Basic Info / 基本情報
| English | 日本語 |
|---|---|
| Director | Rintaro / りんたろう |
| Year | 2001 |
| Running Time | 108 min (1h 48m) |
| Genre | Animation, Sci-Fi, Drama / アニメーション、SF、ドラマ |
| Production | Madhouse, Metropolis Committee |
| Box Office | ¥750 million (Japan) |
English (Short Synopsis)
In the dieselpunk metropolis where humans and robots uneasily coexist, private detective Shunsaku Ban and his nephew Kenichi arrive to track down a rogue scientist. During a chaotic lab fire, Kenichi rescues Tima, a mysterious girl who is unaware she is a highly advanced robot. Tima was secretly created by the city’s powerful ruler, Duke Red, to serve as the “perfect heir” and control the city’s weapons from the summit of the massive Ziggurat tower. As Kenichi and Tima flee into the city’s labyrinthine underworld, pursued by Duke Red’s jealous son Rock and his anti-robot militia, Tima begins to develop human emotions. A tragic chase begins, questioning the boundary between machine and soul.
日本語 (簡潔なあらすじ)
人間とロボットが共存する巨大都市メトロポリス。探偵・伴俊作と甥のケンイチは、指名手配中の科学者を追ってこの街に降り立ちます。捜査の最中、ケンイチは火災に巻き込まれた研究所で、自らをロボットだと知らない謎の少女ティマを救出します。彼女は、都市の支配者レッド公が、巨大な塔「ジグラット」から世界の兵器を制御するために作らせた究極の兵器であり、死んだ娘の身代わりでもありました。レッド公の養子ロック率いる反ロボット組織に追われ、迷宮のような地下世界を逃げ惑うケンイチとティマ。逃避行の中でティマに芽生える「感情」は、この都市の運命を大きく狂わせ始めます。
Cast & Crew / スタッフ・出演
| Role | English | 日本語 |
|---|---|---|
| Director / 監督 | Rintaro | りんたろう |
| Screenplay / 脚本 | Katsuhiro Otomo | 大友克洋 |
| Original Story | Osamu Tezuka (1949 manga) | 手塚治虫(1949年漫画) |
| Inspired by | Fritz Lang’s Metropolis (1927) | フリッツ・ラング『メトロポリス』(1927年) |
| Character Design | Yasuhiro Nakura | 名倉靖博 |
| Animation Director | Shigeharu Akahori, Kunihiko Sakurai, Shigeru Fujita | 赤堀重雄、桜井邦彦、藤田しげる |
| Art Director / CG | Shuichi Hirata | 平田秀一 |
| Music / 音楽 | Toshiyuki Honda | 本多俊之 |
| Animation Production | Madhouse | マッドハウス |
| Production Cooperation | Tezuka Productions | 手塚プロダクション |
| Voice Cast / 声優 | Yuka Imoto (Tima) | 井元由香(ティマ) |
| Kei Kobayashi (Kenichi) | 小林桂(ケンイチ) | |
| Koki Okada (Rock) | 岡田浩暉(ロック) | |
| Taro Ishida (Duke Red) | 石田太郎(レッド公) | |
| Kosei Tomita (Higeoyaji / Shunsaku Ban) | 富田耕生(ヒゲオヤジ/伴俊作) | |
| Norio Wakamoto (Pero) | 若本規夫(ペロ) | |
| Junpei Takiguchi (Dr. Laughton) | 滝口順平(ロートン博士) | |
| Toshio Furukawa (Skunk) | 古川登志夫(スカンク) | |
| Masashi Ebara (Ham Egg) | 江原正士(ハム・エッグ) | |
| Cameo Voices | Takashi Yanase, Go Nagai (manga artists, friends of Tezuka) | やなせたかし、永井豪(漫画家、手塚の友人) |
Additional Information / 追加情報
Awards / 受賞歴
- Annie Awards (2002) – Best Animated Feature – nomination
- Mainichi Film Awards (2001) – Ofuji Noburo Award (Best Animation) – WON
- Japan Media Arts Festival (2001) – Excellence Prize (Animation)
- Sitges Film Festival (2001) – Best Animated Feature – WON
Critical Reception / 批評的評価
- Rotten Tomatoes: 91% (Critics Consensus: “Visually stunning”)
- Roger Ebert: 4/4 stars – “One of the greatest animated films”
- James Cameron: “A magnificent new landmark in animation”
- Praised: Intricate hand-drawn animation, CG integration, art deco visuals, Ray Charles climax
- Criticized: Complex plot, slow pacing for some, box office disappointment in Japan
- Compared to: Blade Runner, A.I. Artificial Intelligence (released same year), Fritz Lang’s Metropolis
Box Office Performance / 興行成績
- Japan Total: ¥750 million (~$6.5M USD)
- Budget: ¥1.5 billion (~$13M USD) – significant loss
- Production Time: 5 years
- Total Animation Cels: 150,000 (hand-drawn)
- US Release: January 2002 (limited), positive reviews but limited commercial success
- Worldwide Total: Approximately $4M (outside Japan)
- Legacy: Cult classic despite commercial failure, praised for artistry over profitability
Related Review / 関連レビュー
🔗 English Review
・[Tezuka Osamu’s Death Anniversary] Metropolis: Where the soul meets the machine
🔗 日本語レビュー
・【手塚治虫の命日】メトロポリス：魂が機械と出会う場所
