Armitage III | Martian Cyberpunk Review | Pinnedupink.com

Armitage III

It's terrible when you are the second cutest girl in High School. Attractive enough to be friends with Trixie Tang but not fortunate enough to be born Trixie Tang. Such is the case with Armitage III, a gritty four-part cyberpunk joyride released in 1995 that was immediately overshadowed by Ghost in the Shell. Nevertheless, Armitage III is a classic that stands in its own right. Like Ghost in the Shell, Armitage III questions the meaning of sentience but veers from the dogma that is a blessing and a curse of the former.

Armitage III is the screenplay brainchild of Chiaki J. Konaka, who is most noted for Serial Experiments Lain, Texhnolyze, Parasite Dolls, and Malice@Doll, to name a few. There are more mainstream works like Digimon Tamers under his belt, but they come after the golden age of cyberpunk. Konaka's earlier works tended to push the boundaries of thought and reflected the intellectual period in which they were released. So it's no surprise that we see glimpses of his flirtation with the Cthulhu mythos and Necromancer, a 1984 work written by William Gibson, perhaps the father of Cyberpunk.

Armitage III takes place in the year 2046. The Earth has swelled to the brim with people, so humans have taken to the stars colonizing the planet Mars. Alongside the growing populace, AI, referred to as AL or artificial life, has become prominent, allowing humans first to terraform Mars and to assist with the business of everyday life due to the low numbers of humans on Mars. So much for eugenics.

The "Seconds," as they are called, do the work people would generally do but at a cheaper cost. Much to the ire of the inhabitants of Martians, many of whom are immigrants from Earth. This results in numerous attacks upon the robotic inhabitants of the planet. This disdain is ratcheted a hundredfold when the thirds are introduced.

The "Thirds" or third generation AL {artificial life) are indistinguishable from humans in appearance and emotion and, like humans, are capable of giving birth. They were created as a means to increase the population of Mars to maintain its independence from Earth. Forces lurking behind the scenes seek to keep this from happening, so when a prominent country singer is murdered, it's only natural that the police get involved.

Armitage III is divided into four OVA's ranging from 28 to 47 minutes. Electro Blood is the longest of the four, setting the tone for the remaining three. The episode titles are "Electro Blood," "Flesh and Stone," "Heart Core," and "Bit of Love." Armitage III was released in 1995 and aired from February to November of the same year. A manga by the same name written by Zarae Otana and Tatsuya Ikegami and illustrated by Hiroyuki Ochi was released concurrently. The two-volume manga was aimed at the Shonen demographic and serialized in Tokuma Shoten.

Additionally, Armitage III was animated by AIC and several other studios. AIC is well known for its work on the anime Bubblegum Crisis and A.D. Police, and it would not be unthinkable to assume that Armitage III might be an extension of that universe. Armitage III is rated PG-13 and features the genres of Action drama and mystery as well as the themes of androids, police robots, and the military. It is currently available for viewing on Funimation and has not moved over to the newly acquired Crunchyroll network at the time of writing.

Ross Sylibus has recently arrived from Chicago; he’s requested a transfer to the Martian Police Department. Sylibus hopes to venture away from the traumatic events of his past; a robot killed his police partner. He is scheduled to meet his partner, the attractive badass Naomi Armitage. Unfortunately, their meeting doesn’t go as planned as Kelly McCannon, dubbed “the last country singer in the universe,” is murdered. It is quickly learned that McCannon is a Third, and the hunt for the killer soon escalates after more women are killed.

The contents are revealed after a shootout in the airport, and the assailant leaves the luggage behind. Nevertheless, Armitage, dressed in what could be described as an outfit suited for a private sadomasochist session with a dominatrix personality to boot, greets Sylibus with a hug, even going as far as to remark about his broad shoulders. Like all action heroes from the eighties and nineties, Ross Sylibis has that tanned sexy muscular build and strong jawline that women can’t resist.

The hunt is on for the killer René D'anclaude who immediately reminds me of Trickster from Justice League Unlimited. D'anclaude reveals to the Martian public the nature of the Thirds and that they can not be distinguished from humans. Much to the dismay and disdain of Armitage, who has a soft spot for Thirds, and Ross, who has a hatred for robots, Ross is pulled further and further into the story as, while not well hashed out, he slowly develops a relationship with Armitage. Their relationship fractures when he learns after they capture D'anclaude that Armitage is a “Third.” Torn between duty and emotion, Ross must find Armitage, who is now hiding from the police.

There is a lot of politics going on behind the scenes on Mars, and despite good subtitles, it's easy to miss information when caught up in the action. For starters, the ideals of Feminism have taken hold of the Earth, and men are slowly being removed from the home planet and sent to Mars. The resulting technological creation of the Thirds would allow for procreation; however, as D'anclaude puts it, the Thirds, based on an older military design, are deemed obsolete and must be destroyed.

As secrets unfold, Armitage works to discover her creation's origin. Who her father is, and is she genuinely obsolete. Her character development and Ross are intertwined, and a romance begins with the usual lovemaking. To paraphrase Sylibus, don’t make me think about it; let’s just do it. Do it! The two only have each other as they are both wanted by the police. The actions of the police often appear to be a formality as despite being wanted, Rudolph, Ross’s superior, and Chris, another member of the Martian Police Department, provide indirect assistance.

Of the supporting cast who receive notable screentime is Julian. Julian is the brother of Armitage and the only male amongst the “Thirds.” He looks like an androgynous male dressed in a military hat and jacket. He is best described as Lancer from Macross. Julian is unaware of his purpose, but he was likely designed to satisfy the tastes of gay men. Other supporting members such as Jenny and Roselind add to the mixture driving the story forward or aiding the worldbuilding.

The animation and art aid in the worldbuilding of Armitage III. While not as refined as Production I.G., who worked on Ghost in the Shell, AIC handles the reigns well. Though some camera angles were not the best, I enjoyed the fight scenes. Hiroyuki Ochi does an excellent job in the designs of Armitage and Julian. While their appearance may seem over the top, their attire shows they are distinct from the humans and the other artificial life. They also demonstrate the division between men and women that now women dominate and men must submit. The art additionally reinforces the idea that while Feminism may be the order of the day, women still desire strong men. A comment made by Armitage about Sylibus losing weight provides some support for this underlying narrative.

With good art should come good voice acting; at times, a few performances felt flat but were still enjoyable. Hiroko Kasahara does an excellent job of voicing Armitage III and also lends her voice to the anime’s intro. Pioneer LDC also created an English dubbed version with Keifer Sutherland and Elizebeth Berkley credited as voice actors. For the uninitiated, Berkley was the intelligent and sexy Jessie from “Saved by the Bell.” I can not provide insight on the dub, but I hear it's decent from feedback.

Armitage is a recommended series for fans of vintage anime and cyberpunk themes. It gets overshadowed by more popular cyberpunk offerings but still possesses relevant themes. It's a quick after-work watch or a lazy afternoon—a plus for some and a minus for more mature tastes who prefer more episodes and a darker series.