A Wind Named Amnesia (Kaze no Na wa Amunejia) 1990

As part of my recent Hideyuki Kikuchi kick, I finally watched A Wind Named Amnesia and found it really compelling.

If you’ve read any of my reviews here at the Heap you’ll know I tend to be a bit of an ‘ideas-man’ – sometimes over their execution, though perhaps that implies I think the film failed in that respect, which it didn’t.

Maybe it wasn’t the perfect balance between concept and narrative but again, it worked for me as the central mysteries pulled me along. And the premise is definitely interesting – an unfathomable wind has removed the human race’s memory of everything, leaving them in a primitive state.

When Wataru, our hero, is granted speech, he has to navigate humanity’s struggles to rebuild – joined by the mysterious Sophia on a dangerous cross-country road trip. At times they’re chased by an obsessed killing machine and at other times the film is more episodic perhaps, as they encounter and try to help the humans they meet.  

It’s there that the mix between blockbuster action film tropes and speculative fiction might clash for some folks, but the sequences are all great even if the animation isn’t consistently top notch; I’d argue the direction easily makes up for what some might feel is lacking when compared more modern animation techniques – there’s still genuine tension in the scenes.

And what holds it together is Wataru and Sophia’s relationship – while he’s a bit slow to ask her important questions, I think the film wants you to have the jump on him in that respect. And why not? He’s not long regained the ability to think, speak and operate on more than instinct alone.

Be prepared for some violence and nudity but nothing you wouldn’t find in an old school action blockbuster actually – in fact, I think Wataru’s character design is meant to channel Rambo in some ways. Elsewhere you might pick up on perhaps a criticism of primitive life but it’s not an entirely bleak film either, with some hints of optimism throughout at least.

4 stars