Shuto Kousoku Trial 3 (1991) [Film Review]

Shuto Kousoku Trial 3; or, Remember Me
     I'll race you anytime as long as it's on the track.
Shuto Kousoku Trial 3 is yet another entry in the popular racing series from Nikkatsu studio. Apart from being a sequel with the shortest runtime (barely 65 minutes), this movie is also known for being the debut flick of Reiko Takashima(!) Without further due, let’s buckle up and drive through the third movie about the legendary Shuto Expressway.

Release Info

Starring: Kazuhiko Nishimura, Reiko Takashima, Ikuo Fukada

Language: Japanese Original Title: 首都高速トライアル 3 Runtime: 65 min

Synopsis
Kyohei (Kazuhiko Nishimura) is a former holder of a record time run at Shuto Express. He retired from illegal racing and now works as a mechanic for Keiichi Tsuchiya’s racing team. Kyohei’s friend, Yusuke (Ikuo Fukada), still hits the street with his Nissan Silvia. One day, while practicing in the mountains, he is challenged by a mysterious driver in a Toyota Supra. Yusuke barely manages to survive the confrontation. Kyohei, on the other hand, witnesses a car accident while practicing in Skyline R32. This event makes him recollect a horrible accident from the past. He tries to persuade Yusuke to give up street racing; however, a friend takes up another challenge from Toyota Supra and dies during the race. Kyohei returns to Shuto Expressway in order to face off against the mysterious driver. It turns out that everything is connected to a tragic incident from the past...

Catch me, darling!
I have to say that Shuto Kousoku Trial 3 is by far the weakest entry in the series, but it is not by any means unwatchable. Evidently, the screenplay is just an excuse to get to car action, but the director interpreted this rule too literally. Consequently, what we have is a film with shoddy editing, only one City Pop song, and (potentially) the best storyline of the series that got lost in translation…

It feels as if well over 30 minutes of footage involving the characters ended up on a cutting room floor, so that there would be more space for decent racing sequences. Honestly, these are the only worthwhile aspects of the film. Interestingly, I could not understand the director’s decision to use only one (great) song: MAHARA’s Crying All Night; and then sync the rest or car action to random incidental music. This creative choice significantly tones down the viewing experience.

Still, I love the appearance of young Reiko Takashima as a journal writing about Keiichi Tsuchiya, and street racing in general. She provides the necessary charm and charisma, but her limited screen time is a big disadvantage. The screenplay constantly revolves around her character, and it is pretty obvious who she really is halfway through the film (no spoilers), yet Reiko is not given the chance to properly shine. All in all, it is a pleasure to see her in a non-drama role.

Additionally, maybe it is only my impression, but Keiichi Tsuchiya appears to be totally disinterested on the screen. He only shows up to repeat the message from the second film, do some cool drifting in R32, and that’s it. Personally, I think that he did much better as “the mentor figure” in Shuto Kousoku Trial 5 & 6.

Recommendations
I recommend Shuto Kousoku Trial 3 only for the cars and Reiko Takashima’s appearance. Subsequent entries in the series have learned a lesson from this sequel and tried to tell more compelling stories about the drivers chasing fortune and glory on the Shuto Expressway.

Overall score: 6/10

«Enjoyed this post? Never miss out on future posts by following us»

Space Battleship Yamato (2010) [Film Review]

Space Battleship Yamato; or, The Stars My Destination

     Even a single gleam in the dark, even the slightest chance… let us use that as a basis for hope!
I have been meaning to watch Space Battleship Yamato for quite some time because I have heard a great deal of positive opinions about the anime from the 1970s which made an enormous impact on the science fiction genre and influenced such franchises as Gundam, Neon Genesis Evangelion, and Macross. Well, an opportunity finally came and I sat down to watch the live-action adaptation from 2010 with none other than Takuya Kimura himself in the leading role.

