Anime: Mnemosyne: Mnemosyne no Musume-tachi

This is basically a rape/torture hentai mixed with action/gore and a pseudo-serious story thrown in to fool the ignorant in believing there is actually some depth hidden amongst all those orgies. And as usual, most bit the lure without a second though.

Now let me clarify that the show is VERY good when it comes to sex and violence. There is lots of it, bold and well animated. On a superficial level Mnemosyne is far better than an average hentai (because most have bad production values) and far better than an action anime (because most have dull violence or lack sex). The main music theme also kicks serious ass and the main heroines are voiced by actresses that have a huge roster of famous works and an even bigger fanbase to support anything they are part of (just because they are part of it). Sure, it really works like a great watch on paper.

That still doesn’t save the show from being one big mess in terms of story and character presentation. Everything is one big blur, chaotic and usually non-sensible. What is going on in here and why is it as such? You won’t get a clear answer. Of course that is exactly what made so many people to think that it is exceptionally smart and deep; if they don’t get it, it can only mean it’s too smart for their tiny brains. Well none of them seem to ever thought of how the story may easily be nothing but nonsense that is thrown amidst the violence and sex just for the luls. And indeed that is what is it after awhile.

Down to it nobody will remember or care about the plot or the story. The only true memorable things in it are the gore and the deviant sex and a bunch of random religious symbolisms spattered all over the place to make them look artistic. Not a bad thing in order to make them memorable and exciting (something which is actually very hard to accomplish in any show) but these otherwise don’t make them any more well-written or meaningful. Just more unorthodox and extreme (something of which most modern producers forgot how that is what made anime interesting in the first place).

At this point you may be wondering why don’t I just see the show as guilty pleasure and be happy about it? It’s not like I don’t like this sort of anime; I have enjoyed dozens of hentai and I like well-made braindead fests such as the Red Line movie. The difference with those is that they were never pretending to be anything more than what they seemed to be. You knew right away what they would be all about and never tried to make it any more complicating than that. Mnemosyne is constantly trying to convince you it is mature and smart and cryptic and a lot of other stuff, which as I said passes as nothing more than poorly written themes. In one episode something counts, in another it doesn’t. There is no plot continuity but suddenly there is. Now the girls kick ass, then they are frail and defenseless. And seriously, female immortality that turns men to horny dying angels??? What were they smoking?

This anime is too heavy on shock effect and carnal pleasure to mean anything significant to me. It is quite shallow actually and constantly pretends to be smart. It is good when it comes to half-hentai-action but don’t try to see past all that if you really want to enjoy it.

Story: 8/10 (Warning: potential spoilers in this section)

The basic story slowly reveals the mysteries revolving around immortality.

The first half of the story follows the main character through multiple generations solving various supernatural mysteries while we learn more about the world and how immortality has come to be and what is the power behind it all.

It's very interesting to see how immortals view the world and what they actually do, being immortals. In this story, a majority seem to stay underground, but Rin is more openly involved with the world. The world doesn't seem to realize that immortality already exists and it's interesting seeing Rin interact with this world and how far in the past her influence runs and catches up to her.

The main plot stays a mystery until the last third of the series. It's very easy to identify who's the bad guy and that they're up to no good, but it's very hard to follow his methods - you have to wonder, why does he do what he does (the reasoning is finally revealed near the end). The villain has a thing for torture and he seemingly likes the ones who can endure the worst he can dish out - which is why the main character caught his attention.

The story was hard to follow and required me to rewatch it to gain an understanding to the point where I could explain it here. It's not very deep and doesn't seem to carry hidden messages. There doesn't seem to be a "moral of the story". I feel that it's simply a "what if there were immortals" type of story that went on a fantasy arc.

Visuals/Animation: 7/10

The visuals are amazing... in the intro. The visuals in the actual series varies. In the first few episodes, it seems a bit above average, but then becomes gorgeous in the later episodes.

The color depth and sharpness on stills/settings show a very mature level of art not often seen, which I have high praise for. Settings change a lot - none are overused. A lot of work went into this.

The general animation quality is relatively standard in this day and age - characters seem to obey the laws of physics and gravity and often sway, stagger, and have a slack posture rather than appear rigid and and robot-like. Visual quality is average for a majority of the series - nothing spectacularly detailed. There are some sequences which they did an exceptional job on, with shadows and lighting that you'd normally expect from an anime movie featured in a cinema, but they were rare and had varied effects (example: the time Maeno was getting info from an old lady and the sun was pouring though the patio door, had minimal bonus effect on the mood).

I'd say the overall animation quality is clean, but on a scale of 1-10 of 2007-2008 anime series, the quality of [anime:5535:Kurenai] is a 7.5, this is an 8, [anime:4403:Seirei no Moribito] is a 9-9.5, and [anime:5415:Macross F] is a 10. The visuals aren't worthy of a v

Sound: 6/10

The soundtrack is fairly simple. It's definitely not something you would find on a CD packed separately selling record numbers. It's timeless, but that's due to it not having any real style (unless you consider the frequent use of the xylophone and other 16-bit video game system quality sounds a style). It's at least is suiting to the series and does seem to make the mysterious atmosphere more pronounced. I'm quite partial to the instrumental in the OP, but not so much the gothic-like vocals.

Ambient sounds are sometimes used rather inappropriately - an example would be one scene in a park with a fountain in the setting, the sound of rushing water is way too strong.

The voice acting is very good. The voices are well-matched to the characters and the only over-acting that I could sense were from the "extras".

Character: 9/10

This is where they did a relatively great job. They gave each character a distinct personality that was unique and really made them stand out as individuals. You can't help not become attached to the main characters - love or hate them, you want to know what happens to them next no matter what. In other words, you start to care for them as if they were close to you.

