Roujin Z (Japanese: 老人Z, Hepburn: Rōjin Zetto; lit. 'Old Man Z') is a 1991 Japanese anime science fiction action thriller film directed by Hiroyuki Kitakubo and written by Katsuhiro Otomo. The animation for Roujin Z was produced by A.P.P.P..
Plot Roujin Z is set in early 21st-century Japan. A group of scientists and hospital administrators, under the direction of the Ministry of Public Welfare and led by lead programmer Mr. Hasegawa, have developed the Z-001: a computerized hospital bed with robotic features. The Z-001 takes complete care of the patient: it can dispense food and medicine, remove excretory waste, bathe and exercise the patient lying within its frame. The bed is driven by its own built-in nuclear power reactor—and in the event of an atomic meltdown, the bed (including the patient lying within) would become automatically sealed in concrete. The first patient to be "volunteered" to test the bed is an 87-year-old dying widower named Kijuro Takazawa. He is an invalid who is cared for by a young nursing student named Haruko. The electronic elements within the Z-001 somehow manage to transcribe Takazawa's thoughts through Haruko's office computer, and he uses the communication to cry for help. Although she objects to such treatment of elderly patients, Haruko begrudgingly seeks the aid of a group of computer hackers in the hospital's geriatric ward to create and install a vocal simulation of Takazawa's deceased wife Haru in the Z-001. However, once Takazawa wishes to go to the beach near Kamakura to relive his happier times with Haru, the Z-001 detaches itself from its moorings and escapes from the hospital with the man in its grasp. Haruko's fears are then justified, as it is discovered that the bed is actually a government-designed, experimental weapons robot. Once the Ministry learns of the bed's escape, their field representative Mr. Terada and Mr. Hasegawa decide to give chase in the latter's corporate helicopter, only for Haruko to force her way in as it takes off. The bed incorporates multiple machines, including cars and excavators, into itself while using Haru's voice to argue with Terada, agreeing to return to the hospital as it rampages into the last tunnel on the road to the beach. Hasegawa and Terada argue upon landing, while Haruko and the elderly hackers (working via radio link) successfully persuade the bed to release Takazawa. The bed, however, continues its rampage. Hasegawa then reveals a more advanced prototype of the Z-001, commanding it to subdue the bed while he prepares a cybernetic ambulance to take Takazawa to the hospital, only for the ambulance to malfunction with Takazawa inside. Terada works to disconnect and smash the bed's peripherals and safely escort Takazawa onto the beach, while the hackers are able to program the Haru simulacrum to help Haruko destroy the bed's chip core by blowing up an oxygen tank. In her dying moments, the Haru simulacrum promises a despondent Takazawa she will see him again. They watch the sunset, while unbeknownst to everyone, a cat runs off with the chip core's remnants. In the epilogue, Hasegawa is arrested and Terada says the Ministry will not comment until the trial (though he notes documents on the bed and ambulance have been leaked, implied to be Haruko's doing). The reassembled bed makes a surprise visit to the hospital, this time much larger (with the large Kamakura Buddha incorporated in her upper body) and as willing as ever to take Takazawa to the beach, much to his delight.
Cast
Themes In his review of Roujin Z, Tony Rayns stated the film focuses on three primary issues: health care for the elderly, the stand-off between traditional values and modern technology and the Right's covert plans to re-militarise Japan.
Production The animation for Roujin Z was produced by A.P.P.P. in association with other companies including Movic, Sony Music Entertainment Japan, Aniplex and TV Asahi. The film was directed by Hiroyuki Kitakubo, who previously directed the "A Tale of Two Robots" segment in the APPP anthology film Robot Carnival. Katsuhiro Otomo provided the film's story and screenplay. The characters were designed by Hisashi Eguchi, the manga artist known for Stop!! Hibari-kun!. He used his now current wife as a model for Haruko. Eguchi also played part in some of the film's animation, such as its smoke effects, alongside key animator Takeshi Honda. Both Otomo and Mitsuo Iso were responsible for the mechanical designs. Satoshi Kon acted as the film's art director and set designer. Kon previously wrote the script for Otomo's live-action black comedy World Apartment Horror, though Roujin Z was the first anime on which Kon worked. Otomo opted to not direct the film, as he was more eager to work on World Apartment Horror. The musical score was composed by Bun Itakura. Anime localization pioneer Carl Macek was the film's sound design producer. The closing song "Hashire Jitensha" (走れ自転車; lit. 'Run, Bicycle Run') is performed by Mishio Ogawa.
Soundtrack
… excerpt ends here. Continue reading the full article.
