Jiyi Guanli Ju (2026)

I normally don't, and will probably continue not to, write reviews for anime that I watch (at least frequently). That said, I think False Memory deserves to be known and given at least a chance by everyone. Being newer to anime in general, I'm honestly disappointed that I watched this show so early since I don't know what'll be able to top it in the future, personally... I came across False Memory when the OP first leaked, and decided then that I would commit to it when it started releasing. Since then, I learned that it was essentially an original passion project, built from the concept of the pilot made in 2020, that doesn't rely on any source material. And I think this is what makes it feel special; the story it tells, the art, animation, and visuals, the music and sound design, everything. False Memory doesn't try to conform to any standardized plot or style, but instead portrays the raw emotion and originality that is extremely hard to come by nowadays in any form of media. I want to preface that things don't really start to make sense until a few episodes in, so don't be discouraged when it takes a bit to understand anything. And even so, I'd highly encourage rewatching scenes or even whole episodes to better understand and catch details that you might've missed. But trust me, once it clicks, it REALLY clicks. Having rewatched the show multiple times with different friends, I'll tell you firsthand that there are soooo many details in the visuals and dialogue that are connected in and across episodes. So, given the complexity of everything, I wasn't able to truly appreciate a bunch of details until after rewatching it. Having an entire, pretty complex concept packed into only 7 episodes obviously leaves small issues with development and pacing, and leaves questions that are left without clear, absolute answers. However, given the existential idea behind the concepts anyway, I found it extremely fun to interpret things in my own way. Many things in and around the plot, such as the BUG beings, memory container, and even Guan Chao himself, are metaphoric and representative of ideas in non-literal ways. So, I wouldn't call False Memory exactly "straightforward" in any way. Regardless of whether you choose to think deeper about things, I'd say that the "shallow" plot is more than functional enough for you to understand and relate to the baseline concepts. As for the animation, it's peak. I don't really know what else to say... The fights and action are choreographed insanely well, and each character's movement is animated with such emphasis that you can really feel how their interactions interact with the environment. Combined with the style and transitions between actions and scenes, the animation manages to create eye candy that is both followable and impactful to the story; everything shown seems intentional, even if it appears small or unimportant at first. The music accompanies the animation beautifully, with the OP song being one of my favorites from any anime (even though I don't understand a lick of Chinese). The one thing that I do wish was a little more concrete was the ending, as, in my opinion, it seems almost formatted as a sort of cliffhanger to foreshadow more story. However, I doubt that another season is coming any time soon (if at all). I do think it works better for this specific story than for others simply due to the nature of the plot's existential, questioning base. However, this did cause the ending not to hit as hard as I think it definitely could've, given the emotion behind the characters. Nonetheless, the conclusion it does provide is stunning regardless (especially after I sat and thought more about the meaning behind things afterward). Aside from this, there are a few open-ended plot points that are left unexplained, such as why Bai Zhong is in the Bureau; without additional story, they function as unclear, unnecessary details that leave me questioning why they hint at them in the first place. Though since they are more minute, they don't get in the way of the story much, if at all. (*Edit: Apparently a sequel was confirmed a few hours ago, after ep. 7 released, so maybe this is intentional?*) Overall, False Memory manages to pack a concept consisting of heavier, existential themes into a short, polished series filled with emotion and action, all while not taking itself too seriously. I'd HIGHLY recommend anyone and everyone to watch this show, whether you think it's for you or not. And honestly, if you don't, you're just missing out. False Memory is, and will probably always be, one of my favorite anime of all time, and I think I speak for my friends, who I introduced to the show (and are also way more "qualified" in anime than I am), when I say that it is 100% worth your time!

I genuinely consider False Memory to be one of the most important pieces of media made in the past 5 years. This is a beautiful story about grief and regret over the past with the most profoundly human main character i've ever seen; All laid on top of the most insanely gorgeous animation and unique creative direction (Very heavily inspired by FLCL, i should add) i've ever seen. The soundtrack by StJimmyL and a few others is also oozing with emotion. All in all, this entire thing is clearly a massive labor of love with incredible amounts of passion put into it, made by people who simply get it. I think this is one of the greatest things ever made, and "Life-changing" is perhaps the only term i can use to do this donghua justice. If this had come out 4 or 5 years earlier, I genuinely believe this show would've changed my life for the better, And i believe this show will change your life for the better too. I ugly cried at the ending even though im not the kind of person to cry to shows/movies. Thank you, False Memory. P.S You'll have to watch the original False Memory short film from 2020 before you start the show.

