Sign up to save your podcasts
Or
Share Armitage III: Poly-Matrix Review: A Cyberpunk Gem or a Choppy Mess?
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Or
Armitage III: Poly-Matrix Review: A Cyberpunk Gem or a Choppy Mess?
In this episode of Sci-Fi Graveyard, Joseph, Jeremy, Josh, and Stephen dive into the 1996 cyberpunk anime film Armitage III: Poly-Matrix. Starring the voice talents of Kiefer Sutherland (Ross Sylibus) and Elizabeth Berkley (Naomi Armitage), the movie is a condensed "movie cut" of a four-part OVA series set on a terraformed Mars.
The discussion centers on the film's rich world-building, which draws heavy comparisons to Blade Runner and Ghost in the Shell, and the mystery surrounding the "Thirds"—androids capable of reproduction. The hosts debate the pacing issues caused by editing four episodes into a single film, resulting in a sometimes choppy narrative. They praise the voice acting (despite Sutherland's distinct voice being distracting at first) and the intriguing premise of Mars-Earth political tensions. The group also touches on the sequel, Dual-Matrix, and the desire for a modern live-action remake or a fleshed-out series that could better explore the lore and characters without the constraints of a 90-minute runtime.
Key Highlights
[01:03] Plot Summary: A brief recap of the plot: Ross Sylibus transfers to the Martian Police Department and partners with Naomi Armitage to solve the murder of a country singer who turns out to be a "Third."
[03:52] Title Confusion: The crew discusses the confusing title, noting that "Armitage III" refers to the third generation of androids, not the third movie in a trilogy.
[13:29] Voice Acting: A discussion on the surprisingly star-studded English dub cast, including Kiefer Sutherland, Elizabeth Berkley, and Bryan Cranston, and how well they fit the roles.
[18:42] Cyberpunk Influences: The hosts compare the film's aesthetic and themes to other cyberpunk classics like Blade Runner, Battle Angel Alita, and even Detroit: Become Human.
[23:07] The "Thirds" Reveal: A breakdown of the key plot twist: the "Thirds" are androids capable of getting pregnant and having children, a concept meant to solve Mars' low birth rate.
[30:54] Rest in Peace or Rise from the Grave: The verdict is mixed, with the hosts agreeing the movie should "Rest in Peace" as a standalone product but "Rise from the Grave" as a potential modern remake or expanded series.
View all episodes
By Joseph Gettinger
4.3
33 ratings
In this episode of Sci-Fi Graveyard, Joseph, Jeremy, Josh, and Stephen dive into the 1996 cyberpunk anime film Armitage III: Poly-Matrix. Starring the voice talents of Kiefer Sutherland (Ross Sylibus) and Elizabeth Berkley (Naomi Armitage), the movie is a condensed "movie cut" of a four-part OVA series set on a terraformed Mars.
The discussion centers on the film's rich world-building, which draws heavy comparisons to Blade Runner and Ghost in the Shell, and the mystery surrounding the "Thirds"—androids capable of reproduction. The hosts debate the pacing issues caused by editing four episodes into a single film, resulting in a sometimes choppy narrative. They praise the voice acting (despite Sutherland's distinct voice being distracting at first) and the intriguing premise of Mars-Earth political tensions. The group also touches on the sequel, Dual-Matrix, and the desire for a modern live-action remake or a fleshed-out series that could better explore the lore and characters without the constraints of a 90-minute runtime.
Key Highlights
[01:03] Plot Summary: A brief recap of the plot: Ross Sylibus transfers to the Martian Police Department and partners with Naomi Armitage to solve the murder of a country singer who turns out to be a "Third."
[03:52] Title Confusion: The crew discusses the confusing title, noting that "Armitage III" refers to the third generation of androids, not the third movie in a trilogy.
[13:29] Voice Acting: A discussion on the surprisingly star-studded English dub cast, including Kiefer Sutherland, Elizabeth Berkley, and Bryan Cranston, and how well they fit the roles.
[18:42] Cyberpunk Influences: The hosts compare the film's aesthetic and themes to other cyberpunk classics like Blade Runner, Battle Angel Alita, and even Detroit: Become Human.
[23:07] The "Thirds" Reveal: A breakdown of the key plot twist: the "Thirds" are androids capable of getting pregnant and having children, a concept meant to solve Mars' low birth rate.
[30:54] Rest in Peace or Rise from the Grave: The verdict is mixed, with the hosts agreeing the movie should "Rest in Peace" as a standalone product but "Rise from the Grave" as a potential modern remake or expanded series.