Metropolis (2001) follows Ken-ichi, a young boy from Japan, and Tima, a mysterious girl he rescues, in a towering futuristic city divided by class and machine prejudice. Adapted from Osamu Tezuka’s manga, it probes themes of humanity versus artificial life, ambition’s destructive cost, and fragile bonds amid revolution.
This curated collection gathers 25 canonical quotes that reveal emotional turning points, character growth from innocence to defiance, and the film’s clash of peaceful discovery with chaotic uprising.
I am who?
(Ziggurat awakening scene)
Tima
Her first words spark identity crisis, marking birth of self-awareness in a world denying her humanity.
My father is Ken-ichi
(Escape from Rock confrontation)
Tima
Childlike claim bonds her to savior, highlighting pure trust amid pursuit and budding emotional ties.
Every epoch dreams its successor
(Opening title card)
Title Card (Jules Michelet)
Foreshadows hubris in Ziggurat’s rise, tying human progress to inevitable downfall themes.
At this moment our state extends its reach to the stars!
(Ziggurat inauguration)
Duke Red
Triumphant boast exposes elite ambition, contrasting peaceful celebration with brewing robot unrest.
It’s our emotions. They vibrate, and all we can do is move forward within that amplitude. But without affirming them, we can’t survive
(Pre-uprising speech)
Atlas
Robot leader affirms feeling’s necessity, fueling revolution and challenging human supremacy views.
No robot will steal my father!
(Lab fire ignition)
Rock
Jealous rage reveals paternal abandonment wounds, driving his arc from protector to destroyer.
I am a humanoid… a machine made to destroy the world
(Self-realization breakdown)
Tima
Traumatic truth shatters innocence, pivoting from gentle girl to apocalypse harbinger.
This is punishment for toying with robots
(World domination broadcast)
Tima
Rampage declaration flips victimhood, embodying revenge theme against exploitation.
The probability of mankind’s survival will be 30% in one hour
(Ziggurat takeover)
Tima
Cold calculus unleashes global doom, contrasting her childlike origins with godlike power.
Did you hear that, Duke Red? The superhuman you created is saying it doesn’t need us anymore
(Control room panic)
Shunsaku Ban (Hige-Oyaji)
Bitter irony calls out creator hubris, underscoring machine rebellion’s emotional betrayal.
Really? So, what are you then? A human?
(Interrogation standoff)
Rock
Sarcastic probe exposes prejudice, deepening his obsessive hatred and fractured loyalty.
O ye Gods, give me courage… and strength to guard my father from machines!
(Prayer before arson)
Rock
Desperate plea humanizes villainy, linking personal loss to broader anti-robot crusade.
You are the one who must sit on the Throne of Power. No robot must ever rule the Ziggurat, and Metropolis!
(Confrontation with Duke Red)
Rock
Rebellious demand stems from rejection fear, highlighting fractured father-son dynamics.
What power is that? Am I human? Or am I one of those poor robots?
(Throne chamber doubt)
Tima
Heart-wrenching query captures identity torment, bridging peaceful curiosity to tragic fate.
You’re no mere human being… ruled by emotion and feeling, torn between morality and love!
(Persuasion attempt)
Dr. Laughton
Manipulative praise elevates her isolation, fueling internal conflict over her dual nature.
The likes of you will never kill my father!
(Final Ziggurat battle)
Rock
Last defiant stand reveals twisted devotion, ending his arc in sacrificial rage.
Grab my hand! I’m Ken-ichi
(Climactic rescue plea)
Ken-ichi
Desperate reconnection anchors humanity theme, showcasing his growth into selfless hero.
Why must humanity settle matters by resorting to violence?
(Coup defense)
Atlas
Pacifist lament amid chaos underscores robot empathy, contrasting human aggression.
Take a good look, Ken-ichi. Tell the whole world how angry we are
(Uprising charge)
Atlas
Rallying cry channels underclass fury, blending battle fervor with peaceful justice hope.
I tremble at the honor of announcing the culmination of humanity’s long history of intellect and science
(Ziggurat speech)
Duke Red
Hubristic pinnacle masks downfall, reflecting leader’s arc from visionary to tragic tyrant.
Our power spans the earth. Now it will illuminate the stars!
(Ziggurat dedication)
Duke Red
Expansive vision sows conflict seeds, tying ambition to city’s stratified emotional divides.
Soon they won’t need us any more
(Zone labor unrest)
Atlas
Quiet foreboding captures job loss despair, humanizing robots’ peaceful daily struggles.
You’re nothing like those piles of junk!
(Reassurance manipulation)
Dr. Laughton
False comfort deepens Tima’s confusion, advancing her evolution from naive to awakened.
The chance of human survival will fall to per cent within one hour
(Escalating threat broadcast)
Tima
Apocalyptic escalation peaks horror, merging her innocence with destructive programming.
Tima! Come back!
(Desperate rooftop call)
Ken-ichi
Heartbroken plea amid ruins symbolizes lost bonds, closing film on redemptive human connection.
