Product Details

• Actors: Chisa Yokoyama, Nigel Anthony, Barbara Barnes, Sean Barrett, Toni Barry
• Directors: Hiroyuki Kitakubo
• Writers: Katsuhiro Ohtomo
• Producers: Kazufumi Nomura, Laurence Guinness, Yasuhito Nomura, Yasuku Kazama, Yoshiaki Motoya
• Format: Animated, Color, NTSC
• Language: Japanese
• Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Us Manga Corps Video
• VHS Release Date: August 6, 2002
• Run Time: 80 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6303968910
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #352,932 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Japan faces the expensive problems of caring for an aging population. As a solution, Mr. Terada, an official in a mysterious government ministry, unveils the Z-001, a high-tech bed that cares for an invalid's every need. His chosen guinea pig of a patient is Mr. Takazawa, an aged man in the care of Haruko, a pretty young nurse. Haruko realizes that the machine can't attend to Mr. Takazawa's emotional needs and tries to rescue him. When Terada foils her efforts, she turns to a group of elderly patients--who turn out to be ace hackers. The complications pile up when an unscrupulous member of Terada's staff reveals that the Z-001 is actually a prototype battle robot. But once Haruko's aged hackers gain control of it, the Z-001 takes on the personality of Mr. Takazawa's late wife. It sets out to realize his dream of spending a day at the beach at Kamakura, wreaking havoc wherever it goes.

Although it's filled with robot battles, sexual jokes, and sinister-sounding acronyms, Roujin Z, written and designed by Katsuhiro Ôtomo, the director of Akira, has a humane warmth that sets it apart from run-of-the-mill anime features. Not rated, but minor nudity and sexual jokes are unsuitable for small children. --Charles Solomon

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars an anime classic, October 16, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Roujin Z (DVD)

The premise is simple: to ease the caring for the elderly, the government decides to experiment with automating said care, until the robot caretaker decides to take its charge on a trip to the beach! The result is both humorous and a biting commentary on how we view our elders. Roujin Z is a fun down-to-earth story with a doozy of an ending. I'd recommend it to newcomers to the anime genre - even above other classics like "Akira" - because the story is so much more human and focused. Just don't expect an action-fest.

The DVD itself is quite sparse with only a language choice and chapter select. The only annoyance I had was the movie starts without going through the menu first. But the excellent story makes this one worth owning regardless.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Must see Anime, July 27, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Roujin Z (DVD)

How far do we let technology take us? Should we consign our old people to an uncaring "home", or cherish their hard earned wisdom? This film brings up many questions that are hard to answer, and makes you think about old people and what they want and need. Oh, its funny too, and you have to love the ending (did you like Short Circuit 1 and 2?)

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining, light early 90's chase anime, July 15, 2005

By 

J. Hardy IV (Snohomish, WA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Roujin Z (DVD)

Friday, July 15, 2005 / 4 of 5 / Entertaining, light early 90's chase anime

While at once amusing and alarming prescience, this early 90's anime tells a tale of the aging of Japan and the issues the elderly will impose upon the care giving industry. Not the typical anime subject matter, but things kick into gear as a veiled group introduces a super-mecha bed that will tend to the needs of the elderly, bathing, feeding, taking care of their waste, etc. all controlled via a super computer and nuclear furnace. The bed has some hidden capabilities however, and the first test case, an old man, is taken along for a wild ride. The man's human nurse and her friends give chase along with the bed's company when it takes on the personality of the man's deceased wife. What ensues is a chase as the bed tries to take the man to the beach. Must be seen to be believed. Funny and breezy, it's highly recommended.