Billed as “Blue Fight” in Japan, “Blazing Fists” is inspired by Mma fighter Mikuru Asakura’s autobiography “Street Legend” but also retains intense anime/manga elements, as much as a subtle homage to Japanese cinema of the 90s and 00s, including Miike’s own works.
Blazing Fists is screening at International Film Festival Rotterdam
While in juvenile prison, Ryoma meets the strongest individual there, Ikuto and the two soon become best friends, even though their relationship owes a lot to the fact that the latter does not know the role the former played in his arrest. Inspired by a lecture by martial artist Mikuru Asakura, the two soon decide to join Breaking Down, a fighting tournament he organizes. Before they do that though, they have to train, pass an audition, and deal with Jun, the guy who has taken Ikuto’s place as the strongest in the area, and his gang.
Blazing Fists is screening at International Film Festival Rotterdam
While in juvenile prison, Ryoma meets the strongest individual there, Ikuto and the two soon become best friends, even though their relationship owes a lot to the fact that the latter does not know the role the former played in his arrest. Inspired by a lecture by martial artist Mikuru Asakura, the two soon decide to join Breaking Down, a fighting tournament he organizes. Before they do that though, they have to train, pass an audition, and deal with Jun, the guy who has taken Ikuto’s place as the strongest in the area, and his gang.
- 2/4/2025
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Japanese director Miike Takashi, who is known for slasher film “Ichi the Killer” and stomach-churning “Audition,” has signed with CAA for representation.
Miike is one of Japan’s most prolific and bold directors, with more than 100 feature film credits, spanning genres, including horror, comedy and action. “Ichi The Killer” and “Audition” enjoy cult followings globally.
The auteur has also received acclaim at the Cannes Film Festival for “Shield of Straw,” “Gozu” and “Hara-Kiri: Death of a Samurai.”
His film “Crows Zero” is immensely popular in Asia, especially among Gen Z.
In March, Miike was selected to represent Japan in Apple’s “shot on iPhone” project, directing a short film based on Osamu Tezuka’s iconic 1986 manga “Midnight,” now streaming worldwide.
In 2022, he directed drama series “Connect,” produced by South Korea’s Studio Dragon and distributed by Disney+, which is available to stream on Hulu in the U.S. “I’m...
Miike is one of Japan’s most prolific and bold directors, with more than 100 feature film credits, spanning genres, including horror, comedy and action. “Ichi The Killer” and “Audition” enjoy cult followings globally.
The auteur has also received acclaim at the Cannes Film Festival for “Shield of Straw,” “Gozu” and “Hara-Kiri: Death of a Samurai.”
His film “Crows Zero” is immensely popular in Asia, especially among Gen Z.
In March, Miike was selected to represent Japan in Apple’s “shot on iPhone” project, directing a short film based on Osamu Tezuka’s iconic 1986 manga “Midnight,” now streaming worldwide.
In 2022, he directed drama series “Connect,” produced by South Korea’s Studio Dragon and distributed by Disney+, which is available to stream on Hulu in the U.S. “I’m...
- 5/14/2024
- by Naman Ramachandran and Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Based on the homonymous manga by Ken Wakui, “Shinjuku Swan” is another testament to Sion Sono’s prowess in adapting, with the many and colorful characters, the extreme violence and the overall sleaziness being just down his alley.
on Amazon
The labyrinth story begins with Tatsuhiko, an unemployed young man who does not have even the fare to return home (although he wears a Supreme hoodie that costs upwards than 400), getting into a fight with a gang, and getting rescued by Mako, a scout who recruits girls to work for the Burst scouting agency run by Yamashiro in Kabukicho. Tatsuhiko learns the “tricks” of wooing women to work in massage parlors, and although he feels uncomfortable when he realizes that they are exploited, the sense of belonging, success and comradeship soon take over with him becoming quite successful. However, Burst is not the only company working in the area,...
on Amazon
The labyrinth story begins with Tatsuhiko, an unemployed young man who does not have even the fare to return home (although he wears a Supreme hoodie that costs upwards than 400), getting into a fight with a gang, and getting rescued by Mako, a scout who recruits girls to work for the Burst scouting agency run by Yamashiro in Kabukicho. Tatsuhiko learns the “tricks” of wooing women to work in massage parlors, and although he feels uncomfortable when he realizes that they are exploited, the sense of belonging, success and comradeship soon take over with him becoming quite successful. However, Burst is not the only company working in the area,...