Release Info

Directed by: Takashi Yamazaki Starring: Takuya Kimura, Meisa Kuroki, Tsutomu Yamazaki

Language: Japanese Original Title: 宇宙戦艦ヤマト Runtime: 138 min

Synopsis
It’s the year 2199. Mankind is at war with extraterrestrial beings known as the Gamilas for 5 years now. The aliens continuously bombard the planet with radioactive bombs which render it uninhabitable. Consequently, people have to hide underground. The Yamato, the last interstellar battleship of the Earth’s Defence Forces, sets out on a mission to a distant planet Iscandar in order to obtain a device that will eradicate radioactivity. The ship’s crew is humanity’s last hope against the invaders from outer space.

Trek Wars
At the beginning, allow me to address my initial worries with regard to the film. The movie trailer looked promising, but I was afraid that such kind of production would fall victim to sloppy CGI and unevenly done special effects (like Godzilla movies from the Millennium Series). Thankfully, this is not the case with Space Battleship Yamato. All the space/battle sequences look absolutely spectacular and really stand the test of time. I wish I could have had the ability to see the film in a theater, back in 2010. It is a great viewing experience from the visual standpoint. Allegedly, Takuya Kimura himself put pressure on the director to deliver on this front, and the actor even reduced his working fee just to accommodate the F/X budget. What a guy!

This being said, I can’t help but notice a correlation between Space Battleship Yamato and classic franchise from America, Star Trek. Evidently, the original anime took a lot of cues from the original show devised by Gene Roddenberry, but this movie seems to really evoke the vibes of J.J. Abrams’ reboot from 2009. That is to say, there is a lot of emphasis on bombastic action, character development, and pathos. Sususmu Kodai, the protagonist played by Kimura really resembles young James T. Kirk in terms of bravado and charisma.

With regard to the screenplay, unfortunately, the farther it goes, the worse it gets. While the first two acts heavily rely on Star Trek atmosphere, the third section of the film veers into the territory of Paul Verhoeven’s Starship Troopers (1997), only to end with a finale that could have easily been incorporated into Ronald Emmerich’s Independence Day (1996). In other words, there is a LOT going on in the storyline but the unfolding events are linked with little to no causality.

Speaking about performances, the cast of this film is something really special. Apart from Takyua Kimura, we get Tsutomu Yamazaki, Toshiyuki Nishida, Reiko Takashima, and Toshiro Yanagiba! All of them did really well with the material they had to work with.

Recommendations
If you would like to check out a sci-fi tale straight from Japan, then I recommend Space Battleship Yamato. It is a fun flick driven by visuals but do not expect it to be a comprehensive story. As an anime adaptation, it works really well.Overall score: 7/10

«Enjoyed this post? Never miss out on future posts by following us»

The Next Generation Patlabor: Tokyo War (2015) [Film Review]

The Next Generation Patlabor: Tokyo War; or, Oshii Strikes Back

It's a tradition of SV2. Is it OK with you, as the second generation Captain?

     We've made it this far. I consider the tradition as a blessing.

Four months after the release of the drama, Mamoru Oshii concluded his live-action Patlabor project with the premiere of The Next Generation Patlabor: Tokyo War in Japanese cinemas on the 1st of May, 2015. It is the final chapter of the new SV2’s story arc while also explaining the aftermath of the events from Patlabor 2: The Movie (1993). Is it a worthy live-action adaptation? Let’s find out.

Release Info

Directed by: Mamoru Oshii Starring: Erina Mano, Toshio Kakei, Reiko Takashima, Yoshiko Sakakibara

Language: Japanese Original Title: THE NEXT GENERATION パトレイバー　首都決戦 Runtime: 94 min

 

Synopsis

13 years after Yukihito Tsuge’s attempted coup d’état, the followers of his ideals try to recreate the state of nationwide unrest with the bombing of the Rainbow Bridge in Tokyo. Captain of the SV2, Keiji Gotoda (Toshio Kakei) is recruited by Kei Takahata (Reiko Takashima) from Public Security to help her find and arrest the terrorists. In the meantime, Captain Nagumo Shinobu (Yoshiko Sakakibara) returns from the UN’s mission in the Middle East and informs Gotoda what really happened to her and Goto after the apprehension of Tsuge. In order to stop the chaos, Gotoda opposes his incompetent superiors and sends the SV2 team on the search for a highly advanced military helicopter known as the Grey Ghost.

 

Shoot for Tomorrow!

