Memories. They pretty much are a part of our everyday lives. I would even go so far as to say they also define a lot of who we are. Some memories you will cherish forever: your first kiss, the first time you saw a particular movie or countless other happy events from your life. There might also be memories that you would rather forget and could live without. Whatever those might be, I think it would be even more dreadful to lose your entire memory. All the things you have experienced in your life, gone forever, not knowing who you are anymore, or your friends, and everything that is you. It is this frightening prospect that is the subject for the movie I am about to review.

image

In A wind named Amnesia, a powerful storm sweeps across the world, causing the entire human race to lose all their memories. Everyday things like flying a plane, driving a car, and even talking, all of it is gone in an instant, causing society to collapse overnight. In the ruined wasteland of America, a young man called Wataru travels in search for answers. I am not going to say how Wataru still has certain abilities (that would be spoiling things for you), but just suffice it to say that he does. One day he comes across a mysterious woman called Sofia, who seems to know a lot more about the catastrophy that has befallen the Earth. Just who is Sofia, and why does she know so much? Pursued by a relentless robotic unit called a Guardian, Sofia and Wataru encounter a number of people that try to survive in the ruined world. The question is will Wataru find the answers he is looking for, or will the Guardian end it all before he finds out the truth….

image

It is funny how time catches up to everything. This movie takes place in the year 1999, but I really have no, erm, memories about an event like this taking place in that year. That said this is a very good movie. It is actually one of the first Japanese animated movies I had ever seen, and it was always the storyline that drew me in for this one. I think it is very original, and it really shows what would happen if everyone were to forget everything. And with a frightening disease such as Alzheimer’s it is not altogether unrealistic. The animation, even though dating back almost 25 years now, still looks amazingly good.

Even though there is action in this movie, and also some mild fanservice, this film is more of a drama than an action movie. As such, there are certain points in the film, where it slows down, and that might not be for everyone. Still, I wasn’t bored by this movie for a single moment, and it was very cool to see it back again after so many years. If you like post apocalyptic films, with an original story, and don’t mind seeing somewhat older animation, I highly recommend this one. It is one of those films that will remain in your memory…..forever.

I give A wind named Amnesia a 9 out of 10 score.