User Reviews

Even though the storyline is simple it has so many layers in it.

Why do trivial things give us the more pleasure than big expensive things? Why do we feel a sense of calling for some things? Like for someone it can be jumping off a cliff while others it can be making paintings or something as simple as cleaning the house.

Maybe I'm thinking too much into it but it really made me pause. Must watch episode.

Without giving away the full episode, I can only say that this animated short carries the deepest and most essential meanings among the first season of Love, Death & Robots. It bears several similarities with Citizen Kane, but done so in only ten minutes. A fascinating, inspiring watch. Zima Blue is Rosebud for a new generation.

Many Sci fi films, books etc, pose the big question or the set up to seduce you into the belief that it can answer the BIG question(s)... why are we here, what is our purpose, that existential , eternal quest/question. We go along for the journey with the belief that this iteration we are watching or, reading may temper or will fill that the hole with an answer we cannot quite articulate or is beyond our mind's grasp. This Zuma Blue, iteration is the only one to come close in answering that question. Least in some measure as a viewer, but definitely for the main protagonist. The story is sublime in it's simplicity and transcendence. I loved it!!

Just a little reminder that the little thing are the only thing that matters in the end... brilliant episode. Fascinating.

A simple story with a big meaning.

The most profound, philosophical, existential episode delivering some deep truths in beautiful aesthetics. He on the search journey for truth and went always further, higher, more complex - but at last the epiphany is that truth lies in simplicity, in the origin not the end of a way, and so life is a cycle: he went up and above but landed at the beginning again.

This episode was the one I liked the most, mostly for its philosophical meaning and the ending that I was not expecting. The animation is also good and although the art style is not my favorite, it managed to grab my attention instantly thanks to the story and characters. We are always questioning ourselves, what is the meaning of our existence? Why are we here? We look in so many places for the answer but always fail to discover what really makes us whole. We are constantly, as a complex form of life, evolving and changing through time. Our environment (including society) usually serves as a distraction from what is more important for us as an individual. We sometimes find ourselves too busy with needs that distance us from what we really want. Definitely would watch several more times, one of the best scfi-Philosophical short animated films I have seen.

The fundamental message the story conveys is questionable: a vacuum cleaner became "conscious" and mastered art, the highest of all human activity, but it never satisfied of being a human; in the end, it returned to be a vacuum cleaner again. There is no problem for returning simplicity away from vanity, but to be a vacuum cleaner is hardly the best way doing it. In the end, why would the state of elegantly simple even need all that glamorous audiences? Secondly, the writer use arts to tell a story, but zima's art works were too obviously shallow. (The second point is asking too much for an entertainment TV show, I know.)

So the character in question started creating these universe paintings. But then started adding a blue square in them. Later on it's revealed that he goes through a cybernetic transformation so he can then commune with the cosmos. His last project is a pool with zeama blue tiles. The same color that has been reoccurring in his work. We find out it's because the parts that created his cyborg self, belonged to a pool cleaning robot that cleaned this pool with zeama blue tiles. The zeama blue squares in his paintings were his subconscious seeking the first thing he ever knew.

What problem do I have with this? It's completely stupid because he started painting that blue square before he got the cybernetics. So he couldn't have thought of that color before getting the robot parts that originated from that robot. They could have put the whole part about him getting robot parts before! Then tried to explore the cosmos and that's when he'd start painting the blue squares. Which then would make a lot more sense why he would be thinking about where his robot part began.

Ok hold on, why was this so good? I'm trying to figure out what it was about this episode but I'm honestly not sure. Maybe it's because I often have philosophical tangents in my head and this episode was pretty philosophical, but I don't think the message was all that revolutionary. Everyone has a purpose, exploring the universe is really just introspection, etc. At a guess, I'd say that Zima deconstructing himself in the swimming pool was what struck me the most. Up to that point the episode had been very good, particularly the narration. Its story was simple yet engaging and I think this episode had the most natural evolution. I can only describe the swimming pool scene as a kind of epiphany, but of what? I have no idea, but seeing that brilliant man regress into the simple cleaning robot he had once been was, and I suppose this really is the best word for it, heartbreaking. But that's not how it was portrayed. It was portrayed as a calm, definite end. I commend those involved for being able to make me experience that in about 10 minutes, because it usually takes much much more than that. I'm going to watch this again one day and I'm sure I'll love it 10x more

High 8

I'm even more ashamed at those who've written reviews, thinking they're armchair philosophers, then I am with the creators who have a beautiful episode with a GIANT hole in it! First, Zima was born a man, PEOPLE WOULD HAVE MET AND WITNESSED HIM AS ONE!!! This is further backed up by being included in my Second point, at the "end of his life" he tells the reporter of how he-as a MAN went to this world where they were doing black market medical procedures to ADD TO his body! Kinda like getting that butt implant in Tijuana now... though with HIS money I'm confused why he had to stoop to these measures. So, as a student who took Philosophy in College, I can see where, had they MAYBE said- he'd died long ago and SOMEHOW this ancient pool cleaner just HAPPENED to be still around and ABLE to be fit to CARRY the mind, and continue to GROW as it would, of the GREATEST abstract artist in the world- BUT then, THAT mind would be highly functioning enough to no longer THINK of itself as a pool cleaner, but as the ARTIST! They would have wiped the pool cleaner's consciousness, so that there would be no over lap causing insanity or danger to himself or others! BUT if SOMEHOW it created a space in it's drivers to retain memories of being a pool cleaner, then SURELY it would STILL have the higher reasoning to see that to end the life of someone, much less someone who inspires and is beloved is WRONG! That's called REASONING. (Not to mention it's Asimov's first law of Robotics!) It's a lower level life function, any sentient robot should have it, much less one with a brilliant mind. Now, try to use your fake philosophy on that!