Minbo: The Gentle Art of Japanese Extortion (1992) [Film Review]

Minbo; or, Mind the Yakuza!

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Have you ever happened to be in charge of a renowned hotel? If yes, then you must have had problems with some unwanted guests like pickpockets, brawlers, loudmouths, and... gangsters. Of course, the gangsters seem to be the least troubling out of the whole bunch, except for the fact that by their mere presence they destroy the hotel’s reputation and its future prospects for hosting members of the establishment. What to do in such a situation? Call the anti-extortion woman.

Release Info 

Directed by: Juzo Itami Starring: Nobuko Miyamoto, Yasuo Daichi, Takehiro Murata, Akira Takarada

Language: Japanese Original Title: ミンボーの女 Runtime: 123 min

Synopsis

Hotel Europa is making preparations to host a prestigious summit meeting of international officials. However, the hotel’s manager Kobayashi (Akira Takarada) is unexpectedly told that Europa will most likely not be chosen as the site for the summit because of the yakuza who are its frequent guests and extort money from the employees. Therefore, Kobayashi decides to create a special team whose aim is to throw the gangsters out of the hotel’s premises. Nevertheless, the team composed of an accountant Suzuki (Yasuo Daichi) and a bellboy Wakasugi (Takehiro Murata) proves inefficient. In view of the growing conflict with the yakuza, the management hires a professional lawyer called Mahiru Inoue (Nobuko Miyamoto) who specialises in Minbo; that is, the gentle art of Japanese extortion.

Deadly Yakuza Films

It’s really hard to make a movie that almost immediately gets the response from the group it exposes and ridicules. For instance, Takeshi Kitano was making his yakuza dramas for years and to date no yakuza member gave him his feedback. Director Juzo Itami, on the other hand, had to wait only six days after the release of Minbo...

Minbo focuses on three characters: Inoue the lawyer, Suzuki the accountant, and Wakasugi the bellboy; and their struggle against the yakuza. Inoue teaches the two men how to handle the mobsters. At the very beginning of the movie, she demonstrates her skill and confidence when warding off the gangsters without a flicker of fright. That’s the basic rule she tells the employees: “Don’t fear yakuza”.

 

The whole film sets up and later operates on a premise that the yakuza will not hurt ordinary people because they simply cannot afford to break the law. Naturally, they fight between themselves, but they will never assault a passer-by just to get themselves arrested. That is the theory and the focal point of our heroes’ actions. When things get rough, the trio leads yakuza members into a special VIP room with a camera and reasonably talk some sense into them. When the yakuza are brought to the boiling point, knowing they cannot commit a crime in front of a camera, they just leave the hotel. However, they do retaliate in other ways.

This is when brutal reality comes forward in Itami’s picture. The director, quite realistically, managed to present various methods of extortion and harassment. Yakuza are depicted as brutal thugs, scoundrels, and bullies. If things do not go to their liking, they stage a false robbery, place an insect in the hotel’s kitchen, set the manager up for illegal gamble and rape, as well as protest against construction site. The unusual approach of Mahiru Inoue leads to only two possible outcomes: yakuza backing out or breaking the law. Needless to say, towards the end of the picture, they break the law, but it is also when the film’s premise takes a U-turn and transforms from a comedy into a hardcore drama.

 

Unfortunately, the real Japanese yakuza disliked the way in which they were portrayed in the film. Repeatedly referring to their samurai roots, they stylise themselves as chivalric protectors of the weak, whereas Minbo totally contradicts that idea. Six days after the film’s premiere, Juzo Itami was attacked in front of his house. Three members of the so-called “Goto-gumi” yakuza gang beat the director and slowly slashed his face with a knife. Unfortunately, this is not the end of yakuza’s revenge. In 1997, Itami (allegedly) killed himself by jumping from a rooftop. Yakuza’s involvement was never confirmed; though in 2008, an ex-member of Goto-gumi gave a shocking statement in which he said that they "staged the murder as a suicide” (see Jake Adelstein’s article for further details).

In terms of performances, Nobuko Miyamoto shines on the screen as the film’s main heroine. She provides a wide range of acting in comic as well as dramatic scenes, thus keeping the picture going. Akira Takarada delivers lots of laughs as the scared-to-death hotel manager. Takarada is the living embodiment of charm and elegance, which works to his advantage in both drama and comedy. Akira Nakao also deserves an honourable mention as the yakuza’s leader Ibagi. In contrast to his positive roles of military men, father figures and neurotic principals (#GTO4life!), he convincingly portrays the bad guy.

 

Recommendations

If you have a free afternoon and don’t know what to do, then Minbo is the good choice to pass the time. It may not be a full-blown comedy, but it is certainly entertaining due to interesting story and decent performances. On a side note, as a Kaiju fan, I also get a kick out of the fact that the film features three veterans of Godzilla films (Takarada, Nakao, and Murata). Plus, I’m a sucker for the Japanese flicks from the 1990s. Safely recommended to anyone who is into yakuza themes.

