Mardock Scramble

“The First Compression”

In anime, there's a belief that to excel in storytelling, one should aim to underpromise and overdeliver. If this adage is true, then the year 2010 served as a testament to a golden moment in anime, which was characterized by the release of notable films like "Durarara!!," "Baka & Test—Summon the Beast," "Angel Beats!" and "Highschool of the Dead." Amidst these giants, however, lurks the shadowy and often overlooked world of the overlooked underdogs.

Mardock Scramble is one of the underdogs—the OVAs and movies that often slip through the cracks of the anime fandom's already overloaded watchlist. Titles like Sunrise Studios' "King of Thorn," Studio Pierrot's "Hell Verse," and Arc System Works' "Trigun: Badlands Rumble" often get sidelined, treated like an unsightly boil that's easier to ignore than to acknowledge.

However, like a boil inevitably coming to a head, "Mardock Scramble" demands attention. Initially, Gonzo Studios had plans to bring this gritty narrative to life. Announced in 2005 with Yasufumi Soejima at the helm and a screenplay penned by the original author, Tow Ubukata, the project promised an authentic adaptation. Yet, for reasons shrouded in mystery, Gonzo shelved the project, leaving fans and stakeholders with a void filled with speculation and disappointment.

Enter "Mardock Scramble: The First Compression," or "Mardock Scramble: Asshuku" in Japan, the inaugural film of the "Mardock Scramble" trilogy, masterfully crafted by GoHands Studio. Released in Japanese theaters on November 6, 2010, and later brought to an international audience by Sentai Filmworks, this film began a captivating journey into the heart of cyberpunk storytelling.

Aired on October 8, 2010, and produced by Aniplex and Starchild Records, "Mardock Scramble" is a novel adaptation that delves deep into the realms of action and sci-fi, with a psychological theme underpinning its narrative. The film, lasting 69 minutes, is rated R+ for mild nudity and offers a mature and thought-provoking experience. Mardock Scramble: The First Compression is available in an edited format and a director's cut, both available on Blu-ray DVD.

The source material, a novel series by Tow Ubukata with illustrations by Katsuya Terada and published by Hayakawa between May and July 2003, is a rich tapestry of cyberpunk and neo-noir elements woven together with philosophical reflections. "Mardock Scramble" isn't just another entry in the cyberpunk genre; it's a critically acclaimed masterpiece, having clinched the Grand Prize of the 24th Nihon SF Taisho Award, a testament to its exemplary storytelling, character development, and innovative approach to the cyberpunk subgenre.

Tow Ubukata, the creative force behind "Mardock Scramble," is a renowned figure in the anime world. His portfolio includes notable works like "Le Chevalier D'Eon," "Heroic Age," and contributions to the "Fafner in the Azure" series, as well as the cyberpunk series "Ghost in the Shell: Arise" and "Psycho-Pass" sequels.

The "Mardock Scramble" series unfolds over three films, each a crucial piece of the overarching narrative puzzle. "The First Compression" introduces us to Rune Balot and the dystopian city of Mardock, setting the stage for the unfolding drama. "The Second Combustion" deepens the plot, delving into the character's inner turmoil and struggles. The trilogy culminates with "The Third Exhaust," delivering a thrilling conclusion that ties up the narrative threads and brings the characters' arcs to a fulfilling end.

At the heart of the story is Rune Balot, a 15-year-old prostitute whose brush with death leads to her transformation into a cyborg under the Mardock Scramble 09 ordinance. Faced with a choice to either assist in the investigation against her would-be killer, a shadowy figure from the powerful October corporation, or remain a bystander, Balot's journey is one of self-discovery, empowerment, and confrontation with the darker facets of human nature and society.

As this tale weaves, be advised that there are minor spoilers ahead, so if this bothers you, look away. Additionally, this will be an image-heavy review, which is our thing around here. Additionally, this anime deals with topics of rape, incest, trauma, suicide, revenge, and violence, and its tone is in a Terrantino-esque style.

An allusion to the Dredd series and other cyberpunk works, Mardock Scramble sets its story in a dystopian metropolis as brutal as it is beautiful. Mardock City is the type of city that rewards the wealthy while punishing the poor. Rune Balot, our heroine, is an example of a person who has been neglected and is now underfoot. Because of her central role in the plot, it would be disingenuous if I omitted to mention her.

As stated earlier, Rune Balot was a 15-year-old prostitute, the broken-down, violated child of an abusive family. The anime doesn't shy away from its imagery: a mother who was addicted to drugs and a father who was probably a drug user and dealer as well. As she puts it in her words, Rune was swept and cast away underfoot; she never felt she was a part of the family anyway. These traumatic events form her and shape her into who she is.

So it makes sense that when she meets Shell, a charming rescuer who is actually a wolf, she will be enamored and taken in by him. The result would be a life-changing situation, as Shell is not just a show gambler and casino manager but a womanizer and dealer for the Orange Corporation. He is a man who dabbles in castaways—young girls whom he charms and pawns to become the blue diamonds from the ashes of girls who, as he puts it, “break the rules.”

Shell is a man as twisted as she is, a man who despises life and is depicted as full of misery. He seeks to use the “Blue Diamonds” he collects to climb the stairway to greatness and rise above it all. In Dr. Easter’s observations, Shell is a man who sees killing the girls he’s with and his memories as a kind of romance, though Œufcoque (pronounced Oeuf Coque in the dub) counters this manner of thinking, highlighting the insanity of it all.

