- Episodes : 13
- Genre : Sci-fi
- Airing Date : April 4 – June 28
- Producers : Doga Kobo, Aniplex
Plastic Memories Preview / Plot (No Spoilers)
Plastic memories takes a small hop into the future where people are coexisting with androids that look exactly like them. The Giftia, (android), even have full emotions and act like humans. Sounds like paradise yea? If only so! Every android has a lifespan of 81,920 hours. (approximately nine and a half years) After that, they expire. As a result, they are collected by the Terminal Service when they near the end of their lifespans. Terminal Service employees appear in pairs as a spotter and a marksman.
Plastic Memories follows Tsukasa and Isla as they work together for Terminal Service and collect Giftia at the end of their lives. Mishap after mishap leads them on adventures that can be somewhat hilarious or somewhat sad as they collect various Giftia, but I’m not saying anything else!
Who does Plastic Memories cater to?
Plastic memories is enjoyable for those who like futuristic themes such as robots, but without it being sprinkled too heavy. Society seems to have evolved in the near future but not too much as the major technology differences are the Giftia and Terminal Service’s technology to retrieve Giftia at the end of their lifespan. There are jokes sprinkled throughout the series as well as fan service a la humor.
What's so appealing about this piece of work.
Again like I said above, the futuristic elements aren’t too heavy. If you like tsundere, imoto type characters, them this show is for you with Isla’s character. This show honestly feels like a very slice-of-life show as well considering that there isn’t as much action as I thought there would be. Which really helps it play up the jokes in the series.
The funniest part I have seen so far, is in the first episode when a couple (human and Giftia) that are in love, are running away and Isla goes to chase after them. She jumps from a ledge to chase after them and well… Yea.
Plastic Memories Trailer
Plastic Memories Main Characters List
Isla
Voice Actor :Amamiya, Sora
The main character of the series, Isla, is a Giftia that appears to have the body of a middle school girl. She even comes complete with the same mentality as well! Whether it is her robot personality or not, she is very childish and clumsy as she tends to trip over things. When Tsukasa arrives, he is paired up with her and she becomes his marksman. She has some difficulty communicating which does create some situations when she and Tsukasa go to retrieve Giftia.
Tsukasa Muzigaki
Voice Actor :Takumi, Yasuaki
Tsukasa is fresh out of high school and isn’t going to college. Why? Well… he failed his exams! Thankfully though, his father pulled some strings and got him a job working at Terminal Service. When he shows up at Terminal Service though, he has no knowledge of the Giftia whatsoever! Oh man! He’s got a lot to learn. He is the spotter and is paired up with Isla. Together they go on missions trying to collect Giftia on their own without help from others. Eventually, he and Isla are asked to live together to strengthen their bond as a spotter and a marksman.
Michiru Kinushima
Voice Actor :Akasaki, Chinatsu
Michiru is a 17 year old employee of Terminal Service who is actually a senior to Tsukasa by a mere year. She is overprotective of Isla and is constantly accusing Tsukasa of being a pervert or idiot. She also is very kuudere towards Tsukasa. Maybe she has feelings for him I wonder? She was raised by a Giftia and constantly has to go and solve the problems that Tsukasa and Isla cause in the beginning as they attempt to try and collect Giftia that are near the ends of their lives.
Contains Spoilers
Plastic Memories Review
Now that we have reached the part of the article, let’s get into it! *cues music*.
So hitting the ground running, Tsukasa actually meets Isla before everything even goes down expressing in his mind that he’s already in love. The next day, he walks into Terminal Service to start his new career. He failed his college entrance exams, so this is his shot at making something out of himself. His father pulled some strings and got him this job.
Unfortunately though, as he rolls up, no one knew that he was supposed to be stationed there, and there is no Giftia on standby ready to be his partner. In comes Isla though, back from her break serving tea. The other workers then offer up Isla to be his partner and it becomes settled. Isla has been out of the field for a while, but they are dispatched anyways to retrieve a Giftia that ends in failure, largely due to Isla being so rusty on the field. Later, they do eventually retrieve a child Giftia from an older lady successfully.
The failure is meant to play up the cute factor of Isla. The best way to closely describe it is that little sister complex. The other part is how the art style is drawn to exaggerate her features when she is rifled, making her seem more moe. In the next episode, Tsukasa finds that Isla is training late and well into the night to keep her motor skills moving. Then it’s revealed that she only has about 2,000 hours left to live.
Next, to promote their relationship, as Isla is giving Tsukasa the cold shoulder a lot, the company decides that they should live together. Tsukasa seeks out the advice of the men in the group and he attempts to try and generate conversation and help her. Spoiler alert, he never succeeds; instead only drawing Michiru’s ire as she checks in the moment he’s doing something compromising. Poor Tsukasa. He then takes Isla out one day on a pseudo-date but she shuts down telling him she was not built to go on dates but to retrieve Giftia.