This is the most uneven anime I've seen. It feels like the work of a very promising amateur, but still an amateur. Its strongest side is definitely the animation. You can feel they put a lot of effort into it. However it's also amateurish — sometimes there's no animation at all, just static images held for too long; other times the animation is fast-paced and dynamic, but too frantic, lacking pauses and emphasis. The weakest side is the sound. A decent number of scenes have no sound whatsoever, without it feeling earned. Other soundtrack doesn't fit the scene it's in. The sound effect of hits or "gunfire" aren't satisfying either. The story is okay, it starts off somewhat strong; the first episode was able to pique my interest. However the next 3 episodes didn't do a good job of making me care about what was happening on screen.

I came across False Memory long ago, a little while after it was introduced sometime back in September 2020. The story was bare-bones, and one could not draw too much from what had been given. It did do its job, however, in laying down, I suppose, what you could call "the prophecy" of what was to come after, that is, an entire series under the same name based on the very same story. Now, why would I call such a thing a "prophecy"? It lies in what I believe makes False Memory a success: the visuals. Anyone who even so much as watches the trailer of this show will find that the visuals are of such stark and glorious quality that cannot be reasonably objected to by even the sharpest of critics amongst us. From what the original 2020 animation had shown us, it is no surprise that the future of False Memory would appear to us as it has today. What Flint Sugar and Studio Tumble have blessed us with is to be praised. Now, would I say the same thing about the writing? Ehh. It's not even bad. There just isn't enough time to go over everything in a way that would build characters to a substantial level, aside from very few, who just so happen to be the main characters as well. It's not really anything catastrophic, but one would hope, with the dynamic within this world, the elements that work together in establishing the premises, and the sea of characters that all have a story to them, it would be better to flesh out variables than to let them be and assist the story whenever needed. Though, when it does pay attention to the characters it decides to focus on, I'm led to believe that there are no faults made in crafting the motifs and ideas associated with our characters. Namely, Guan Chao and Bai Zhong. Guan Chao in particular has various episodes constructing a sort of coming-of-age story and, well, dealing with his memories. It's pristine in its representation. There's no overstaying any welcome or glossing over detail; it's just clean direction in telling us who he is in this story and what he is to become. The same treatment is given to Bai Zhong, though the frequency is a lot less. Regardless, it was entertaining to watch her character as much as Guan Chao. It is not impossible to enjoy this show. I would say, if you are going to be upset by the lack of development in absolutely everything, then it is fair game to not appreciate this as much as some others may do, but I would still suggest maybe giving this a watch anyway. Donghua has kinda rocked the East Asian animation scene in recent times with monumental cinematic releases and "elite ball knowledge" classics, and I would entertain the thought that False Memory deserves to be up there as one of the greats.

"It feels like this moment is shining." I could spend hours praising this show's plot, animation, soundtrack, character design, sound design, scenography, art direction, voice acting and its ability to use human creativity and ingenuity to push all of these aspects to their limit. Though I'm not going to do that, as I feel that there are aspects of this show which deserve an even greater spotlight than the ones I mentioned. False Memory is one of the most human pieces of fiction I've ever experienced. It goes to great lengths to portray the ugliness and hell-like cruelness of simply existing in this world; yet after having watched all the episodes, I can't help but feel grateful that I get to experience living. There's a growing sense of apathy in people's hearts all over the world, and even though some of us decide to go against the current, no one can guarantee that we won't get caught up in it too. This show makes sure to hammer this one specific kind of fear into your heart, it wants you to become so incredibly scared of dying that you yourself subconsciously tear apart the apathy and start cherishing the life you're living. The one and only precious life which will SURELY end before you are even given the chance to process it. Even in our society full of advanced technology, which makes our lives easier, life can still be so very dangerous and lethal, it is completely normal to be afraid of getting hurt or dying. But no matter how afraid and careful and sheltered you are, death will still come, so please allow yourself to go out and experience living. At least I know I myself surely will. My clothes and hair will get wet and dirty from rain, my legs and feet will hurt from walking, a tiny spider might bite my fingertips whilst trying to touch leaves on a sidewalk, but I will keep greedily reaching out to these ordinary experiences until they're one day taken away from me. I truly wish to never ever forget this show.

