Line #49 Anime/PlasticMemories


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/plastic_memories.png]]
2	[[caption-width-right:350:A love story born from digital memories.]]
3
4	->''"Having happy and beautiful memories won't always bring you salvation. The more beautiful a memory is, the more painful it can become. It can even become terrifying. Both for the one leaving… and for the one left behind."''
5	-->-- '''Isla'''
6
7	In the near future, developments in technology has led to advancements of robotics. This has led one company, the SAI Corporation, to design, create and manage [[ArtificialHuman Giftias]], androids that look and behave [[RidiculouslyHumanRobots almost entirely like humans]]. Unfortunately, [[YourDaysAreNumbered these androids only have a shelf-life of 81920 hours (approximately 9 years and 3 months)]]. Thus, when they reach their expiration date, SAI employees handle the androids and send them to their terminal service department.
8
9	After flunking his college entrance exams, the series’ protagonist, Tsukasa Mizugaki, is offered a position at the corporation due to his father’s connections. He is placed at the terminal service department and is ordered to retrieve androids near the end of their lives. There, he forms a team with Isla, a female Giftia who has experience in retrieving androids and serving tea to fellow employees. And thus begins a tale that combines elements of SliceOfLife, ScienceFiction, workplace comedy and star-crossed romance.
10
11	''Plastic Memories'' is a spring 2015 animated series directed by Yoshiyuki Fujiwara (''Manga/EngagedToTheUnidentified'') and written by Naotaka Hayashi (''VisualNovel/SteinsGate''). It is an AnimeFirst series from Creator/{{Dogakobo}}, the studio behind series such as ''Manga/NatsuyukiRendezvous'' and ''Manga/MajesticPrince''. It began airing on April 4, 2015 on Tokyo MX and ended on June 27, 2015.
12
13	The series spawned a 20 chapter spinoff manga series ''Plastic Memories: Say to Good-bye'', which stars Michiru and Zack as the main characters. It also spawned a 5 chapter long light novel ''Plastic Memories: Heartfelt Thanks'', published under the Dengeki Bunko imprint, and a visual novel adaptation released on October 13, 2016.
14
15	The series has been licensed in the US by Creator/AniplexUSA and it is available to viewers on [[http://www.crunchyroll.com/plastic-memories Crunchyroll]] in the following areas: [[note]]North America, Central America, South America, and Europe excluding the UK, Republic of Ireland, Germany, Austria and Liechtenstein. [[/note]]. American viewers can also watch it on [[http://www.daisuki.net/anime/detail/PlasticMemories Daisuki]] and [[http://www.hulu.com/plastic-memories Hulu,]] while viewers living in the UK and Ireland will be able to watch the series on Viewster.
16
17	Compare with ''Film/BladeRunner'', ''Videogame/Cyberpunk2077'', ''Manga/{{Chobits}}'', ''Anime/TimeOfEve'', or ''Anime/KowarekakeNoOrgel''.
18	----
19	!!This anime series provides examples of:
20
21	* TwentyMinutesIntoTheFuture: Apart from massive developments in robotics, the rest of the setting seems awfully familiar to the 21st Century.
22	* AerithAndBob: Humans tend to have typical Japanese names, while Giftias have much more extravagant names (that tend to be either GratuitousEnglish or GratuitousFrench).
23	* {{Aesop}}: Relationships, emotional attachments, and memories, no matter how short-lived or painful, are ultimately worth it.
24	* AffectionateGestureToTheHead: Yasutaka does this to Isla in Episode 2 when complimenting her on her tea.
25	* AlwaysInClassOne: Since they're not in school, they get to be in Terminal Service No. 1 instead.
26	* AmbiguousEnding: [[spoiler: After Isla's retrieval, Tsukasa is introduced to a new partner after nine months of training. We only see the new partner from the legs and the arms, but it's implied to be a Giftia inhabiting Isla's body.]]
27	* AmusingInjuries: Eru is seen sporting a CranialEruption after Sherry drags her out of the dorms due to her and Isla spying on Tsukasa in episode 6. After she's dragged out, the camera angle switches back to Isla, who also has a large lump on her head.
28	* AndroidsArePeopleToo: As seen within the Terminal Service Department and the families that own Giftia, the androids are treated almost as equally as humans during their 81920 hour lifespan. Giftia even have their own civil rights, as hinted by Kazuki in Episode 5.
29	* AndThenJohnWasAZombie: What happens to Giftia when their life span runs out before they're deactivated and turn into a Wanderer. [[spoiler:Their limiters are also released, giving them super speed and strength.]] Unfortunately by that point they have to be taken down, often with deadly force as seen in a FlashBack during episode 5 [[spoiler:with Michiru's Giftia father]], as well as episode 6 with Tsukasa forced to gun down [[spoiler:Marcia]].
30	* AnguishedDeclarationOfLove:
31	** In Episode 8, [[spoiler:Tsukasa confesses his feelings to Isla, telling her he wants to be with her until the end no matter how painful it is because he loves her. Unfortunately, this caught Isla off-guard, causing her to freak out and reject him.]]
