films seen
11
average score
3.18*
nationality
Japan - 83 years old
status
Alive and kicking
more info

Strongly influenced by Osamu Tezuka, Rintaro's work combines cutesy character designs with dark and epic storylines. He's one of the more renowned Japanese animation directors of the 80s, and his oeuvre is well worth seeking out.

Movies


Neo-Tokyo

Meikyu Monogatari
1987 / 48m - Japan
Sci-fi - Anthology, Animation
Neo-Tokyo poster

A couple of directors come together to give the best of themselves, enjoying the freedom to make something that doesn't necessarily need to meet customer demands.


Take the X Train

by Rintaro
X Densha de Ikou
1987 / 51m - Japan
Comedy, Sci-fi
3.5*/5.0*
Take the X Train poster

Armageddon: The Great Battle with Genma

by Rintaro
Harmagedon: Genma Taisen
1983 / 135m - Japan
Action, Adventure - Animation
3.5*/5.0*
Armageddon: The Great Battle with Genma poster

Very bombastic and completely over the top. It felt like a mix of Dragon Ball Z and Akira, rightfully considered an anime classic though a little overlooked in recent years. The animation looks nice, the plot is insane and the action is loud and bold. Not quite consistent throughout, but definitely worth a watch if you haven't seen it already.


Metropolis

by Rintaro
Metoroporisu
2001 / 108m - Japan
Sci-fi, Adventure - Animation
3.0*/5.0*
Metropolis poster

Doomed Megalopolis

Teito Monogatari
1991 / 171m - Japan
Fantasy, Horror - Animation
3.0*/5.0*
Doomed Megalopolis poster

A solid oldskool horror anime. Much like the live action adaptation, this is a film that keeps things well within bounds of the acceptable, but not without flexing its muscles once in a while. The animation is decent, the designs are distinctive and the mix of horror and fantasy is effective. I had a lot of fun with this one.

Bride of Deimos

by Rintaro
Deimosu no Hanayome
1988 / 32m - Japan
Fantasy - Animation
3.0*/5.0*
Bride of Deimos poster

Pretty cool and short horror film by Rintaro. The animation is a bit limited and a little more context about the characters and settings would've been appreciated, but the art style is nice, the horror elements are mysterious and the film oozes atmosphere. Well recommended if you're looking for a shorter anime.

Firebird: Karma Chapter

by Rintaro
Hi no Tori: Hôô-hen
1986 / 60m - Japan
Fantasy - Animation
3.0*/5.0*
Firebird: Karma Chapter poster

My second Hi no Tori film, quite a bit better than the other one (2772) I've seen. That's no doubt due to Rintaro's involvement, one of the more interesting anime directors of the 80s. The Karma chapter sports a pretty typical religious plot, it's Rintaro's atmospheric execution that elevates this film.

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Akanemaru is a sculptor looking for the Phoenix, hoping to immortalize this majestic bird as one of his creations. On his quest, he bumps into Gao, a bandit who steals his food and clothes. Years later, the two will meet again. They are both very different men now, working on an assignment for the emperor.

The animation is somewhat basic, but the art style is attractive enough, and Rintaro makes good use of the soundtrack to give the film some extra flair. The story moves about rather quickly, with just 60 minutes on the clock, that's no real surprise. A very solid animated film, fans of Rintaro's work won't be disappointed by this one.

The Dagger of Kamui

by Rintaro
Kamui no Ken
1985 / 132m - Japan
Action, Adventure - Animation
3.0*/5.0*
The Dagger of Kamui poster

An epic Rintaro adventure, kicking off a series of Madhouse films that would give 80s anime a global signature. There are clear references to the Madhouse greats here, the style just wasn't quite as established or elaborate yet. Fans of the production house are sure to have a good time with The Dagger of Kamui.

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Taro is a young orphan whose family is brutally murdered. He manages to take revenge on the killer, years later he finds out that he actually killed his own father, and that the man who set him up is the real culprit. Taro wants revenge, which sends him on a quest that will take him all the way to the USA.

It's interesting to see an anime move from ninjas to cowboys, Rintaro sure takes his time to set everything up too. The film is adventurous, the action is pretty flashy, but the runtime is a bit much and the quality of the animation wasn't quite there yet. It's a nice 80s anime, but Madhouse would improve the formula considerably in the years to come.

Adieu, Galaxy Express 999: Last Stop Andromeda

by Rintaro
Sayônara, Ginga Tetsudô Surî-Nain: Andromeda Shûchakueki
1981 / 135m - Japan
Sci-fi, Fantasy - Animation
3.0*/5.0*
Adieu, Galaxy Express 999: Last Stop Andromeda poster

Rintaro's sequel to the first Galaxy Express 999 is quite tricky. It's very different in tone, even though both films share quite a few similarities. It's almost a reimagining of the same source material. Hence, it's not going to be for everyone, especially not for those expecting a straight-forward sequel. Personally, I really liked the approach.

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This second film is quite a bit darker and more dystopian. Online reviews are quick to link to to The Empire Strike Back (understandably so), but there are also traces of The Matrix here, and the work of René Laloux (Fantastic Planet) is never far off. In the end though, it's really just a core Rintaro project.

The film is epic in scope, a welcome surprise as older animations are usually a bit more singular. The art style betrays the film's age, but the animation itself is still pretty impressive and there's no lack of creativity here, so much in fact that it's as much fantasy as sci-fi. A bit long in the end, but it's easy to see how these films helped to build Rintaro's reputation. Good stuff.

Galaxy Express 999

by Rintaro
Ginga Tetsudô Three-Nine
1979 / 129m - Japan
Sci-fi, Fantasy, Action - Animation
3.0*/5.0*
Galaxy Express 999 poster

X

by Rintaro
Ekkusu
1996 / 97m - Japan
Action - Animation
2.5*/5.0*
X poster