Rin Asogi runs a private investigation agency in Tokyo's Shinjuku district, performing odd jobs ranging from finding lost pets to hunting rare stamps in order to get by. Yet despite attempts at a normal life, she finds herself constantly hindered by the strange cases that come her way, figures from her dark past, and her inability to die. ******only the most minor of spoilers, and nothing that couldn't be guessed just my considering the concepts of immortality******<br/><br/>I'm blown away at the imagination of the writers. Not much in the mood to write a long review, so in keeping it *somewhat* short, I recommend watching this if you're at all interested in sci-fi and the concepts and consequences of immortality; as well as in seeing interesting and plausible views of what the future holds for us technologically. <br/><br/>The story line is completely original. The last show this original was Aeon Flux (not the crappy movie), though Aeon Flux was much farther "out there". Both have otherworldly characters and situations that won't disappoint, but WILL keep you in anticipation of the next episode. Each episode of Rin is a leap forward of about 25 years, so you get what are like snapshots of our planet/society from a photo album, but in reverse – and by reverse i mean instead of glimpses into the past, you get glimpses into a future that seems to have already happened. It's very cool and very gratifying to see *non-immortal* characters suddenly 25 years further into their lives and carrying with them the same personality, but, as one would expect, filtered through 25 years of experience and experiences. They know and care for and keep the secrets of the two lead immortal characters; and continue to aid them while they can throughout their own finite lives. But they also are rooted in the life they are currently living and have cares and concerns of their own (like actual people would). <br/><br/>In addition to the cool story, there is also quite a bit of sexual content and there isn't much holding back on the part of the writers. The depictions of sex are much hotter and much more satisfying than any soft core porn flick you might catch on Skin-emax. But it's not really about the sex – it's about the story and so the sex just fits in where it makes sense to the plot and to the characters. This is a show that is definitely for adults (in addition to the sex, there is much graphic violence as well), but it's for adults who haven't lost their imagination. <br/><br/>My only disappointment after watching this series, is that there wasn't more. I wish for the writers to continue this story with a new series. It certainly left off with much more to tell and much more I want to see. Mnemosyne will probably be most known for its extremely explicit and disturbing gore and erotic imagery, and no doubt that will turn many viewers off to the series. However, throughout its 6 episodes this series didn't cease to surprise and impress me with the breadth AND depth of knowledge and trivia, as well as a well-constructed plot that slowly culminates over the 5 hours or so of running time. The series begins in seemingly typical anime fashion – an imaginative setup of a group of immortals as a vehicle for over-the-top fan service and exciting action sequences. Admittedly, after the first episode, I thought I had a good idea what kind of anime this is going to be. However, every episode after that gave me something new to look forward too, and did not disappoint my growing expectations each minute through the film. I recommend this film to anyone who can stomach how graphic its scenes are, and are not too lazy or un-observant to fill in the interesting, subtle gaps left purposefully by the script.<br/><br/>***Spoilers below*** The protagonist of the story is Asougi Rin, a stunning woman in her twenties with a killer body. Honestly, the size of her breasts alone will trigger a "fan service no plot" alarm in most experienced anime viewers. She is one of many immortals who, at some point of their lives, absorbed a Fruit of Time from a tree (Yggdrasil) that spreads these fruits like spores throughout the world. Women who absorbed this fruit will regenerate and live forever in the exact state at which they absorbed the fruit. So, like one other character in the series, someone who absorbs the fruit right after massive injuries will retain those injuries forever.<br/><br/>Rin and her assistant Mimi (another immortal who looks like a young teenage girl) run a private investigations office together. Mimi is very skilled with computers and technology, while Rin as we soon discover is a master of martial arts. Their time in the office together is usually light and sprinkled with jokes and a suggested lesbian relationship. This is a stark contrast to the frequent gory injuries and torture usually sustained by Rin (It seems her enemies are usually extreme sadists). Their work usually starts off innocuous (in the first episode, Rin was out looking for a lost cat), but quickly become tangled in bigger and bigger problems (from an illegal lab cloning humans, assassinations of political foreign visitors, to the end of the world. Yup, the usual.).<br/><br/>The private investigator pattern continues for 4 episodes, where more and more of Yggdrasil's mysteries are unveiled. As the viewer, I enjoyed picking up each subtle clue and putting together more of more of the big picture. Towards the end of the series, immortals and angels (men who absorb the Fruit of Time turn into power savage winged creatures whose sole purpose in their short lifespan is to seek out immortals and eat them, as we discover later. They are one of the few true threats to an immortal woman.) plot elements come together in a sadistic plan to destroy all mortal humans. The pacing of the anime series, I felt, was excellent. 6 long episodes were just the right amount of time to deliver all the information to the audience, and the OVA medium (Direct-to-home video) allows the production crew to basically put anything they want onto the screen.<br/><br/>The characters in this series show distinct and fascinating development. Since at least 10 years of time pass between each episode, we see all the secondary characters age and change, while the main characters remain pretty much themselves. That, in addition to the changes in the environment made provided meaningful passage of time. By episode 3, for example, the world painted by the series has become that of the near future. It is a fairly stark, yet not unrealistic future where many people are lost in immersing online games – 2.0 as the anime calls it, with reality being 1.0, and those lost in between trapped in "1.5". The characters also use more and more compact cell phones. The beauty of it all is that Mnemosyne never forces these changes down the viewer's throat. The characters behave just as you'd expect from someone who has grown accustomed to the technology over the years: perfectly at ease, and using each piece of equipment in a matter-of-fact way. This show knows its direction, and it also knows to respect the viewers' imagination in only giving a few interesting tidbits about the world, just enough for us to piece it all together.<br/><br/>Rin and Mimi (and a few other immortals) go through 3 generations of Japan over the course of the run. One of the secondary characters in the first episode, Maeno, who was found as a lost and helpless human clone, get married and have kids. In the 3rd episode, the male lead is his son, and in the 5th episode his granddaughter. The director did a very good job portraying teenagers who are fundamentally good people in this series. Too frequently do Japanese animes portray a flat, annoying brat as a kid. In this film, however, I clearly felt that despite being rebellious as teenagers tend to be, the youngsters are compassionate, smart, and capable. That brings me to another thing I enjoyed – the characters, good guys and bad guys both, don't do outrageously stupid things like in most movies. Thanks to that, the plot rarely loses momentum because we're not overcome with frustration by how these people act.<br/><br/>Finally, the script uses a variety of mythical and factual trivia that are accurate! That sealed the deal for me in giving this series an excellent recommendation.
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