Rating: 
Summary: PURE JAPANIMATION!
Review: I would like someone to try to find a product with these many warriors of Japanimation working in connection toether! I'm talking writers and director's of some of the most beautiful crafted storylines and characters ever to be put on something since the Sisteen Chapel! Every episode has such beautiful work and effort put into each of the 9 episodes. Now I know that alot of people have been complaining about this DVD but try to look at the stories as a whole and you will only see for yourself that the way the animatrix has been envisioned is only for the viewer's understanding and convincing. You see, it's all about the story of the Matrix in itself and what the Matrix is. When you find that out I bet you can't wait till some new things arrive from these pioneers of manga and anime.
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Summary: Ties in well
Review: The ones to watch in this seris are:
1. Final Flight of the Osiris: Saw this in theaters with Dreamcather. A short leading right into Reloaded and the video game Enter the Matrix. A must for the full Matrix
expereince.
2. Second Renassiance Parts 1 and 2: Tells how The Matrix was created. Very Good!
3. Kid's Story: Another short that ties in with Reloaded introducing a new character called The Kid, who frees himself from the Matrix.
4. A Detective's Story: Comes before the first movie, telling of a detective called by agents on a case to track down "The Red Queen"(a.k.a. Trinity) but then realized he's being used. Bad ending.
5. Program: Even though this has nothing to do with the movies, this is very good. Story about a woman who must choose between being free or being reinserted back into the Matrix with her boyfriend.
Well thats it cause the rest suck even though World Record is halfway decent. But still worth it for the full Matrix experience.
Rating: 
Summary: Animatrix shows how the Matrix and Anime can be done right
Review: A superbly original DVD, the Animatrix has been on the top of my list of wants since the original movie debuted. Suffice it to say, I was not in the least bit disappointed; in fact, it was better than I could have ever imagined.The animation is stunning and, dare I say, groundbreaking, taking anime and animation in general to another level. Each individual story is engrossing and thought-provoking, and truly compliments and builds upon the Matrix mythos, bringing us into the world of the Matrix and the infinite potentialities of telling a story there. I could say more, but I'd go on for pages. The DVD is excellent, and it's easy to say that this DVD far surpasses Reloaded in every regard. In fact, it's highly likely that this viewing experience will increase your enjoyment of anything set in the Matrix. I wonder why this spectacular innovation in animated storytelling didn't receive theatre-wide release. Always rent first, to see if it's up your alley, but I tell you, if you enjoy animation, anime and the Matrix, this'll blow your mind. If you're looking to get into anime, this would be a great place to start as many varied anime styles and genres are represented here. But, fans looking for lots more Neo & co. action best look else. The crew of the Neb get the spotlight in the flicks. Now it's time for some others to take leading roles, and I'll tell you now, every voice acting performace on this DVD is superior to the acting in the Matrix movies by leaps and bounds. That is all I have to say. Truly excellent. Buy it and rejoice!
Rating:
Summary: THIS is the Matrix!
Review: The newest Matrix, Matrix Reloaded, is very good, but this is even better. This DVD of Anime by the worlds greatest and latest Anime creators is full of amazing stories that tie into the movie directly (Final Flight Of The Osiris), tell the history of mankinds downfall (The Second Renaissance Pt. 1 and 2), or just focus on the smallest scale of what life can be like in the Matrix itself(Beyond and Dective's Story).
The Stories themselves range from good to excellent and the acting is almost always subperb. Oh yeah, the picture quality and graphical style is either nice or totally, undenialbly, mind blowing! Whether you just enjoy anime, good storytelling or are just a Matrix obsessive, the rabbit hole certainly runs deeper than we could have ever imagined.
Rating:
Summary: Like An Elf...Short and Sweet
Review: The "shorts" on the Animatrix are just that, ranging from around 7 minutes to about 11, with "Osiris," "Program," and "Detective Story" as the cream of the crop. The CG effects in each are subtle enough and well integrated not to be a bother. Extras? The DVD has director bios, and full-length commentary for some, but not all of the shorts (both Renaissance films, Program and World Record). There's a trailer for the already out Enter the Matrix game, making-of documentaries on each film, and "Scrolls to Screen: The History and Culture of Anime," which is a should see for any new or reasonably educated anime fan. The art certainly ranges; Kid's Story (by Bebop director (Shinichiro Watanabe, who also does Detective Story) is extremely rough, much like A-ha's "Take On Me" video, while Beyond takes on a pastier, Perfect Blue-like appearance. Yoshiaki Kawajiri (of Ninja Scroll fame), gives anime fans some familiarity with "Program," which is a crisper version of "Ninja Scroll" with the female lead even resembling Kagero. How does the story deepen your "Matrix knowledge/experience"? It varies. The "Renaissance" set gives a dose of history, of how everything came to be; "Osiris" is a near direct tie-in to the trilogy; "Kid's Story," "World Record" and to an extent, "Beyond" show how normal people (the way Neo used to be) find other ways than being contacted via hacking, to be awakened to the real world. "Program" shows that there are other simulations similar to what Neo was put through, but with different time periods, and levels of reality (my personal favorite). It's unrated, but violence is extremely graphic and hard to swallow at times; there are flashes of nudity, but not anything excessive, the same with love scenes or similar material. The stories aren't too complex to leave you scratching your head, but do expect a certain level of intelligence to put it all together. The pieces are extremely short, so maybe you might be satisfied by renting or borrowing it instead of getting it to own.