Upon its original release, the movie did less than well at the box office, becoming the least grossing live-action Japanese production of 2015. Nevertheless, apart from the standard home video release, the producers pushed hard for a Director’s Cut edition in order to reimburse the income loss. However, Mamoru Oshii claims that he was the one lobbying for the Director’s Cut because he was denied of this privilege for theatres. Regardless of who is right in this conflict, one thing which is certain is that the movie is not for everyone.

 

In comparison with the drama, much of the light-hearted tone and comedy was significantly toned down. Right from the opening scene, Oshii replicates the dead-serious atmosphere from Patlabor 2: The Movie. In fact, The Next Generation Patlabor: Tokyo War is not just a follow-up but also a remake of that classic anime feature. Did you like such sequences as Wyvern interception, assault on the Yokohama Bay Bridge, Shinobu’s demotion, Goto’s pondering about peace, the destruction of SV2 base, or exploding Tokyo MPD? Well, you’re in luck because Tokyo War re-enacts those scenes nearly frame by frame.

 

If you expect an original story with mecha action, then you may be disappointed. I, on the other hand, was quite satisfied. In spite of Oshii’s standard philosophical interjections, I enjoyed the film for what it was and what it tried to achieve. It serves as a poetic echoing of the second anime movie. While reiterating Oshii’s views from the anime on the current political state of Japan, it also gets across the message about doing the right thing. The “time bomb” in the story are Tsuge’s followers and it is up to Gotoda and his team to stop them, so that they could prove to themselves that they truly are SV2 police officers.

 

Apart from nostalgic referencing, I also liked the fact that the character of Captain Nagumo Shinobu was brought back. We can’t see her face but she speaks in her original voice from the anime, provided by the legendary Yoshiko Sakakibara. In addition, I also enjoyed the presence of Reiko Takashima who this time had more stuff to than in the drama. Her character felt as the substitute for Shinobu and she had a great chemistry with Toshio Kakei playing Gotoda. Other cast members from the drama (I’m looking at you Erina Mano, Seiji Fukushi, and Rina Ohta) also did extremely well.

 

Recommendations

If you like the drama and love the second anime film, then The Next Generation Patlabor: Tokyo War is the movie for you. I appreciate the amount of sweat which Oshii put into this, but I don't approve his constant espionage-thriller take on the series. Nevertheless, I honestly would love to see the sequel (though it’s unlikely). This film proves that Patlabor can exist outside of the anime realm and that there’s still lots of cinematic potential for this franchise. Maybe somebody else will take over and come up with new live action films in the future? I can only hope. In the meantime, I will be revisiting this flick every once in a while.

Overall score: 7/10

The Next Generation: Patlabor (2014) [Drama Review]

The Next Generation: Patlabor; or, The Return of Ingram

     Time passes, and people change. The ringing of the Gion Shouja bell signifies the impermanence of this world... I guess. The idiosyncratic first generation was replaced by a mediocre second generation... and the third generation's reputation for incompetence is well established. The only things that haven't changed are me and SV2's Patlor Labor, the AV-98. No... after all those modifications, this guy's actually changed a lot too.

Ever since this drama came out in 2014, it was my dream to check it out. However, I was unaware about online drama sources back then and one of my (former) friends, who actually did watch the first episode somehow, told me that Mamoru Oshii lost his mind and it’s definitely not a Patlabor show. On top of that, numerous negative reviews surfaced on the net, not to mention the theatrical feature’s dire box office returns. However, being a long time Palabor fan and desiring to review all of the franchise’s entries, I finally managed to get a hold of this show and watch it in its entirety. This is my review of the live-action drama The Next Generation: Patlabor.

Release Info

Developed by: Mamoru Oshii Starring: Erina Mano, Seiji Fukushi, Toshio Kakei

Language: Japanese Original Title: THE NEXT GENERATION ‐パトレイバー  No. of eps.: 13

Synopsis

It has been 10 years since the establishment of SV2. The original members of Section 2 ended their duty and went separate ways, then a completely new team of dull and forgettable cadets came and went. Now, it is the time for the third generation to take over in a high-tech world that no longer has any need for Labours. Ever since the establishment of the Tokyo Babylon Project and new technological advancements in the West, Labours have become undesirable in Japan. Division 1 was disbanded and, as a result, Division 2 is on a continuous 24 hour stand-by with two old Ingram AV-98’s at hand. Nevertheless, there are still situations when the Mobile Police becomes useful.