32	** Another one occurs in episode 10. [[spoiler:This time with Isla telling Tsukasa that she wants to keep making memories with him until the end.]]
33	* AssholeVictim: The black market retriever in episode 5, is beaten unconscious when he's finally found by the main characters. [[spoiler:Marcia has turned into a Wanderer by this point, making her crazy, unstable, as well as strong and fast]].
34	* AudienceSurrogate: Tsukasa fills this role as he, like new viewers, have no idea what the Terminal Service department does and is given an explanation on it.
35	* BittersweetEnding: [[spoiler:Isla can't escape her fate as a Giftia and gets retrieved by Tsukasa in the last episode. But the two accepted this fate, and Tsukasa ended up becoming the partner of a new Giftia that was implied to be inhabiting Isla's body.]]
36	* BishieSparkle: Both Isla and Tsukasa do this towards each other in episode 11. Reaches SickeninglySweethearts levels, and characters around them often end up doing a MomentKiller on them to remind them that they're not alone.
37	* BlackMail: A mild example in episode 5, when Kazuki uses her broken ankle to get the senior R-Security man to give her more time to retrieve a Wanderer. She brought it up because R-Security screwed up her attempt to get the Wanderer to back down peacefully a few years back. [[spoiler:Said incident causes her to have her foot amputated due to the damage she took from Michiru's Giftia father's attack.]]
38	* BlueWithShock:
39	** Tsukasa and Michiru has this reaction in Episode 1 after Isla's attempt to jump toward another building fails due to losing her footing prior to jumping.
40	** This happens to Tsukasa in TheStinger of Episode 6 after he finds out that Isla has been reading his [[spoiler:manual for newlyweds]] and executing its contents.
41	** Happens to Sherry in episode 10 when Tsukasa asks her about Kazuki's romance. Michiru also has this look after hearing that Kazuki was going to retrain Isla. And Tsukasa also has this look at various times when talking to some of his coworkers.
42	* BreakUpMakeUpScenario: One occurs in episode 10 between Isla and Tsukasa. [[spoiler:Kazuki had forcibly separated them, but was actually just testing her to see what her feelings towards him was. Kazuki later asks Isla if that's what she truly wanted, but after thinking it over, Isla decides she does want to spend her last few weeks with him.]]
43	* BreatherEpisode: Episode 11, in which nothing dramatic happens and instead focuses on romantic hijinks between Tsukasa and Isla. By this point you can probably tell which way the CerebusRollerCoaster is headed next...
44	* BrokenBird: Tsukasa first spots Isla with tears in her eyes and when he later teams up with Isla on his first day, Kazuki says that she's not ready to go back in the field yet. Later, Isla tells Tsukasa that their job is to tear apart the bonds formed by humans and their Giftia. He starts to wonder what she's suffered through to become this cynical.
45	* BrutalHonesty: Isla's diary is filled with this. Tsukasa notes that it seems kind of generic, but Isla says that their job is to rip apart the bonds formed by humans and their Giftia. He sees this firsthand with Chizu and Nina.
46	* BunnyEarsLawyer: Isla is known for retrieving the most Giftias in the terminal service department. As the first episode illustrates, however, her methods are quirky to say the least, ranging from offering tea to customers to jumping off an apartment building to catch a runaway Giftia.
47	* CaptainErsatz: Tsukasa's [[https://animewithsky.files.wordpress.com/2015/05/horriblesubs-plastic-memories-05-720p-mkv_snapshot_22-06_2015-05-04_01-29-04.png software destruction gun]] is practically the [[http://psychopass.wikia.com/wiki/The_Dominator 45MW.TRG Dominator]] from ''Anime/PsychoPass''. The main difference is that while a Dominator can paralyze or blow a target into LudicrousGibs, Tsukasa's device only downloads a virus to a Giftia that instantly crashes his/her functions and cannot harm humans.
48	* CastOfExpies: Some on the staff must like ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion'' because several characters are expies of ''Evangelion'' characters. The most obvious are the ReiAyanamiExpy Isla and Michuru, who is a FieryRedhead {{tsundere}} with a crush on a brunet like Asuka.
49	* CerebusRollercoaster: Episodes tend to be mostly funny for the first twenty minutes before ending with a ''massive'' TearJerker.
50	* CheerfulChild:
51	** Zack does this when retrieving Edward in the first episode.
52	** Nina is likewise quite upbeat. She manages to convince an otherwise hostile Chizu into allowing Isla to shower after the latter falls into their garden bed.
53	* ChekhovsGun: Tsukasa's [[spoiler:manual for newlyweds]] from Episode 4 is a comedic example of this, as Isla begins to read it for advice two episodes later.
54	* CliffHanger:
55	** Episode 4 ends with a very suspicious looking man asking Souta about retrieving Marcia a day before Tsukasa was scheduled to bring her in.
56	** In episode 5, Tsukasa is faced with a very difficult decision of trying to retrieve Marcia after she's turned into a Wanderer. He nearly succeeds in getting her to back down. [[spoiler:Unfortunately, she attacks Souta when he accidentally calls out her name after waking up from being kidnapped by her. A shot is fired at her, and Isla's name is missing from the employee roster when the camera pans by it in the next scene.]]
