"A Detective Story" is an animated short film set in the universe of The Matrix. It is part of The Animatrix series. Traditional animation is blended with grainy photographic backgrounds to produce a very distinctive style.

A film noir style film in black and white, set in New York City during the early 20th century, it follows the story of a down-on-his-luck private detective who receives an anonymous phone call to search for a hacker that goes by the alias "Trinity". Oddly the story, while taking place during the early 20th century, also seems to take place during the late 20th century, with computers and the internet blended with typewriters to give it an old-fashioned yet modern feel (compare Terry Gilliam's Brazil). The private detective Ash traces down the hacker Trinity (they communicate through allusions to Lewis Carroll's Alice books) only to be followed every step of the way by agents of the Matrix. While Trinity escapes, she has to shoot Ash, who might turn into an agent. Ash dies coolly, and he has at least acquired a sense of the limits of the Matrix.

Cast & Crew

• Ash - James Arnold Taylor
• Trinity - Carrie-Anne Moss
• Clarence - Terrence Carson
• Agent - Matt McKenzie

Directed by: Shinichiro Watanabe

Written by: Shinichiro Watanabe

The director and writer, Shinichiro Watanabe, is known for also writing and directing the Cowboy Bebop animated series and movie. He also directed the Animatrix short animated film Kid's Story.

External Link

• IMDB Entry A Detective Story