Plastic Memories (2015) User Reviews

Plastic Memories

[Tweekums · 8/10 · 5 July 2015]

Set in a not too distant future where humanoid androids with memories and emotions just like us protagonist Tsukasa Mizugaki gets a job at SAI Corp, one of the leading manufacturers. He won't be making androids though; his job will involve working at the other end of their 'lives' in the 'Terminal Services' division. Each of their androids, known as Giftias functions for 81,920 hours after which time it must be deactivated; if it isn't its memory will rapidly degrade and it may even become dangerous. The members of Terminal Services work in pairs, one human and one Giftia; when an Giftia's time is nearly over they go to the owners and erase the its memory before retrieving it. Inevitably owners have become attached to their Giftias and even consider them part of the family so this process is like a bereavement and not everybody readily accepts it. Tsukasa's partner is called Isla and as they work together they eventually form a relationship despite warnings from their colleagues and the fact that Isla only has two thousand hours left.

It is clear from the start that this series will be a bit of a tear-jerker… and that's before we learn that Isla has so little time left. I found the concept interesting and found the characters likable; especially the central pairing of Tsukasa and Isla. Some of the more comic moments felt a little misplaced but not enough to spoil the series for me; indeed at times they provided a nice distraction to the knowledge that there would almost certainly be a sad conclusion. Indeed the ending is a real tear-jerker that will probably have most viewers in tears… it was the right ending though and I thought it was beautifully handled. The characters are nicely designed and distinctive and the animation is of a high quality. Overall I found this series to be well worth watching.

These comments are based on watching the series in Japanese with English subtitles.

A portion of my commentary on Plastic Memories

[j_alfredprfrck · 8/10 · 11 August 2020]

This is a good example of a series that is very predictable without much twists, and yet is still able to satisfy the viewers until the end despite some flaws that go unnoticed, brought about by the weight of some solid moments, new ways of developing dialogues on the theme and a pint of jests. A lot of reviewers say that this series could have been expanded, that it really has potential in terms of its source material and subject matter. Some say that some scenes or episodes should have been omitted. But anyway, I'm just a normal reviewer myself. Just the thought of a human soul expiring within an android body? Damn. Just putting myself in Tsukasa's shoes would make me depressed for some indefinite time.

Story: 8/10 Characters: 9/10 Animation & Art: 9.5/10 Sound: 9.5/10 Enjoyment: 9.5/10 Ave: 9.1/10.

Yeah it's tear-bait, but it's good tear bait

[masonfewel · 8/10 · 24 October 2021]

I don't really know if this show deserves a 9, but there are a few reasons I gave it that. First of all, this is a really good romance story. Everyone always talks about how sad it made them feel, which really just undermines how good the first 12 episodes are, not just the last one. The romance in this is very well done in my opinion, and if the ending wasn't so sad then it would probably be in lots of people's top spots for romance anime in general. Next, while this show is more of a drama than a comedy, there were actually some pretty funny parts. The animation was very impressive too, the still frames all look professional and well drawn, and a lot of the animation is smooth and flows well. Most anime are not animated this well, so I appreciate it. Lastly, while plastic memories definitely has characters that fit into archetypes, there are some fun subversions from usual romance, comedy, or drama tropes that I appreciated.

worth watching

[ttrdfghhhhbnm · 10/10 · 23 February 2019]

It's so beautiful and sad but definitely worth watching, last episode made me cry so much

Awesome, Romantic BEST SERIES EVER.

[bear-94399 · 10/10 · 15 October 2020]

This Series Is Romantic, Sad, Joyful, Fun. One of the best series. Love the characters and love the Story.

Amazing!

[abraradityap · 7/10 · 22 October 2020]

It's amazing! I think the story is casual for a slice of life anime (i guess..). Also the romance between the 2 main characters. It's not bad at all and actually entertaining!

One of the best

[guystudios · 9/10 · 24 September 2017]

This anime is probably one of the best i've ever watched: interesting story line and characters themselves. This gave tears to my eyes and I didn't want it to end. This Anime is above average great acting. I just wish that there was more explanation of this and the end. I really would watch it again and again.