- 5/12/2022
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
It is one of the biggest truths of international cinema, that the level (of extremity if you prefer) the highschool drama has reached in the Japanese movie industry, in actually unparalleled, with films that range from “Confessions” to “Flowers of Evil”, from “Crows Zero” to “Liverleaf” and from “Assassination Classroom” to “Lesson of the Evil, including everything between. Hideo Jojo, who has mainly worked in adult films, in an adaptation of the manga series “Joshikosei ni Korosaretai” by Usamaru Furuya, presents another testament to the fact.
“To Be Killed by a High School Girl” is screening at Osaka Asian Film Festival
The absurdity here mostly revolves around the main protagonist, Haruto Higashiyama, a young, smart, and handsome history teacher, whose appearance in Niitaka High School has made him immediately popular with his students, and particularly the female ones. Higashiyama, however, harbors a rather dark secret, since his biggest dream is...
“To Be Killed by a High School Girl” is screening at Osaka Asian Film Festival
The absurdity here mostly revolves around the main protagonist, Haruto Higashiyama, a young, smart, and handsome history teacher, whose appearance in Niitaka High School has made him immediately popular with his students, and particularly the female ones. Higashiyama, however, harbors a rather dark secret, since his biggest dream is...
- 3/17/2022
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
As we have mentioned many times before, the main concept of the shonen anime mostly follows the rule of the following image
What would happen, though, if this style was transferred to the corporate world, where female employees are the brawlers, the gang members, and essentially the ultimate fighters of this world? And what if the humor was even more slapstick than in anime, but also meta and self-deprecating? And what if some of the female fighters were actually male crossdressers? Seki Kazuaki and writer Bakarhythm provide the answer in a film that manages to be both “Crows Zero” and white-collar drama at the same time.
“Office Royale” is screening at New York Asian Film Festival
26-year-old Naoko, who also happens to be a hard-core otaku, has just gotten herself a good job in a Tokyo company, and is enjoying the laid-back and friendly atmosphere. However, beneath the seemingly normal setting,...
What would happen, though, if this style was transferred to the corporate world, where female employees are the brawlers, the gang members, and essentially the ultimate fighters of this world? And what if the humor was even more slapstick than in anime, but also meta and self-deprecating? And what if some of the female fighters were actually male crossdressers? Seki Kazuaki and writer Bakarhythm provide the answer in a film that manages to be both “Crows Zero” and white-collar drama at the same time.
“Office Royale” is screening at New York Asian Film Festival
26-year-old Naoko, who also happens to be a hard-core otaku, has just gotten herself a good job in a Tokyo company, and is enjoying the laid-back and friendly atmosphere. However, beneath the seemingly normal setting,...
- 8/12/2021
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
I have to admit my knowledge of Mongolian cinema is practically non-existent. Due to the fact, I was really excited to watch my first film from the country, while the theme of school gangs made the prospect even more interesting. Let us see how the movie fared though.
Watch This Film
The script revolves around the merger of two schools due to budget cuts and the subsequent antagonism between the “gangs” of the two, in a race that soon involves girlfriends, relatives and eventually takes a very dangerous turn. In this setting, distinct groups are formed. The first one is led by Dulguun, the “hero”, a very nice and handsome teenager who is also a martial artist whose group includes a number of friends who also deal with martial arts including a rather butch girl. Dulguun soon finds himself attracted to Egshiglen, a very beautiful girl from the “other” school...
