Watch Altered Carbon: Resleeved

Altered Carbon: Resleeved is a 2020 Japanese anime film based on the American cyberpunk television series Altered Carbon. The film takes place in a futuristic society where humans have achieved immortality by digitally storing their consciousness in disc-shaped devices called "stacks" which can be implanted into different bodies or "sleeves".

The plot of the movie focuses on the character of Takeshi Kovacs, a highly skilled mercenary who is hired by the Yakuza to retrieve a mysterious girl named Holly from the state-of-the-art city of Licktown. Upon arriving in Licktown, Kovacs discovers that Holly possesses valuable information related to the powerful Shimura crime family, and he must protect her from the numerous threats that surround them.

Unlike the TV series, Altered Carbon: Resleeved heavily emphasizes action sequences and visceral violence over complex narrative explorations of consciousness and morality. The movie is presented in a traditional anime style, with highly stylized visual design and Japanese voice acting. The animation is fluid and dynamic, with beautiful set pieces and evocative fight choreography that reflects both the gritty and otherworldly aspects of its setting.

The voice acting in the film is notable, with American actors like Ray Chase and Doug Stone delivering performances that are emotionally resonant, but also steeped in the anime tradition of exaggerated expression and tonal delivery. Their performances add an extra dimension to the film's action and tension, helping to invest the viewer in the story and its protagonists.

One of the standout aspects of Altered Carbon: Resleeved is its use of cultural and aesthetic motifs from Japanese history and folklore. From the cherry blossom-laden streets of Licktown to the ominous presence of the Shimura family's ancestral samurai armor, the movie presents a blend of futuristic, cyberpunk style with traditional Japanese iconography. The result is a visually stunning movie that offers a unique and engaging aesthetic experience.

Moreover, the film offers an intriguing exploration of the Altered Carbon universe from a different perspective than the source material. Although Altered Carbon: Resleeved lacks the depth and complexity of the TV series, it offers a more focused and streamlined version of the story that is well-suited to the film's shorter runtime. It delivers a fast-paced, adrenaline-fueled adventure that presents an alternate view of the Altered Carbon world while retaining the core ideas and themes of the source material.

Overall, Altered Carbon: Resleeved is an enjoyable and stylish anime film that makes the most of the Altered Carbon universe's potential. With its excellent animation, solid voice acting, and engaging storyline, the movie is a must-see for fans of the franchise and a great entry point for anyone looking for a thrilling, visually spectacular action movie with a unique twist.

Altered Carbon: Resleeved is a 2020 animated movie with a runtime of 1 hour and 14 minutes. It has received moderate reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.4.