Robot Carnival

I've spent over 30 years watching Anime...I started with Transformers and Robotech in the US. No matter what series I watch, no matter what movie I watch...Robot Carnival is the one that I will always compare them to. When I tell people, particularly those of the "newer" generation of anime fans, what Robot Carnival is about, I simply state, "This is, to me, the anime version of Walt Disney's Fantasia." I have loved this "movie" since the Sci-Fi channel first started in 2001. I wish that whoever holds the Copyright to this gets the stick out of their rear and allowsthis to be released on DVD/Blu-Ray in Region 1. I cannot recommend this enough. It is, and always will be, in my top 5 anime of all time.

Robot Carnival an anime that before starting I was a little hesitant about. It wasn't the art work or age that worried me (I saw it a year back or so) but the fact that each episode was completely independent and that meant that while some episodes will be mediocre, some will be amazing however regardless, there is no story to look forward to. But then again each episode has a fresh feel to it, and since their length varies from 4 mins to approx 20 mins, we are not wasting too much time experimenting. However these conflicted views were before watching the anime. ForRobot Carnival is a lucid experience that I would recommend to most people who don't have a stiff lip when it comes to different genres or old art work. As pointed out earlier each episode is a unique story however each has certain appeal for different viewers and I for one enjoyed almost all episodes. Some are simple single themed episodes with a not-so-deep yet appealing execution, others are deep, well expressed representations of humanity and its different aspects - others have both a side for normal viewers and thinkers alike (examples would be 2nd and 4th episode notably). The art is interesting - appealing in most instances though of course the fact that it is from 1987 should be kept in mind. We have various forms of character designs and sceneries. Different atmospheres can also be found through the series. The characters are like the story, some simple - others extremely complicated and some hard to judge. However that is the beauty of the series - its variety of themes and perspective. A unique aspect to this series is the fact that most of the episodes are silent - with music, but no dialogue but that actually adds to the experience. In a nutshell, I would recommend this to most people - yet I would specifically call out the older and more mature audience that can analyze various aspects of an anime.

Robot Carnival is an anthology film featuring nine shorts. They are all well animated and have amazing visuals. I personally found the first half more enjoyable than the second but this is largely subjective. The individual narratives of the films are decent, but it's obvious that the main focus was on the animation. Robot Carnival is unique. It's hard to recommend to anyone who enjoys complex characters and stories. But for anyone who just loves raw animation and visual talent this OVA is a no brainer. If you're on the fence, Robot Carnival is definitely worth the watchpurely for the talent presented.