Watch This Film
The script revolves around the merger of two schools due to budget cuts and the subsequent antagonism between the “gangs” of the two, in a race that soon involves girlfriends, relatives and eventually takes a very dangerous turn. In this setting, distinct groups are formed. The first one is led by Dulguun, the “hero”, a very nice and handsome teenager who is also a martial artist whose group includes a number of friends who also deal with martial arts including a rather butch girl. Dulguun soon finds himself attracted to Egshiglen, a very beautiful girl from the “other” school...
- 8/11/2021
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
After taking on the live-action adaptation of “Gintama”, the director of “Hk: Forbidden Super Hero” was bound to continue in the same, commercially successful path, this time dealing with another iconic manga,”Kyo kara Ore wa!!”. The initial story revolves around two high school students, Takashi Mitsuhashi and Shinji Ito, who meet each other at a salon, and when they realize they are transferring to the same new school, decide to reinvent themselves, and become the greatest delinquents in Japan.
“From Today, It’s My Turn!!” is screening at Toronto Japanese Film Festival
In the particular story, Takashi finds himself antagonizing Katsutoshi Imai, another rather strong delinquent who has a thing for his sister, Riko. At the same time, another school full of thugs temporarily transfers to their own, and soon take over through their own two leaders, giant Shigehiro Otake and knife wielding Eiji Yanagi, who even force the...
“From Today, It’s My Turn!!” is screening at Toronto Japanese Film Festival
In the particular story, Takashi finds himself antagonizing Katsutoshi Imai, another rather strong delinquent who has a thing for his sister, Riko. At the same time, another school full of thugs temporarily transfers to their own, and soon take over through their own two leaders, giant Shigehiro Otake and knife wielding Eiji Yanagi, who even force the...
- 6/9/2021
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Actor Haruma Miura, one of Japan’s top young film and television stars, has died at age 30 after being found unresponsive at his Minato ward home in Tokyo.
His manager found Miura when he came to his home to check on the star, who did not show up for work. News reports said he was rushed to the hospital but was declared dead upon arrival.
Tokyo Metropolitan Police are investigating his cause of death as a possible suicide, reports said.
Miura debuted in Japanese film at age seven, appearing in the drama Agri in 1997.
He was a founder of the band Brash Brats with his fellow classmates, but the group went on hiatus in 2005.
From there, Miura earned the Sponichi Grand Prix Newcomer Award at the Mainichi Film Awards in 2009 for his role in Naoko. He also won the newcomer award at the 31st Japan Academy Awards for that role.
His manager found Miura when he came to his home to check on the star, who did not show up for work. News reports said he was rushed to the hospital but was declared dead upon arrival.
Tokyo Metropolitan Police are investigating his cause of death as a possible suicide, reports said.
Miura debuted in Japanese film at age seven, appearing in the drama Agri in 1997.
He was a founder of the band Brash Brats with his fellow classmates, but the group went on hiatus in 2005.
From there, Miura earned the Sponichi Grand Prix Newcomer Award at the Mainichi Film Awards in 2009 for his role in Naoko. He also won the newcomer award at the 31st Japan Academy Awards for that role.
- 7/18/2020
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
Based on the homonymous manga by Takahashi Hiroshi, Q.P. is another TV series Takashi Miike helped kickstart, just as he did for “K-Tai Investigator 7“, although in this case, the script seems to stray quite away from the original.
The episode begins with Hajime Misaki in focus, a young man who used to train in boxing, but has abandoned his dream and now works as a waiter in a cafe. One day, and as a yakuza customer was particularly annoying while talking on his mobile, another yakuza, Ryo Azuma makes his appearance in the same cafe, and punishes the first one in the most brutal way, in essence turning everything Hajime was thinking into reality. Without a second thought, Hajime drops everything and starts following Azuma, who is soon proved to be the leader of a fierce but quite small gang, named the Tenrokai, who immediately take Hajime in.
The episode begins with Hajime Misaki in focus, a young man who used to train in boxing, but has abandoned his dream and now works as a waiter in a cafe. One day, and as a yakuza customer was particularly annoying while talking on his mobile, another yakuza, Ryo Azuma makes his appearance in the same cafe, and punishes the first one in the most brutal way, in essence turning everything Hajime was thinking into reality. Without a second thought, Hajime drops everything and starts following Azuma, who is soon proved to be the leader of a fierce but quite small gang, named the Tenrokai, who immediately take Hajime in.
