Fresh from his success with the sweeping post-apocalyptic epic AKIRA, Katsuhiro Otomo's next project was a more intimate, yet still intense film ROUJIN Z. Combining satire of Japan's fascination with technology and social commentary on his homeland's ever-increasing dilemma of caring for its elderly, ROUJIN Z is both an action packed adventure and a political statement.

An old man, Mr. Takazawa, lies on his bed suffering from the ravages of age. At the local hospital, the powers-that-be debate on the best recourse of eldercare. Project head Terada, with the assistance of young Hasigawa, have developed a new option - Project Z! At the home of Takazawa, student nurse Haruko cares for the aged man, offering him moral support as she changes his soiled bed sheets. Suddenly, Terada enters the home and demands Mr. Takazawa be turned over to the hospital for some 'new experiment' - and he claims to have permission from Takazawa's next of kin. A concerned Haruko has no choice but to let them take away her charge. Later, Haruko hears of a demonstration taking place at the hospital of a new breakthrough in elder care. Still worried about Takazawa, she attends the seminar. There, Teruda and Hasigawa reveal the Z001 - a computerized bed system that serves all the needs of its hardwired occupant - poor Takazawa! While her fellow student nurses debate the Z001 - it's a convenient solution, sure, but has no compassion; Haruko is sent a curious message on her PC. It's from Takazawa! Haruko knows it's a cry for help from the old man, so she and her friends break into the lab where he is being kept later that night. Unfortunately, they're busted by Teruda. In the hubbub that follows, Takazawa actually makes the Z001 transform into a robo-type form and tries to escape with Haruko and her friends. They actually make it back to Takazawa's apartment, but are caught by Teruda and an army of cops.

In the ensuing fallout, Haruko is 'exiled' to the geriatric ward, while Teruda finds out that Z001 is actually run by a 'living' bio-computer! Seems Hasigawa works for the military interests, and used the Z001 as a prototype for his invention! Teruda is furious at being played by the young jerk, but powerless to stop the Z001 experiment. Meanwhile, Haruko befriends a trio of geezers who delight in hacking into computers. She asks them for a small favor... The next day, it all hits the fan! Why has Takazawa's machine started rampaging through the city? Does it have something to do with Haruko and her hacker elders? Will Teruda reclaim the Z001 and bring down that punk Hasigawa? And what part does the deceased Mrs. Takazawa play in all this? Tune in and find out!

As to be expected from an anime master storyteller, ROUIJIN Z is a complex, compelling story that builds upon itself to a literally explosive climax! Every character, from Haruko and Teruda to the geezer hacks, is developed fully, with individual nuances and depth. Otomo refuses to let any of his creations be just a stereotype! The story has many layers, each revealed like pages in a book. The further in you go, the better it gets. It's quite a statement Otomo makes as he skewers his country's obsession with new technology; his belief that reliance on the latest technology can erode basic human feeling becomes evident throughout the film. Also, Otomo makes a plea for better care of the elderly. He shows that even the aged can have purposeful lives - they should not be just shut away. The struggle to find the right balance between man and machine is the major theme in ROUJIN Z, as it is in most of Otomo's work. The animation is high-end - very intricate and detailed. The audio is very precise and clear, and the dubbing job (for those so inclined) is very well done. The film has been remastered, and the print is very nice. It has been released in the original letterbox (1.66:1) format as well, which is great because Otomo likes to really fill the frame.

The DVD for ROUJIN Z contains a lot of extras. There are the obligatory previews and art gallery, but there's also liner noted about Otomo and his work, and DVD-Rom capabilities. A neat addition is a trivia game, which shows pieces of the film and then asks questions about the segment. It's not as easy as it seems!

ROUJIN Z is indicative of most of Otomo's works - complex story, intense social comment, and all-out action. The viewer is drawn into the Otomo's world and moved by his dynamic storytelling, well-founded characters and the wonderful animation. More intimate than the epic AKIRA, ROUJIN Z nonetheless should be considered a classic of anime. ROUJIN Z challenges the audience to decide what is more important - the man or the machine...