(disclaimer: this is basically a personal analysis of the anime, not really a formal review. please keep this in mind before reading. thanks!) False Memory gives grief a language. I think one of the oldest desires that we have as human beings is the desire to turn back time. One of the burdens of being a creature with autonomy is the responsibility of choice, and the acceptance that comes afterward. Guan Chao is an embodiment of what it means to repeatedly deny the reality that comes after loss, especially when accepting it would mean accepting the grief that comes with it. Grief, after all, is love with nowhere left to go, and when we can’t bring ourselves to accept our grief, we cling to the memories of those we’ve lost. We hold on to what remains because, in some way, letting go of the memory feels like letting go of the person themselves. The reason why False Memory is essentially a show about grief is because it shows us the reality of how much memories affect us. In all of the floors Guan Chao was in, he reacted to the BUGs (which are essentially his “distorted” memories) in a different manner, just like how we, as humans, would when met with memories of our past. Sometimes, we deny their existence; that what we went through isn’t true, and therefore the pain that comes with it isn’t real either. Sometimes, we hold on to it so much that we develop a refusal to live in the present. Mundanity becomes the script of our daily lives because we’re so stuck in the past that we refuse to move forward. Other times, we have this intense desire to change it. It consumes us so much that the reality we live in becomes distorted. Everything in our lives is affected by the burden of our past, to the point that it dictates our future. But eventually, we let go. Just like Guan Chao, we choose to pop our little bubble. The world we live in, burdened by the past, becomes a cage that we free ourselves from, and I think that’s what makes False Memory so good. Oftentimes, people talk about grief as a means to honor our memories, and that to carry it with us means that we’re moving forward. But the show offers us another perspective—if the past is all we hold on to, how do we expect ourselves to move forward in our lives? Time is infinite, and yet for human beings like us, it exists to be finite. What happens when the memories we cherish become the very things that keep us stuck, our time continuously winding while our feet are still stuck in the ground, unable to take a single step? Now, I’m not saying that the show is inherently saying that looking back at our memories is bad. If anything, it tells us to cherish these memories. But it tells us to cherish them in a different way; you can carry them with you, but you shouldn’t expect yourself to move forward when you’re looking through the lenses of the past. How will you see what’s ahead when you’re stuck looking back? Honestly, I believe the title False Memory fits so well. Memories become containers that provide us with a false narrative if we fixate on them too much, to the point that they dictate our reality. And isn’t that essentially what happened with Guan Chao? God, I love this series so much, and I’m genuinely sad about how underrated it is. There are so many layers to it that I want to delve into because it’s such a unique portrayal of grief and memory. Even the animation is a nod to the theme of the anime itself, since it retains the nostalgic 90s animation style that we all used to watch on television as kids. There’s something so fitting about a show about memory looking and feeling like a memory itself. Overall, a 10/10 for me. A beautiful watch and a gentle reminder that while grief is love with nowhere to go, perhaps moving forward means accepting that we cannot return to where that love once had a home. We can remember, we can mourn, and we can carry those memories with us but eventually, we have to turn our eyes toward what lies ahead. After all, what good is time if we spend all of it wishing we could go back?

