Mnemosyne (anime)

RIN ~Daughters of Mnemosyne~ (Mnemosyne －ムネモシュネの娘たち－) is a six-episode Japanese anime television series produced by Xebec and Genco, featuring grotesque and erotic visuals. The anime was produced to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the AT-X network, which it originally aired on. Funimation Entertainment licensed the series in North America. The plot, rich in the mix of murder and action, is set in modern and near-future Tokyo, and revolves around Rin Asōgi, an immortal female private investigator. A light novel and a manga adaptation have also been published.

Background
Rin Asōgi runs a private investigation agency in Tokyo's Shinjuku district, performing odd jobs ranging from finding lost pets to hunting rare stamps in order to get by. Yet despite attempts at a (passably) normal life, she finds herself constantly hindered by the strange cases that come her way, figures from her dark past, and her inability to die.

Characters

 * Rin Asōgi (麻生祇燐)
 * The protagonist of the series. Her appearance is that of someone in her twenties but her real age is unknown. In episode six, she says she has been looking for Tajimamori for a thousand years, making her at least a millennium old. She usually wears a black suit and glasses. Her whimsical personality serves as a front for a cunning, ruthless mind and extraordinary martial art skills. She always keeps a number of throwing blades and a garrote wire concealed on her body. At some point in the past, a "Fruit of Time" (also known as a "time spore") entered Rin's body, effectively making her immortal, unable to age, and capable of surviving and regenerating from a phenomenal amount of bodily damage. In episode four, she is sucked inside a running jet engine and regenerates her entire body over 25 years, albeit at the cost of all her memories (they return when she is briefly killed by Laura). In episode five, Apos removes Rin's time spore, seemingly killing her just like Sayara and Maeno before, but it is revealed in episode six that an immortal's death is not permanent as long as her time spore remains intact. Rin's time spore is then brought to Apos' castle, where its proximity to Yggdrasil, the fabled source of all time spores, speeds up her revival, which would have normally taken many decades. She and Mimi run the detective business Asōgi Consulting together in West Shinjuku until their office is demolished in episode four.
 * The protagonist of the series. Her appearance is that of someone in her twenties but her real age is unknown. In episode six, she says she has been looking for Tajimamori for a thousand years, making her at least a millennium old. She usually wears a black suit and glasses. Her whimsical personality serves as a front for a cunning, ruthless mind and extraordinary martial art skills. She always keeps a number of throwing blades and a garrote wire concealed on her body. At some point in the past, a "Fruit of Time" (also known as a "time spore") entered Rin's body, effectively making her immortal, unable to age, and capable of surviving and regenerating from a phenomenal amount of bodily damage. In episode four, she is sucked inside a running jet engine and regenerates her entire body over 25 years, albeit at the cost of all her memories (they return when she is briefly killed by Laura). In episode five, Apos removes Rin's time spore, seemingly killing her just like Sayara and Maeno before, but it is revealed in episode six that an immortal's death is not permanent as long as her time spore remains intact. Rin's time spore is then brought to Apos' castle, where its proximity to Yggdrasil, the fabled source of all time spores, speeds up her revival, which would have normally taken many decades. She and Mimi run the detective business Asōgi Consulting together in West Shinjuku until their office is demolished in episode four.


 * Mimi (ミミ)
 * Rin's assistant. It is hinted throughout the series that they also have a more intimate relationship, though in episode four, she appears to have grown close to the second informant. Also an immortal, Mimi has a bright personality and is fond of alcoholic drinks despite having the appearance of someone in her late teens. Her job scope includes financial management, information processing, and other miscellaneous tasks. She cares for Rin very much and would do anything to ensure her safety, even while nagging her to do the job properly. She feels indebted to Rin as Rin saved her from being devoured by an angel during their first encounter and has been protecting her ever since. She is a formidable hacker but is outmatched by Katsuyuki Kamiyama in episode four. After Rin disappears in episode four, she leaves with Genta and becomes a Buddhist nun. In episode six, believing there still being a chance that Rin is still alive, Mimi constantly displays her resolve in rescuing Rin from Apos' sadistic scheme.
 * Rin's assistant. It is hinted throughout the series that they also have a more intimate relationship, though in episode four, she appears to have grown close to the second informant. Also an immortal, Mimi has a bright personality and is fond of alcoholic drinks despite having the appearance of someone in her late teens. Her job scope includes financial management, information processing, and other miscellaneous tasks. She cares for Rin very much and would do anything to ensure her safety, even while nagging her to do the job properly. She feels indebted to Rin as Rin saved her from being devoured by an angel during their first encounter and has been protecting her ever since. She is a formidable hacker but is outmatched by Katsuyuki Kamiyama in episode four. After Rin disappears in episode four, she leaves with Genta and becomes a Buddhist nun. In episode six, believing there still being a chance that Rin is still alive, Mimi constantly displays her resolve in rescuing Rin from Apos' sadistic scheme.