57	** Episode 9 ends with [[WhamLine Kazuki breaking the news to Isla and Tsukasa that]] [[spoiler:[[WhamLine she is dissolving their partnership effective immediately]]]]. It's unclear how this is going to affect Tsukasa and Isla, but the potential fallout from such a shocking statement can't possibly be good for either character.
58	* ColorFailure: Tsukasa suffers one in episode 8, [[spoiler:after Isla rejects his LoveConfession.]] Hilariously this lasts well into the next episode as well, and several of their coworkers comment on what happened.
59	* CorruptCorporateExecutive: Shinya Godou, the head honcho of SAI and who is also a BadBoss.
60	** In a flashback in Episode 2, he hires Tsukasa as a [[{{Nepotism}} favor]] to his friend, Tsukasa's father. Godou then proceeds to warn Tsukasa immediately afterwards that he will fire Tsukasa if the latter does not meet his standards.
61	** In Episode 4, he chews out Yamanobe in a meeting because Terminal Service No. 1's budget expenditures far exceed that of SAI's other offices, leading the other executives to remark that Yamanobe may face demotion. [[spoiler:In Episode 8, Yasutaka reveals to Tsukasa that this is due to Kazuki's policy of letting owners spend as much time with their Giftias as possible until they are retrieved, and such behavior is the exception rather than the norm among the Terminal Service offices, as Andie demonstrates when she retrieves Derek a week before his expiry date.]]
62	** In Episode 5, upon learning of Marcia's disappearance, he immediately has his secretary contact R-Security to control the situation, knowing full well that they may shoot Marcia as a way to do so.
63	* CranialEruption: Eru and Isla are seen with these after Tsukasa clonks them on the head for sneaking into the mens' showers to spy on him.
64	* DeadlyEuphemism: "Retrieval," which stands for euthanizing Giftias and then returning their bodies to their manufacturer.
65	* DeadManWriting: Isla's letter to her coworkers after she's retrieved in episode 13, which says she was happy to have met and worked with them.
66	* DeathGlare: Kazuki has one in episode 10 while watching Isla talk to some mobsters about retrieving a Giftia. She tries her hardest not to go over there and start beating them up should they make her cry. One man near her turns her way, and is shocked by her intense glaring, until the mobster and Isla both give her a thumbs up.
67	* DeathOfAChild: In the first episode Tsukasa and Isla have to retrieve and terminate a child Giftia who has reached her expiration date.
68	* DefrostingIceQueen: Isla is very aloof and emotionally distant due to her job and she doesn't want to get close to anyone or become attached to anything since her lifespan is nearing its end. Tsukasa is the one who has to bring her out of her shell.
69	** A change that is reflected in the [[https://d.maxfile.ro/zcugmzradm.webm opening]] of the show.
70	* DelayedReaction: In episode 6, Tsukasa jumps into the shower in the men's bathroom. Isla and Eru are also in there, but he doesn't notice them until after he's already gotten in the shower stall.
71	* {{Determinator}}: Isla is quite persistent in attempting to retrieve Nina from Chizu. However, almost everything she does fails.
72	* DidntThinkThisThrough: Kazuki's plan in episode 10 [[spoiler:of breaking up Isla and Tsukasa's partnership]]. She didn't really put much thought into it, and ends up with Isla in her apartment. Then ends up drinking the entire night and painting on the poor girl's face in her drunken state.
73	* DiedInYourArmsTonight: What essentially happens with Isla in episode 13. [[spoiler:She's deactivated moments before her ferris wheel ride ends while hugging Tsukasa, as can be seen from the bright flash appearing before their car reaches the ground. Tsukasa then carries Isla to a waiting Kazuki.]]
74	* DinnerBathOrSexOffer: Isla makes Tsukasa such an offer in TheStinger of Episode 6. PlayedForLaughs in that she got the idea from Tsukasa's book of romantic advice, and ''clearly'' doesn't understand what she's saying.
75	* DraggedByTheCollar:
76	** Sherry does this to Yasutaka in Episode 2 after chewing him out for neglecting his work duties due to his womanizing.
77	** Sherry also removes Eru from the dorms in this manner in Episode 6, after Tsukasa catches her in the mens' showers.
78	* DyingAsYourself: Marcia regains her normal eyes after being shot by Tsukasa in a FlashBack during episode 6. [[spoiler:Her eyes changed colors, and she was choking Souta due to having succumbed to becoming a Wanderer.]]
79	* EatingMachine: Giftia are able to consume human food and beverages, as seen with Isla drinking tea in Episode 1 and eating omu-rice with Tsukasa in Episode 11.
80	* EstablishingCharacterMoment: Several in the first episode:
81	** Tsukasa meeting Isla in an elevator and sees her crying as she looks outside.
82	** Tsukasa's co-workers and their various reactions towards him. Some seem eager to work with him, while others, such as Kazuki and Michiru, are more skeptical of his usefulness to their department.
