If Hideo Kojima, the video game auteur behind the Metal Gear Solid and Death Stranding franchise, gushes about a science fiction movie, it’s probably worth paying attention. That’s exactly what happened in late January when Kojima posted the following on X: “The look, design, world-building, story, theme, authorial voice. It evokes the hard Sci-Fi anime that I love – the ones released in the ‘80s and ‘90s during the OVA boom from the likes of Mamoru Oshii, Yoshiaki Kawajiri, and Satoshi Kon.”
Kojima was talking about Mars Express, the 2023 French sci-fi noir anime from director Jeremie Perin that barely made a ripple at the box office (just $1.5 million) but recently had its theatrical premiere in Japan. In a recent review, Japan Times called it “the best anime film of recent years.” That’s high praise for a French cartoon that’s clearly inspired by anime classics like Ghost in the Shell and Akira. Turns out, both Kojima and Japan Times are right. Mars Express is a modern classic thanks to its sleek, futuristic vibe and mind-bending story.
In the year 2200, private detective Aline Ruby and her android partner Carlos Rivera take on what should be a routine hacker case. Instead, they get tangled in rogue robots, brain farms, and a missing girl with a secret that could shake the balance between humans and synthetics. Set in Noctis, the capital city of a colonized Mars, the movie’s sci-fi setting feels like Animatrix meets Ghost in the Shell. Humans and androids live side by side, freedom brings chaos, mobs enforce human supremacy, and a quiet robot revolution is brewing. As Aline’s investigation continues, she learns just how fragile the line between human and machine really is.
Mars Express clocks in just under 90 minutes and wears its influences on its sleeve. Beyond the anime aesthetic and tone, Perin makes nods to Terminator 2: Judgment Day with a robotic chase scene highlighting a liquid-metal hand blade. There’s also a gun that looks just like the assault rifle from Halo 2, and the organic robots created by the tech mogul Chris Royjacker resemble the mutated mass of flesh Tesuo becomes at the end of Akira. The cinematography borrows liberally from Satoshi Kon, using 3D computer animation in small, practical ways to make simple moments, like walking down a hall or entering a room, feel cinematic and alive.
Mars Express is steeped in science fiction, but it also dips into Chinatown-style noir, slowly unraveling a conspiracy in the shadowy underbelly of Noctis, giving the story its moody vibe. It’s easy to see how Kojima fell in love, given his love for film and this movie’s endless inspirations. (There’s even a moment where Carlos loses his arm and replaces it with a red one that looks like Venom Snake’s in Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain.)
Mars Express has the makings of an instant cult classic once it’s made widely available through streaming services, but for now, listen to Kojima and rent or purchase this film from your favorite online retailer as soon as you can.
Mars Express is available to purchase or rent on YouTube, Apple TV, Prime Video, and Fandango at Home.
