9 of Japan's leading animators were asked to create a short segment that followed the theme of "Robots," for their inclusion in this film. Essentially, this "movie" is 9 short films, all independant of one another. The common element is human interaction with robots, namely the consequences of creating life with one's own hands, played in nine very different ways.
(Source: ANN)
1: Opening (Atsuko Fukushima and Katsuhiro Otomo)
2: Franken's Gears (Koji Morimoto)
3: Deprive (Hidetoshi Omori)
4: Presence (Yasuomi Umetsu)
5: Star Light Angel (Hiroyuki Kitazume)
6: Cloud (Mao Lamdo)
7: A Tale of Two Robots (Hiroyuki Kitakubo)
8: Nightmare (Takashi Nakamura)
9: Ending (Atsuko Fukushima and Katsuhiro Otomo)
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Comentários
psypher
While simply a series of short films, Robot Carnival really is artisic creativity unbound. Each story in and of itself is an exploration into the various aspects of artifical life forms and various implications thereof. As written by Justin Sevrakis on ANN "The show's credits reads like a whose-who of anime"- and it truly does. I cannot recommend this enough for mecha fans and really anyone who enjoys seeing artists doing what they do best.
pyroromancer
Robot Carnival is a bunch of smaller pieces that forms a masterpiece. 30 years before Hollywood, Elon Musk, Bill Gates and Stephen hawking fear mongered the hell out of AI, these brilliant writers and animators theorize and demonstrate multiple short stories as how the AI/Robot singularity may playout, from beginnings, to present to future and post human worlds. These films each have their own theme and tone. You might up in deep thinking, dreading, laughing and crying in this one sitting. Enjoy these short films as they depict the struggles and joys AI/robots will face as they walk the same path as "us."
Lanternof2814
I've spent over 30 years watching Anime...I started with Transformers and Robotech in the US. No matter what series I watch, no matter what movie I watch...Robot Carnival is the one that I will always compare them to. When I tell people, particularly those of the "newer" generation of anime fans, what Robot Carnival is about, I simply state, "This is, to me, the anime version of Walt Disney's Fantasia." I have loved this "movie" since the Sci-Fi channel first started in 2001. I wish that whoever holds the Copyright to this gets the stick out of their rear and allowsthis to be released on DVD/Blu-Ray in Region 1. I cannot recommend this enough. It is, and always will be, in my top 5 anime of all time.
NotenSMSK
Robot Carnival an anime that before starting I was a little hesitant about. It wasn't the art work or age that worried me (I saw it a year back or so) but the fact that each episode was completely independent and that meant that while some episodes will be mediocre, some will be amazing however regardless, there is no story to look forward to. But then again each episode has a fresh feel to it, and since their length varies from 4 mins to approx 20 mins, we are not wasting too much time experimenting. However these conflicted views were before watching the anime. ForRobot Carnival is a lucid experience that I would recommend to most people who don't have a stiff lip when it comes to different genres or old art work.
As pointed out earlier each episode is a unique story however each has certain appeal for different viewers and I for one enjoyed almost all episodes. Some are simple single themed episodes with a not-so-deep yet appealing execution, others are deep, well expressed representations of humanity and its different aspects - others have both a side for normal viewers and thinkers alike (examples would be 2nd and 4th episode notably). The art is interesting - appealing in most instances though of course the fact that it is from 1987 should be kept in mind. We have various forms of character designs and sceneries. Different atmospheres can also be found through the series. The characters are like the story, some simple - others extremely complicated and some hard to judge. However that is the beauty of the series - its variety of themes and perspective. A unique aspect to this series is the fact that most of the episodes are silent - with music, but no dialogue but that actually adds to the experience.
In a nutshell, I would recommend this to most people - yet I would specifically call out the older and more mature audience that can analyze various aspects of an anime.
DISKOWN
Robot Carnival is an anthology film featuring nine shorts. They are all well animated and have amazing visuals. I personally found the first half more enjoyable than the second but this is largely subjective. The individual narratives of the films are decent, but it's obvious that the main focus was on the animation. Robot Carnival is unique. It's hard to recommend to anyone who enjoys complex characters and stories. But for anyone who just loves raw animation and visual talent this OVA is a no brainer. If you're on the fence, Robot Carnival is definitely worth the watchpurely for the talent presented.
Tomiply
I would recommend simply because of the animation. The animation is great and the music is sweet too, no doubt because it's done by Joe Hisaishi. Most of the episodes are weak in terms of storytelling, but make up for it in animation and style. The best stories, however, are definitely "Presence" and "A Tale of Two Robots" though, if you ask me. "Presence" is very interesting and unique, while "A Tale of Two Robots" is pretty funny. "Cloud" is perhaps the weirdest episode out of the bunch. I didn't get it, and while the visual style was unique, it felt pretty out of placecompared to the rest. Either way, it doesn't hurt to give Robot Carnival a watch if you love old school animation.
theroboxer
This is one of those flicks where you're not entirely sure what the hell you're signing up for, but by the end, you’re sitting there, face stuck in an open-mouthed "WTF" moment, wondering if robots are your friends or if they’re ready to royally fuck us all over. The beauty of Robot Carnival is how each segment has its own flavor of insanity—ranging from jaw-dropping visuals to absolutely bonkers storytelling. I mean, we’re talking about the kind of artistry that makes your eyes pop, right? It's like every artist got a dose of LSD and a blank canvas and said, "Let’s make this unforgettable." And itis, mostly.
The animation is top-tier for its time, even by today’s standards. It’s got that hand-drawn, painstakingly crafted vibe that just hits different compared to today’s polished CGI. And the robots? They're depicted in ways you never expect—sometimes graceful, sometimes terrifying, but always unforgettable.
Not every segment is a masterpiece, though. Some of them might make you go, “Alright, let’s wrap this up, shall we?” A few of the stories kind of meander, losing their punch halfway through. But man, when it hits? It hits hard.
So yeah. If you love robots, insane artistry, and a little bit of existential dread, this one’s a no-brainer. Just be prepared for some weird-ass shit along the way.
DustJead
Robot Carnival is an amazing visual spectacle of various shorts done by various people, with a loose and general theme of robots. Due to it being various shorts, each person will get a certain level of enjoyment out of each short, and I'm sure there's a person who can enjoy each one. They all look amazing, have a great soundtrack, interesting character design, and story-telling methods that make each short unique. My least short of the bunch is "Cloud". It was very abstract and artistic, with a slow pace, and as a result felt longer than it really was. Overall, I enjoyed it, and I thinkeveryone who enjoys animation and story-telling should pick it up for a try as well.
This is my first review. I hope it was alright, and that it gave some insight on this film.
Thank you for reading!
B2Reviews
If you know someone who might get into anime, short film anthologies are a good suggestion. It's not a whole series they may abandon if it's not their thing, it introduces several visual and directorial styles, and they're just enjoyable. And Katsuhiro Otomo brings together some of the best in the business every time. Robot Carnival is something I added a few months ago, and I really enjoyed the selection here. You get several experimental pieces, some of which tell a story completely free of dialogue, which always amazes me. It is an older collection but certainly classic, I'd compareit to 80s and 90s titles where CG was not a thing yet. Lot of great cyberpunk, some psychological thriller, existential arthouse, even a feudal Japan giant robot tale.
I will definitely watch this again and I believe you'll enjoy it as well. Pass the popcorn and enjoy the Carnival.