false memory is a show i think i will remember forever story: 9/10 the story is SO GOOD. the only reason its a 9 and not a 10 is that at the beginning its very fast paced, which may not be for everyone, and i do think is a consequence of its short run time. and to its defense it could also be matching the 7 stages of grief, in which the first stage is shock. afterall our mc is plenty confused so ig its like were just as lost as him at first. ep 4 and onwards though the pacing is rlly nice, especially considering it only has 7 episodes. somehow within those 7 episodes they managed to make a very beautiful story on grief, nostalgia, and memory. all wrapped up in the character arc named guan chao, our main character. the conclusion is satisfying, something i was woried about considering how many great shows fuck up their endings. and it leaves plenty room to grow in the confirmed sequel! its a story that you def need to watch twice or more to fully grasp it. i understand thats not everyones cup of tea, but if you have the patience to try to make sense of the confusing things our mc gets thrown into, its a very satisfying journey youre about to undertake. surrealist in the best way. i think its a story many of us can relate to and need to hear. visuals: 10/10 FUCKING GORGEOUS. if youve seen clips you know why. and not just in the "hype moments and aura" battles, but also in the slower moments that YES do exist. a bunch of them actually. the streets say "false memory is all style and no substance" that its just "impact frames and effects". but i promise you its not. there are many slowed down moments, shots of everyday details, and delibrate framing. its masterfully done, and even the fights carry the weight of emotions. because at its core where false memory excels the most is in its VISUAL storytelling. the symbolism is through the roof with this one. they can make you cry with a still shot. overall amazing, done with great skill, a love for storytelling, and a charming style. also the character designs are amazing. audio: 10/10 the dialogue can get confusing to follow sometimes but i think the overlapping voices in certain scenes add a fitting chaos and nice touch of realism that i love about their voice direction. aside from the amazing vouces of the characters, the sound effects were very pleasing to the ears. and the soundtrack? HEAVENSENT. especially the finales special ending song. it has a variety of vibes scattered across its music and i cant quite place a word for the "vibes". but just know it helps the immersion tenfold. worldbuilding/concept: 10/10 AMAZING. just that. its what dragged me into false memory when i saw its pilot, the idea of a memory world and memory collectors with HALOS as their combat/power system? fascinating. the different aspects like bug beings and their sources, the memory objects and the sea of rememberance, the origin of memory collectors, its all just a fascinating world you just cant help but get sucked in. the first place we end up seeing of the memory world alsk being a place of forgotten/mundane memories is also so fascinating, like a washing machine that wont stop shaking bcs someone forgot they left it on. - overall 10/10. i NEED to rewatch it and i cant wait for more! its converted me into a fan for life. every episode did what it needed to do. all the ppl who dropped it are missing out. dont be that person and watch it till the end before forming an opinion.

i've never written a review before, but i genuinely couldn't recommend this show more. this was a once-in-a-lifetime watch, and i can't even put into words how much this story means to me. especially in the age of ai, everything about this is so wonderfully human-made. instead of relying solely on words to tell a story, this show was crafted with so much love and attention to detail in every aspect, be it the characters, animation, or music. there's so much emotion poured into this. every episode made me feel what the characters were going through, so much so that i was on edge every week, waiting for the next episode. i genuinely think this show is best watched without knowing anything about it. so i'm really sorry if my review is just a lot of nonsense if you haven't watched it yet — as i said before, i couldn't recommend it more, though. thank you from the bottom of my heart to every person who worked on this for sharing guan chao's story with us. i hope each and every one of you continues to pour your passion and soul into your future projects, just like you did with this one.

I find it really hard to write a review of the show. On paper, it does a lot of things wrong in character development, audio and pacing. The worst offense it commits is spending a lot of time on things that are ultimately inconsequential. The show is insane. It's trying to do way too many things. Still, I can't help but love it. I haven't felt this way about a show since Punch Line, and unlike Punch Line, I think it's one of the best shows to come out this year. That is mostly the result of its earnest message and its effectiveness at getting that message across. I feared at points the message would turn out to be a generic "carpe diem", but I was delighted that it chose to dig deeper than that. Jiyi Guanli Ju argues that the antidote to regret is not to do more with your present, but rather to appreciate every mundane moment for what it is. The past you want to return to is not necessarily one where you worked yourself to the bone trying to make every day count, but rather the time you spent smelling the flowers and taking your time. I don't know if that's the whole truth, but there's certainly merit to it. For every "big" experience in my life I can remember, there's two memories of the mundane. Of walking to the next town over because I graduated and there was nothing better to do. Of coming home in a snow storm and drinking hot chocolate. The moments I want to return to aren't the big ones. I think that kind of musing is the best praise I can give it. Even writing a review, I can't help but get into philosophical discussion. Not just any anime can do that.

I remember seeing the first trailer two days after it came out on YouTube, and that was 6 years ago, in 2020. Ever since then, I've waited for it to come out, it's name sitting in my "unreleased" list in my watchlist of a bunch of other series. After sitting in my list for so many years I've completely forgotten about it, and then one day, whilst looking for a new site to watch anime, it popped up. It was as if I found, or actually, rediscovered, "the things that are shiny". Even though this show might get confusing because of the language or the metaphors or whatever; please appreciate and watch it for its beauty and complexity. For anyone reading this review, and as stranger, this might not make an impact, but just know that this may be my first and only review I'll ever write.