Overall score: 7/10

Kikujiro (1999) [Film Review]

Kikujiro; or, There and Back Again

If you’re into modern Japanese cinema, you must have heard about Takeshi Kitano. Some of the critics hate him for his yakuza dramas, whereas others hail him as the successor of Akira Kurosawa. Regardless of diverse opinions about Kitano, he is indeed one of the most influential movie directors out there. In view of the on-going summer aura, I decided to review the film which is in almost every top 5 list of Kitano’s best pictures. Grab your backpacks and prepare for a road trip with Kikujiro.

Release Info

Directed by: Takeshi Kitano Starring: Yusuke Sekiguchi, Beat Takeshi, Kayoko Kishimoto
Language: Japanese Original Title: Kikujirō no Natsu (Kikujirō's Summer) Runtime: 121 min

Plot

Masao (Yusuke Sekiguchi) is a little boy who is looked after by his grandmother in Tokyo. With the end of a school year, Masao finds himself lonely as his friends go on holiday trips with their parents. One day, he accidentally finds at home the address of his mother whom he has never seen. Masao leaves home on his own, determined to reach Toyohashi which is 180 miles away from Tokyo. Yet, he is immediately attacked by a group of teenagers. Grandmother’s neighbour, Kikujiro’s wife (Kayoko Kishimoto) intervenes and after hearing the boy’s story, she orders her husband, a lazy ex-yakuza slob (Kitano) to accompany Masao on his long journey. In consequence, a quiet boy and an aggressive thug begin an extraordinary trip across Japan during which they discover how much they have in common.

 

This Mister is strange

First of all, Kikujiro is not an ordinary road trip movie. Well, every Kitano’s film is not ordinary in its own right, but this is the issue for a whole separate article. Kikujiro pushes itself forward out of Kitano’s filmography with slow-paced narration, phantasmagorical imagery, and elements of magic realism. All in all, the story is told from the perspective of Masao, as we see consecutive parts of his trip arranged into the entries of his diary. Nevertheless, although Kikujiro focuses on dead serious issues of rejection, alienation, and solitude, it manages to deliver its content in a light and comedic manner. That is mostly due to Kitano’s comedic background as well as the ironic take on existential anti-heroes the director used to exploit so much in, for example, Violent Cop (1989), Sonatine (1993), and Hana-bi (1997).

 

The most interesting thing in Kikujiro is perhaps not the story, but the characters. On the one hand we have Masao who is on the search for his mother; on the other, there is Kikujiro who has already lost his mother. Only when the truth about Masao’s mother is revealed halfway in the picture, Kikujiro finally comes out of his shell and attempts to console the boy. As a result, the trip back to Tokyo becomes much more meaningful to both of them as they encounter strange but likeable characters (who seem to be taken straight out of Haruki Murakami’s novels).

 

In terms of performances, nothing much can be said apart from that they’re flawless. Kitano gives a stellar performance as Kikujiro, yet it is Yusuke Sekiguchi as Masao who is the heart of the picture. I’ve read a few negative comments on the internet that the kid was miscast, but in my opinion, he was a great casting choice. With his ordinary presence and lack of acting experience, Sekiguchi managed to bring natural childish innocence as well as internal loneliness which made his character so relatable. I’m quite surprised that he never played in anything else after Kikujiro.

 

Of other notable mentions, Kayoko Kishimoto graces the film with her appearance, but is given a very limited screen time. Also, Gurêto Gidayû and Rakkyo Ide do hilarious job as the bikers. As far as I can remember, the scene of “alien visitation” was spoofed in Kitano’s other film Glory to the Filmmaker! (2007). In addition, we should not forget about Joe Hisashi, the film’s composer and a frequent collaborator of Kitano. Hisashi’s music for Kikujiro is one of my all-time favourite scores by him (this and Sonatine). Especially the track called Summer will definitely get you in a holiday mood.

Recommendations

Definitely recommended to everyone. Kikujiro is, in my personal opinion, Kitano’s best picture. If you want to explore Kitano’s films, but you’re too afraid to get into his yakuza flicks, then Kikujiro is the best choice to start with. His other films are undeniably amazing and special, but Kikujiro hits the nail right on the head with its simple premise, which is unexpectedly turned upside down as the film progresses. This is not a story about a man and a boy becoming friends. This is a story about a boy being saved by kindness of complete strangers.

Overall score: 10/10

Pokémon: The First Movie (1998) [Anime Review]

Pokémon: The First Movie; or, The Power of Nostalgia

With all the craze going on across North America and Europe due to the release of Pokémon Go game, the Japanese franchise returned in glory into the pop-cultural mainstream. As for myself, I saw an opportunity to take a trip down the memory lane and dust off some of the Pokémon merchandise from my childhood years. In addition, I also recalled the never-ending anime series (which was a big hit on Polish tv in the late 1990s/early 2000s) as well as the theatrical features. I was surprised to find out that so many of them were made (19 films so far!) and the Pokémon Company has no intention of slowing down. In view of Pokémon’s recent renaissance, I decided to review the very first Pokémon anime film, released internationally as Pokémon: The First Movie, but its original title is Pocket Monsters the Movie: Mewtwo Strikes Back!

