Galerians: Rion

In the year 2522, a young boy named Rion awakens in a strange hospital with only fragmentary memories and some rather lethal telekinetic powers. In a scene reminiscent of the anime classic Akira, Rion goes on a cerebral rampage, mowing down security forces and running home, only to discover that his parents were killed by superpower android “Galerians” (with names like Birdman) created by Dorothy, a supercomputer that (like Hal in 2001: A Space Odyssey) harbors delusions of administrative grandeur. After being “called” by a telepathic childhood friend named Lilia--who is being sought by the Galerians because she carries a virus program in her head that will knock Dorothy down to her C: prompt--Rion tries to find her before the Galerians do. As Rion gets closer to Lilia and “Mother” Dorothy, however, he's taunted by his adversaries, Blade Runner-style, regarding his true nature: is he human or machine? Boasting handsome CGI-animation (not quite Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within-level, but very impressive nonetheless), Galerians: Rion, which is accurately rated 13-up for violence, is presented in a dual language version with a Japanese track that is far superior, in my opinion, since the English version adds an unwelcome death metal soundtrack featuring Slipknot, Fear Factory, Skinny Puppy, and other sound-alikes. Yes, the story's a wee bit derivative, but the imaginative graphics more than compensate for the familiarity of the narrative. Recommended. Aud: P. (R. Pitman)