Yoko Higuchi turns in another impressive project with his latest short film, “SYNTHETIC LOVE.” Besides directing, Higuchi wrote the screenplay along with Michael Evans, and while the shooting took place at Oguchi Dam, located in the Ishikawa Prefecture of Japan. Making her acting debut is Myuri, an established model and dancer, and she performs opposite Takumi Matsumoto, who some viewers may remember for appearing in Takashi Murakami's “Jellyfish Eyes.” “SYNTHETIC LOVE” premiered at the One Art Space in New York in a double feature showing with one of Yoko's previous shorts, “EVERYDAYMAN: A Fantasy Tokusatsu Parody.”
One rainy day, a female robot named Motoko awaits her boyfriend, Shinji, to arrive while standing atop a dam overlooking the river below. Upon arrival, he cheerfully gives her a present to celebrate their three-month anniversary. Yet, much to his dismay, the humanoid machinery announces she's breaking up with him, claiming their time together has expired. Heartbroken and shaken, he desperately tries to convince her to stay with him, but to no avail. With each plea, she provides a logical explanation and counterarguments as to why they must go their separate ways.
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On the surface, this is a sorrowful story of a breakup between two incompatible individuals. Yet, further examination along with the science fiction elements, reveals the short's darker subtext, making it even more compelling. When unraveled, “SYNTHETIC LOVE” warns audiences of humanity's continuing alienation resulting from excessive affiliation with technology. Much of the material featured here doesn't detract too far from reality. Japan is a country notable for social issues on top of its plummeting birth rates, and the growing preference for robotic companions has not helped with this at all. For every great technological achievement in history and the benefits of those revolutionary accomplishments, over-reliance does come with detriments, and individuals suffering from instability can further perpetuate those issues. On top of this, a lack of support for those dealing with social struggles can come with a whole other series of problems. The two characters' sharp dialogue effectively conveys these themes of human behavior correlating with applied science.
The short's two actors do a good job in their respective roles. Myuri's performance as the robotic love interest Motoko has an intentionally detached feel that highlights that she's merely a programmed robot yet simultaneously has a comforting demeanor emphasizing a self-aware side to her character as she desperately wishes for her male counterpart to return to reality. Takumi Matsumoto's portrayal of Shinji, a socially inept young man, feels authentic, initially consumed in denial while gradually realizing he must face the uncomfortable truth of his fixation on the automated object of his affection. It's also quite chilling to think how much more in touch with reality the manufactured robotic companion is than her human counterpart.
Visually, “SYNTHETIC LOVE” is gorgeous, with its somber yet lavish color palette and beautiful cinematography by Yoko Higuchi and Chester Law, some of which pay homage to the style of filmmaker Hideaki Anno. The atmosphere is hauntingly eerie yet sad, with the rain and foggy terrain invoking this gloomy feeling that coincides with the crumbling romance depicted, and the lack of a music score only adds to this sense, with Higuchi instead utilizing natural outdoor audio. Another nice touch to the sound design is Myuri's voice. The added robotic effect makes her calming vocalization feel more otherworldly, further emphasizing her mechanical existence.
“SYNTHETIC LOVE” is terrific and showcases the creativity and emotional power that can be accomplished on a low budget. In just over ten minutes, Yoko Higuchi conceives a simplistic yet captivating story of a doomed romance with sci-fi elements that provide somber yet relevant social commentary on humanity's growing excessive attachment to technology. In an age where, in Japan, there's an eerily rise in romantic infatuation with machinery, this artistic short film exists as an outspoken reminder of the isolation that can come with continuous compulsive behavior with robotics.
