Plastic Memories

Eighteen-year-old Tsukasa Mizugaki has failed his college entrance exams, but after pulling some strings, he manages to land a job at the Sion Artificial Intelligence Corporation. SAI Corp is responsible for the creation of "Giftias"—highly advanced androids which are almost indiscernible from normal humans. However, unlike humans, Giftias have a maximum lifespan of 81,920 hours, or around nine years and four months. Terminal Service One, the station Tsukasa was assigned to, is responsible for collecting Giftias that have met their expiration date, before they lose their memories and become hostile.

Promptly after joining Terminal Service One, Tsukasa is partnered with a beautiful Giftia named Isla. She is a Terminal Service veteran and considered the best in Giftia retrievals, contrary to her petite figure and placid nature. Time is fleeting though, and Tsukasa must come to terms with his feelings for Isla before her time is up. No matter how much someone desires it, nothing lasts forever.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Isla Main

Amamiya, Sora Japanese

Mizugaki, Tsukasa Main

Takumi, Yasuaki Japanese

Kinushima, Michiru Supporting

Akasaki, Chinatsu Japanese

Zack Supporting

Yahagi, Sayuri Japanese

Miru, Eru Supporting

Uesaka, Sumire Japanese

Hanada, Yasutaka Supporting

Tsuda, Kenjirou Japanese

Kuwanomi, Kazuki Supporting

Toyoguchi, Megumi Japanese

Sherry Supporting

Aimi Japanese

Constance Supporting

Hino, Satoshi Japanese

Nina Supporting

Kuno, Misaki Japanese

Oowada, Tomoyuki Producer

Toba, Yousuke Producer

Kananiwa, Kozue Producer

Kamata, Hajime Producer

Reviews

Mar 15, 2025

starcarver

Recommended

Plastic Memories is a bittersweet sci-fi romance that explores themes of love, loss, and the fleeting nature of memories. Set in a futuristic world where humanoid androids called Giftias possess human-like emotions but have a limited lifespan, the story follows Tsukasa Mizugaki, a new recruit at the Terminal Service, and Isla, a Giftia nearing the end of her life cycle. Their journey is one of slow, inevitable heartbreak, as they navigate their growing feelings while knowing that their time together is limited.

One of the strongest aspects of Plastic Memories is its emotional buildup. The show excels at creating a sense of melancholy from the start, ... subtly weaving in hints of impending sorrow while allowing viewers to connect with the characters. The romance between Tsukasa and Isla is gradual and tender, making their moments together feel genuine and heart-wrenching. Unlike many other tragic romance anime, the emotional weight isn’t solely carried by the climax it’s built up throughout the series, making even seemingly small interactions feel significant. This approach makes the heartbreak hit harder, and for many, it’s enough to bring tears even before the final moments.

The anime’s worldbuilding is simple but effective. The concept of Giftias and their inevitable expiration is a strong narrative hook that raises philosophical questions about love, impermanence, and the ethics of artificial intelligence. However, while the premise is fascinating, the show doesn’t delve too deeply into its sci-fi elements. Instead, it prioritizes the emotional aspect of its story, which might leave some viewers wanting more depth in terms of exploring the technology and societal implications.

Visually, the animation is vibrant and expressive, with character designs that enhance the warmth of the story. The soft color palette and lighting effectively match the sentimental tone, particularly during emotional scenes. However, while the overall animation quality is solid, there aren’t many standout visual sequences, making it visually appealing but not particularly groundbreaking.

The pacing of the series is a mixed bag. The early episodes balance lighthearted moments with deeper emotional beats well, but the middle portion slows down considerably, focusing on comedic and slice-of-life interactions that, while enjoyable, might feel like they take away from the more pressing themes. Some of this time could have been better spent developing Isla’s character further or exploring the world in more detail. However, the final episodes bring back the emotional intensity, making for a powerful and well-executed conclusion.

Music plays a crucial role in setting the tone of Plastic Memories, and the soundtrack does an excellent job at enhancing the emotional depth of the series. The opening theme, “Ring of Fortune,” has a hopeful yet melancholic feel, perfectly capturing the essence of the show. The background music complements the sentimental moments well, though it doesn’t stand out as particularly memorable outside of the anime’s context.

Character development is one of the anime’s strengths, particularly with Isla. Her journey from a reserved, almost robotic presence to someone who gradually opens up and embraces her remaining time is beautifully portrayed. Tsukasa, while likable, doesn’t have as much depth, and his development feels more passive in comparison. The supporting cast adds some warmth and humor, but they don’t leave a lasting impact beyond their roles in moving the main story forward.

