The Animatrix (2003)

The Animatrix (2003), a groundbreaking adult animated science fiction anthology film, was produced by the Wachowskis. Through nine captivating short films, it delves into the origins of The Matrix film series, including the epic war between humans and machines that resulted in the creation of the iconic Matrix. Not only does it provide insights into the universe, but it also connects to other franchises that have followed suit with similar projects over time.

01: The Second Renaissance Part I. During the mid twenty-first century, human flaws of vanity and corruption led them to create artificial intelligence. As a result, an entire population of sentient AI robots was built to cater to their needs. These robots were designed in the likeness of humans, specifically for domestic tasks and interactions. As more people were freed from labor, a portion of the population became lazy, egotistical, and unethical. However, the machines remained content with serving humanity.

02: The Second Renaissance Part II. The United Nations deploy their aircraft to launch a massive nuclear attack on Zero One, causing extensive damage but ultimately failing to eliminate the robotic race due to their resilience against radiation and heat. In response, Zero One declares war on the rest of the world and successfully captures each territory belonging to mankind. As the machines advance into Eastern Europe, humanity’s leaders resort to a final plan called ‘Operation Dark Storm’, which involves releasing nanites into the atmosphere to block out the sun and deprive the machines of their main energy source. However, this also leads to a global famine and complete collapse of the biosphere.

03: Program. The protagonist, Cis, is engrossed in her preferred training simulation – a feudal Japan battle program. As she triumphantly defeats an attacking cavalry while playing as a female samurai, she encounters another samurai, Duo, whom she immediately recognizes. At first, the two engage in a friendly duel to gauge each other’s combat skills. However, during the fight, Duo briefly disarms Cis and questions her focus, wondering if she regrets taking the Red Pill that led them away from their peaceful virtual existence.

04: World Record. This short features an introduction by the Instructor, suggesting that it is a Zion Archive file. The narration delves into the uncovering of the Matrix by those who are ‘plugged-in’. It is usually individuals with exceptional qualities such as intuition, sensitivity, and a curious mindset who become aware of its existence. These attributes are utilized to spot any discrepancies within the Matrix. However, there are also cases where this knowledge is obtained through alternative methods.

05: Kid’s Story. In The Animatrix, Kid’s Story stands out as the sole animated short featuring Neo. It is set during the six-month break between The Matrix and The Matrix Reloaded, showcasing Neo’s involvement with the Nebuchadnezzar crew in freeing humans from the Matrix. Our protagonist, Kid (formerly known as Michael Karl Popper), is a disenchanted teenager who senses that something is amiss in the world.

06: Beyond. Beyond follows a teenage girl, Yoko, on a search for her missing cat Yuki. As she questions people in the neighborhood, which resembles Japan and is located in Mega City, she comes across a group of boys. One of them informs her that Yuki may be inside a nearby haunted house where they often hang out. This run-down building is filled with various oddities, which are actually glitches in the Matrix that the children have discovered. They have become quite skilled at taking advantage of these glitches to create fun and seemingly impossible scenarios.

07: A Detective Story. Taking place in a dystopian society, the narrative centers on Ash, a private investigator with aspirations to emulate iconic hard-boiled figures like Sam Spade and Philip Marlowe. However, he finds himself struggling as a lowly detective. One fateful day, he receives an unidentified call instructing him to track down a hacker known only as ‘Trinity’. As Ash delves into the search for Trinity, he discovers that previous detectives who attempted the same task met grim fates: one took their own life, another vanished without a trace, and the last descended into madness.

08: Matriculated. A group of rebels lure hostile machines to their laboratory and insert them into a ‘matrix’ designed by humans. The goal is to teach these machines positive human traits, specifically compassion and empathy. The hope is that the converted machines will then assist in the fight against the current machine-controlled totalitarianism on Earth. This concept of voluntary transformation is a key point explored in the film.

09: Final Flight of the Osiris. Captain Thadeus and Jue face off in a blindfolded sword fight inside a virtual reality dojo. As their swords clash, they strategically strip each other of clothing. When both are only left in underwear, they remove their blindfolds to sneak a glance at the other. Just as they lean in for a kiss, an alarm startles them and the simulation abruptly ends. In the following scene, operator Robbie informs the crew of hovercraft Osiris that there is a large army of Sentinels approaching Junction 21 based on his HR scans.