 * Laura (ローラ)
 * An assassin, skilled with firearms and other weapons, who is repeatedly sent to assassinate Rin by Apos. Although Rin kills Laura in most of the engagements, Apos resurrects her so that she can attack Rin again. In episode four, she becomes a cyborg, though the extent of her transformation is left open. Episode five reveals that Laura is in possession of an android body designed to resemble Rin and telepathically linked to Apos' torture victim, and she further elaborates in episode six that only her brain remains immortal, apparently as the result of Apos' sadistic manipulations. Rin extracts the Fruit of Time from there and feeds it into Apos at Laura's own request so that he would feel her memory and pain.
 * An assassin, skilled with firearms and other weapons, who is repeatedly sent to assassinate Rin by Apos. Although Rin kills Laura in most of the engagements, Apos resurrects her so that she can attack Rin again. In episode four, she becomes a cyborg, though the extent of her transformation is left open. Episode five reveals that Laura is in possession of an android body designed to resemble Rin and telepathically linked to Apos' torture victim, and she further elaborates in episode six that only her brain remains immortal, apparently as the result of Apos' sadistic manipulations. Rin extracts the Fruit of Time from there and feeds it into Apos at Laura's own request so that he would feel her memory and pain.


 * APOS (エイポス)
 * The primary antagonist of the series. As revealed in episode five, Apos is a hermaphrodite possessing qualities of both an angel and an immortal, which, according to him, makes him a "god". He seems to have no concept of human morals but instead, has a sadistic sense of amusement and beauty. In the early episodes, Apos demonstrates interest in Rin, to the point that he hires mortal killers to target her. In episode three, he reveals that he is after Rin's time spore. Apparently, time spores contain the immortals' memories and Apos enjoys consuming them. It is also revealed that he has the ability to instantly remove the spores from both immortals and angels (thus killing them). Anyone else wishing to kill an immortal must physically dig through their victim's flesh for the time spore. In episode six, Apos is revealed to be the child of Tajimamori, the previous Guardian of Yggdrasil, and the current Guardian himself. Guardians are supposed to switch every once in a (long) while, but Apos desires to become a permanent guardian by sacrificing Rin to Yggdrasil.
 * The primary antagonist of the series. As revealed in episode five, Apos is a hermaphrodite possessing qualities of both an angel and an immortal, which, according to him, makes him a "god". He seems to have no concept of human morals but instead, has a sadistic sense of amusement and beauty. In the early episodes, Apos demonstrates interest in Rin, to the point that he hires mortal killers to target her. In episode three, he reveals that he is after Rin's time spore. Apparently, time spores contain the immortals' memories and Apos enjoys consuming them. It is also revealed that he has the ability to instantly remove the spores from both immortals and angels (thus killing them). Anyone else wishing to kill an immortal must physically dig through their victim's flesh for the time spore. In episode six, Apos is revealed to be the child of Tajimamori, the previous Guardian of Yggdrasil, and the current Guardian himself. Guardians are supposed to switch every once in a (long) while, but Apos desires to become a permanent guardian by sacrificing Rin to Yggdrasil.


 * Sayara Yamanobe (山之辺沙耶羅)
 * The head of the Aoyama Pharmaceutical research lab in Sayama. Originally researching bacteria, she discovered one that could be the key to cloning, she moved on to conduct illegal cloning experiments aiming to achieve immortality. She has a sadistic personality, often torturing her captives to death. In episode one, Sayara is last seen being surrounded by the delirious zombies she created. In episode three, she is revealed to have been saved by Apos in the last moment, who injects her with a time spore after her body is already considerably mutilated. As a result, she remains forever crippled and waits twenty-one years until a powered exoskeleton capable of supporting her is invented. After one last confrontation with Rin and Maeno, she is finally killed by Apos, who removes and consumes her spore.
 * The head of the Aoyama Pharmaceutical research lab in Sayama. Originally researching bacteria, she discovered one that could be the key to cloning, she moved on to conduct illegal cloning experiments aiming to achieve immortality. She has a sadistic personality, often torturing her captives to death. In episode one, Sayara is last seen being surrounded by the delirious zombies she created. In episode three, she is revealed to have been saved by Apos in the last moment, who injects her with a time spore after her body is already considerably mutilated. As a result, she remains forever crippled and waits twenty-one years until a powered exoskeleton capable of supporting her is invented. After one last confrontation with Rin and Maeno, she is finally killed by Apos, who removes and consumes her spore.