I tried to avoid spoilers but don't read if you want to go in fully blind I don't feel the need to write reviews typically, but False Memory in particular feels, to me, like it deserves it. It is an amazing showcase of not only how much can get done within a short time frame (the entire show being shorter than some movies nowadays) but also how fight scenes can elevate the story trying to be told. From the first episode, the audio and visuals are on point (and is likely the best part of the show to many) but also establishes an interesting premise that very quickly gets flipped on its head (I went in without reading the description first), creating an experience that is as intriguing as it is admittedly confusing at times. Overall, while the story wasn't the most complex, the show did a good job fleshing out the main character in order for the focus/attention given to be justified and earned. Considering the shorter nature, it is impressive that the writers were able to not only complete Guan Chao's story arc but also provide some insight into the worldbuilding of the memory bureau and its inhabitants. When comparing False Memory to other shows around it, I can understand why it went so under the radar as the only "stand out" thing about it was the art style and animation. With that being said, however, the writing is well executed and really just ends up falling short for many because of the short runtime not allowing some viewers to piece together what the story was trying to say until it was more blatantly explained (I myself missed probably half of the foreshadowing) which can really hurt the emotional core for some people. I would recommend this show to anyone who likes character-driven narratives (particularly focusing on one character), well crafted animation or anyone experiencing grief.

An organization that recycles memories, a time-rewinding gun, and a fun, chaotic adventure against anomalous beings—a journey that plunges us into the layers of Guan Zhao’s muddled memory. This Chinese anime is a spectacular visual feast, yet it runs much deeper than just a dazzling production showcase. The series is short, with only seven episodes in its first season. The anime plunges us directly into a journey to discover and confront Guan Zhao’s memories, which may be confused or even false. The first season focused primarily on building Guan Zhao’s character; we get to know him at the same time he begins to discover himself. I find this approach unique—from the very beginning, we know almost nothing about him, but as each layer of his memories, we come to understand his personality and past more deeply, and the incomplete, blurry picture gradually begins to come together. Who among us hasn’t forgotten an embarrassing or difficult situation and tried to bury it deep in our memory? Simply put, that’s the premise of the series. Throughout this journey through the layers of memory, the anime raises questions about memories and what they mean to people, and whether forgetting can be an escape from reality. The series delves into the meaning of memory and its impact on people, as it is what shapes a person’s identity. There’s a question I really liked: What if you could go back to a beautiful moment you experienced in your life? Would that moment have the same impact on you as it did in the past? At first, the story seems incomprehensible and full of mystery, but as events unfold, the details begin to intertwine and some things become clearer. However, the series still leaves many, many intriguing questions unanswered, and there’s still a great deal of its world and story that needs to be clarified in the future. In terms of production, it’s extraordinary and dazzling, with smooth animation and brilliant, creative direction. The anime’s style reminded me somewhat of FLCL, especially in the fast-paced, chaotic scenes that give the animation a sense of freedom—this really stood out in the stunning action sequences. I also liked the use of silence in certain moments to convey ideas rather than relying on dialogue and direct exposition. As for the OST, it was excellent and greatly enhanced the anime’s audio experience. Flaws and Drawbacks There are several flaws in the anime. The first is the fast pace of the storytelling, which resulted in cramming a lot of important information and details into a short period of time, specifically in the early episodes. Additionally, the supporting characters didn’t get enough screen time—characters like Bai and others whose story arcs were rushed through—which limited my connection to them. In conclusion, this was an enjoyable first season that offered a wonderful visual experience, but most importantly for me, it presented an intriguing story and world. There’s still plenty of room to improve this series, especially since it left many questions unanswered and there are still mysteries that need to be explained.