 

Special Vehicles Section 2, Division 2, head out!

First of all, I think that it’s important to mention some of the criticism that this drama received upon its original release. The show was heavily panned for over-the-top comedy, lack of Labour action, and the casting of idol singer Erina Mano in the leading role. Are these claims valid? Well, yes and no, depending on your perspective. For all of the decision making was responsible Mamoru Oshii, the director of the original Patlabor: Early Days OVA and the two movies. While reading press materials from the production period, it appears that Oshii has some sort of love-and-hate relationship with the Patlabor franchise. He agreed to direct the drama on condition that it won’t be set in the future and that there will be a new set of main characters. In addition, he wanted to redesign Ingram but the producers would not let him do that. So, he ordered to create a full-scale, eight meter recreation of AV-98…

 

Having finally seen all 13 episodes, I think it is best to firstly address the things I liked. What I found awesome about the show? Definitely the world of The Next Generation: Patlabor. I loved the concept introduced in the prologue episode in which SV2 functions in the world relying on obsolete technology (Windows XP/Vista systems, PSP consoles, Sony Vaio laptops) where Labours are considered to be even more obsolete. Maybe it was a part of Oshii’s reproach towards the franchise or budget limitations (the character of Shige laments that Labors are good-for-nothing anime robots) but I liked how SV2 had to struggle in reality that has no purpose for giant robots.

 

What is more, the new characters are carbon copies of the original protagonists with minor personality changes here and there. In case if you’d get lost, the surnames refer to their anime predecessors and so we have: Akira Izumino (Erina Mano), Yuma Shiobara (Seiji Fukushi), Ekaterina Krachevna Kankaeva (Rina Ohta), Isamu Otawara (Yoshinori Horimoto), Shinji Mikiya (Kohei Shiotsuka), Hiromichi Yamazaki (Shigekazu Tajiri), and Captain Keiji Gotoda (Toshio Kakei). Also, the actor Shigeru Chiba returns to play Shigeo Shiba, the chief of the maintenance crew, whom he originally dubbed in the anime. Well, once you get over the initial outrage (where’s my Noa and Shinohara?!), you quickly get used to the new team and their follies.

 

Speaking of follies, SV2 has a lot of stuff to do, even though their assignments do not always require the use of Ingrams. For instance, they face off against an arcade game master, gun traders, amphibian kaiju, first class sniper and a dinosaur. All of that is accompanied by numerous Easter eggs, references, and satirical call-backs to the anime series. In fact, the show is the follow-up to both the Movie Timeline and the TV Timeline of the franchise. While reusing some of the good old stuff (SV2 descends down to the dungeons again, fights Red Labour, and disarms a time bomb), the drama replicates the light-hearted feel of the anime. All of this is neatly wrapped together by Kenji Kawai’s crazy epic music score. This is definitely one of his greatest works on Patlabor ever!

 

With regard to performances, all of the actors fit their roles perfectly. I did not mind Erina Mano as the lead. To be honest, I think she did pretty well and the same goes to Seiji Fukushi, Rina Ohta, Yoshinori Horimoto, and Toshio Kakei. In addition, the great Reiko Takashima guest stars in two episodes.

 

In terms of disadvantages, some of the stories are obviously prolonged and they could have been shorter (for example, the giant monster two-parter). Additionally, if you expect spellbinding mecha action, then hold your horses. Ingrams pop out in short sequences and, while these hardly can be called fights, there is pretty decent CGI work done. I should also mention that the deck up scenes of the real Ingram model are one of a kind.

 

Recommendations

Taking everything into consideration, I do not regret checking out The Next Generation: Patlabor. It was everything I wanted it to be and I can generously ignore the minimal appearance of Ingrams. If you can’t get hold of the English translated release, you can go ahead and watch the raw episodes. This great site dedicated to Patlabor contains synopses for the episodes and explanations of the references (I haven’t caught them all!). Now, I’m off to view the theatrical feature called The Next Generation Patlabor: Tokyo War (2015).

Overall score: 7/10