Trying to find an old animated show

[R.O.A]

I am trying to locate an old animated show that I saw many years ago. The problem is that I have only vague memories to go on. I was a lot younger then and did not think to write the name of the show down. It was on television, but I don’t know what channel it was on. I have searched for this on and off for years but to no results. About every six months or so, I wake up with dreams that I have found the show. This is becoming more and more of a problem, as I have actually lost sleep trying to find this show.

I saw a TV program that was on late night several years ago. This would have been mid to late 1990’s. It was an animated science fiction show in a city environment. I believe it was an anime (I was pretty young and had not made the distinction between anime and cartoon). It had similarities to Akira, but I don’t believe it was Akira.

I don’t believe it was on Cartoon Network because this would have been before that was available in my area. The characters were being hunted by some sort of AI based villain. The villain was in the form of like a large black faceless mask (like an opera mask) that floated in a room. If I remember correctly it may have spoken telepathically or had speakers since it had very little moving parts (no moving mouth). It was pretty large (not like something someone could wear). The show took place in a dystopian futuristic city.

The characters were trying to rescue a female character that had been taken by the villain. At one point they receive what looks to be a recorded distress signal, but this turns out to be a booby trap and explodes. At one point the characters locate some sort of processing facility where there are hundreds of bodies being “recycled” into a machine for their energy. If I remember correctly, they were in a river of pink fluid. The characters locate one of their friends and try to pull him from the stream. They find the female character they are trying to rescue but she had been brainwashed by the mask (which I believe could have been her mother?).

At one point, a character throws an explosive at the black mask character, which appears to destroy it. However, it breaks the mask into shards which live on. Do you know how the meters on a stereo go up and down when its playing? When the mask talks from this point on, pieces of its body rise up and down in the air like a stereo.

I remember there was a commercial break at some point that had a character do like a martial arts pose. This may have been a live action shot, I cannot remember exactly. Toward the end of the episode (or movie) a female character drives a futuristic motorcycle toward a tall, skyscraper like building. She drives the motorcycle up the side of the building. She gets into a confrontation with a male character; I believe some kind of general sitting behind a desk. At that point I cannot remember much. She may have shot him?

Any help would be greatly appreciated! I am hoping someone knows what I’m talking about and goes “Oh, he means this!”. If I ever locate this I swear I am going to purchase the DVD/VHS immediately so that I can rematch it. This show…is like burned into my memory. It left such a lasting impact on me, but I cannot seem to find it.

[Elheru Aran]

Was it ReBoot?

[LadyTevar]

No, not ReBoot. No giant talking mask in ReBoot

[phred]

aeon flux? I dont remember much about the show,but it had weird stuff like that in it.

[Elheru Aran]

aeon flux? I dont remember much about the show,but it had weird stuff like that in it.

Huh, yeah, late night could be something on HBO, Aeon Flux would fit. Some channels also ran early animes with cheesy dubs at that time too.

[Khaat]

I just went for a ride through nostalgia: Liquid Television, Video Sushi, Toonami, and all the others I could find. No equalizer-broken mask thing I could find, though.

[Sgt_Artyom]

I don't recall there being a mask but the first thing that jumped to mind for me was a show called Cybersix.

[Iroscato]

I don't know it I'm afraid, but I know how maddening it is to barely-recall a show or movie from your childhood and wonder what the hell it was. Hope you find it

[Darth Lucifer]

Can you remember any shows that aired before or after? Some companies ran cartoons back to back and your anime could be traceable that way. Not all shows got distribution in America. If I come up with anything, I'll post again here.

I totally know the feeling you're going through, I had the same thing with an old video game soundtrack. It was Khan Super Session - Sophitia: A Mediterranean Call from Soul Blade on the PSX. I spent years trying to find this because I thought it was from an RPG and not from a fighting game.

My best hopes and good luck on finding your mystery show.

[General Zod]

It sounds a little bit like it could have been Teknoman. But that took part in space too.

One of the variants of Gatchaman is a possibility.

[General Zod]

Another show that might be a good candidate, what about Iria Zeiram?

[R.O.A]

aeon flux? I dont remember much about the show,but it had weird stuff like that in it.

I have not seen all of Aeon Flux but the animation style seems like it is plausibly it.

Can you remember any shows that aired before or after? Some companies ran cartoons back to back and your anime could be traceable that way. Not all shows got distribution in America. If I come up with anything, I'll post again here.

I totally know the feeling you're going through, I had the same thing with an old video game soundtrack. It was Khan Super Session - Sophitia: A Mediterranean Call from Soul Blade on the PSX. I spent years trying to find this because I thought it was from an RPG and not from a fighting game.

My best hopes and good luck on finding your mystery show.

I do recall what was on after it aired. I believe I watched the part that I described and then fell asleep. I had intended to write down the title of it the next day based on TV guide info (this was before TiVo) but I never got around to it....and here I am.

Another show that might be a good candidate, what about Iria Zeiram?

It...might be this. I am looking into this one.

[Zeropoint]

Iria: Zeiram the Animation was part of my first exposure to anime and I have a fond place in my heart for it. Iria was a cutie and a badass.

[Khaat]

Iria was a cutie and a badass.

Isn't that the point (of all anime)?