There is endless innovation on display in the anime industry and these productions frequently provide unprecedented freedom to their creators. There are many visionary auteurs who have made names for themselves and established unique styles in anime, but few are as prolific as the late Satoshi Kon. Satoshi Kon passed away in 2010, but in his brief time in the industry, he directed iconic works of art like Perfect Blue, Millennium Actress, Tokyo Godfathers, and Paprika.
Kon’s anime contributions are still routinely discussed, but there’s much less known about Dreaming Machine, the unfinished project that was set to be Kon’s fifth feature before his passing. Audiences may never see Dreaming Machine's finished product, but there are still some fascinating production details to consider.
9 It Would Have Been Kon's First Movie Aimed At Younger Audiences
Part of Satoshi Kon’s legacy as a storyteller has a lot to do with the complex and thought-provoking psychological narratives that he creates to challenge the audience. Kon is very comfortable digging into dark and uncomfortable subject matter with little regard for how it provokes the viewer. That’s not to say that all of Kon’s stories are bleak, but they’re at least designed for adults.
Dreaming Machine was designed as a fantasy adventure that would appeal to a younger demographic. Older audiences would still be able to appreciate Dreaming Machine’s story, but it’d be Kon’s most family-friendly affair.
8 A Little Over A Third Of The Film Is Animated
Production of any feature film is a laborious effort, but this can be an even more daunting endeavor when it comes to animation. Animated movies take years to pull together due to the incredible amount of work that’s necessary to bring these new worlds to life.
One of the more tragic details that surround Dreaming Machine is that the movie was well into its production phase and this wasn’t just a pipe dream for Kon. Dreaming Machine was set to be made up of 1500 shots, 600 of which were finished at the time of Kon’s passing. This means that slightly more than a third of Dreaming Machine is complete.
7 The Cast Would Consist Entirely Of Robots With No Human Characters
Robots and machines are fascinating subject matter that has fueled lots of animated features, both anime and otherwise. The eternal nature of robots and how they can experience millennia of change lends itself to some compelling ideas.
Kon’s Dreaming Machine would be set far in the future to a point where humanity is completely extinct and all that remains are the robots that were built to improve their lives. Dreaming Machine would focus on a trio of robots, Ririco, Robin, and King, as they engage in a “road film” across this lost world.
6 Production Was Started By Madhouse
There are so many variables that contribute to a successful anime series, but a project can quickly become a lost cause if the wrong animation studio is involved in its production. Audiences have become increasingly savvy over the biggest animation studios in the anime industry and Madhouse remains a heavy-hitter that is responsible for series like Trigun, Nana, Parasyte: The Maxim, and Death Note.
Madhouse was also the lead studio that adapted Satoshi Kon’s work and they were the ones in charge of Dreaming Machine before its cancelation.
5 The Lead Characters First Appear In Paprika As Easter Eggs
Satoshi Kon was a filmmaker who would frequently have his next project on his mind while deep in production on his current movie. This allows for a lot of cross-pollination between Kon’s themes, world, and characters, which even results in some subtle Easter eggs about what’s on the horizon.
Dreaming Machine didn’t come to pass, but the movie’s trio of robots–Ririco, King, and Robin–is actually hidden in Kon’s final film, Paprika. These friendly robots are part of the Dreamland theme park’s aesthetic, which may or may not have connected to Dreaming Machine’s narrative.
4 The Movie Is Deeply Inspired By Susumu Hirasawa's "Dreaming Machine" Song
It’s always interesting to see how existing media can inspire new works. Satoshi Kon is a filmmaker who doesn’t keep secrets about his cinematic influences and other directors like Hitchcock, Kubrick, Lynch, and Argento have all stylistically contributed to his creations.
The namesake for Kon’s Dreaming Machine comes from a song with the same name by Susumu Hirasawa. Hirasawa’s music inspired Kon’s movie, but it also seems as if “Dreaming Machine” and other Hirasawa tracks would have been featured in the movie. Hirasawa released a re-recording of “Dreaming Machine” following Kon’s death, which might have originally been intended for use in Dreaming Machine.
3 Lack Of Funds & Artistic Vision Have Kept The Film Unfinished
It’s never easy to finish someone else’s work after their passing and Masao Maruyama of Madhouse was left in a difficult position following Kon’s untimely death. Maruyama had trepidation, yet enthusiasm, towards doing Kon’s unfinished film justice. In 2011, a lack of finances was cited as a major hurdle in the completion of Dreaming Machine.
However, Maruyama has since elaborated that it’s been impossible to find someone who can match Kon’s talent and style, even with the notes that he left behind. There are directors like Mamoru Hosoda who were considered, but they’d create their own movie rather than a “Satoshi Kon film.”
2 Scenes From The Movie Have Shown Up In The Satoshi Kon Documentary
More than a third of Dreaming Machine was finished before Kon’s passing, but there’s still remarkably little material from the film that’s reached the public. There have been a few production stills as well as character models and reference art, but glimpses of Dreaming Machine remain few and far between.
A 2021 documentary on Kon, Satoshi Kon: The Illusionist, is directed by Pascal-Alex Vincent and features testimonials from some of the biggest names currently working in the animation industry. However, The Illusionist also features a few minutes of disconnected footage from Dreaming Machine. It’s not much, but it provides a satisfying taste of what could have been.
1 It's Possible That MAPPA Might Complete The Film One Day
Dreaming Machine started as a Madhouse production, but following Kon’s passing, much of the studio’s creative talent, including its founder, Masao Maruyama, left the company to create a new studio, MAPPA. Maruyama’s association with MAPPA and his past relationship with Kon means that if Dreaming Machine ever does come to pass it will be through MAPPA and with their talent rather than a return to Madhouse.
MAPPA has gradually become one of the most respected studios in the anime industry, yet Dreaming Machine would still amount to one of their biggest films.