Armitage: Dual Matrix (Special Edition) (2002)
Review by Dindrane
Film:
DVD:

Directed by Katsuhito Akiyama
Screenplay by Hideki Kakinuma, Satoshi Wada, and Naoko Hasegawa
Character Design by Hiroyuki Ochi
Music by Julian Mack

Features:

• "Assembling Armitage" Featurette
  
• Character Design Gallery
  
• Trailer
  
• Previews
  
• Soundtrack player in Dolby 5.1 Surround Sound
  
• English and Japanese audio
  
• English subtitles
  

Dindrane's Anime Warnings:

• villains with irritating, repetitive giggles
• cyberpunk grit gets in your eyes
• robot jubblies

Rating: 16+

Anamorphic: N/A, 1.33:1 original aspect ratio

My Advice: Buy it.

Only released in Japan in March of this year, Armitage: Dual Matrix has already been released in the US. Does this mean the production values are rushed and sub-standard? Fortunately, NO.

The action of Dual Matrix takes place a few years after that of Poly Matrix, the movie that was a condensed version of the Armitage OAV series. Naomi Armitage, Third Type advanced android, and her human husband Ross, have moved to Earth from Mars, changed their names, and are trying to live with their daughter in peace. When a secret facility producing more of the outlawed Thirds is destroyed in an android uprising, sinister forces mobilize to capture Armitage and the secret of her ability to have children. Add to this the growing tension between Earth people and androids, and the political intrigue of Mars, and we have a whole mess on our hands for Armitage to face.

The only real downside to this film is that they expect you to have already seen Poly Matrix. Dual Matrix never really covers what a Third is or the background of tensions between Earth and androids, or Earth and Mars. Much of this backstory can be gleaned from the plot of Dual Matrix, but it would definitely help if you watch Poly Matrix first. The DVD comes with a hefty booklet that provides brief character profiles and a handy relationship tree, as well.

The art of Dual Matrix is effecting and lovely. From the raised foil cover showing Armitage about to kick someone's arse to the final frame of the film itself, the designers and animators were obviously dedicated and talented. The characters were anything but wooden or stock.

The voice acting was also quite good. Armitage in particular, as befits a hero, was the most lifelike, ironic as it may be, since Armitage is, in fact, not even alive in the conventional sense.

The video is simply stunning. Even the darkness of Armitage's cyberpunk world is conveyed in a striking, but visually clear way, and the colors are perfectly chosen to enhance the mood. I detected no aliasing or pixelization, and the scene transfers were blessedly smooth.

The sound is beautifully done in both English and Japanese audio. The music blends particularly well with the action and is used to great effect; it's nice that this soundtrack is available as a separate special feature. There is little or no crackling, the voices are clear and enjoyable, and the volume gratefully doesn't fluctuate as much as some films tend to do.

The extras are worth checking out. The little featurette includes an interview with Julian Mack about his music for the film. It also talks to Juliette Lewis, who voiced Armitage for the English version. Three songs from the soundtrack are included in the 5.1 Music Player, which is a nice touch. The trailer is also included, along with a nifty character design gallery. More interaction with the Japanese voice actors or cast and crew might have been nice, but the existing features are decent enough.

Basically, Armitage: Dual Matrix manages to provide a fine story with plenty of action, an interesting plot, cool characters, and good art. It blends science-fiction with a touch of mystery and even a bit of drama. Fans of such titles as Akira, Blade Runner, and anything by William Gibson should eat this one up, with good reason.