- 5/20/2020
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
In an interview with IndieWire back in 1996, one year before the death of the famous Zatoichi actor Shintaro Katsu, Takashi Miike said “I plan to make some sort of jidai-geki. Traditional with kimonos, swords and Samurais, as “Lone Wold and Cub” or “Zatoichi”. Its going to be for all of the family. It will be a mixture of Shakespeare and Samurais.” He intended to cast Takeshi Kitano for the lead, but Kitano wanted to direct the movie himself and so Miike got kicked out of the project that he once started. Kitano continued the production and finally released “Zatoichi – The Blind Swordsman” in 2003.
But Miike, not known for being work-shy, picks up his idea again in 2007 to direct a stage play with Sho Aikawa as Ichi. In addition to crowd-pleasers like “Crows Zero” (2007), “Sukiyaki Western Django” (2007), and “Like a Dragon” (2007), Miike’s turn to the traditional Japanese theatre, Kabuki, proofs...
But Miike, not known for being work-shy, picks up his idea again in 2007 to direct a stage play with Sho Aikawa as Ichi. In addition to crowd-pleasers like “Crows Zero” (2007), “Sukiyaki Western Django” (2007), and “Like a Dragon” (2007), Miike’s turn to the traditional Japanese theatre, Kabuki, proofs...
- 2/28/2020
- by Alexander Knoth
- AsianMoviePulse
Takashi Miike offers a sequel to the successful “Crows Zero”. If the first work didn’t leave us with a cliffhanger, it is nice to catch-up with the same characters, and in the same atmosphere.
Indeed, and unlike the third movie (“Crows Explode”), Crows Zero II doesn’t change the winning team. It is still directed by Miike. The screenplay is still adapted by Shôgo Mutô (usually more active on the J-drama stage). The characters are back, and we luckily avoid the “Days of Our Lives”’s twist to cast different actors for the same role. The soundtrack is still rock’n’rollish and cool.
The film starts eight months after Genji Takaya’s gang took over Suzuran. He is struggling to secure his authority within the school and screws up a long-built truce between Suzuran and another school, Housen. Not a great start for Genji, but...
Indeed, and unlike the third movie (“Crows Explode”), Crows Zero II doesn’t change the winning team. It is still directed by Miike. The screenplay is still adapted by Shôgo Mutô (usually more active on the J-drama stage). The characters are back, and we luckily avoid the “Days of Our Lives”’s twist to cast different actors for the same role. The soundtrack is still rock’n’rollish and cool.
The film starts eight months after Genji Takaya’s gang took over Suzuran. He is struggling to secure his authority within the school and screws up a long-built truce between Suzuran and another school, Housen. Not a great start for Genji, but...
- 1/14/2020
- by Oriana Virone
- AsianMoviePulse
Takashi Miike’s second phase of filmmaking, the one mostly dealing with manga adaptations, has been at its best when the Japanese master was able to make films that function as a collage of different ideas. “Ai to Makoto”, the manga by Ikki Kajiwara and Takumi Nagayasu the film is based on, gave Miike a perfect opportunity to produce a movie in that style, as it includes elements of 70s exploitation, musical and anime/manga aesthetics, to name a few. Let us take things from the beginning though.
The anime intro begins in 1961, when a skiing accident introduces the aristocrat Ai to the punk Makoto. 11 years later, and in live-action mode, the two meet again, when Ai, a senior in a prestigious high school, stumbles upon Makoto as he fights the members of a Tokyo gang on his own. Makoto emerges victorious, after the first musical act of the film,...
The anime intro begins in 1961, when a skiing accident introduces the aristocrat Ai to the punk Makoto. 11 years later, and in live-action mode, the two meet again, when Ai, a senior in a prestigious high school, stumbles upon Makoto as he fights the members of a Tokyo gang on his own. Makoto emerges victorious, after the first musical act of the film,...
