A compilation of 9 animated short films, The Animatrix provides an even wider perspective than the original movie (Matrix Reloaded had not been released yet when The Animatrix came to the market).
Final Flight of the Osiris tells us how the captains knew about the attack plan against Zion. Kid’s story is the story of the boy who followed Neo everywhere in Zion. The Second Renaissance Part I and II give us more details how the human race made the machines their slaves and how the machines started to revolt. The other stories develop on the world of The Matrix.
Amonst the 9 stories, my favourites are Beyond and A Detective Story. Beyond does not add anything to the original storyline, but it gives me the feeling like watching Akira.
In terms of graphics, the first scene in Final Flight of the Osiris is really impressive. The movement, the texture of the skin, hair and eyes of the characters … are all perfect.
As a bonus, one of the special features in the DVD, Scrolls to Screen: The History and Culture of Anime gives a detailed account of how the Japanese animation entered the American market.