 * Kōki Maeno (前埜光輝)
 * A young man with distorted memory whom Rin accidentally saves in episode one. He is, in fact, a clone created by Aoyama Pharmaceutical company. The original Kōki Maeno died during an experiment that involved his vivisection. His memory lacks realism as it is actually the memory of the original Kōki written into the clone's brain by artificial means. After discovering the truth, he chooses to keep on living and began working at Asōgi Consulting, where he spends the next twenty-one years. Some time between episodes two and three, he marries Yuki Shimazaki and has a son named Teruki with her. In episode three, he is shot by Sayara while rescuing Rin, and has to consume Shōgo Shimazaki's time spore in order to survive as an angel. After saving Rin and having one last tender moment with her, he returns to consume Sayara, but is killed (unlike that of immortals, the death of an angel is permanent regardless the time spore) by Apos before he can finish. Kōki's time spore is lost in the sea but is inexplicably found by Rin while she regenerates in the ocean between episodes four and five. His granddaughter Mishio acquires it after Rin's body is destroyed in episode five, unwittingly brings it to Apos' castle in episode six, and passes it to Rin as the latter is consumed by Yggdrasil. Kōki's spirit then helps Rin to break free.
 * A young man with distorted memory whom Rin accidentally saves in episode one. He is, in fact, a clone created by Aoyama Pharmaceutical company. The original Kōki Maeno died during an experiment that involved his vivisection. His memory lacks realism as it is actually the memory of the original Kōki written into the clone's brain by artificial means. After discovering the truth, he chooses to keep on living and began working at Asōgi Consulting, where he spends the next twenty-one years. Some time between episodes two and three, he marries Yuki Shimazaki and has a son named Teruki with her. In episode three, he is shot by Sayara while rescuing Rin, and has to consume Shōgo Shimazaki's time spore in order to survive as an angel. After saving Rin and having one last tender moment with her, he returns to consume Sayara, but is killed (unlike that of immortals, the death of an angel is permanent regardless the time spore) by Apos before he can finish. Kōki's time spore is lost in the sea but is inexplicably found by Rin while she regenerates in the ocean between episodes four and five. His granddaughter Mishio acquires it after Rin's body is destroyed in episode five, unwittingly brings it to Apos' castle in episode six, and passes it to Rin as the latter is consumed by Yggdrasil. Kōki's spirit then helps Rin to break free.


 * Yuki Maeno (前埜有紀) née Shimazaki (島崎)
 * Kōki's wife, whom he meets in episode two. During Kōki's involvement in the case of her brother Shōgo, the two grow fond of each other and marry some time between episode two and three. In episode three, they have a son named Teruki. After Kōki's death, Yuki continued to raise Teruki alone.
 * Kōki's wife, whom he meets in episode two. During Kōki's involvement in the case of her brother Shōgo, the two grow fond of each other and marry some time between episode two and three. In episode three, they have a son named Teruki. After Kōki's death, Yuki continued to raise Teruki alone.


 * Shōgo Shimazaki (島崎省吾)
 * Yuki's older brother, who becomes an angel prior to episode two. Although most angels succumb to their primal desires quickly, Shōgo's exceptional willpower allows him to retain consciousness for a very long time, which he uses to exact revenge upon people who previously maltreated him. After he finally loses his consciousness and attacks Rin, she has to kill him by impaling him with a tree branch. Apos expresses desire to obtain Shōgo's time spore but Rin instead gives it to Maeno, who eventually uses it to become an angel himself, saving Rin from Sayara. After Maeno is killed by Apos, his time spore falls into the ocean and is lost until episode five.
 * Yuki's older brother, who becomes an angel prior to episode two. Although most angels succumb to their primal desires quickly, Shōgo's exceptional willpower allows him to retain consciousness for a very long time, which he uses to exact revenge upon people who previously maltreated him. After he finally loses his consciousness and attacks Rin, she has to kill him by impaling him with a tree branch. Apos expresses desire to obtain Shōgo's time spore but Rin instead gives it to Maeno, who eventually uses it to become an angel himself, saving Rin from Sayara. After Maeno is killed by Apos, his time spore falls into the ocean and is lost until episode five.


