From: tzung@cbnewsf.cb.att.com (tzung-i.lin)
Subject: OVA REVIEW: The Wind of Amnesia
Organization: AT&T
Distribution: usa
Date: Mon, 27 Jul 1992 19:55:15 GMT

		    	The Wind of Amnesia
			
			  by Tzung-I Lin

This 1991, 80-min. OVA was titled "The Name of the Wind is Amnesia". 
After viewing the film, I think the translated name would be best
as "The Wind of Amnesia".  It was premiered late December, 1990
just a few days after my stay at Tokyo.  I was frustrated to miss
its theatrical showing.  But for a 2200 yen ticket, in retrospect,
I am glad that I missed it.

It was produced by the director of Yojudoshi (a.k.a. Supernatural
Beast City), based on a novel of the author of Yojudoshi. (Sorry,
I don't know how to pronounce their names, though I recognize their 
Kanzi or Chinese Character)  Before I saw this OVA, I have read
bits and pieces of its story from Animage, and was really looking
forward to it.

The story follows a boy, Wataru, along his quest for the cause 
of the decay of humanity.  The world (at least the US) has been
affected by a strange wind which causes people to lose not only
their memory, but also all their humanity.  People become animal-like,
predating foods trying to survive.  They forgot how to speak,
they forgot how to use the tools that were invented by human.
The world decays to a rein of terror.

On his way, he met with a mysteriously beautiful girl names Sohpia
who not only can speak perfectly and has an unusual way of knowing
things.  The girl is heading for New York, hence, Wataru teams up
with her to across the America.  Wataru and Sophia begins their journey 
with a left-over, artificial intelligent computer controlled robot, 
named Guard, tagging along destined to terminate Wataru.

A sound idea with some promising action film elements.  With the
same team of Supernatural Beast City, I thought it's going to be
a great OVA in the tradition of Beast City.  It turns out to be
a disappointment.  First of all, I believe it's the director
whose attempt fails to adapt a good novel onto big screen that
goes too slow for the pacing, and too vague about the main storyline
the cause of amnesia.  The OVA is almost like four independent
TV episodes with the same lead actor and actress.  Had I not known
it's an original OVA, I would have suspected it to be a TV-series
condensed into a movie.

The animation is not consistent either, sometimes very good (especially
the fight sequences, reminds me alot of Beast City) sometimes
it's too simple.  However, the background drawing is quite nice.
Compared to many other OVAs, the animation is very good.  (much better
than BGC, IMHO)  But the story telling is much, much inferior to
BGC which makes BGC a more enjoyable OVA than this one.

I tend to believe, if the producer (the director of Yojudoshi)
directed this film himself, it would be a very exciting advanture
while tells the same story in a much better way.

For people who loves Yojudoshi and expects the same thing from
this OVA, I would advise you to lower your expectation.  The director
style is totally different (director's previous work includes
Five Star Story, UY 4: forever Lum).  And the script is very loose
very weak.

I wouldn't recommend you to buy the LD/VHS of this OVA, but
if you can find it in rental or at friends place, you might want
to take a look for some of its good animations, and then
you might want to give it a try if you were the director, how
would you tell this story? :-)  

I include the plot in the following.  If you want to save the
story till your first viewing, hit 'q' now.

The plot : (SPOILERS WARNING!!  hit 'q' NOW!!!)


You have been warned!! :-)


The story begins with Wataru driving a jeep in a deserted San Francisco
downtown street, he heard human voice and was excited to meet
those who can speak.  WHen he drove into the narrow lane, he found
the voice came from a robot who cold-bloodedly terminates four men
with its chain gun.  The robot discovered Wataru and his resentment
toward the killing, it ordered Wataru to drop his gun (an automatic handgun)
and surrender.  Wataru fleaed, and the robot programed the image of
Wataru and the jeep to its file for "termination".  Along the chase,
Wataru found out the the robot was almost bullet proof, then suddenly,
a voice, a lady's voice come from nowhere instructing Wataru to aim
his gun at the chain gun of the robot.  Wataru did what the voice
said and destoried the robot.  A lady with long hair and a black dress
showed up.  She introduced herself as Sophia.

