Review of "Amnesia": A moving story of amnesia

The Name of the Wind is Amnesia - Kazenonah Amnesia

■ Public Media

theater

■ Original Media

novel

■ Release date

December 22, 1990 - January 1, 0000

■Distribution company

Japan Home Video

■ Eirin Number

113465

■Frequencies

81 min

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 1

■Original Story

Hideyuki Kikuchi

■ Director

Kazuo Yamazaki

■ Production

Produced by Japan Home Video Animation by Madhouse

■Works

©Hideyuki Kikuchi, Asahi Sonorama, Japan Home Video, Right Stuff Office

■ Story

One day, a gust of wind caused people all over the world to lose their memory. Having lost their culture and knowledge, humanity has gone wild. While traveling in the Americas, Wataru meets a mysterious beauty named Sophia. Sophia makes a bet: "Can I make friends on this journey?" Wataru agrees, and he sets off on a journey to find friends, heading for his destination, New York.

■Explanation

This animated feature film is based on the sci-fi novel of the same name by Kikuchi Hideyuki. Set on Earth after the collapse of civilization, it depicts the journey of a young boy named Wataru as he crosses the American continent. The original novel was published in 1983 and was highly praised among sci-fi fans, and while faithfully recreating the worldview of the novel, the film adds visual expression unique to anime. Director Yamazaki Kazuo has used various creative methods to visually express the deep themes of the original novel. Madhouse, in charge of animation production, has used their technical skills and expressiveness to realistically depict the devastated world.

■Cast

・Wataru/Kazuki Yao ・Sofia/Keiko Toda ・Johnny/Kappei Yamaguchi ・Sue/Yuko Mita ・Little John/Daisuke Gori ・Simpson/Osamu Saka ・Lisa/Noriko Hidaka ・Guardian/Masaharu Sato

■ Main staff

・Original work: Hideyuki Kikuchi・Director: Kazuo Yamazaki・Supervision: Rintaro, Yoshiaki Kawajiri・Screenplay: Kazuo Yamazaki, Yoshiaki Kawajiri, Kenji Kurata・Setting: Masao Maruyama・Animation Director: Satoru Nakamura, Kumiko Takahashi, Michio Mihara・Character Design: Satoru Nakamura・Mecha Design and Animation Director: Morifumi Naka・Guardian Design: Yoshitaka Amano・Art Director: Mutsuo Koseki・Director of Photography: Kinichi Ishikawa・Sound Director: Masafumi Mima・Music: KAZZ TOYAMA, Rien Takimoto・Animation Production: Madhouse・Produced and written by: Japan Home Video

■ Main Characters

・Wataru is a boy who was able to regain some of his memories thanks to a device at the bio-research institute. He travels across the American continent in a jeep, witnessing the fates of people who have lost their memories. During his travels, Wataru meets many people and, with their help, he searches for the meaning of his own existence. Yao Kazuki's voice acting realistically expresses Wataru's unstable state of mind, leaving a strong impression on viewers.

Sophia A beautiful silver-haired woman whom Wataru met in San Francisco. She has vast knowledge about the world and has supernatural powers, such as destroying machines with just a touch. Sophia is an important presence who clarifies the purpose of Wataru's journey and guides him. Keiko Toda's voice brings out the mysterious atmosphere of Sophia, giving us a deeper understanding of her character.

Johnny: A wheelchair-bound boy who was immune to the wind thanks to a head operation at the Biomedical Research Institute. Using the equipment at the institute, Johnny restores Wataru's memories and teaches him how to live life and use a gun. Johnny provides Wataru with the knowledge and skills he needs on his journey, and without him, Wataru's journey would not have been possible. Yamaguchi Kappei's voice does a great job of portraying Johnny's knowledgeable character.

Sue: A girl living in Los Angeles. She was about to be offered as a sacrifice to the Crush and Drink Thing, but managed to escape. She was chased by pursuers, but was saved by Wataru. Sue provides a new perspective on Wataru's journey, and is a presence that heals his heart. Yuko Mita's voice conveys Sue's purity and strength perfectly.

・Little John A big man who was trying to help Sue. He was given knowledge by Wataru and became the head of the village. Little John is an important character that Wataru meets during his journey, and without him, Wataru's journey would have been extremely difficult. Daisuke Gori's voice expresses Little John's strength and kindness well.

■ Main robot items

・Guardian A robot created to suppress riots. The pilot has already died, but it continues to slaughter wild humans on autopilot. The Guardian is the biggest threat Wataru encounters on his journey, and makes his journey difficult. Yoshitaka Amano's design expresses the Guardian's fearsomeness.

The Crusher and Drinker An industrial robot created for urban development. It has multiple arms and is equipped with lasers for breaking down rocks. The Crusher and Drinker is another threat that Wataru encounters during his journey, making it difficult for him to make it. Naka Morifumi's design expresses the terrifying power of the Crusher and Drinker.

■ Evaluation and recommendation

"The Name of the Wind is Amnesia" is a must-see for science fiction fans, and its deep themes and realistic visual expression leave a strong impression on viewers. While faithfully recreating the worldview of the original novel, the expressive power unique to anime brings out new charms. In particular, the human drama of the various characters that Wataru meets during his journey will deeply move viewers. In addition, the mechanical designs of the Guardians and the Crush and Drink Things are also stunning, making for a strong visual impact.

This work is recommended not only for fans of science fiction anime, but also for those interested in human drama and visual expression. In particular, the human strengths and weaknesses depicted throughout Wataru's journey, and his state of mind as it fluctuates between hope and despair, will resonate deeply with viewers. In addition, the presence of characters such as Sophia, Johnny, Sue, and Little John is essential to gain a deeper understanding of Wataru's journey, and their human drama is not to be missed.

Furthermore, this work depicts a realistic world after the collapse of civilization, encouraging deep contemplation in the viewer. In particular, the mechanical designs of the Guardians and the Crushing and Drinking Thing have a strong visual impact and will leave a strong impression on the viewer. The music also firmly enhances the atmosphere of the work, stirring the emotions of the viewer.

Overall, "Amnesia" is a recommended work not only for fans of science fiction anime, but also for those who are interested in human drama and visual expression, and its deep theme and realistic visual expression will leave a strong impression on viewers. In particular, the strength and weakness of human beings depicted through Wataru's journey, and his state of mind that fluctuates between hope and despair, will give viewers a deep sympathy. In addition, the presence of characters such as Sophia, Johnny, Sue, and Little John is also essential to a deeper understanding of Wataru's journey, and their human drama cannot be overlooked. Furthermore, this work realistically depicts a world after the collapse of civilization, encouraging viewers to think deeply. In particular, the mechanical designs of the Guardians and the Crush and Drink Things have a strong visual impact and will leave a strong impression on viewers. The music also firmly enhances the atmosphere of the work, stirring the emotions of the viewers.