83	** Zack seems out of place to Tsukasa at first due to his resemblance to a young boy. But he is also the first one to show him how they do their job and does it fairly well.
84	* EvolvingCredits: This series [[http://www.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/34p3kf/plastic_memories_progressive_opening_changes/ has this]] in their opening sequence. Every episode shows subtle changes in Isla's expression at the end of the opening sequence, cleverly hinting on the state of her relationship with Tsukasa to that point.
85	* {{Expy}}: Michiru is essentially Asuka from ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion''.
86	* FaceDeathWithDignity: The Terminal Service's main role in the story. Some people willingly give up their Giftia, but others are much more hesitant and in some cases outright hostile towards them:
87	** Zack shows Tsukasa how it's done when they retrieve Edward from an elderly couple. They say their goodbyes and he erases the Giftia's memories prior to taking him back.
88	** Their second job ends up with the man attempting to run off with his Giftia to avoid having her taken away.
89	** Chizu is outright antagonistic towards Tsukasa and Isla, and repeatedly turns them away. Nina is willing to allow herself to be deactivated and taken away from her adopted grandmother Chizu. The Giftia believes that losing her personality would hurt her adopted grandmother's happiness more, which finally convinces Chizu to reluctantly sign the release forms.
90	* FailureMontage:
91	** Episode 1 has one depicting Isla's attempts at retrieving Nina. Chizu slams the door in each of her attempts for several days.
92	** Episode 3 shows Tsukasa's attempts to get Isla's attention after they start living together, all of which fail.
93	* FateWorseThanDeath: Michiru implies that [[spoiler:becoming a Wanderer]] is this for a Giftia.
94	* FishOutOfWater: Tsukasa is completely clueless to his new job and almost everyone there is a bit skeptical at being given a new employee.
95	* FlashBack: Used from time to time to show important events that occurred in the past, such as Isla's past with Kazuki in episode 6.
96	* {{Foreshadowing}}: The opening credits contain a shot of Isla standing amongst a crowd of people... except the crowd members are actually every single Giftia that Isla and Tsukasa retrieve over the course of the series. This not only foreshadows their identities, but also [[spoiler:Isla's own retrieval]].
97	* FreudianExcuse: Michiru hates R-Security because they were forced to gun down [[spoiler:her Giftia father who became a Wanderer]]. So when she finds out they're working together again in episode 5, she's not very happy about it.
98	* GilliganCut: In episode 6, Eru tells Isla that they're going to start watching Tsukasa 24/7 after she says she can't stop thinking about him. Michiru claims she's not going to join them. But in the very next scene, she's standing behind them as they watch for him from atop a building. Then it's subverted; she once again announces she won't keep tagging along with them, and follows through this time (and Eru and Isla, lacking their OnlySaneWoman, get themselves in trouble by following Tsukasa into the mens' showers).
99	* TheGlomp: Eru does this to Andie in episode 8.
100	* GodzillaThreshold: In episode 5, the retrieval team's failure to locate and find Marcia prompts their bosses to call up R-Security to assist. Unlike the retrieval teams who attempt to talk the Wanderer down, R-Security's only concern is to shoot them to death. This doesn't go well with either Michiru or Kazuki when they find this out.
101	* HardTruthAesop: Emotionally painful as it is to part with a loved one, nothing lasts forever, which Tsukasa learns the hard way as he spends time with Isla [[spoiler:during the few remaining minutes of her lifespan]]. Not long afterwards, Tsukasa muses over what it's like for one to have their lifespan predetermined, and ultimately concludes that he'd make the most out of that life.
102	* HaveWeMet: Eru is delighted to see Olivia again in episode 8, giving her TheGlomp as well as a ThanksForTheMammaries moment. Unfortunately Andie, the Giftia Eru did this to, doesn't know what the girl is talking about, having just met here then and there. Eru excuses herself and says she mistook her for someone else, [[spoiler:but later confides to Tsukasa that Andie no longer remembers anything about her time as Olivia.]]
103	* HopeSpot:
104	** In Episode 5, Tsukasa was on the verge of calming down [[spoiler:Marcia]], a Giftia who has turned into a Wanderer. [[spoiler:And then Souta calls out her name, which drives a berserk Marcia to ''strangle her adoptive younger brother'']]. At that point, Tsukasa has little choice but to open fire on [[spoiler:Marcia]] with a gun that would irreversibly crash her functions and effectively kill her.
105	** During episode 8, Tsukasa goes to the festival with Eru and Andie, a Giftia that Eru used to know. He hopes that by going there, it might trigger some old, buried memories Andie may still have in her when she was Olivia prior to being recycled. [[spoiler:Unfortunately, nothing there triggers any hidden memories in Andie, which confirms what he was repeatedly told earlier that Giftia who are recycled have no memories of their past life, due to new hardware installed along with the new personality program. This leads him to sorrow, as Isla will be faced with this problem in less than a month.]]
