CHV Lives On

First of 4 availible. I was gonna put this in the anime section, but it's not really "anime"(this one is, but the rest really aren't). whatisthematrix.warnerbro...anime.htmlnot allowed

That's some fucked up shit, right there. not allowed

Just finished downloading the 140-megger.
You're right. That's some seriously fucked up, heavy-handed allegory.

It looks interesting. I already plan on getting it.-Never underestimate stupid people in large numbers.-

ah'm in looooove
Ren

Hm...interesting.
What I find most unexpected is how it presents the machines, who probably garnered some sympathy from most who viewed this. Perhaps (and this is a common thread among sci-fi) man was meant to be "enslaved" by the machines, or even more importantly, perhaps they deserved to be, for their treatment of each other as well as the machines. This kinda makes Neo's fight, a little less than what it was only a day earlier (and the opposite is true for Agent Smith's fight).
Whereas The Matrix led you to believe that the machines suddenly took over (a la Skynet), enslaving mankind as a source of energy, this first chapter from The Animatrix suggests quite the contrary. Man, in its destructive ways, brought their fate upon themselves. The machines, likely not being as cold-hearted as man (ironic, isn't it?), built this "Matrix" so humanity could live on in relative peace and happiness. The machines, fighting for survival, found a solution which they felt would be mutually beneficial. They could use man as a source of energy, therefore ensuring their survival, while at the same time giving man what they ultimately want, giving them a sort of "heaven" (well, heaven within reality [which isn't exactly in "reality" to begin with]) to live in (as Cypher put it: "Ignorance is bliss."). To not do so would likely lead to the eventual destruction of the sentient machines, and (possibly) eventually, humanity.
Obviously Neo, Morpheus, et al. would have no knowledge of mankind's treatment of the machines, which brought about their "slavery", and can't really be blamed for the faults of their ancestors. They're fighting for what they believe is right (open to interpretation), and I honestly don't know if the decisions would be any different if they knew the entire truth. And that then makes me wonder if the plot and ideas of the Animatrix will carry over into the two sequels, or if it will simply exist as a seperate entity. Then again, there's another eight parts to see, so all of this could be explained in the near future...

But, as I said (or rambled), interesting...

Well, it's good to see you're a bit more optimistic about the Animatrix than when you pseudo-analyzed the trailer.
I'm wondering just how integrated the Enter the Matrix game, the Animatrix, and the Matrix sequels will be in terms of storyline and continuity. I thought it a wee bit odd that the androids in this first short seemed like caricatures of what one would expect them to be, initially (19th-century butler, construction worker, etc.).---
Sex is the price women pay for marriage, Marriage is the price men pay for sex.
-excerpt from Why Men Don't Listen and Women Can't Read Maps

I'm almost always willing to give something a shot (provided the letters DBZ are nowhere to be found ), but I do admit I was quite (read: very) skeptical of the Animatrix after seeing that trailer. Looked cool, but very little seemed like it had to do with The Matrix. I was expecting something as simple as a half-assed combination of pop culture, specifically anime and The Matrix film(s), and come up with another product which will (eventually) milk the franchise dry. This first short was very promising, but I can only hope they maintain (or surpass) this level as time moves on.
As far as continuty goes, I'm with you on wondering how it all ties together. From what I've heard, the games really have little to do with the overall plot, and are simply taking a page out of the movies (the driving scene already seems like it was ripped from the ending of part 2). You're simply a human resistence fighter battling Agents from within the Matrix. I'm not expecting anything earth-shattering in terms of plot with the game.
I do also share your thoughts about the anthropomorphized machines (complete with hardhats, which probably offers less protection than the regular metal skull). Then again, that's probably the way machines, at least those that aren't working in factories and such, will eventually look like. The goal would be to have your own personal robot (think Blade Runner or The Jetsons), and making it as human as possible (in appearance) would be a logical step if you're marketing this towards consumers. Honda's Asimo robot is already using that idea, of a human-like machines which may one day serve people in a domestic setting. The public would be far more receptive of a robot that at least tried to look human, which is why we continue to see advanced machines presented as such in works of art representing the future (think C-3PO, Data, etc).

Plus, some of the 3D characters remind me of a few from FF:TSW. Like that black dude for example....But its probably just me cuz i can see a lot of resemblance in people and in other things.-Never underestimate stupid people in large numbers.-

You're talking about the CG short "The Last Flight of the Osiris"? If you're seeing resemblances, it's because that was the last project by Square Pictures. You knew that, right?