NEO Tokyo

It's unfortunate they renamed this trio of shorts "Neo Tokyo" from its original title, "Mani Mani," as it makes searching for this difficult-to-find gem somewhat frustrating. They did it in hopes that it would make people think it had some sort of tie-in with "Akira," which, other than featuring Katsuhiro Otomo, it doesn't. In 1986 this was one of my first tastes of anime (other than Starblazers, Battle of the Planets, Robotech and Voltron) and it blew me away; nearly 20 years later, it is still a delicious piece of eye candy as much as a thought-inducing trip into surreal "what if" scenarios.Mainly I wanted to get the DVD to see "Labyrinth Labyrinthos" again, by Rintaro. Throughout the entire 3 shorts, there is little dialogue, and I think it adds to the mystique and surreality glazed over the collection. Labyrinth serves as the intro and outro, or "bookends" to the other 2 stories, but is a beautiful story in itself about a young girl with a vast imagination, playing hide & seek with her pet cat. The stark piano solo sets a profound mood of both childlike playfulness and imminent, nightmarish danger, intertwined. Though it is short, I found Labyrinth having a deep emotional impact on me. Watch it in both the english dubbed mode and subtitled mode, there are quite a few differences in what little dialogue there is (and not just lost in translation, either). Sloppy or intentional?The second story is "The Running Man," a haunting and frightening plunge into the story of a burnt-out futuristic racecar driver. This deserves more than one watching; not only is the animation amazing (not for the squeamish!) but the narration is stark and leaves a lot to be filled in. I think this is intentional, as it forces the viewer to watch carefully. In the early 90s, MTV showcased this anime on their Liquid Television series, a weekly collection of animation from around the world. I find I like the english dubbed version more, simply because the narrator takes on a 1940s American film-noir air that matches the feel of the anime design, but watching the subtitles, again, provides for some interesting slight differences that (perhaps) make the story a little clearer.Finally there is the claustrophic and very stylistic "Construction Cancellation Order," which is my least favorite of the three only because the ending is quite predictable. The animation, though, is top-notch and Otomo fans will enjoy seeing some of his other work besides the (deservedly) well-known Akira. Just don't expect it to BE Akira.If you can find the DVD in the $9-15 range it is well worth the money, a key element in anyone's anime collection, and entirely rewatchable. Tuck it in right alongside "Robot Carnival." I wouldn't call it "perfect," as it has its flaws, but it represents a point in anime history that should not be overlooked. It rather grows on you...like Otomo's endlessly destructive jungle vines.

Dark, surrealistic, bizarre... it's rare you find something you loved as a kid and find it's just as awesome as you remember it, but this is one of those times. The animation (or really, all three of the animation styles) is perfect for the stories being told. The wraparound introduction / closing story "labyrinth" is a surrealistic dream / nightmare, and the darkly funny "order to stop construction" is a classic tale of man vs. machine. The central story, "the running man", is the weakest in my opinion but still pretty solid. If only it was available more cheaply... but I still consider it well worth what I paid.

I first watched this back in 88 or 89 and I gotta say back then I was not that impressed. I needed more violence and action, plus I hate clowns and that damn clown… Well, here I am umpteen million years and a gazillion animes later and I decided I needed to revisit this 'classic' from an updated perspective. And I am so glad I did. Is it the best anime ever? Well, I don't think there is ANY anime that could ever be considered that, but if you love the genre you can't go wrong here.To say the movie looks dated, as another reviewer stated, is somewhat misleading. It is an older movie, for sure, but it is sharply drawn and fluidly animated. It does have its own artsy style, which may turn off some people (myself 25 yrs ago included), but technically it is a thoroughly well made film. The resolution is as good as you'd expect from an 80's anime film; grain is present but you shouldn't have it any other way, it's part of its appeal…this is no slick digital product, it's lovingly crafted art. The 3 stories contained have been detailed plenty in other reviews, so I won't get into them other than to say I can't pick any as the best--the first one's the most abstract, the second the most action-packed (kinda), the third the most amusing…to me anyway, as taste is always subjective. At 55minutes or so, it is well worth it as it definitely warrants multiple viewings yet won't overstay its welcome.

I also first saw one of the short stories taken from this compilation on MTV..which happen to be Running Man,after seeing this i quickly started building up my anime collection along with my already owned copy of Akira.I searched and finally rented Neo Tokyo from my local block busters, so i could see the other stories and i was very satisfied with all three, even the first one with the girl and her cat using a classic instrumental asit's background which i still do not know who the artist is to this day. i highly recommend! this DVD for any serious anime collector to buy and add it to your collection. it is truly a work of art

this was the first anime i ever saw and i loved it. when i was a kid, mtv had a show called liquid television. they showed part of this. i was amazed. since i've grown up and seen more anime, i still look back at this as quintessential anime. a must have for any collector.

I had faint memories of watching the running man a long time ago as a kid. It was cool to see it again for the first time. A very powerful animation.

Great Anime.

This is some of the best anime of all time. The stories are moving while the characters are intriguing and captivating. This is a classic and should be at the top of the Anime list.