As a romance, Plastic Memories delivers a deeply emotional experience, but it also leans heavily on predictability. From the moment the premise is introduced, it’s clear where the story is heading. While this isn’t necessarily a flaw, since the execution of the emotional buildup is strong, it does mean that viewers expecting surprises may find it lacking in narrative twists.

The moral message of the anime is poignant: it emphasizes cherishing the present, making the most of the time given, and finding meaning even in inevitable goodbyes. While not revolutionary, it’s a universal and touching theme that resonates well. However, some might argue that the anime doesn’t offer much beyond its emotional impact, as it doesn’t deeply challenge the audience with new perspectives on its themes.

In conclusion, Plastic Memories is a beautifully tragic love story that effectively tugs at the heartstrings. While its emotional buildup is one of its strongest aspects, the series does have weaknesses in pacing, worldbuilding depth, and predictability. Nevertheless, for those who enjoy romance with a heavy emotional payoff, it’s a memorable experience that delivers a heartfelt, if familiar, message about love and loss.

P.S. If you're planning to watch this, bring tissues lots of them.

Reviewer’s Rating: 7

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Mar 9, 2025

Aarbor

Mixed Feelings

"I did not care for Plastic Memories."
"What?"
"Did not care for Plastic Memories."
"How can you even say that?"
"I didn't like it."
"Peter it's so good, it's like the perfect anime."
"Couldn't get into it."
"Explain yourself, what didn't you like about it?"
"It insists upon itself, Lois."
"What?"
... "It insists upon itself."

Plastic Memories really does insist upon itself. I'll admit; watching this for the first time, the ending actually did get me. But then I started thinking: "Am I sad because it's actually a well-written and tragic story, or because the show wants me to be sad?" Plastic Memories checks off all the boxes of a tear-jerker, and that's really all it is. It's literally designed to be sad, and goes out of its way to remind you every minute how sad it is and how you should be sooooo sad right now. And this becomes a huge problem when they try to insert lewd jokes and fanservice. 90% of the time the show is hammering down on the formulaic sappy boohoo anime tropes, leaving the other 10% jarring and frustrating, leaving me to wonder: why? Why is this show a thing? Who is this for? It insists upon this sad plot, yet tries to insert unfunny fanservice. It may sound like I vehemently hate this anime, but in truth I don't even think it's that bad of a show. It just tries to be sooooooooo sad and yet it can't even commit to that, leaving me in the end with a feeling of "that was it?" Again, not a bad show by any means, its just ugh. It could've been something so cool.

Plot: 6/10
Characters: 5/10
Art/Animation: 8/10
Enjoyment: 6/10

Overall: 6/10

Reviewer’s Rating: 6

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Nov 18, 2024

MrSlamboni

Not Recommended

Plastic Memories tries to tell a very serious story in the dumbest way possible, through very anime-esque tropes. Isla is the shy girl, Tsukasa is the very safely played dense protagonist who is polite and gets embarrassed, Michiru is the tsundere, so on and so forth. This usually isn't a problem when you're writing a trashy harem just to sell its porn afterwards. However, it is a problem when you want me to take the story as a very serious drama.

The show TRIES to tug on your heartstrings, but it's not possible to get attached to very cliche tropes. When you want me to be ... invested in a character, I have to see meaningful interactions and their relationship build up. I won't feel involved just because you slapped the main character tag on them and spent 90% of the screen time showing Isla being shy. I can't take the show as seriously as they want me to, especially when all Isla does is "uwu" and all Michiru does is "b-b-baka". The show has to make the characters feel like they matter. It has to show them do stuff, have dialogue, have experiences. It doesn't do much of that.

The two main characters are possibly the worst combo for a viewer experience. A shy girl and a polite, safe protagonist. Two character archetypes that avoid anything happening. Consequently, the romance is them being embarrassed on screen and not doing anything meaningful. I don't recall any meaningful conversations. There's one backstory that they tease the entire show for Isla. That backstory is so mediocre that once you reach its conclusion all you could think is "That's it? That's the crazy story I've been waiting for?"

It also feels like Tsukasa doesn't really feel any stakes. If you told Tsukasa you planted a bomb under his bed that will detonate in 3 days, he will spend 2 days doing his business as usual and then at the last 3 minutes he will panick that a bomb will blow up his bed. Tsukasa somehow feels less invested in his own life than the viewer.

For a romance show, I really did not feel like there was much romance. I can't remember any meaningful interaction between Tsukasa and Isla. Nothing moves their relationship forward. They don't try to move it forward. It feels like even after months of dating, they are still distant coworkers. Isla just goes "uwu Im shy" and Tsukasa says "haha ok I am polite and passive and will do nothing." After 13 episodes, it feels like not much has happened.

Reviewer’s Rating: 2

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