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Summary: Happy Endings?! We don't need no steenkin' Happy Endings!
Review: Look, if you are a Matrix Junkie into understanding the trilogy from ALL angles and you are REALLY into the darker side of it (ie the more "Gothic" views on life, like there are no happy endings) you will enjoy the hell out of the FIRST part of this DVD. In other words, all of the pieces penned by The Boys (Final Flight of the Osirus, Renn. Pt 1&2, and Kid's Story) are simply INTENSE breathtaking shorts. I understood M2(Reloaded) a lot more the next time I saw it after watching "Final Flight..." and "Kid's Story". After watching the first four shorts I felt as of I had been Clubbed to Death, so to speak.
HOWEVER, and much to my dismay, I don't think the other pieces are of the same caliber. The weakest piece is "The Program" and is unfortunately placed IMHO (although there really is no other slot it would have fit in either) right after the Warchowski Quadruple Punch at the beginning. The four of the final five pieces were a bit like reading mediocre fan fiction. The last Short came the closest to actual comprehension of The Boys vision, *I* believe, but it has been dubbed confusing by many.
It is definitely one of the most philosphical pieces, and echos M2's bourgeoning message that the only way for either man or machine to survive, is to come to the reluctant realization that both Man and Machine need each other to survive.
Buy it if you are a COLLECTOR or a FAN(atic). Rent this if you are more casual about the Matrix-verse. If you want another hour of side story featuring Niobe, buy the Enter the Matrix video game. Get ready for the Matrix Online in 2004. Oh, and if you stay through all the end credits of Matrix Reloaded, you get to see a trailer for Matrix Revolutions, *grin*
Rating:
Summary: An Essential to Every Matrix Fan
Review: Unfortunately, there is a great amount of time between the "Matrix" and the "Matrix Reloaded". But through Animatrix, the average fan can get a "catch up". Though, not a fan of the 'animated' approach, if any of you find "Reloaded" to be confusing, watch "Animatrix" then go back and watch "Reloaded" and I bet you'll say that "Reloaded" is one of the best movies you have ever seen.
Rating:
Summary: What All Serious Animation Should Be!
Review: Even if you're not a Matrix fan (and who isn't) this is an excellent DVD. It contains eight (nine shorts, two are part I & II)stories that explain different aspects of The Matrix universe.
Attention to detail is what all serious animation should be, and this DVD takes it past all limits. Each short story is produced using different styles of animation and all are superb (When I first saw "The Final Flight of the Osiris" I thought the characters were real people. Incredible detail, down to the light shining through the thin fabric banners hanging throughout the training hall). I would highly (no, enthusiastically) recommend this movie to all.
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Summary: Matrix fans should love this ...
Review: Reminds me a lot of the old movie 'Heavy Metal.' This is a great compliation of stories involving characters that appear in the two films and a ton of backstory of how the matrix came to be. I hope that this is the first in a series of 'Animatrix' movies. I'd love to see more just like it. I'd be remiss if I didn't drop a quick warning as well, this movie earns its 'R' rating and is definitly not intended for younger veiwers, extremely graphic at points.
Rating:
Summary: Amazing feat of artistry
Review: This DVD is a must-have for anyone who enjoys The Matrix series, regardless of your opinion of anime. I personally don't care much for anime, but the 9 short stories on this disc are beautifully drawn. The stories are gripping and, despite what some other posts say, reveal a great deal about the world of The Matrix if you pay attention and use your head. Imagery: Amazing. The animation is varied among the stories, as would be expected since several different artists drew them. The visuals throughout the DVD are hauntingly real and vivid. There are some images that are graphic and may not be suited to younger children. Audio: Breathtaking. The audio quality is fantastic, with rich sound and lifelike sound effects. I've tried the audio on both a PC with speakers and a Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround system with optical audio, and the sound is great with both. Story: Several stories interface directly with The Matrix and Reloaded plotline and reveal many new facets of the movies. The expansion upon the movie and its themes of freedom and resistance are recurrent topics throughout the various stories. They are informative, moving, and, if you are a Matrix fan, glimpses into what's really going on in the movies. This is a great DVD, and it helps greatly if you have seen the Matrix movies.
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