Kaiba
A world where memories are currency and bodies are traded.
Kaiba is a Japanese anime television series produced by Madhouse, created, written, and directed by Masaaki Yuasa. It aired for 12 episodes on Wowow from April to July 2008. The series won the Excellence Award at the 12th Japan Media Arts Festival in 2008.
Quick Facts
- Genre
- Science fiction
- Creator
- Masaaki Yuasa
Facts from the source article.
Synopsis
In the universe of Kaiba, memories can be stored as data on memory chips, allowing minds to persist after death and enabling the transfer of consciousness between bodies. Society is divided into two classes: the wealthy and powerful live above electrical storms that erase memories, bartering bodies and memories for longevity, while below the clouds exists a dangerous world where good bodies are scarce and money is rare. The story follows a man named Kaiba (Warp) who awakens with no memories, a hole in his chest, a triangular mark on his stomach, and a pendant containing a picture of an unknown girl. After an attack, he escapes with help and gradually regains his memories, while the woman from the pendant struggles with her own past and its connection to Kaiba.
Characters
Kaiba (Warp) is a man who speaks very little, has a hole in the middle of his chest, and a tattoo of three circles forming a triangle on his stomach. At the start, he has no accessible memories. Neiro is a woman with an unknown connection to Kaiba, initially under the care of Popo; a broadcast suggests she may be responsible for an explosion of a memory tank that released thousands of memories as orange egg capsules. Popo is the first to encounter Kaiba after his awakening, later explaining the nature of the world and that Kaiba's life is in danger. Popo gives him the temporary name Warp and smuggles him onto the freight ship Neuron, creating a diversion to help him escape Mantle, who is after Kaiba's special body. Dada-sama is the shady figure behind Issoudan (One Mind Society), regarded as a near-religious leader by its members, though Popo is not reverent. Later, Dada-sama is revealed to be three different people in aged Warp clones, working to take back the throne from the original Warp. Vanilla is the sheriff on the Neuron, strict and sadistic in enforcing authority but willing to make deals, accept bribes, or steal memory chips. He has a weakness for cute girls and develops a crush on Chroniko (actually Kaiba in Chroniko's body), going to great lengths to ensure her/his safety. When fleeing bombardment, he transfers Kaiba's and Hyo-Hyo's memories elsewhere, claiming backup bodies, but after securing Chroniko's memories, it is revealed there was no such insurance, and he perishes with Chroniko's body when the ship is destroyed. Kaba is also a character.
Release
Kaiba was produced by Madhouse, directed by Masaaki Yuasa, who also wrote the screenplay, with character design by Nobutaka Ito. The series aired on Wowow from April 10 to July 24, 2008. The title refers to the brain's memory-related organ, the hippocampus. In Australia, Siren Visual licensed the series in 2011. Anime Limited licensed it in the United Kingdom in 2022. Streaming on Crunchyroll began in May 2019.
Reception
Kaiba received the Excellence Award in the Animation Division at the 12th Japan Media Arts Festival in 2008. THEM Anime Reviews gave the series 4 out of 5 stars, praising its animation, story, and visuals, noting the evocative backdrops and emotional power. Anime News Network highlighted the well-thought-out setting, fascinating visuals, and the plot's buildup as the series progresses.
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