await her. Will Sachi be able to escape from this strange world?

"Running Man"

After being physically and mentally destroyed by the rigors of the race, Zach, a champion, finally decides to push the limits of what humans can do. His challenge is a story of self-transcendence and asks the question of how far humans can reach. Zach's run will deeply move and sympathize with the audience.

"Order to stop construction"

Tsutomu Sugioka is sent to a fully automated construction site deep in the jungle. His mission is to order the robots to stop construction in place of his predecessor who disappeared. However, he faces an unexpected situation and the robots' reaction there. Will Sugioka be able to overcome this crisis?

■Explanation

Manie-Manie is based on a novel by Taku Mayumura and is told in an omnibus format in three different episodes. Each episode is directed by a different director: Rintaro for Labyrinth * Labyrinthos, Yoshiaki Kawajiri for Running Man, and Katsuhiro Otomo for Construction Stop Order. These episodes are visually stunning and thematically profound, leaving a strong impression on the audience.

■Cast

In "Labyrinth * Labyrinthos," Hideko Yoshida plays the role of the young girl Sachi. Her voice is a perfect fit for the atmosphere of the story and has the power to draw the viewer in. In "Running Man," Masatane Tsukayama plays Bob Stone and Banjo Ginga plays Zack Hughes. Their performances deeply express the inner thoughts of their characters and add depth to the story. In "Construction Stop Order," Tsutomu Sugioka is played by Yu Mizushima, Robot 444 No. 1 is played by Hiroshi Otake, and the department chief is played by Iemasa Iegumi. Their voices heighten the tension of the story and leave a strong impression on the viewer.

■ Main staff

For Labyrinth * Labyrinthos, Fukushima Atsuko was in charge of character design and animation direction, with Ohashi Manabu, Kurihara Reiko, and Fukushima Atsuko participating in key animation. Ishikawa Yamako was the art director, and Banno Masayoshi, Yamakawa Akira, Nagashima Yoko, and Baku Productions were involved in background design. Rintaro was in charge of the script and direction. His unique perspective and sensibility give this episode a deep flavor.

For "Running Man," Yoshiaki Kawajiri was in charge of character design and animation direction, with Takashi Watanabe and Satoshi Kumagai participating in the mechanical design. Shinji Otsuka, Nobumasa Shinkawa, Toshio Kawaguchi, and Kengo Inagaki were in charge of key animation, Katsushi Aoki was in charge of art direction, and Yuji Ikebata was in charge of backgrounds. Yoshiaki Kawajiri also wrote the script and directed the film, and his detailed depictions and powerful storytelling shine.

In "Construction Stop Order", Katsuhiro Otomo was in charge of character design, and Takashi Nakamura was the animation director. Koji Morimoto, Takashi Nakamura, Katsuhiro Otomo, and Kunihiko Sakurai participated in the key animation, Takamura Mukuo was the art director, and Hiromi Kono, Miki Sato, Hiroyuki Yokoyama, and Mukuo Studio contributed backgrounds. Katsuhiro Otomo also wrote the script and directed the episode, and his unique worldview and visual beauty enhance it.

The overall composition and production was handled by Masao Maruyama and Rintaro, and the music was by Mickey Yoshino. The music producer was Hikaru Ishikawa, the sound producer was Susumu Aketagawa, the sound production was by Magic Capsule (Masafumi Mima), and the music mixer was Hidehiko Ohno. Thanks to the cooperation of these staff, Manie-Manie Labyrinth Story became a highly polished work.

■Subtitle

・Labyrinth * Labyrinth ・Running Man ・Order to Stop Construction

■ Evaluation and recommendation

"Manie-Manie Labyrinth Story" is praised for its unique worldview, visual beauty, and deep themes. Each episode strongly reflects the individuality of the different directors, providing fresh surprises and moving experiences for viewers. In particular, Rintaro's "Labyrinth * Labyrinthos" beautifully depicts a fantastical world and a girl's adventure, and stands out for its visual beauty and depth of story. Yoshiaki Kawajiri's "Running Man" asks the question of how far humans can reach, deeply moving viewers. Katsuhiro Otomo's "Construction Stop Order" shines with his unique worldview and visual beauty, leaving a strong impression on viewers.

This work is recommended not only for anime fans, but also for those interested in film and literature. It is especially a must-see for those interested in other worlds, science fiction, and horror. This work combines visual beauty with deep themes, and will provide viewers with new perspectives and emotions.

■ Additional Information

Manie-Manie: The Labyrinth of Love premiered at the Tokyo International Fantastic Film Festival in 1987 and has been shown at various film festivals and events to great acclaim. The film was produced by Kadokawa Shoten and the copyright belongs to them in 1986. Visually stunning and thematically profound, the film occupies an important place in the history of anime films.

Furthermore, each episode of this work reflects the personality of a different director, allowing viewers to experience three different worlds: Rintaro's fantastical world, Yoshiaki Kawajiri's powerful storytelling, and Katsuhiro Otomo's unique visual expression, each of which will give viewers a fresh surprise and excitement.

The film also pays special attention to the music and sound, with Mickey Yoshino's music and the sound production of the Magic Capsule enhancing the story. This film, which combines not only visual beauty but also auditory beauty, will leave a deep impression on viewers.

"Manie-Manie Labyrinth Story" is praised for its unique worldview, visual beauty, and deep themes. Each episode strongly reflects the individuality of the different directors, providing fresh surprises and moving experiences for viewers. In particular, Rintaro's "Labyrinth * Labyrinthos" beautifully depicts a fantastical world and a girl's adventure, and stands out for its visual beauty and depth of story. Yoshiaki Kawajiri's "Running Man" asks the question of how far humans can reach, deeply moving viewers. Katsuhiro Otomo's "Construction Stop Order" shines with his unique worldview and visual beauty, leaving a strong impression on viewers.

This work is recommended not only for anime fans, but also for those interested in film and literature. It is especially a must-see for those interested in other worlds, science fiction, and horror. This work combines visual beauty with deep themes, and will provide viewers with new perspectives and emotions.

"Manie-Manie Labyrinth Story" is praised for its unique worldview, visual beauty, and deep themes. Each episode strongly reflects the individuality of the different directors, providing fresh surprises and moving experiences for viewers. In particular, Rintaro's "Labyrinth * Labyrinthos" beautifully depicts a fantastical world and a girl's adventure, and stands out for its visual beauty and depth of story. Yoshiaki Kawajiri's "Running Man" asks the question of how far humans can reach, deeply moving viewers. Katsuhiro Otomo's "Construction Stop Order" shines with his unique worldview and visual beauty, leaving a strong impression on viewers.

This work is recommended not only for anime fans, but also for those interested in film and literature. It is especially a must-see for those interested in other worlds, science fiction, and horror. This work combines visual beauty with deep themes, and will provide viewers with new perspectives and emotions.

"Manie-Manie Labyrinth Story" is praised for its unique worldview, visual beauty, and deep themes. Each episode strongly reflects the individuality of the different directors, providing fresh surprises and moving experiences for viewers. In particular, Rintaro's "Labyrinth * Labyrinthos" beautifully depicts a fantastical world and a girl's adventure, and stands out for its visual beauty and depth of story. Yoshiaki Kawajiri's "Running Man" asks the question of how far humans can reach, deeply moving viewers. Katsuhiro Otomo's "Construction Stop Order" shines with his unique worldview and visual beauty, leaving a strong impression on viewers.

This work is recommended not only for anime fans, but also for those interested in film and literature. It is especially a must-see for those interested in other worlds, science fiction, and horror. This work combines visual beauty with deep themes, and will provide viewers with new perspectives and emotions.