 * Teruki Maeno (前埜輝紀)
 * (Young)
 * (Old)
 * Kōki and Yuki's only son, who first appears as a child in episode three and becomes the male lead in episode four. Some time between episodes three and four, Rin saves his life in a car accident, and he states that he has felt watched over and protected by her ever since. Their formal introduction takes place in episode four, when Tamotsu brings him to Asōgi Consulting due to his involvement in the Ruon case. He appears again in episode five, now the CEO of Maeno Holding Group company, with a teenage daughter named Mishio.


 * Mishio Maeno (前埜美汐)
 * Teruki Maeno's only daughter and Kōki's granddaughter, first appearing as a teenager in episode five. Finding Teruki's old video of Rin, she starts investigating her, frequently comparing herself to Sherlock Holmes. Upon the first meeting, they quickly grow fond of each other, and Mishio sticks with Rin and Mimi for the rest of the series. In episode six, Rin explains that Mishio is the youngest of Tajimamori's descendants.
 * Teruki Maeno's only daughter and Kōki's granddaughter, first appearing as a teenager in episode five. Finding Teruki's old video of Rin, she starts investigating her, frequently comparing herself to Sherlock Holmes. Upon the first meeting, they quickly grow fond of each other, and Mishio sticks with Rin and Mimi for the rest of the series. In episode six, Rin explains that Mishio is the youngest of Tajimamori's descendants.


 * Tamotsu Yanagihara (柳沢保)
 * A police investigator and a close acquaintance of Rin, first introduced in episode one. He enjoys Rin's company and provides her with useful information. He is killed by a military sniper following AI Ruon's orders in episode four. Immediately before his death, he reminisces about what may have been an intimate moment with Rin. He is affectionately referred to as "Tamo" by Rin, and despite his constant (bad) attempts to keep their meetings low-key during the first two episodes, he does not object to being called by that name.
 * A police investigator and a close acquaintance of Rin, first introduced in episode one. He enjoys Rin's company and provides her with useful information. He is killed by a military sniper following AI Ruon's orders in episode four. Immediately before his death, he reminisces about what may have been an intimate moment with Rin. He is affectionately referred to as "Tamo" by Rin, and despite his constant (bad) attempts to keep their meetings low-key during the first two episodes, he does not object to being called by that name.


 * Ruon Kamiyama (神山瑠音)
 * The antagonist in episode four. Daughter of the "modern von Neumann" Katsuyuki Kamiyama, Ruon's consciousness was removed from her body by Katsuyuki and uploaded onto the net (2.0) as an artificial intelligence, effectively killing her in real life (1.0). Katsuyuki implies that this event was the cause of Great Network Crisis of 2020. Ruon spends five years posing as an online sex doll until she becomes infatuated with Teruki because he is the first person to want to meet her offline. Following the events of the episode, her physical (android) form is destroyed inside an airplane jet engine.
 * The antagonist in episode four. Daughter of the "modern von Neumann" Katsuyuki Kamiyama, Ruon's consciousness was removed from her body by Katsuyuki and uploaded onto the net (2.0) as an artificial intelligence, effectively killing her in real life (1.0). Katsuyuki implies that this event was the cause of Great Network Crisis of 2020. Ruon spends five years posing as an online sex doll until she becomes infatuated with Teruki because he is the first person to want to meet her offline. Following the events of the episode, her physical (android) form is destroyed inside an airplane jet engine.


 * Ihika (いひか)
 * Rin's mortal lover after she loses her memories in episode five. He proposes to her twice in the episode but is killed by Laura soon after Rin accepts his second proposal. In episode six, Ihika is revived by Apos in his castle as an angel and chained next to Rin to torment her. Rin, seeing him in a berserk frenzy and about to break free, is then forced to kill him in self-defense, realizing his identity only as he turns into ashes. His time spore is lost when Laura throws it out of the window.
 * Rin's mortal lover after she loses her memories in episode five. He proposes to her twice in the episode but is killed by Laura soon after Rin accepts his second proposal. In episode six, Ihika is revived by Apos in his castle as an angel and chained next to Rin to torment her. Rin, seeing him in a berserk frenzy and about to break free, is then forced to kill him in self-defense, realizing his identity only as he turns into ashes. His time spore is lost when Laura throws it out of the window.


