Parasite Dolls - Anime Lives

• Media Source:Anime Lives
• Reviewed By:Max Dragonard
• Review Date:11/05/04
• Read the original review click here

"Although dark in nature, Parasite Dolls is well worth seeing if only for the pleasure of its detailed visuals; colourful characters; jazzy, rocking score; and edge-of-seat thriller pacing. "

"Parasite Dolls is closer in tone to Mamoru Ishii's feature Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence than the original Bubblegum Crisis."

Parasite Dolls

Directed by: Kazuto Nakazawa and Naoyuki Yoshinaga
Screenplay by: Chiaki Konaka
Distributor: A.D. Vision
Runtime: 95 min
Rating: Not Rated - 17+ Recommended
Release Date: October 19, 2004


Synopsis:

Parasite Dolls depicts a futuristic world wherein humans and their uncannily lifelike android slaves called boomers share a precarious coexistence. A government organization known as the BRANCH exists to police the interaction between man and machine and maintain the peace. Unfortunately, not all boomers are created perfect, and when boomers go bad, people die...

The thin blue line that separates man from machine is about to meet its most horrifying test in Parasite Dolls.

Review:

Directors Kazuto Nakazawa and Naoyuki Yoshinaga have set their their sci-fi thriller against the backdrop of the legendary anime series Bubblegum Crisis and AD Police, sharing the same social/political background and time period but otherwise having no direct connections. Parasite Dolls can be enjoyed without having seen Bubblegum Crisis or AD Police.

Parasite Dolls was originally released in 2003 as three separate OVAs, then in late 2003 and early 2004 as a theatrical piece. We got the theatrical version presented in its original 1.33:1 full frame aspect ratio.

The story revolves around the giant Genom Corporation which thrives on the sales of 'boomers,' technologically sophisticated simulacra gifted with artificial intelligence and Buzz Nikvest, an officer in the undercover Branch division of the AD Police. Transferred from the AD Police to Branch under bad circumstances, Buzz is considered to be something of a joke.

In each episode, boomers become the victims of violent crimes. In 'Faint Voice,' cyber-voyeurs tap into the perceptions of destructive robots; the mysterious 'Crusher' targets Boomer prostitutes in 'Dreams'; and a deranged politician conducts a clandestine war against all Boomers in 'Roundtable.'

Parasite Dolls is closer in tone to Mamoru Ishii's feature Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence than the original Bubblegum Crisis. Director Naoyuki Yoshinaga presents the noir tales of dystopia using a variety of hip, stylish, near-future, urban-techno-noir settings that are reminiscent of Blade Runner and Ghost In The Shell to dazzle our visual receptors.

Parasite Dolls distinguishes itself by the thoughtful questions the three stories raise about human bigotry and intolerance counterbalanced by the potential to coexist peacefully with others. Parasite Dolls emphasises a negative vision, sombrely tinged with a bleak cynicism that implies humanity may never evolve to transcend age-old prejudices.

Although dark in nature, Parasite Dolls is well worth seeing if only for the pleasure of its detailed visuals; colourful characters; jazzy, rocking score; and edge-of-seat thriller pacing.


DVD Features:

• Japanese 5.1 Language
• English 5.1 Language
• English Subtitles
• 'Get on the Beat' music video
• Promo video shown at Anime Fair 2002
• Original Japanese video promo
• Production sketches

Posted on Friday, November 05, 2004 (Archive on Sunday, December 05, 2004)