Neo Tokyo (1987) Meikyû monogatari | Region-Free (Blu-Ray)

Title: Neo Tokyo (1987)

Alternate Title: Meikyû Monogatari

Genre: Animation, Fantasy, Science Fiction

Plot Synopsis:
An anthology film comprising three distinct segments:

1. Labyrinth Labyrinthos: A young girl and her cat explore a mysterious and surreal world, encountering a bizarre circus.
2. Running Man: A seasoned racer with telekinetic abilities faces his ultimate challenge on the racetrack.
3. Construction Cancellation Order: A man is tasked with shutting down a construction project managed entirely by autonomous worker robots.

Cast and Crew:

• Directors:
  • Rintaro (“Labyrinth Labyrinthos”)
  • Yoshiaki Kawajiri (“Running Man”)
  • Katsuhiro Ōtomo (“Construction Cancellation Order”)
• Writers:
  • Taku Mayumura (original stories)
  • Rintaro
  • Yoshiaki Kawajiri
  • Katsuhiro Ōtomo
• Cast:
  • Hideko Yoshida
  • Masane Tsukayama
  • Yû Mizushima
  • Iemasa Kayumi
  • Hiroshi Ôtake

YouTube Trailer:
Neo Tokyo | Trailer

IMDb Link:
Neo Tokyo (1987)

Reviews from Letterboxd:

1. nomenclature – ★★★★★
   “I see this as a perfect marriage between fantasy merry-making and an art film, best interpreted as simply a testament to the limitless flights of the imagination. Beginning appropriately with a succession of surrealist images and childlike wonder in spades, the opener/wraparound segment appears plotless, but the magical realism focused on the personal juxtaposes pleasingly and transitions nicely into the following segments centered on technological and societal macrocosm.”
2. Blake Bergman “Various Spaghetti” – ★★★★½
   “‘Neo Tokyo’ is a 1987 anthology anime, assembling the works of three collaborative directors all showcasing a visioned story from the collective works of Japanese science fiction writer Taku Mayumura. As each director is given their piece to present, the assembled order starts with director Rintaro featuring a segment entitled ‘Labyrinth Labyrinthos’, Yoshiaki Kawajiri directing a segment called ‘The Running Man’, and finally Katsuhiro Otomo presenting ‘Construction Cancellation Order’. Each segment is unique in its own right, but together they form a cohesive exploration of surreal and speculative themes.”
3. Mandrakegray – ★★★★
   “The thin connecting thread between the animated shorts is that each segment had been showcased in the previous year’s collection (which bore the same name) of short stories by celebrated Japanese science fiction writer Taku Mayumura. Let’s dive in… Labyrinth Labyrinthos (Directed by Rintaro) I was a few moments into this segment when it dawned on me that I had indeed watched all of ‘Neo-Tokyo’ (as opposed to just ‘Running Man’) many years back. What a remarkable visual treat this segment is.”

Meta Description:
“Neo Tokyo” (1987), also known as “Meikyû Monogatari,” is a Japanese animated anthology film featuring three segments directed by Rintaro, Yoshiaki Kawajiri, and Katsuhiro Ōtomo. The film explores surreal and speculative themes through its distinct stories.