106	* ImagineSpot: Michiru has two in episode 7. The first is talking to Isla about an ideal date on the beach. The second is what she was planning to say and do when giving Tsukasa some food after finding out he collapsed from exhaustion, though ultimately she changes her mind and doesn't go in.
107	* ImprobableAimingSkills: Sherry manages to hit Eru's binoculars with a thrown pen from a very far distance in episode 6 after the latter is spotted spying on Tsukasa. She later blames Yasutaka for developing said throwing skills, after he says she has a good eye for Peeping Toms.
108	* InsertSong: "Suki nano de." (好きなので。, "I Love You."), doubling as a DoItYourselfThemeTune which is performed by Creator/SoraAmamiya (Isla's voice actress), is featured at the end of Episode 10, when Isla [[spoiler:confesses her feelings for Tsukasa]].
109	* LapPillow: Isla asks Tsukasa to rest his head in her lap after seeing a couple doing it in a movie.
110	* LeaningOnTheFourthWall: At the end of Episode 2, Yasutaka remarks that Isla [[spoiler:has 2000 hours left to live, which is 83 days. That is the number of days between that episode's airdate and the end of the Spring 2015 anime season.]]
111	* LoveAtFirstSight: Tsukasa feels this for Isla in Episode 1 when he runs into her crying in an elevator. Given Isla's nature as a Giftia and her shell-shocked personality from vast experience of terminating her own kind, however, a full-blown relationship might take a while to develop.
112	* LoveConfession: One is given during episode 8, [[spoiler:by Tsukasa to Isla. Unfortunately she was really embarrassed and caught off-guard by it. In the heat of the moment she rejects it.]]
113	* MamaBear: Kazuki towards Isla. She is very angry at their section chief when he suggests pairing Tsukasa and Isla up together, and is quite vocal in her opposition to letting Isla back out into the field so quickly. She also scolds Tsukasa after his first job resulted in complaints filed against them due to Isla destroying a trash can.
114	* MarshmallowHell: Isla is subjected to this by Marcia when they first meet.
115	* MayflyDecemberRomance: Tsukasa is a young human while Isla is a Giftia with a 9-year long lifespan, [[spoiler:and she only has about two months left to live]].
116	* MindReformatDeath: What happens to a Giftia that undergoes [[DeadlyEuphemism "retrieval"]]; their personality is overwritten and they are sent back out as an entirely new individual with no memories of their previous life (as shown with Eru and her previous partner, and later, [[spoiler: Tsukasa and the new Giftia occupying Isla's former body.]])
117	* MoodWhiplash: Episode 6's one hell of an emotional rollercoaster. The opener piles up the feels when we see a flashback of Isla's partnership with [[spoiler:Kazuki]]. After she recovers enough to work in the office, the episode becomes rather comedic with Eru's hijinks on stalking Tsukasa. And then the episode swings right back to the feels when we see Tsukasa [[spoiler:apologizing to a grieving Souta]] and Kazuki telling the truth about Isla's lifespan... before Tsukasa's declaration to stay with Isla brings us to one of the most heartwarming moments of the show yet. ''And after that'', TheStinger brings the episode back to humorous territory when Isla innocently asks Tsukasa if he wants dinner, a bath, or her after he comes home.
118	* MoreDakka: The R-Security team that takes down the Wanderer in the FlashBack during episode 5 unleash a barrage of bullets at it after it attacks a few people.
119	* MysticalWhiteHair: Isla is a Gifitia who has nearly white silver-colored hair, which hints at her artificial origins.
120	* NewMeat: Non-military example with Tsukasa for the Terminal Service department. His co-workers are mostly skeptical of him and don't feel that he'd be a good fit in their department.
121	* NiceJobBreakingItHero:
122	** Though they technically accomplish their second retrieval in Episode 1, it didn't go too well as Isla fell into a trashcan, damaging it and causing complaints to be filed against them.
123	** Michiru mentions that Giftia whose time limits expired before being retrieved turn into Wanderers, highly unstable as well as strong and fast androids who often attack anyone close by. [[spoiler:Then in episode 5, we find out it was her Giftia father, though this only happened because she tried to run away with him rather than turn him in for proper retrieval.]]
124	** Tsukasa tells Souta to stay put in his house in episode 5 while looking for Marcia. Though he seems to comply at first, he's later seen in the area where they suspect Marcia to be. [[spoiler:As a result, he ends up getting kidnapped by her, and later she attempts to strangle him to death after he also botches Tsukasa's attempt to peacefully bring down Marcia by calling out her name shortly after regaining consciousness.]]
125	** In a FlashBack during episode 5, Kazuki attempts a retrieval of a Wanderer, or a Giftia whose time limit ran out before being properly disposed of. She nearly succeeds, but then R-Security shows up, and when they forcibly take Michiru away, he ends up attacking them.
126	* NoodleIncident: Kazuki's previous relationship is mentioned in episode 10, but never touched on. Sherry seems to be the only one who knows anything about it, but she refuses to say anything, claiming it would dishonor Kazuki if she mentioned anything about it.
