Robot Carnival · Episode 4: Presence

Presence

1987-07-2110 min

This segment (featuring dialogue) tells the story of a man who has an obsession with a robot girl he has been secretly constructing in an attempt to compensate for the lack of any close relationship with his wife and family. The setting seems to be British and of the early twentieth century, but also suggests another planet or a future which has attempted to re-establish a former social structure. When the robot takes on a personality of her own, far beyond what the man had programmed, he smashes her in a fit of panic, and leaves his secret laboratory for what he believes is the last time…

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1Opening1987-07-2110 minThe opening takes place in a desert. A boy finds a small "coming soon" poster advertising the Robot Carnival, and becomes frightened and agitated. He warns the people in his village, most likely to escape, when a huge machine with many robots performing in niches on its exterior grinds its way right over the village. Once a magnificent traveling showcase, it is now a decayed, rusted, malfunctioning, engine of destruction.2Franken’s Gears1987-07-2110 minA crazy scientist tries to give life to his robot with lightning, just like Frankenstein. When it comes to life, the robot copies everything the scientist does. Overjoyed, the scientist dances with glee, trips, and falls. Seeing this, the robot dances, trips, and falls on the scientist, killing him.3Deprive1987-07-2110 minThis segment features a humanoid robot and an invasion from space 4Presence1987-07-2110 minThis segment (featuring dialogue) tells the story of a man who has an obsession with a robot girl he has been secretly constructing in an attempt to compensate for the lack of any close relationship with his wife and family. The setting seems to be British and of the early twentieth century, but also suggests another planet or a future which has attempted to re-establish a former social structure. When the robot takes on a personality of her own, far beyond what the man had programmed, he smashes her in a fit of panic, and leaves his secret laboratory for what he believes is the last time…5Starlight Angel1987-07-2110 minA shōjo story, featuring teenage girls at a robot themed amusement park who are friends. One of the girls finds that her lover is now going out with her friend. Running away in tears she finds her way to a virtual-reality ride. Pleasant at first, her memory cause the ride to summon a giant laser breathing mecha. But one of the park's 'robots' finds himself in the role of knight in shining armor, and allowing her to let go of her darker emotions, and to move forward in her life. While at first confusing, this is deceptive, as many of the elements are logical in hindsight. The visual style of…6Cloud1987-07-2110 minThis short features a robot walking through time, and the evolution of man. The backdrop is animated with clouds that depicts various events of the universe. Such as the modernization of man, to the self destruction of man. Most the events in the backdrops takes place from Rome to present day society. Eventually the same angel who cries for his immortality, makes him human towards the end.7A Tale of Two Robots: Chapter 3 - Foreign Invasion1987-07-2110 minThis is set in the nineteenth century and features two "giant robots" directed from within by a human crew. In the style of a movie serial of the sound era, a Westerner in his giant robot attempts to take over Japan, but is challenged by locals operating a "machine made for the parade" -- a Japanese giant robot. The style of this segment is somewhat reminiscent of a Japanese World War II-era propaganda film. Despite the title of this segment, there is no known prequel or sequel. The voice acting of this piece are a mix of English and Japanese with the Westerner speaking English and the…8Nightmare1987-07-2110 minThe city of Tokyo is overrun by its machines, as they all come alive for a night of revelry, with only a single, drunken human (Chicken Man) awake to witness it. This segment was inspired by the "Night on Bald Mountain" segment of Fantasia and is also said to be influenced by the Legend of Sleepy Hollow segment from c The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad. This features the recent Japanese myth that machines can grow by connecting onto other machines, regardless of the purposes for which they were designed (as seen in Roujin Z).9Ending1987-07-2110 minDirected by Atsuko Fukushima and Katsuhiro Otomo. The Robot Carnival is stopped by a little hill in the desert. Unable to climb the sandy obstruction, the Carnival stalls at its base. As the sun sets over the traveling relic, flashback stills recall the grandeur of the Carnival at the peak of its existence—an unparalleled engine of mirth that brought timeless joy to the various cities it visited. At sunrise, we see the platform chug forward with a sudden burst of power and crest over the dune in its way. The final push proved to be too much for the aged contraption, and it finally goes to…

Robot Carnival★ 70%

Robot Carnival

Name: Robot Carnival
Genre: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Fantasy
Released: 1987
Rating: 7.0

ロボット・カーニバル

Also known as: ロボット・カーニバル

OVA1987★ 70%Action Adventure Comedy Drama Fantasy

Synopsis

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 independent 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: Anime News Network) 1. Opening (dir. by Atsuko Fukushima and Katsuhiro Otomo) 2. Franken's Gears (dir. by Koji Morimoto) 3. Deprive (dir. by Hidetoshi Omori) 4. Presence (dir. by Yasuomi Umetsu) 5. Star Light Angel (dir. by Hiroyuki Kitazume) 6. Cloud (dir. by Mao Lamdo) 7. A Tale of Two Robots (dir. by Hiroyuki Kitakubo) 8. Nightmare (dir. by Takashi Nakamura) 9. Ending (dir. by Atsuko Fukushima and Katsuhiro Otomo)

Characters & Voice Actors

SankichiMain

Kei TomiyamaJP

ShujinkouMain

Kouji MoritsuguJP

ShoujoMain

Junko MachidaJP

DaimaruSupporting

Toku NishioJP

FukusukeSupporting

Katsue MiwaJP

YayoiSupporting

Chisa YokoyamaJP

DenjirouSupporting

Kaneto ShiozawaJP

Jean-Jacques Walkerson IIISupporting

James BowersJP

Obaa-sanSupporting

Keiko HanagataJP

MusumeSupporting

Kumiko TakizawaJP

MagoSupporting

Nariko FujiedaJP

DouryouBackground

Hideyuki UmezuJP

Staff

Katsuhiro OotomoDirector (eps 1, 9)

Katsuhiro OotomoScript (eps 1, 9)

Katsuhiro OotomoStoryboard (eps 1, 9)

Yoshiyuki SadamotoCharacter Design (ep 7)

Kouji MorimotoScript (ep 2)

Kouji MorimotoKey Animation (ep 2)

Kouji MorimotoCharacter Design (ep 2)

Kouji MorimotoDirector (ep 2)

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