Mardock Scramble Movie 1: The First Compression – Marudukku sukuranburu: Asshuku (2010)

Directed by: Susumu Kudo | 70 minutes | animation

Mardock Scramble: The First Compression. Yep, such a bizarre title can only come from the land of the rising sun. This anime is as Japanese as sake and sushi. This cartoon does not touch on sick themes such as child abuse, prostitution and murder. The heavy fare is presented as a brutal sci-fi action film. A film that makes you think. Fans of cyberpunk should not miss this film.

In ‘Mardock Scramble: The First Compression’ you meet Rune. This young woman earns a living as a prostitute. An encounter with a mysterious gambler proves fatal for her. End of story? No, not that. Rune is brought back to life by Doctor Easter. Rune ‘revives’ as a cyborg. With Easter’s help and a weapon that can transform into any shape, she sets out to find her killer. This serial killer enjoys his ‘work’. After each murder, he has his memory erased in order to keep his moral compass clean to enjoy killing time and time again. Rune discovers that her killer is doing everything he can to silence her again.

Although there are some spectacular action and sex scenes in ‘Mardock Scramble: The First Compression’, the film is mainly about character development. Especially the resurrection of Rune is central. She’s been given a second chance, but how do you fill in a new life if you’re stuck in a certain pattern? Rune has had a life of adversity. Love is foreign to her and compassion is a concept that she has not learned much from. This film is about the value of a life, destiny and your moral compass. If you were brought up badly, how do you know what is good?

They are interesting themes that are designed in a stimulating way. Rune craves appreciation. When she finally gets recognition, she doesn’t know how to deal with it. The conversations between her and the living weapon – which can take any form, including a golden mouse very much like ‘Stuart Little’ – are very moving. The court scenes in which Rune sues her murderer are also emotional. Our heroine has really been spared nothing. ‘Mardock Scramble: The First Compression’ also addresses the male-female relationships in (Japanese) society. Women must be submissive and are seen as utensils. In 2012, men still have more rights than women. Men who go to bed with every woman are tough, but prostitutes are not. ‘Mardock Scramble: The First Compression’ tackles fascinating subjects without appearing pedantic.

Director Susumu Kudo strikes a perfect balance between action and drama. When the drama seems to take over, he presents some impressive action scenes. The animation is fluid and the use of color is sober – and flashy – at the same time. What also helps is that the characters look very special. When Rune is suddenly confronted with a number of cyborgs, it is striking how flamboyant they look. These are not anonymous crooks, but villains with character (even if they are not really explored). Visually, this film is just as impressive as it is content-wise.

‘Mardock Scramble: The First Compression’ is the first part of a trilogy. That’s really the only downside of this movie. This part ends with a huge cliffhanger. Fans of series like ‘Boogiepop Phantom’ and ‘Ghost in the Shell’ should check this series out.