Another film with a particular sinister capitalist ruler that is expressed through architecture can be seen in Osamu Tezuka's 2001 film Metropolis, the protagonist the Red Duke, is both the financer and architect of the city. Although Tezuka said he had never seen Lang's 1927 film with same title until after his film had been created there are a number of similarities between the two films, he accounts the films similarities on that fact that he used the same source as inspiration, the skyscrapers of New York City.   In Tezuka's Metropolis incredibly slender and tall skyscrapers reach toward to heavens, the city is shiny and overtly modern, made of machine-fabricated glass, metal and stone.   The Ziggurat the tallest of the building not only has the Red Duke's office, but also has a throne from which the world can be ruled and destroyed. The building itself does not resemble it's name sake but perhaps the name is used to make reference to the god like qualities that the Red Duke possesses, that like Tyrell's includes the creation of a human like robot, the Red Duke's creation is named Tima.

The Ziggurat is more than just a building, it is also a weapon of mass destruction, once Tima is plugged into the throne she will have total control of Metropolis as well as the world. It is a strange but powerful combination of architecture, android, and weapon. Tezuka's Metropolis, like Lang's warns the viewer of adhering blindly to technology. In the closing scene the entire Metropolis is destroyed, Tima is plugged into the throne and as she begins to gain her power a simple tape deck begins playing 'I can't stop loving you', and Tima destroys herself as well as the city, she appears to missing something essential, perhaps like Lang's Metropolis, Tima is missing a heart.