Finally they get a real mission to collect a Giftia named Marica. She has raised a boy named Souta after his parents died. They spend a few more days together but Marcia is kidnapped by some black market dealers before Terminal Service can collect her. Unfortunately she reaches the end of her lifespan and goes berserk, almost killing Souta.
Tsukasa fires a super virus into her, wiping her of all her memories and killing her. Isla is damaged by this attack and spends some time recovering as Tsukasa is relegated back to desk work. This is where we find out that Isla and Kazuki used to be partners, but some actions caused Kazuki to lose part of her leg three years ago. Tsukasa is sad but then finally gets up the nerve to ask Isla out on a proper date. The plot thickens unfortunately as he finds out that Isla now only has about 1000 hours left to live.
Worried, he starts asking around if memories can be preserved from a Giftia and implanted into one once it has been reset. The whole office denies this, so they go to a festival. This part shows what happens when a Giftia is wiped clean but the human still retains their memories with Eru and Olivia/Andie. The episode ends with Tsukasa telling Isla he’s in love.
1. The Hidden Theme of Rebirth
While the series won’t come out and say it, Plastic Memories does actually have a plot centered on death and rebirth. Tsukasa and Isla are on missions to collect Giftia before they reach the end of their lifespan. Next, the Gifita are wiped clean and a new OS is installed essentially bringing them back to life. Isla is also nearing the end of her lifespan as well. It has the viewer entertain the idea of what is going to happen to her.
2. Futuristic & Modern Elements
I said this mix of future and present is a bit interesting at most, but leaves questions for the viewer. Will they be answered? Hmm. In the future, according to this series, androids, aka Giftia, walk the streets and display emotions just like normal people. The machines used to collect Giftia are also very futuristic looking. Plus there is the super virus that Tsukasa shoots at Marcia. Other than that though, everything is about the same as it is now. This creates a contrast where the futuristic elements almost contrast completely with present day situations. It’s almost as if the Giftia and their technology don’t belong?
3. Tragic Love
You should have seen this coming! The love here, following what happened at the end of episode 8, the theme of tragic love has been brought up again. The central one is how the Giftia and humans grow together, although the Giftia eventually have to be collected and their memories as well. It actually happens in the first episode with Tsukasa and Isla on their first mission as they hunt down a couple that runs away.
Next it’s with the older lady and her Giftia granddaughter. Then there is tragic love between Souta and Marica. Admittedly, it’s significantly more tragic than any we have encountered thus far. So naturally it makes sense that Tsukasa would fall in love with Isla. Let’s be honest and upfront. I gave you an objective review to the best of my ability.
To be honest, I’m not too crazy about this series. I really wanted to like it, however anyone who has read any of the articles that I write knows I’m not really into wimpy protagonists. That and no real standout plot moments have marred my experience with this show. The opinions online too seem to be very middle of the road. While many side with me, many also celebrate this show as best of the season. (nope nope nope nope)
I really, really, do want to like Plastic Memories considering there was, and is currently, much buzz about it. I just feel like the show isn’t really going anywhere other than a bad end route. That being said, I’ve now seen up to episode eight so I have reviewed it to that point. I’m really hoping that this show does pick up!
Update: Series Conclusion
So after the summer festival, Isla’s feelings are all mixed up. She doesn’t know what to do. To help both Tsukasa and Isla, Kazuki tells the two that office romance is forbidden and that she and Tsukasa are switching Giftia immediately. She does however, while out on missions try to get Isla to accept Tsukasa’s feelings and be happy. Isla eventually does, while at the same time Tsuaka gets up the courage to declare that he only wants Isla as his partner, and then they decide to live together once again.
The next day, everyone’s cheering for Tsukasa thinking that he’s now gone all the way with Isla. Psyche! So they give them both a bunch of presents to go spend as much time together with them as they can. Isla reveals her diary entries while out on one date including the part where she writes that she is in love with Tsukasa. They do cute couple things and then go on the stereotypical final date to an amusement part. Tsukasa stays as upbeat as possible and then they ride the Ferris Wheel at the end. She gives him back the ring he gave her and he cries. Then carries her back down to Kazuki who collects her. In the epilogue, Tsukasa walks into work and shakes hands with his new partner. Whose hand looks a lot like Isla. Then the credits roll.
I do stand by my earlier decision where I said that this series really doesn’t have a draw factor for me. I really did try to like it and keep an open mind. The show did go the bad end route ending with her being shut off. There is a slight happy note that I would say.
Author: Nagareboshi
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