The Animatrix (2003) (V)

Directors:

Peter Chung
Andy Jones

Writers:

Andy Wachowski (screenplay) &
Larry Wachowski (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

3 June 2003 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Drama | Animation | Sci-Fi

Plot:

The Animatrix is a collection of several animated short films, detailing the backstory of the "Matrix" universe, and the original war between man and machines which led to the creation of the Matrix.

Plot Keywords:

Manga | Grim | Apocalypse | End Of The World | Science Runs Amok

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Akio Ôtsuka	...	Thadeus (voice)
Clayton Watson	...	Michael Karl Popper AKA The Kid (segment "Kid's Story") (voice)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Pamela Adlon	...	Jue (segment "Final Flight of the Osiris") / Manabu (segment "Beyond") (voice)
Hedy Burress	...	Cis (segment "Program") / Yoko (segment "Beyond") (voice)
Terrence 'T.C.' Carson	...	Clarence (voice) (as T.C. Carson)
Melinda Clarke	...	Alexa (segment "Matriculated") (voice)
Olivia d'Abo	...	Rox (segment "Matriculated") (voice)
Dane A. Davis	...	01 Versatran Spokesman (segment "The Second Renaissance, Part II") (voice)
John DeMita	...	Teacher (segment "Kid's Story") (voice)
Debi Derryberry	...	Kid (segment "The Second Renaissance, Part II") (voice)
John Di Maggio	...	Crew Man (segment "Final Flight of the Osiris") / Kaiser (segment "Program") (voice)
Alex Fernandez	...	Tom (segment "World Record") (voice)
Jack Fletcher	...	Townsperson (segment "Beyond") / Sandro (segment "Matriculated") (voice)
Julia Fletcher	...	The Instructor (segments "The Second Renaissance, Parts I&II") / Narrator (segment "World Record") / Townsperson (segment "Beyond") (voice)
Bette Ford	...	Old Woman (segment "Final Flight of the Osiris") (voice)
Rick Gomez	...	Pilot (segment "Final Flight of the Osiris") (voice)
Tom Kenny	...	Operator (segment "Final Flight of the Osiris") (voice)
Phil LaMarr	...	Duo (segment "Program") (voice)
Tress MacNeille	...	Housewife / Kenny (segment "Beyond") (voice)
Matt McKenzie	...	Agent #1 (segment "World Record") / Agent (segments "Beyond" and "A Detective Story") (voice)
Carrie-Anne Moss	...	Trinity (segments "Kid's Story" and "A Detective Story") (voice)
Keanu Reeves	...	Neo (segment "Kid's Story") (voice)
Kevin Michael Richardson	...	Thadeus (segment "Final Flight of the Osiris") / Cop (segment "Kid's Story") / Agent #2 (segment "World Record") (voice)
Rodney Saulsberry	...	Chyron (segment "Matriculated") (voice)
Dwight Schultz	...	Townspeople, Policeman, Exterminators (segment "Beyond") / Nonaka (segment "Matriculated") / Additional voice (segments "The Second Renaissance, Part I&II") (voice)
Allison Smith	...	Reporter (segment "World Record") (voice)
Kath Soucie	...	Pudgy / Masa / Sara (segment "Beyond") (voice)
Tara Strong	...	Crew Woman (segment "Final Flight of the Osiris") / Nurse (segment "World Record") / Misha (segment "Beyond") (voice)
Jill Talley	...	Mother / Additional voice (segments "The Second Renaissance, Parts I&II") / Townsperson (segment "Beyond") (voice)
James Arnold Taylor	...	Additional voice (segments "The Second Renaissance, Parts I&II") / Miscellaneous (segment "Kid's Story") / Ash (segment "A Detective Story") / Raul (segment "Matriculated") (voice)
John Wesley	...	Dan's Dad (segment "World Record") (voice)
Victor Williams	...	Dan (segment "World Record") (voice)

Runtime:

102 min

Country:

USA

Language:

Japanese

Color:

Black and White | Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:PG-13 | Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14A (Manitoba) | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Ireland:12 | Netherlands:16 | Singapore:NC-16 | South Korea:15 | Spain:13 | UK:15 | Germany:16

Company:

DNA

Trivia:

There is a reference to the Visual Effects Supervisor for the Matrix films, John Gaeta, during "The Second Renaissance Part II." As the human army gathers in the trenches, preparing for Operation Dark Storm, a male voice on the P.A. system announces, "Lt. Gaeta, please report to the Ops Center. Lt. Gaeta to Ops Center."

Goofs:

Continuity: When Washington D.C. is shown the first time in "the second renaissance", you see that directly behind the capitol, there are enormous skyscrapers, but the second time they show the capitol (in the riot scene), you can see the sky behind it.

Quotes:

Mr. Popper: Neo, I knew you would save me.
Neo: I didn't save you kid, you saved yourself.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Anime: Drawing the Revolution (2007) (TV)

Soundtrack:

VIRUS

Animatrix or Matrixime

Being a long time viewer of Anime and Anime Collecting, I found myself very intruigued by the notion of an "all Matrix inspired animation project", and having seen many anime anthologies (Robot Carnival, Neo Tokyo, etc.), I knew it was a sketchy territory to say the least. Most anthologies are hit and miss but this one for me was mostly a hit. Gladly, I was not dissapointed at all. All the stories became not just history to the Matrix world but poignant, frightening, disturbing and scintillating drama that takes the blasted landscape of the machine run Earth into a landscape of incalculable possiblities. The idea of the Matrix having its stylistic touches taken from anime makes this disc an even more appropriate and evolutionary step. Bravo to all who got this project together, because expanding the scope and vison of your work to honor its concepts was pure genious. Lucas could learn a thing by this.