Release Date: December 10th.
A Time of Eve may well be a spiritual precursor to other movies where androids are everywhere. Some look ready to upset the status quo. And like those tales like Blade Runner or even I, Robot where action and theosophy are intertwined, here, two teenagers are curious about a message found in their robot’s memory banks. It is an invitation to a café–whose name is also that of this movie.
This story made waves back when it was streamed on Yahoo! Japan in 2008, and simulcast on Crunchyroll. Two years later, they released a regional home video version. An international theatrical release followed. Back then, the ramifications of AI being everywhere was not as big as it is now. It’s mostly about Skynet back then, and now, MedicOCD/AnimEigo aims to change all that with additional material in this North American release.
When Rikuo Sakisaka (Jun Fukuyama) and Masakazu Masaki (Kenji Nojima) find that their robot servants are showing signs of independence and are leaving their homes to parts unknown, they have to investigate. Fortunately, for them, the place isn’t some fight club. Instead, it is a cybercafé for droids of all types. Unlike the Cantina on Tatooine, everyone is treated respectfully. The flashbacks set up the world a lot more than the current plot, but in the end, what’s discovered is that androids can dream of electric sheep.
There’s also a concern regarding Issac Asimov’s laws of robotics; this anime isn’t too talkie trying to figure out where the loopholes exist, but they exist. But more importantly, what’s discussed in the theatrical cut gets to the point as it concerns valuing what these ‘bots offer to humanity. It’s less about them being primitive labour and more about how they deserve respect.
As technology grows by leaps and bounds regularly, where some firms are aiming for realism, what’s presented in Time to Eve feels much more grounded. Although this anime was made before Who Made Who? a documentary by Iiris Härmä (my interview with her can be read here), all those issues raised in both works are very relevant! Also, what humanity has to value when “creating” a new species is to be wary of the Frankenstein syndrome–will the creation turn upon their creator? The film edit neatly explores this thread.
But as for Sammi, the barista/owner of the café, there was more to her than meets the eye. Unlike other live-action films where I’ve seen wanting to be human, to know what’s coming is easy to predict. As for what the future looks like for these synthoids, that’s a subject to debate lest Descartes come back from the dead, and allow science to download his brain engrams to a computer!
Time To Eve New Release Trailer
Bonus Features Are:
- Feature film and 6-episode anime series
- Short films — “Pale Cocoon,” and “Aquatic Language,”
- Interviews with voice actors Jun Fukuyama, Kenji Nojima, Rie Tanaka, Rina Satō
- NEW – Interview with Writer/Director Yasuhiro Yoshiura
- Behind-The-Scenes Featurette
- Opening day footage
- Official trailers