127	* NotWhatItLooksLike: Isla assumes something happened between Michiru and Tsukasa in episode 9 after seeing them leave the same dorm room together. Though they try to correct her, she runs off while apologizing about the intrusion into their private lives.
128	* OfficialCouple: The series' primary focus is on the developing professional and romantic relationship between Isla and Tsukasa. [[spoiler:Isla finally reciprocates Tsukasa's feelings for her in Episode 10, cementing the two as the series' main couple]].
129	* OhCrap: Eru and Isla in episode 6, after Sherry's tossed pen slams right into her binoculars, knocking it out of her hands in the process.
130	* OrdinaryHighSchoolStudent: Tsukasa starts off as a student who tried to get into college.
131	* PapaWolf: Subverted in episode 5. The Wanderer goes crazy after hearing Michiru cry as R-Security forcibly takes her away from him. Unfortunately he then starts targeting Michiru after he "saved" her, and is only stopped after being brutally gunned down.
132	* ThePeepingTom: In Episode 6, Eru has no qualms about sneaking into the mens' showers to spy on Tsukasa. Sherry implies that Yasutaka is the reason she developed her ImprobableAimingSkills as a form of vigilance against Peeping Toms.
133	* PervertRevengeMode: The subject of an OverlyLongGag in episode 3, where Tsukasa keeps accidentally looking like he's doing something naughty to Isla, sending Michiru into a frenzy. Gender-swapped in episode 6, when Eru and Isla inexplicably decide to follow Tsukasa into the mens' showers; no violence is shown, but they both come out with {{Cranial Eruption}}s. Eru becomes the victim of this again in Episode 8, when Andie slaps her across the face for groping her breasts.
134	* PottyEmergency: Isla suffers one at the end of Episode 1 after drinking too much tea. She strongly implies it'll turn into a PottyFailure.
135	* PowerLimiter: Giftias are equipped with one that restricts their super strength and speed. [[spoiler:One reason Wanderers are so hazardous to face is because this limiter is switched off when a Giftia becomes one.]] Alternatively, the limiter can be switched off manually, [[spoiler:which is part of SAI's protocol in using their own Giftias to subdue Wanderers]].
136	* PrivateMilitaryContractors: R-Security, who has a contract with the SAI corporation to retrieve any Giftia that turned into a Wanderer. Unfortunately their usual method of dealing with Wanderers is to shoot it a lot.
137	* ThePromise: Tsukasa makes one with Souta to bring Marcia back so he can say his goodbyes during episode 5. [[spoiler:Unfortunately he fails, and was forced to shoot her when she started strangling the poor boy after becoming a Wanderer. He later goes to apologize to Souta for it.]]
138	* PromotionToParent: Marcia becomes this to Souta after the deaths of his parents.
139	* RaisedByRobots: Humans raised by Giftia are dubbed "Android Children".
140	** Episode 4 follows the retrieval of one such child's parent Giftia, and shows that the Android Children can suffer ''serious'' abandonment issues.
141	** [[spoiler:Michiru]] was also raised by a Giftia and was so reluctant to part with it that its lifespan elapsed and it became a Wanderer.
142	* RealPlaceBackground: The series is heavily implied to take place in Singapore, as most of the city-state's streets, landmarks, and districts are replicated down to the last bit of detail. [[https://mothership.sg/2015/05/iconic-sporean-landmarks-locations-featured-in-japanese-anime-series-plastic-memories/ See the comparison between screenshots from the series and photos from Singapore for yourself.]]
143	* RedHerring: A few are shown.
144	** The appearance of [[spoiler:Shinya Godou (SAI Corporation's CEO)]] in the first few episodes made some guess that he would affect the series' plot during its climax. He does not return after Episode 6 and he ends up not affecting the story's outcome.
145	** Since [[spoiler:Isla's diary]] does a good job in documenting her character growth, some viewers predicted that it would come to play in the final episode after she is retrieved. It doesn't.
146	* ReiAyanamiExpy: Isla, a [[RidiculouslyHumanRobots Giftia]] with silver hair and red eyes. She's highly serious and emotionally distant, being a ShellShockedVeteran of a job that involves retrieving and terminating her own kind and she says would prefer to not have emotions since she doesn't want to lose them and her memories. She's also in a decaying physical condition, [[spoiler:since her 9-year lifespan is nearing its end]].
147	* RidiculouslyHumanRobots: The Giftia have nailed human emotions and looks thanks to their technological developments. Too bad they can only live for nine years...
148	** Giftia are ''so'' Ridiculously Human that Isla, in the first episode no less, suffers from a PottyEmergency from drinking too much tea. It's never really questioned exactly ''why'' an incredibly advanced and complex android would feel the need to drink, and by extension, have to urinate.
149	** Giftia also appear to either have blood or essential fluids similar in color to blood, with Isla suffering a nosebleed from being hit in the nose early in the series.
150	** They also appear to not be particularly stronger than humans [[spoiler: outside of their limiters being removed as Wanderers]], or significantly smarter. Most Giftia are indistinguishable from humans outside of their shorter lifespans and requirement to use a special charging area.