- 8/5/2019
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
“Crows Zero” was one of Takashi Miike’s 2007 creations. With this movie, the very prolific filmmaker develops a prequel to Hiroshi Takahashi’s mangas “Crows” and “Worst”.
The film follows the story of Genji Takiya. He is clearly a rebel, because he has a funky haircut, smokes, and has chains to his jeans. He happens to be the son of a yakuza. He also happens to start at a new school, Suzuran All-Boys High School. If he can take over the worse school in Japan, he could take over his father’s crime organization. That is not an easy task, considering the many funky-hair-and-chains-to-the-jeans teenagers in the high school.
The feature includes what usually makes a good yakuza movie: alliances & loyalty, fight scenes & intense looks, humour; the influence from manga is also clear, with very graphic and sometimes over-the-top scenes. Besides the theme and action, Takashi Miike...
The film follows the story of Genji Takiya. He is clearly a rebel, because he has a funky haircut, smokes, and has chains to his jeans. He happens to be the son of a yakuza. He also happens to start at a new school, Suzuran All-Boys High School. If he can take over the worse school in Japan, he could take over his father’s crime organization. That is not an easy task, considering the many funky-hair-and-chains-to-the-jeans teenagers in the high school.
The feature includes what usually makes a good yakuza movie: alliances & loyalty, fight scenes & intense looks, humour; the influence from manga is also clear, with very graphic and sometimes over-the-top scenes. Besides the theme and action, Takashi Miike...
- 8/1/2019
- by Oriana Virone
- AsianMoviePulse
Director Hiroshi Takahashi has completed production on his recent horror production “Toshimaen”. Although this marks the fifth feature length film from Takahashi, fans of Japanese cinema may be more familiar with him through his written work. This includes scripting on various films in the “Ringu” franchise as well as having his manga work adapted into a live action film (“Crows Zero”).
The film is set for release on May 10, 2019 in Japan, with a domestic release certain to follow. A trailer for the film has been made available prior to the films release and can be viewed below.
Synopsis
Shot on location at the famous Toshimaen Amusement Park, the aptly name “Toshimaen” film is centered around a group of friends who decide to spend a day of fun at the park and its attractions. Things go awry when one of their numbers disappears mysteriously and they believe her to have gone into the haunted house.
The film is set for release on May 10, 2019 in Japan, with a domestic release certain to follow. A trailer for the film has been made available prior to the films release and can be viewed below.
Synopsis
Shot on location at the famous Toshimaen Amusement Park, the aptly name “Toshimaen” film is centered around a group of friends who decide to spend a day of fun at the park and its attractions. Things go awry when one of their numbers disappears mysteriously and they believe her to have gone into the haunted house.
- 3/13/2019
- by Adam Symchuk
- AsianMoviePulse
More casting news for Legendary’s epic fight flick Godzilla vs. Kong today, as Deadline reports that Japanese star Shun Oguri will make his Hollywood debut in the 2020 film. Oguri starred in Takashi Miike’s Crows Zero, as well as last year’s Gintama. Millie Bobby Brown (“Stranger Things”), Julian Dennison (Deadpool 2), Rebecca Hall (The Bfg), Eiza Gonzalez (Baby Driver), Brian Tyree Henry (“Atlanta”), Alexander Skarsgård (“True Blood”), Jessica […]...
- 11/12/2018
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
Exclusive: Legendary has closed a deal for Japanese actor Shun Oguri to make his Hollywood debut joining Godzilla vs. Kong. The actor is best known for credits that include Takashi Miike’s Crows Zero and its sequel and Gintama.
Oguri joins Alexander Skarsgard, Rebecca Hall, Brian Tyree Henry, Eiza Gonzalez, Julian Dennison and Demian Bichir. Adam Wingard is directing the fourth installment of the Legendary/Warner Bros. cinematic universe. Godzilla Vs. Kong will be released on May 22, 2020.