Tear-Jerker

[jaseque-69498 · 10/10 · 22 June 2018]

This was one of the saddest and one of my favorite animes that I have ever seen. It's surprising that it's not that well known. The concept is great too. I found out about this anime through a "Top 10 Saddest Anime Endings", so heading into this I knew that Isla was going to "die". It's so sweet, watching Tsukasa and Isla progress romantically, fall in love, watching Isla come out of her shell, and everything in between. They are such a cute couple and I wished that Isla could come back and they could get together. I am writing not too long after I finished it and I am still crying. It's so sad once you find out that Isla hasn't got much time left. It's beautiful watching them enjoy life, trying to live life to the fullest with what little time that they had. And going to the amusement park, kiss, go to the movies, do everything they wanted to do before saying goodbye, make memories, talk about their past, and how Isla was teaching Tsukasa stuff before she "died". Teaching him how to tend her herbal garden, how to make tea, how to serve tea, watch the sunrise for the final time, talk about Isla's past, and more. It was really sad seeing them put rings on each other, as a memorabilia, at the peak of the ferris wheel ride right before Isla went to sleep. And seeing how peaceful Isla looked at the end. There was an epilogue, which was great. It wasn't too long, but it was good to see Tsukasa get back to his normal way of life, working at the 'Terminal Services'.

It's so sad and cute that it's hard to find a reaction to the end where they aren't visibly upset or crying, if they have watched all the episodes prior and payed attention. Though to be honest it's weird how Isla just went to sleep on the ferris wheel unlike all of the other giftias. I would've given it a 12/10 if it weren't for that.

I would give this an 11/10 and a %100 on how much people will cry when watching this. I would recommend this to anybody, but make sure that they have some tissues nearby. This deserves an award.

Really well done but sad

[Irishchatter · 9/10 · 29 April 2018]

I have to say, I really loved seeing Isla and Tsukasa's realtionship blossom from the very beginning to the very end of the series. It was unfortunate though that she had to be switched off as a robot because otherwise, she would become an evil one if she wasn't switched off in time. It was even sadder that Tsukasa was grieving for her death like it really does break your heart for him. As well for that poor old woman, it broke your heart as well that her cute little daughter robot had to be switched off.

Really this series does make you want to bawl your eyes off like it does have expected and unexpected intentional deaths on this. It's brillant though as it does reminds you of the yaoi anime "Hybrid Child". I'd highly recommend you watching that if you like this!

Brilliant series, I give this 9/10

Boring and mostly sad series

[Nikolas01 · 4/10 · 2 October 2022]

This is a romantic anime without any real romance. The story is boring and totally predictable and there isn't any real twist to it. The main characters don't have any backstories and they are shallow.

The ending of the series is really sad not because something happened but because something didn't happened. I believe that who ever watched the series will understand perfectly what i mean. I can't really go into details because i dont want to spoil the series but one of the main characters has a limited lifespan and nobody does anything and i really mean anything to help her. Also what happens in the post credit scene is really sick and wrong. I really dont want to cause a spoiler so I won't say what happens but every single person with a clear view about what is right and wrong will be angry with the creators.

"Error i couldnt quite catch that" fav phrase

[turcunico · 10/10 · 11 August 2023]

I know i am very late to this but ive just finished this anime in one night and it had me bawling my eyes out. The design of characters and the plot was absolutely wonderfull and the relationship between Isla and Tsukasa is amazing. The animation while quite different from most animes it was absolutely spot on for this anime and the plot. I know its highly unlikely that this anime gets a 2nd season but if it does i will absoulutely watch it. If i could erase my memory just to watch this anime again i would do that a million times. For anyone wondering if you should eatch this i would certainly reccomend doing that. Thank you Naotaka Hayashi for this masterpiece.