Sophia asked Wataru where he came from.  Wataru then described his
story. (The first story) Somewhere a small town in Rocky Mountain
(Motana), the people lived a happy life, perfect country style living.
Then one day, a wind blew by, and people began to lose their memory,
their ability to talk, to drive, to use the tool.  People began
to kill each other for food, the kids and elderly people died first.
Wataru was among the predator group until one day he robbed food
from two kids, then all of a sudden, he kinda sensed it's wrong deed
and ran away to an abandoned factory behind a huge wall where he
saw a boy on a wheel chair was fighting against a terribly looking
giant.  Wataru throw a rock on the giant's head, disrupting his
supernatural power where the boy took out a gun and shot the giant.
It was a military lab who use human to do experiments on supernatural
power.  The boy was one of them with some enhanced memory system,
therefore he was not affected by the wind of amnesia.  The boy used
the lab's equipement to restore Wataru's intelligence back to
about 7 years old which was the limit of the machine.  Then he teaches
Wataru basic knowledge of tool, map, guns and driving.  The boy died
one day, and before his death, he told Wataru to go out to see the
world, to find out the cause of the amnesia.  Wataru was a name
given by the boy, meaning travelling far and alot in Japanese.
(since Wataru is a Japanese boy)  

Sophia wanted to bet with Wataru that he could not find any one
to go with him throughout the quest, with the bet of the future of
humanity.  Wataru then teamed up with Sophia to go across US.

Their first stop was LA, where they saw a gang chasing a girl with
torn dresses.  Wataru wanted to stop them while Sophia said they probably
have their own rule.  A big man came rescuing the girl, then Wataru
rescued them both by using his hand gun.  Sophia touched the big man
and the girl and knew their story. (The second story begins)
The big man is Little John, the girl is ??? (I forgot, let's say Jenny).
They belong to a religion group whose God was "Destroying everything
totally", the group was giving the girl as a sacrifice to the "god".
That's why she ran away.  Little John was a LAPD Sherrife and seemed
to be Jenny's father (a photo of them both).  They spent a day
on Santa Monica Beach where Jenny tastes the sweetness of freedom.
They seem willing to go travel with Wataru.

On the second day, Wataru couldn't find them both, Sophia said
they went back since jenny realized the freedom and wanted to
sacrifice herself in order to save others.  Wataru determined to
stop the whole thing.  They came to the gathering point and saw the
"God" -- a huge mechanic hand to destroy buildings with laser guns
to cut huge rocks.  This "God" was controlled by a evil-looking man
who must have accidentally discovered the way to operate the machine.
After a fight, Jenny was killed by laser, and Wataru killed the man
who operates the machine.  Wataru restored the law and living by 
giving Little John a shotgun and the policeman badge.  Sophia's comment
to the whole story was "why is mankind creating a superior being
(system) so that they can live under its system?"  (refering to
the religion)

They move on to Las Vegas.  On the way, the Guard repaired itself
and through the tracking of a sattillite found Wataru and Sophia.
Wataru used a grenade to break off Gurad's mechanic hands, the jeep,
Wataru and Sophia all fell into a Canyon.  (Third story begins)
Wataru woke up to find a doctor, Mr. Simpson and a nurse, Sally.
And they were in a futuristic city where everything looked fine.
Wataru was amazed to find out that Sophia was not hurt at all!
The docter and nurse can all speak!  Later he wandered around the
city whose existence was not affected by the wind of amnesia,
and found out that the whole city has only two people, Simpson and Sally,
and they played different roles in various places.  The city was
controlled by a huge mainframe computer, it programs the only two
survivers to do different plays.  The computer forbids Wataru and Sophia
to leave.  Sophia then used a supernatural power to destroy parts of
the computer to set both people free.  The computer argued it's the
best place people can go in this world, they don't have to worry things,
they live happy life in different roles.  Wataru just didn't feel right.
And he tried to convince Sally and Simpson to come with him.
At first Sally promised to come, but changed her mind at the last minute
since she couldn't leave Simpson behind (who refused to come)
and returned to the city.  Sophia said it might be better for them.

On their way to New York, they were attacked again by the self-repaird
Guard.  Finally when they come to New York, Wataru knows he has failed
the bet, no one is willing to travel with him.  Sophia revealed to him
that she is one of the unseen lifeforms who created the wind
of amnesia.  Since they created the human race, they have watched 
the evoluation of culture and the slow decay of the humanity,
they decided to let human suffer from some of the problems created by
human and let the wind of amnesia to spread through the continents.
However she finds Wataru to be encouraging and rewards him with
earthy pleasure before she left.  Then Wataru begin his own journey with
hopes to restore humanity eventually.

===== end of plot =====

Newsgroups: rec.arts.anime