One thing characters do in this series that oddly impresses me is that they change clothes! The clothes can get disheveled and damaged, but not through normal means and only if it adds effect. Think of how many series have characters that wear the same indestructible clothing every ep and you'll see where I'm coming from.

Value: 8/10

They did a great job on characters which helped make the story on immortality come out more believable. Watching it again, I felt that the value wasn't there anymore, but I see how they got my opinion to be so high with how the later episodes are better down than the earlier ones.

There's quite a number scenes with relatively extreme levels of gore and soft core level adult scenes which adds to the appeal of this series. They don't cut anything for the sake of making a rating and reaching a wider audience. Worth watching and even checking out the DVD.

Enjoyment: 9/10

Overall, I find this as a relatively unique story that strays away from traditional anime styles which offers solid entertainment. It's unique style seems to be it's weakness as it will get many varied impressions, both good and bad and may even be classified as controversial. Because of that, I wouldn't recommend it to any casual viewer, but if you are looking for something new and fresh different from traditional anime, I would eagerly recommend it.

Rate me! It's cheap, it's easy, it's fast and it's our only form of feedback...
This reviews is based on the DVDs in R2J, plus the Ureshi and A-E Ureshii fansubs in h264. It is now considered fair and final.

Quick Take: Gore, perversion, S&M, sex (all kinds), action, mystery, horror, and a dollop of the supernatural power this animation tour-de-force. It's short (6 eps) and it's extremely mature, so keep the kiddies away because there are scantily clad (and unclad, and yes, there's nipples) women in every episode. The animation is great, the sound tremendous, and the writers give a good amount of work for great seiyuu to do. Not everything is explained, and there is a bit of mythology you have to know from one episode to the next. While each episode stands alone, the series is most effective if all episodes are seen in order.

The premise is that Rin Asogi is the head of a detective agency, and along with her "sister" assistant Mimi,  they're almost immortal. They cannot be easily killed, come back from being blown up or hacked apart, and possess above normal physical powers. The series stretches over many decades, and starts with a slam-bang opening episode that is hard to match in later outings. That being said, the ending is indeed satisfying.

Animation: The animation rocks! Xebec, an in-house subsidary of Production I.G., gives this series fluid movement, great in-between animation, superb backgrounds and excellent character design, and it's the highlight this series. Xebec excels at in-between animation, so it's no surprise this looks good. It's mostly 2D with a few 3D shots thrown in the mix, mostly unobtrusively. There are many shots of naked bodies, however, so keep the kiddies home. Blood spatters, entrails, and fists diving into body cavities is a regular occurance. If you like your anime dark and mysterious, this one delivers. There are occasional cinematics used, such as blur, lens flare and forced perspective, and it enhances the "film" feel.  Technically, I can't fault the creators, and it's only a small step less than you'd expect from a major motion-picture. I'd rate this a 9.

Sound: Excellent soundstage and loads of presence. Great foley and sound effects, making it quite immersive. Opening Theme is "Alsatia" by Galneryus, a driving metal-rock theme to an opening montage, and Ending Theme is
"Cause Disarray" by Galneryus; both are effective.

The seiyuu do a masterful job with their material, and the director Shigeru Ueda (Elemental Gelade, Serial Experiments Lain) keeps the action flowing in the sound department. I was impressed with the range of music that was supplied, from classical to jazz to Jpop to traditional taiko and bamboo flute. Veteran seiyuu Mamiko Noto (with over 120 titles in her credits) gets to play Rin, and it's a meaty part that she obviously has fun with. I'm quite impressed, because both sound and animation are at a very high technical level.

Well done!  Earns a 9 in this area.

Story: Plotted but episodic. Without a doubt, you'll have a tough time following the threads from one episode to another if you don't watch it in order. The story follows the conflict between women who have received the fruit of the tree of eternity, and thus live forever, and men, who turn into short-lived "angels" who seek to devour the women.

There are mysteries in every episode, and half the fun is watching Rin either cause or resolve those mysteries. It's episodic, meaning that you could enjoy each episode without knowing the prior events, but threaded, meaning your enjoyment is markedly enhanced if you have been watching all episodes in order. The middle episodes do not have the same amount of energy as the first episode, but the ending is satisfying. There is a fair amount of revelation in every episode, and a good observer will see something new in a second viewing. So, I'd rate the story an 8 on my scale.

Character: The design of the characters is excellent. Rin is a long-haired Japanese beauty, lovely in or out of her character's glasses. She is given a dark-blue signature pantsuit, and not much else, as a costume. If you like loli designs with a good amount of changes of costume, then Mimi is your ticket. It's too bad that she seems more attracted to Rin than anyone else, and it throws you off to realize that, no matter how old she is, she'll always look 14 (yes, there are yuri elements too).

There is growth of character, and a good amount of backstory for a couple of characters, so you'll feel like you get to know them even though it's a short series. The problem is that there really isn't a good explanation for who the antagonists are in the series, and they do feel somewhat inexplicable. In fact, there are just too many choices for enemy. I'd rate the character section a solid 7.5.

Value and Enjoyment: I have the DVDs, and it's fun to watch them repeatedly. It's got good collection and replay value, because the technicals are so well done and the story is gory and sexy and just plain fun. Enjoyment numbers will depend on how much you like the thematic elements of the story, but I clearly enjoyed it a lot. I'd give an 8 and a 9 for these elements.

Conclusion: Blood spatters, naked women, sex, mysteries to be solved, it's a roller-coaster ride that lasts 6 episodes. Don't walk away for popcorn!