Release Info

Directed by: Kunihiko Yuyama Voice actors: Rica Matsumoto, Ikue Ōtani, Masachika Ichimura
Language: Japanese Original Title: Gekijōban Poketto Monsutā: Myūtsū no Gyakushū Runtime: 75 min

Plot

Originally, the theatrical release of Pokémon: The First Movie consisted of three segments: Pikachu’s Vacation (20 minutes long), focusing on how Pikachu and other Pokémon spend a day at a theme park and have to help Charizard who got stuck; Mewtwo Origins (10 minutes long), which serves as the film’s prologue as it presents the genesis of the film’s antagonist; and the main feature, Mewtwo Stikes Back (75 minutes long). The feature tells the story of Mewtwo, a genetically-engineered clone of an ancient Pokémon known as Mew. He was created in a lab for the purpose of serving Team Rocket’s leader, Giovanni, as a weapon against other Pokémon. However, with his exceptional fighting abilities, Mewtwo also developed consciousness and advanced psychic powers. He rebels against the way how Pokémon are treated by humans and destroys Giovanni’s facility. Later, Ash Ketchum, Pikachu, Misty and Brock receive an invitation for a special Pokémon tournament which is to be held on New Island. When the protagonists arrive there, it turns out that Mewtwo invited respected trainers in order to steal their Pokémon and create better clones out of their DNA. Ash and other trainers try to stop Mewtwo but to no avail. Only the unexpected appearance of original Mew provides an opportunity to stop Mewtwo’s devilish plan.

Back in the good old days

In Poland, only the first three Pokémon theatrical features were released in cinemas between 2001 and 2002. Those were my primary school days and every kid around the corner knew about Pokémon. We used to collect Pokémon Tazos Pogs, Caps, and Cards; early seasons of anime were constantly on tv, not to mention the grandeur of video games. I still vividly remember when I went to check it out. However, I can't recall seeing Pikachu’s Vacation and Mewtwo Origins segments before Mewtwo Strikes Back. I suspect that Polish distributors decided to be lazy bums and released only the main segment itself. Also, in terms of home media, things vary according to the country and some of the releases have the aforementioned segments, whereas some of them don’t. However, do not despair if your old vhs or dvd version of the film (like mine) doesn’t have the segments, because they’re easily accessible to watch on youtube (links below the review).

In terms of the film itself, I must say that I have really mixed feelings after re-watching it 15 years since the first viewing. The film was made by Kunihiko Yuyama (as every other Pokémon theatrical movie so far) who is the chief director of the anime series. As a result, the film greatly reflects the tone of the television show. It is not a remake of the pilot episode or new introduction into the world of Pokémon, but just another adventure of Ash and Pikachu. The beginning of the film provides a very interesting premise: the most powerful Pokémon on the surface of the Earth decides to rebel. In addition, the opening sequence of Ash having a match with other trainer is outstanding. When the remixed version of anime’s English theme kicked in, a shiver went down my spine (say anything you want about the English dub, but Gotta Catch’em All song is the best).

Unfortunately, as our heroes arrive on the island, things are sadly going downhill. It seems as if the screenwriters couldn’t decide whether to focus their attention on action or the message of the story they started building up through the character of Mewtwo. In consequence, the film shifts indecisively between these two aspects, trying to present some great Pokémon fights, but also become a learning experience for children. To me, makers of the film completely lost their way. The first thing which doesn’t work is Mewtwo’s plan of stealing and cloning Pokémon for the purpose of conquering the world. Wouldn’t it be simpler and more interesting to show a full tournament between the trainers and later reveal that a Pokémon was behind all this? The cloning idea leads to a second issue: Pokémon forced to fight with their clones. That’s the moment when the makers are trying to sell the film’s message on force and promote some educational values. It would be more interesting to see Pokémon uniting against Mewtwo. The third and last issue is Mew. When he shows up, the viewers are led to believe that there is going to be a huge showdown on the screen, yet it is disrupted by Ash’s sacrifice, which... actually works.

Yes, the finale’s last 10 minutes bring the movie back from its knees. The scene of Pikachu trying to resurrect Ash is in the third place of my personal top tear-jerking moments in animation films (right behind locking up of Mrs Jumbo and Mufasa’s death). Also, Mewtwo’s sudden change of heart is a bit out of the ordinary, but his setting out on a quest along with Pokémon clones brings a satisfactory closure to the convoluted storyline.

Recommendations

Obviously, recommended for Pokémon fans. The film was made for kids, but grown-up fans can enjoy it as well. Pokémon: The First Movie has great opening, mediocre middle, and epic ending, but by no means it is the worst anime picture. The movie was an international blockbuster during its original release and the demand for it is still there, considering a recent release of 20th anniversary release of the remastered version on Blu-ray. It may not be the best Pokémon feature out there, yet the aura of nostalgia preserved its charm over the decades.

Overall score: 7/10