 * Informants
 * (first)
 * (second)
 * (third)
 * A group or organization of women who provide Rin and Mimi with crucial information in regards to their investigations throughout the series and whose names have never been revealed. The first informant is introduced in episode two and is mentioned to have died prior to episode four. The second informant is introduced as an assistant of the first one in episode three and inherits her position in the next episode. In return for their services, both demand lesbian sex with either Rin or Mimi. Mimi is extremely uncomfortable and unnerved by this at first but seems to have entered into some sort of relationship with the second informant by episode four. In episode six, the second informant is apparently dead as well, replaced by a third one, with whom Mimi keeps a strictly professional relationship.


 * Genta (源太)
 * Rin and Mimi's female dog who lives at their office. As an immortal, she does not age throughout the series and survives being shot on multiple occasions without any visible lasting injuries. Mimi takes her with her after the Asōgi Consulting office is demolished in episode four. Genta is killed in episode five, leaving only ashes behind, just like human immortals whose time spores are removed.


 * Tajimamori (多遲摩毛理)
 * Finally identified in episode six, Tajimamori is the previous Guardian of Yggdrasil and the father of Apos. According to a legend told in episode five, he was once tasked by an emperor to find a Fruit of Time for him but when he discovered it, the emperor already died. The legend is based upon Shinto myths. As a Guardian of Yggdrassil, he doesn't age but isn't invulnerable like the immortals. He can grow angelic wings like Apos and his presence has the same effect on Mimi as an angel's, but he doesn't exhibit the primal savageness of regular angels. He is seen talking to Rin on the phone throughout the series, often in an intimate or fatherly manner. In episode six, it is revealed that he and Rin fell in love with each other over a thousand years ago, but he chose to distance himself from her. He is also revealed to be the progenitor of the Maeno line which tied all his descendants' fate to Rin's. Shortly before his death at Apos' hands in episode six, Tajimamori fathers a child with Rin.
 * Finally identified in episode six, Tajimamori is the previous Guardian of Yggdrasil and the father of Apos. According to a legend told in episode five, he was once tasked by an emperor to find a Fruit of Time for him but when he discovered it, the emperor already died. The legend is based upon Shinto myths. As a Guardian of Yggdrassil, he doesn't age but isn't invulnerable like the immortals. He can grow angelic wings like Apos and his presence has the same effect on Mimi as an angel's, but he doesn't exhibit the primal savageness of regular angels. He is seen talking to Rin on the phone throughout the series, often in an intimate or fatherly manner. In episode six, it is revealed that he and Rin fell in love with each other over a thousand years ago, but he chose to distance himself from her. He is also revealed to be the progenitor of the Maeno line which tied all his descendants' fate to Rin's. Shortly before his death at Apos' hands in episode six, Tajimamori fathers a child with Rin.

Light novels
Before the release of the first anime episode, a light novel adaptation entitled Mnemosyne no Musumetachi 2008 started serialization in Hobby Japan's light novel magazine Charano! on January 30, 2008. The light novel is written by the writer of the anime, Hiroshi Ōnogi, and illustrated by Chūō Higashiguchi.

Anime
Mnemosyne started as a television series directed by Shigeru Ueda and written by Hiroshi Ōnogi. The animation is handled by Xebec but planning and production is shared with Genco, that also had a part in the original concept creation. Original character design is by Chūō Higashiguchi, and was used as a template by the character designer for the anime version, Mitsuru Ishihara. Music direction is headed by Takayuki Negishi. The series' opening theme is "Alsatia" and the ending theme is "Cause Disarray"; both songs are written by Yama-B, composed by Syu, and performed by Galneryus. Funimation Entertainment licensed Mnemosyne in February 2009 for a North American release under the title RIN ~Daughters of Mnemosyne~.

Manga
A manga adaptation illustrated by Miss Black started serialization in the male-oriented manga magazine Comic Valkyrie on May 27, 2008, and is published by Kill Time Communication.