I'll be upfront: the plot can be overly quick and hard to follow at times, which can affect how deeply you resonate with the core themes if you aren't feeling up to the task of rewatching certain parts. If you’re willing to stomach this, though, you may find the show to be an enjoyable experience. The animation and visuals are technically polished and aesthetically pleasing, so there's a sense in which you can admire the show just for these virtues alone. Importantly, the show has a consistently immersive atmosphere and vibe, with the movement, colors, music, and vitality all contributing to a unique harmony. Even if you get lost in the plot, as I have, you can still feel the warmth of deep, familiar nostalgia scattered here and there. I personally feel that this atmospheric quality helps to offset the weak parts of the story, and that it is sufficient to dispel the notion of 'style over substance' for this show. Why, then, is the story convoluted? A possible reason is that the story is told from a stream-of-consciousness perspective, meaning that the timeline of events can be nonlinear and things often have to be inferred. This effectively makes the narrative more postmodern rather than modern, which some people might take issue with since postmodern works can feel more 'pretentious'. Still, I don't find the story to be overly absurd or nonsensical: it stays within the confines of the medium of animation and close enough to the raw human experience. Also, to address a glaring question that people often have: how does it compare to FLCL? I personally think they are sufficiently different in many ways, despite False Memory's obvious stylistic homage to its predecessor. The difference lies in their themes (FLCL is about growing up, so it looks towards the future, while False Memory is about, well, memories, so it looks towards the past), their color palettes (False Memory has more vibrant colors and a more 'digital' feel), and their soundtracks (both have alternative rock or shoegaze songs, but False Memory’s soundtrack covers a wide range of additional genres). But I would be remiss not to mention some of my personal nitpicks with the show, which mainly concern its characters. There are some episodes exclusively devoted to some characters, and other characters were teased and shown but don't really have a broader impact on the main story. Now, this isn't necessarily a problem in and of itself, but the show doesn't really have a whole lot of episodes, and in this scenario the plot should typically be as concise as possible. I'm not saying that the other characters were unnecessary - they helped to establish the broader scale of the setting - but it’s just that they could have been somehow more substantially involved in the main narrative. If this issue were to be fixed, it would not only improve the story, but also make the side characters more rounded and likeable, which would be especially useful to the show if the viewer doesn't like the main character for some reason. Despite these flaws, the show is a genuine artistic achievement that showcases the full possibilities of the medium of animation. I recommend this to anyone who is curious about new, special experiences.

This is my first time writing a review, but I decided to write one because this is a rare kind of gem! Modern anime industy is on a downward slope creators only care about high watch counts. Ans when shows get them, creators just repeat the same bland ideas over and over. Meanwhile, genuinely unique and brilliant gems are left in the shadows. That’s why I need to write a review this show , it was easily one of the best anime i watched this summer. When I first saw this title, I was hesitant because it had so few reviews and featured flash-style animation, which I am not a big fan of. But I decided to watch it anyway, and wow, I am impressed! Jiyi Guanli Ju is the first anime in dozens of series that actually felt like a genuinely good, philosophical anime. My advice is to watch it past the first episode, which feels kind of childish; by the third episode, you realize it is quite a mature anime. The characters act realistically enough, and I never felt like anyone was behaving illogically. My only minor critique is the art style. While I'm not a big fan of flash-style animation, and it definitely has that vibe, the overall animation is solid. My Score: 8.5 / 10

False Memory (2026) is THE French Film of this season (and quite a beautiful one at that). The show is quite hard to follow, and somewhat incoherent at times, but the direction is solid with well layered flashbacks and implicit explanation in the exploration of the main character, a teenager Guan Chao that seeks to 'fix' his past. The amount of visual depth is comparable to series like Monogatari, thus could be a major reason to watch a show such as this. The animation is possibly overly flashy at times but absolutely incredible nonetheless (what are Chinese animators smoking). Superb production quality. Music is not too memorable but well presented and very effective and fitting thus accentuating emotional peaks. The overall idea of this series is very nuanced and avant garde, with often incredible execution, though there is very little hand holding, very fast paced, and expects full attention to obtain the most out of the show. Themes too are well layered, some episodes present them better than others (major difference from episode to episode). Central theme of psychological fragility executed beautifully e.g. the MC is tormented with regret. Better integration of side characters as extenuations of the MCs arc would have made their journeys more fulfilling and meaningful. Ending was satisfying, posing a brilliant question tying the story together; what is at the end of the universe? Perhaps we are the audience of something greater.