A touching anime

[diacordpal · 10/10 · 13 January 2024]

Plastic Memories is a moving anime that deftly touches on themes of love, humanity, and the inescapable progression of time. This emotionally charged series not only captivates with its beautifully animated scenes, but also strikes a chord with its well-crafted characters. The narrative revolves around the delicate nature of the relationships formed between humans and the Giftia. The story takes place in a world where humanoid robots with a limited lifespan are created to serve and accompany people. What sets Plastic Memories apart from other anime is its ability to delve into the facets of love and loss. The anime masterfully navigates the bittersweet moments that arise when facing the inevitability of goodbyes. The emotional depth of the series leaves a lasting impact. The characters are carefully developed and each contributes to the overall narrative in a significant way. The protagonist Tsukasa experiences significant growth as he grapples with the complexities of love and mortality. The interactions with Isla add a layer of intensity that resonates throughout the series. Visually, "Plastic Memories" is gorgeous. The animation is fluid and the attention to detail in character design and world building enhances the overall viewing experience. The soundtrack is complementary beautiful and hits the key moments. Its exploration of deep themes and emotional resonance makes it a very good work. The series successfully blends sci-fi elements with deep storytelling, leaving a lasting impression that lasts long after the final episode ends.

The importance of memories

[martinwasdeleted · 9/10 · 18 April 2021]

I'm quite surprised. I didn't expect a slice of life/romcom genre. But I don't have a problem with that.

Plastic Memories works with the "we-know-that-the-main-character-will-die" cliche, however, our main character is not a human being, but a clumsy android. This is an overused, but still perfect setting for a drama, although the anime is not really about that, it's just the story. Isla, our female character, is well aware about her condition, so she doesn't really want to collect memories...because she will lose them eventually. Tsukasa, the other main character, accidentally meets the girl and falls in love with her eventually.

Even though, the story becomes really sad in the end, the main focus is not the drama. Of course, I was also crying in the end, but not really because of how sad it is, but because of how happy were they while they were together. The show leaves us not just with tears and used tissues, but with genuine happiness. We know that they had a really great time together, whose memories are never forgotten. This is the reason, why is it so important to collect memories with our loved ones. Because when it's time to say goodbye, that's all we will have. Isla learns this important message, along with the viewers as well.

WAH ITS SO SAD

[invisibleunicornninja · 5/10 · 25 September 2018]

I watched the first two episodes and these are my thoughts.

Plot - This very concept, while interesting-ish, seems specifically designed to make you feel sad. It is an idea that people who are very easily brought to tears will call "brilliant or interesting" simply because it brought them to tears. I am not one of these people. I don't like wasting my time where the only appeal is that it will "make you cry" and not interesting characters or world building. I watched these two episodes on CrunchyRoll, and when checked the comments, everyone was going on about how sad it was and only how sad it was. Based off of everything in this show, I think its safe to say that all it has going for it is the premise. If this premise was more fleshed out, I would probably enjoy it better, but I think its safe to say that this predictable nonsense isn't planning on doing something like that.

Characters - The voice acting (I watched with the Japanese dub) is alright, nothing special. The characters are all cliches. When checking in the comments of episode two, the only comment not talking about how sad the show was said and I copy/paste "she tsundere as f*ck" but without the censorship. (actually now that I'm looking there were a lot of comments about how the red-haired girl is a cliche tsundere. All the other characters fall under other cliches, but this was the most prominent one at the beginning. Also the purple-haired girl is a loli. I would not be surprised if this show turned into a harem anime based off of all the fan service, and all the girls being attracted to the main dude, who is basically a blank slate.

Visuals - The art is ok, if a bit generic. The animation however is pretty bad. Even for anime the jerky way the characters move around is pretty cringeworthy.

Overall, that's all I have to say about this show. I wouldn't recommend it, unless you are the kind of person who enjoys shallow and manipulative media designed to make you cry.

This is the worst anime that i've ever see

[jeisonwumitre · 1/10 · 12 June 2022]

The anime is so generic that ir bored. Don't have a memorable soundtrack like other animes like this. Is like Ano Hana that you know that the girl is gonna die, but in this anime the goodbye of the girl is so stupid that don't make you feel nothing.

For me the worst sad anime.