Oguri joins Alexander Skarsgard, Rebecca Hall, Brian Tyree Henry, Eiza Gonzalez, Julian Dennison and Demian Bichir. Adam Wingard is directing the fourth installment of the Legendary/Warner Bros. cinematic universe. Godzilla Vs. Kong will be released on May 22, 2020.
- 11/11/2018
- by Mike Fleming Jr
- Deadline Film + TV
Crows Episode 0
Pusan International Film Festival
BUSAN, South Korea -- Protean and prolific director Takashi Miike's latest youth actioner can be described as Volcano High with brains. Unlike Volcano, a Korean teen cult action film which delivers punch after punch of repetitive mind-numbing violence, Crows Episode 0 (Kurouzu Episoudo Zero) lucidly dissects the infrastructure of gangland in a high school, showing how it's a miniature of the yakuza pecking order. For those who prefer mind-numbing violence, there is enough protracted fist fights to give them concussions.
Crows is intended as the first of a trilogy adapted from Hiroshi Takahashi's manga series that sold some 32 million copies. Luckily, like other Miike films adapted from another media, Crows can be understood and enjoyed without any knowledge of its source. The film has Korean distribution, and like the recent, game-inspired Like a Dragon, it will be snapped up by Miike's regular fans.
The prelude before the opening credits shows yakuza mutt Ken getting shot at the docks. As he sinks into the water, he yells, "Genji, if I hadn't known you..." The ending will come full circle to this sequence giving it a new meaning.
The real action starts at Suzuran High, nicknamed School for Crows for the scum it enrolls. Miike introduces a squad of full-on characters who have different physical looks and degrees of viciousness. The arrival of transfer student Genji Takiya (Shyun Oguri) and his open dissing of Top Dog Tamao Serisawa (Takiyuku Yamada) intensify the turf war. Genji vows to conquer the school as a litmus test to outdo his yakuza dad. Ken, a middle-aged Suzuran dropout, re-enters the picture as Genji's sidekick/mentor. They start a takeover war that puts the adage "if you can't beat them, join them" into painful practice. The ensuing strategic maneuvers, alliance building and shifts in balance of power mirror corporate culture. They are fascinating even for cerebral audiences.
There is also no lack of smutty humor, like group date setup that gets very sticky in the pants. The young cast overall give a strong performance but the romantic sideline is very weak. Goro Kishitani, the psycho yakuza in Like a Dragon steals the show in a cameo as Genji's father, a calm and collected crime boss with worldly-wise philosophy to spare.
After a succession of one-to-one tussles and battle royales that remind one of moving up levels in computer games, the film slowly builds up a moral universe with values of loyalty, friendship and self-sacrifice that are conservative and echo the epic struggle between historical Genji and Heike clans, Japan's answer to The War of the Roses, which Miike reinterpreted in Sukiyaki Western Django. Unlike Django, one actually develops grudging respect for both sides.
The final show down is shot in a stylized f/x mix of slow motion and suddenly cranked up action. Except for an eye-popping car/motorbike chase, action choreography, though ferocious and graphic enough throughout, is not the most original of Miike's works. However, the ending is a cliffhanger that definitely psyches the audience up for the sequel.
The original comic is supposed to be a 1990s bible for Japanese Yankee (country pumpkin hooligans that have style affinity with the Leningrad Cowboys), but the image designer has revamped the handsome cast with slick black school uniforms and spiky gelled hair that makes them look very crow-like indeed. The dominant visual tone of moody black, grey and muddy brown adds a touch of mellowness to the rough-and-tumble.
CROWS EPISODE 0
TBS Pictures/Toho/MBS/Akita Shuten/CBC/Happinet
Credits:
Director: Takashi Miike
Screenwriter: Shogo Muto
Based on the comic by Hiroshi Takahashi
Producers: Mataichiro Yamamoto, Hidemi Satani
Director of photography: Takumi Furutani
Production designer: Yuji Hayashida
Music: Naoki Otsubo
Editor: Shuichi Kakesu
Cast:
Genji Takiya: Shyun Oguri
Tamao Serisawa: Takayuki Yamada
Ken Katagiri: Kyousuke Yabe
Ruka: Meisa Kuroka
Makise: Tsutomua Takahashi
Hideo Takiya: Goro KishitaniNo MPAA rating...