151	* {{Robosexual}}: Such a relationship is certainly possible in the anime's universe, in fact, and causes tension multiple times:
152	** The developing relationship between Tsukasa (Human) and Isla (Giftia) is a key source of the series' drama.
153	** Derek's owner confesses to being in love with him when he is being retrieved.
154	** It is heavily implied that Eru had feelings for Olivia, who was the Giftia formerly inhabiting Andie's body.
155	* RobotGirl: Female Giftia such as Isla are these, complete with varying personalities.
156	* RobotNames: While the human characters have Japanese names, most of the Giftia have English-sounding names.
157	* SecondEpisodeIntroduction: For Yasutaka and Eru.
158	* SecretTest: Kazuki forcibly separates Isla and Tsukasa in episode 10, telling them office relationships are forbidden, nevermind that all of their coworkers state that was news to them. [[spoiler:However, Kazuki notices how much more cheerful Isla had become in the last few weeks with Tsukasa, and deeply regrets her decision to end her partnership with Isla. She tells Isla that she shouldn't spend her last few weeks away from him, as it would then only cause him painful memories of their time together. Isla then decides to give him an AnguishedDeclarationOfLove.]]
159	* SeriousBusiness: Tsukasa asking Isla out on a date in episode 7. All of their coworkers encourage them to do it, particularly Yasutaka.
160	* ShellShockedVeteran: Isla's experiences in retrieving and terminating her own kind has taken a serious emotional toll on her by the time the series started. Even though she tries alternative jobs such as serving tea to fellow employees or takes up hobbies such as gardening, she still feels that the department's job is only to tear apart the bonds formed by humans and their adopted Giftia.
161	* ShootTheShaggyDog: After all the [[ContemplateOurNavels existential angst]], the [[{{UST}} romantic antics between Tsukasa and Isla]] and the [[CharacterDevelopment growth of Isla as a person,]] [[spoiler:Isla still gets retrieved like any other Giftia]], with no way of changing the outcome.
162	* ShowDontTell: After being given a brief introduction to his new job, Tsukasa and Isla head out with Zack and Michiru so he can start OJT, or "on the job training". The first retrieval is pretty mundane, but the next two are a bit more difficult, showing Tsukasa that not everyone is quite willing to give up their Giftia so easily.
163	* SickeninglySweethearts: Isla and Tsukasa in episode 11. Several of their coworkers comment on this as well.
164	* SickEpisode: Tsukasa collapses at the amusement park near the end of episode 7 due to overworking prior to his date with Isla. Michiru makes him some food, but ultimately changes her mind about bothering him when she considers he might be sleeping and that Isla was there as well.
165	* SnicketWarningLabel: Michiru delivers a variant of this in Episode 9 upon hearing from Tsukasa that [[spoiler:he knew Isla only had a month to live when he confessed his love for her]].
166	-->'''Michiru''': You know you’re just going to end up hurting yourself! You know there can’t be a good ending to this! Do you ''still'' think you can face it without running away?!?
167	* SpitTake: Tsukasa does one in TheStinger for Episode 6 after Isla asks him if he wants, dinner, a bath, or her. When he asks if Eru taught her that, she shows him a newlywed book she read that gave her that idea.
168	* StalkerWithACrush: Eru has Isla peeping on Tsukasa in Episode 6 after the latter says she can't stop thinking about him for some reason. They spend half of the episode following him around, including showering in the men's bathroom, just to see what he does daily.
169	* StarCrossedLovers: Tsukasa and Isla. He falls in love with her the moment he meets her and she eventually reciprocates his feelings. Unfortunately, they have less than a month left to enjoy their relationship. Ultimately, [[spoiler: this trope is played straight; they only get a month together before Tsukasa is forced to retrieve Isla himself.]]
170	* StealthHiBye: Due to Isla and Tsukasa not paying attention to their surroundings in episode 11, several characters end up doing this to them, such as Michiru and Zack appearing behind them while waiting for the elevator.
171	* TheStinger: A couple of them happen:
172	** At the end of Episode 2, Yasutaka asks Kazuki if she told Tsukasa about Isla's remaining lifespan [[spoiler:of approximately 2000 hours, or a little under three months.]]
173	** In Episode 6, Isla innocently asks Tsukasa if he wants dinner, a bath, or her. After his SpitTake reaction, she shows him the newlywed book she read which inspired the question.
174	** Tsukasa wakes up feeling more refreshed after a good night's rest at the end of episode 7. However, Isla is in terrible shape, having drained her batteries staying by his side the entire time instead of recharging them.
175	** The fallout from the end of episode 8 plays after the intro credits play at the end. [[spoiler:Isla, caught off-guard by his LoveConfession, rejects it.]]
176	** Episode 13 ends on one, with Tsukasa taking the elevator where he first met Isla, musing over [[spoiler:what it'd be like to have his lifespan predetermined, then vows to make the most out of his own life]]. Returning to work after having gone away for nine months for some training, [[spoiler:Tsukasa then meets his new partner, who is unseen aside from a shot of their legs and hand, but is heavily assumed to be the new Giftia in Isla's body.]]