The two are the same, yet different. Shell is a man granted no salvation who, through the use of a technology that erases his memories, runs from redemption while Rune is given a chance to embrace hers. It is here that the door opens via the Mardock Scramble 09 protocol.

Protocol 09 is a way to bring crime victims back from the brink of death to testify against their assailants. Rune was rescued from becoming one of those sacred diamonds through this avenue. Rune ends up in the care of Dr. Easter and his companion, a golden mouse named Oeufcoque in Stuart Little's style. They become her case officers, who, as far as I can grasp, are similar to investigators who work within the legal system of Mardock City. They are by no means police or attorneys, and they operate within and above the law.

Tow Ubukata, obviously, is not doing it alone, and I will elaborate as we go. He does an excellent job of creating characters who are emotionally compelling.

Given her status as the protagonist, it would be a colossal understatement to claim that Rune avoids center stage. Broken, afraid, nervous, and ashamed, the girl who in ketchup on a laptop once wrote, “Switch bitch, witch, which I am,” a possible reference to Robert Dahl’s short stories published in Playboy during the mid-1960s and ’70s.

The short stories collectively referred to as "Switch Bitch" were about rape by deception, and to put it mildly, the deceiver ended up getting their comeuppance. It may also allude to her transformation as more monolithic, as she is now a human cyborg.

Within the scope of the anime, the transformation happens in stages, with Dr. England and Oeufcoque switching roles as the former rebuilds her body, but the latter is integral to reshaping her mind. In all his splendor, the little mouse created for the military acts as a surrogate parent, friend, and partner. Dimsdale Boiled, the case officer representing Shell Septinos, further enhanced this growth. Boiled is masterfully inserted into the anime as having a detailed past with Oeufcoque. A man who will use any means to get what he wants has no issue operating above the law to win a suit for his client.

Chief Animation Director: Jun Nakai, Shingo Suzuki, Animation Director: Jun Nakai Sound Director: Masafumi Mima, under the creative minds of GoHands Studio, crafts a work of art that walks in tandem with the actors on screen. Through the use of colors and shading that became synonymous with Gohands, namely the blending of shades of blues, greens, and earth tones, along with their signature filtering, their use of color manipulates the senses, immersing the viewer in the world. This attention to detail rivals their magnum opus, K: Series.

This attention was well depicted in Rune’s first court appearance. Using various angles and close shots, the viewer witnesses her continued evolution. It was also apparent in the scenes when Rune and Sheel first meet and in the bar scene with Boiled and Shell. Additionally, if you have a keen eye, observe the details of Dr. England's displays in his car.

An evolutionary story is not complete without action, and cyberpunk is not cyberpunk without gratuitous violence and illogical characters named after things you would find in a children's fantasy book rather than a comic book. Well, it's a series of fantasy books. The final act culminates in shutting up our protagonist, Balot. Dr. England, Oeufcoque, and Rune can’t say they weren’t warned.

Boiled warned reminded them about how he goes about doing things, and in this case, which would mean spoilers. I’ll just say that he employs a group of interesting characters, the names of which are a bit questionable, but as follows: Mincemeat the Wink, Medium the Fingernail, Fresh the Pike, Rare the Hare, and their boss, Welldone the Pussyhand.

As a part of the Bander Snatch organization, each member derives pleasure from collecting body parts for their adornment. I do not know where the naming ideas arose; it just makes for a few ah-ha moments.

Curiously, "most of the names of characters and things in the movie are related to eggs in some way," as stated in the trivia surrounding this anime. One example is the Malay word "balut," which refers to a fertilized duck embryo cooked and consumed while still in its shell. "Oeuf Coque" means "soft-boiled egg" in French, "Doctor Easter" means "Easter eggs" in English, and "Dimsdale Boiled" means "boiled eggs" in English.

Shell Septinos: Obviously, it's a reference to eggshells. Tweedledee and Tweedledum: A reference to the two egg-shaped characters in Lewis Carroll's "Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There." *The Humpty Ship: A reference to the egg character in the English rhyme "Humpty Dumpty.” - ANN

Hey, I just watched the anime and dug for clues. Don’t kill the messenger. But if what I am about to write is blasphemous, you might as well murder me. To those who speak English, I recommend watching the dub. The sub is good; don’t get me wrong, but Hilary Haag sold me on Rune. Not only that, the dub is damn good. Honestly, if you’re a fan, I'd say watch both.

Oh, the music, you ask? What about it? The anime captivated me so much that it was like having bacon wrapped around a steak. There was no opening theme per se. The intro reminded me of the opening to Blade. The ending of "Amazing Grace" (Japanese version) by Minako Honda, dubbed and sung in English, was a rousing fit for a climatic movie that ended on a cliffhanger.

If you haven’t figured it out, I am slightly biased. I enjoyed the anime, but your take may be different. I am a fan of the underdog and the hero’s journey. As she is written, Rune is a brilliant character who is flawed and a believable character, as are the additional characters. The band of body part misfits may seem a bit over the top. Still, if Armitage can make a baby and Klaus can train eight professional assassins, nothing is impossible, right?

If the content is palatable, give it a watch; otherwise, steer clear. If you've made it this far, be advised that this anime is currently not licensed. You must buy the hard copy, rent it, or sail the seven seas. Otherwise, thanks for reading, and I'll see you on the other side.