BUSAN, South Korea -- Protean and prolific director Takashi Miike's latest youth actioner can be described as Volcano High with brains. Unlike Volcano, a Korean teen cult action film which delivers punch after punch of repetitive mind-numbing violence, Crows Episode 0 (Kurouzu Episoudo Zero) lucidly dissects the infrastructure of gangland in a high school, showing how it's a miniature of the yakuza pecking order. For those who prefer mind-numbing violence, there is enough protracted fist fights to give them concussions.
Crows is intended as the first of a trilogy adapted from Hiroshi Takahashi's manga series that sold some 32 million copies. Luckily, like other Miike films adapted from another media, Crows can be understood and enjoyed without any knowledge of its source. The film has Korean distribution, and like the recent, game-inspired Like a Dragon, it will be snapped up by Miike's regular fans.
The prelude before the opening credits shows yakuza mutt Ken getting shot at the docks. As he sinks into the water, he yells, "Genji, if I hadn't known you..." The ending will come full circle to this sequence giving it a new meaning.
The real action starts at Suzuran High, nicknamed School for Crows for the scum it enrolls. Miike introduces a squad of full-on characters who have different physical looks and degrees of viciousness. The arrival of transfer student Genji Takiya (Shyun Oguri) and his open dissing of Top Dog Tamao Serisawa (Takiyuku Yamada) intensify the turf war. Genji vows to conquer the school as a litmus test to outdo his yakuza dad. Ken, a middle-aged Suzuran dropout, re-enters the picture as Genji's sidekick/mentor. They start a takeover war that puts the adage "if you can't beat them, join them" into painful practice. The ensuing strategic maneuvers, alliance building and shifts in balance of power mirror corporate culture. They are fascinating even for cerebral audiences.
There is also no lack of smutty humor, like group date setup that gets very sticky in the pants. The young cast overall give a strong performance but the romantic sideline is very weak. Goro Kishitani, the psycho yakuza in Like a Dragon steals the show in a cameo as Genji's father, a calm and collected crime boss with worldly-wise philosophy to spare.
After a succession of one-to-one tussles and battle royales that remind one of moving up levels in computer games, the film slowly builds up a moral universe with values of loyalty, friendship and self-sacrifice that are conservative and echo the epic struggle between historical Genji and Heike clans, Japan's answer to The War of the Roses, which Miike reinterpreted in Sukiyaki Western Django. Unlike Django, one actually develops grudging respect for both sides.
The final show down is shot in a stylized f/x mix of slow motion and suddenly cranked up action. Except for an eye-popping car/motorbike chase, action choreography, though ferocious and graphic enough throughout, is not the most original of Miike's works. However, the ending is a cliffhanger that definitely psyches the audience up for the sequel.
The original comic is supposed to be a 1990s bible for Japanese Yankee (country pumpkin hooligans that have style affinity with the Leningrad Cowboys), but the image designer has revamped the handsome cast with slick black school uniforms and spiky gelled hair that makes them look very crow-like indeed. The dominant visual tone of moody black, grey and muddy brown adds a touch of mellowness to the rough-and-tumble.
CROWS EPISODE 0
TBS Pictures/Toho/MBS/Akita Shuten/CBC/Happinet
Credits:
Director: Takashi Miike
Screenwriter: Shogo Muto
Based on the comic by Hiroshi Takahashi
Producers: Mataichiro Yamamoto, Hidemi Satani
Director of photography: Takumi Furutani
Production designer: Yuji Hayashida
Music: Naoki Otsubo
Editor: Shuichi Kakesu
Cast:
Genji Takiya: Shyun Oguri
Tamao Serisawa: Takayuki Yamada
Ken Katagiri: Kyousuke Yabe
Ruka: Meisa Kuroka
Makise: Tsutomua Takahashi
Hideo Takiya: Goro KishitaniNo MPAA rating...
- 10/7/2007
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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