Normally I'm not one to write reviews, but this show needs more people talking about it imo (i'm going to assume you've read the synopsis) [Story] A lot of the story is delivered in a purposeful sense rather than forced, and enough is given overall that a very coherent premise can be understood...once you figure out the separation between the various settings, which can be a bit confusing at first. The story is also taken very seriously and tries to hit really hard at times [Characters] The cast can be quirky at times, but the backgrounds built behind them over the course of the show are grounded and digestible experiences that give good insight. The designs are also very recognizable while at the same time being interchangeable in their level of detail from shot to shot [Action] Hefty amount of action and 1v1 fights (both concerning PvP and PvE) to a point where one not accustomed or open-minded might see them as rather injected, considering the story being told [Animation] THIS is where False Memory is discussed the most. The visuals are exceptional and on par with some of the most ambitious anime studios around, which is even more unique considering this is a donghua! Unfortunately, at times the visual spectacle can be a bit hard to follow because of flashes or pacing [Pacing] One of the pieces one might catch on. It's only 7 episodes (though they are slightly longer than usual and the first and last are significantly increased) which might make the show feel rushed - the message it wants to tell is still achieved clearly, though In all, I thoroughly enjoyed the short time I spent with False Memory, and it's a shame it isn't more popular 9/10

Did I expect False Memory to be good? Yes. But I could've never imagined the sheer brilliance that is this show. False Memory might be, in my opinion, the greatest animated project ever. It certainly is among the greatest. In part because of its ability to utilize the medium of animation to its fullest. Being able to witness the sheer extent to which animation as a form of visual media can be utilized was awe-inspiring to say the least. But it wasn't just the animation that was executed flawlessly in False Memory. For so was the narrative as well, being the perfect blend of humor and despair. Don't get it twisted. False Memory isn't sunshine and rainbows. It's a really dark story at its core. Yet at the same time, it's also genuinely beautiful, in part because of how it faces said darkness. And the direction and, as previously mentioned, divine use of animation that combined with the phenomenal OST. Those are the stars that perfectly aligned to give us Guan Chao's story in the best possible way it could've been portrayed.

False Memory Is a visually stunning and thematically gripping sci-fi/action romp that you are absolutely not going to fully understand the actual plot of at first glance. There is an immense excess of worldbuilding information to take in from the word go, lending to an opening that is equal parts intriguing and frustrating. In spite of this, the emotions that it seeks to elicit from the viewer are readily apparent once it dives into the more episodic section of its story, with feelings of regret, inadequacy, failure, and the general doldrums of a repetitive lifestyle oozing out of every sequence of imaginative imagery and spellbinding editing. I’ve seen quite a few FLCL comparisons being made, and while that might appear as surface-level clickbait at first, there are certainly a few parallels that can be drawn in how each show’s respective protagonists navigate a seemingly overcomplicated plot in order to confront the reality of who they are. Thematic heaviness aside, it’s also packed with a ton of incredibly fun action set pieces. The sheer creativity with how the fights are constructed, the different weapons and fighting styles being used, the insane scale and detail of destruction, and the exceptional control over the frame makes this a big ol’ piece of eye candy that I simply could not turn away from. This same creativity can be found across all aspects of its presentation, be it in the stunning colorwork or the wide range of abstract imagery that makes all of this one of the most impressive productions of the year. While I do think it could have shaved off a hair or two from the complexity of its plot and I wish it had ended in a more wholly positive manner, this is undeniably a project that shoots for the moon and leaves a spectacular crater in its wake, so long as you’re willing to put in the effort to understand what it’s getting at.

I will keep this light on details and spoiler free, just like a series of this kind deserves. Trowing Link click, Kill la kill and Sonny boy in a blender is not a combination I ever thought of, however exellent each of them is, but damm does it work. Entering a past time through legacy media, The frenetic nonsense action, and the hard to fully grasp narrative that's deeply contemplative of the human condition of all three are present in this. And at least for kill la kill, that fact is proudly and undisputably worn in the visual language of the show and quite overt references. You frankly owe yourself giving this a watch, it is full of so, so, SO much raw passion and inspiration.

One of the most beautiful and unique animation series you'll ever watch. I recommend watching the 2020 pilot on youtube first. False memory is one of those series everyone needs to watch at least once in their lives. From each frame and message you can tell the gigant amount of love from the creators. Now that it finished I can say wholeheartedly say this is a love letter to animation and life itself. I cried so much and I feel so happy to ve alive. I also recommend rewatching the series once you are finished as there is a lot of rewatch value and cool messages I was only able to catch when I watched each episode a second time.