The first Armitage III was an above-average science fiction anime that, nevertheless, had a pretty sizeable fan base. Sequels are hit or miss (more often miss), and so my expectations for Dual Matrix weren't very high. I'm very happy to say I walked away having seen one of the best science fiction movies, anime or otherwise, in quite some time.

The first thing that really caught my eye were the ultra-slick visuals. The computer generated graphics never betrayed the anime style of art, melding together smoothly like melted butter. The futuristic settings are utterly convincing and certainly add plenty of atmosphere. The character designs take some getting used to, but if you enjoyed the ones on display in Armitage III, you'll certainly like them here.

Other than the visuals, I was truly engrossed by the never-let-up pacing from beginning to end. This anime is filled to the gills with amazing action sequences, which help to mask a somewhat standard Blade Runner-esque plot. My ears are still tingling from one of the best combination of sound effects and music I've ever heard in this type of anime. Noises such as Naomi landing on piano keys to liquor swishing in a glass are crisp, clean and very believable. The techno music pieces are haunting and fit well with the settings, adding to the aforementioned atmosphere.

I was looking to kill an hour and a half, and instead I happened to watch a thrilling action flick that I will certainly revisit again. Armitage III: Dual Matrix is so much better than the anime it follows that it might just wipe away any preconceived notions I had about sequels... maybe.