177	* TakeAThirdOption:
178	** Tsukasa recommends some to Chizu, such as replacing Nina's OS with a new one, so they could continue living together. However, he admits it would erase her memories and personality as well. Chizu says she'd rather die than give up her "only family", or change her into someone completely different with his suggestion.
179	** Mirabel's owner reveals to Tsukasa that she has taken that option with her Giftia at least once prior when he comes to retrieve Mirabel.
180	* TemptingFate: Tsukasa offers his hand to Isla in episode 8 at the festival, stating he didn't want her to get lost. Isla, probably jealous at him paying too much attention to Andie and Eru, refuses it. She then accidentally bumps into a costumed mascot, and then loses sight of them.
181	* TenderTears: Due to the nature of the character's job, this show is filled with this:
182	** Tsukasa sees Isla crying in the elevator in the first episode. He tries to find out why, but she downplays it.
183	** Edward and his elderly parents when they say their goodbyes.
184	** Chizu and Nina when they finally depart from each other.
185	* ThereIsNoKillLikeOverkill: The Giftia who turned into a Wanderer as seen in a FlashBack during episode 5 suffers a hail of bullets after it attacks Kazuki and one of the R-Security officers. [[spoiler:Said Giftia was Michiru's father, and she watches helplessly as he's gunned down due to the threat he posed.]]
186	* TitleOnlyOpening: Episode 8 has one, though the anime's actual opening theme plays in the episode immediately after its ending theme, which had its usual animation replaced with Tsukasa's search for Isla at the fair and his LoveConfession.
187	* TooGoodForThisSinfulEarth: From the first episode, a child Giftia named Nina is a rather somber example of this.
188	* TrashLanding: Isla does this inadvertently when she attempts to jump from one building to another. Unfortunately she slips just before getting a good footing, so she falls down on top of some trash.
189	* {{Tsundere}}: Michiru is this to Tsukasa. While dismissive of him being a newcomer, she does care for Tsukasa's well-being after he gets sick from Kazuki. She soon develops an obvious attraction for him, but refuses to admit it.
190	* TwistedAnkle: Kazuki suffers a major form of this after a Giftia hits her ankle while she was trying to protect Michiru in a FlashBack. [[spoiler:Dialogue from the doctors in episode 6 suggests that she had to get her foot amputated due to the severe damage received from the attack.]]
191	* UncannyValley: In-universe usage and completely averted. Tsukasa is unable to tell the difference between a normal person and a Giftia. This also makes retrieving some Giftia back much more difficult, as the person who was using them grew a strong bond with them and is therefore reluctant to give them back at the end of the Giftia's usable service life.
192	* WhamEpisode:
193	** After the first four episodes help establish the characters, Episode 5 takes a dark turn in revealing what happens when an expired Giftia becomes a Wanderer, or a machine driven only by basic programming. Moreover, the episode sees the introduction of R-Security, an anti-Wanderer PMC group that was responsible for [[spoiler:killing Michiru's Giftia father]].
194	** Episode 8 shows Tsukasa learning firsthand that Giftia who are reused no longer have any of their former personality or memories. The episode also shows Tsukasa and Isla going to a festival, [[spoiler: where he delivers a heartfelt LoveConfession to her. Too bad that Isla rejects it in the heat of the moment...]]
195	** Episode 10 shows the aftermath of Kazuki talking to Tsukasa and Isla from the previous episode, and the consequences of her decision [[spoiler:to separate the two.]]
196	* WhamLine:
197	** "You haven't told him, have you? [[spoiler:That Isla's lifespan expires in 2000 hours.]]"
198	** Tsukasa telling Isla something during the festival in episode 8. [[spoiler:He gives her a LoveConfession. In the heat of the moment, she rejects it.]]
199	** Kazuki tells one to Tsukasa at the very end of episode 9, [[spoiler:that she's dissolving his partnership with Isla.]]
200	** Kazuki again in episode 10, this time to Isla regarding what she wants to do with her remaining time. Isla is rather angry at her, until Kazuki mentions regretting her decision to end their partnership three years prior.
201	** Tsukasa wonders what Isla tells the Giftia they retrieve in episode 12. [[spoiler:She then tells him, that she hopes someday they can be reunited with the one they cherish.]]
202	* WhatMeasureIsANonHuman: A primary theme in this series. Given that Giftia have emotions almost on par with human beings, some do not take the business of handling and retrieving expired androids that well. This is lampshaded by Chizu during the first episode, when she criticizes Tsukasa's company for treating her Giftia Nina as a product rather than an actual family member.
203	* WhenAllYouHaveIsAHammer: If R-Security has to be called in, their only concern is to shoot a Wanderer to death. The retrieval teams by contrast, try to peacefully end encounters with one, though this doesn't go too well.
204	* YourDaysAreNumbered: According to the SAI Corporation, Giftia can only be active for 81920 hours (about 9 years and 3 months). When they reach their expiration date, they lose their personalities and memories and become "Wanderers", driven by their basic programming alone. Some Wanderers have been known to attack humans.

Context Anime / PlasticMemories