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

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Shuto Kousoku Trial 2 (1990) [Film Review]

Shuto Kousoku Trial 2; or, Gas Gas Gas
     It's the best! With GTR nobody will beat me!
After the troubled release of the original Shuto Kousoku Trial movie in 1988, Nikkatsu studio did not back down, and this time, they joined forces with the Drift King himself, Keiichi Tsuchiya, and Toei’s V-Cinema line in order to continue the series in straight-to-video format. Shuto Kousoku Trial may be a production made on a smaller budget and in 4:3 aspect ratio, but it still manages to retain the spirit of the original movie.

Release Info

Directed by: Shuji Kataoka Starring: Daisuke Nagakura, Arthur Kuroda, Naomi Ashizawa

Language: Japanese Original Title: 首都高速トライアル 2 Runtime: 67 min

Synopsis
Takahiro Yamane (Daisuke Nagakura) is a street racer who looks up to Japan’s all-time best driver, Keiichi Tsuchiya. Takahiro’s friend/ex-mentor is Junichi Tashiro (Arthur Kuroda), the proud owner of Skyline R30 who dreams of getting a GT-R. However, he gives up racing in order to marry his girlfriend, Nozomi (Naomi Ashizawa). Sawaki (Minoru Toyoshima) is a hot-headed racer who wants to break records on the Shuto Expressway. As a result, he challenges Takahiro as well as Junichi...

Skyline GT-R
Shuto Kousoku Trial 2 seems to owe its existence purely to Keiichi Tsuchiya and its anti-street racing message. Whereas the original praised the glory of midnight car chases, the sequel puts up a giant warning sign saying that if you want to become a professional driver, then you have to abide by the law and hone your skills on a race track rather than a city street. However, the movie is not all about preaching because it provides the much needed dosage of car action set to the beats of City Pop.

The first film focused primarily on Skyline R30, but Shuto Kousoku Trial 2 presents us with Nissan R32, 300ZX, and Silvia, all battling each other in epic style. For this film, J-singer Saori Sato provided the songs (which were subsequently released on her album called Lady). Apart from her cameo appearance (as herself giving the main protagonist a mixtape with her best hits), we can also see her performances of All Eyes and Naga-denwa no ballad themes intercut with the chase sequences. You really can’t get more 80s than that.

Interesting is also the role of Keiichi Tsuchiya who basically plays himself and always appears in the film’s calmest moments, just to give a word of advice to the main hero. Similarly to Obi-Wan Kenobi, he says that a driver should trust his feelings (and refrain from participating in illegal races).

With regard to performances, I know that you can’t expect a lot from these sequels which had relatively unknown actors, but I particularly liked the performance of Minoru Toyoshima as a girl who is enthusiastic about her boyfriend’s passion for driving. The final scene in which she waves a checkered flag between two speeding GT-Rs is so beautifully done.

Recommendations
If you can’t get enough of speed chills from Initial D, Wangan Midnight, and The Fast and The Furious, then turn to the series that started it all. No racing franchise has yet managed to surpass the class and practical car action of the Shuto Kousoku Trial movies.

Overall score: 7/10

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Initial D: The Movie (2005) [Film Review]

Initial D: The Movie; or, It needs Eurobeat!

     You're a really good driver, Takumi. I always get carsick on long rides, but I didn't even need to take my pills today. I had a great time today.

After months of continuous resentment, I finally gave in and watched a live action adaptation of one of my favourite anime shows. The opinions about this film are very polarised, but I approached the matter with an open mind and a lot of optimism. After all, what can go wrong with a movie about racing, right? Let’s just say that Initial D: The Movie left me quite disappointed.

Release Info

Directed by: Andrew Lau, Alan Mak Starring: Jay Chou, Anne Suzuki, Edison Chen, Anthony Wong

Language: Cantonese Original Title: 頭文字 D Runtime: 110 min

 

Plot

The story focuses on Takumi Fujiwara (Jay Chou) a young driver who is helping out his father, Bunta (Anthony Wong), in delivering Tofu down the mountain pass of Akina. Fujiwara has been driving this route for 5 years in Toyota “Hachi-Roku” AE-86 and unknowingly became an expert at downhill racing. He is challenged by fearless, both amateur and professional, drivers who wish to defeat the legend of Mount Akina. The problem is that Takumi never loses in his old 86.

 

Running in the 2000s

Well, after checking this movie out, I can’t blame Initial D fans for their unfavourable opinions about this movie. To be honest, it felt like a fan-film that tried to condense as much references to the anime as possible, while at the same rejecting many of the hallmarks that made it so fun and popular.

 

Most importantly, unfamiliar viewers should know that the original Initial D tells the ultimate underdog story. There is that kid, the son of a legendary racer, who does not even know that he became a racing genius. Heck, he does not even care about racing. Only due to many challenges and adventures along the way, Takumi realises that he wants to go pro and, as a result, proceeds to rage his dream. This 80-episode long series depicts a wonderful coming-of-age journey with a touching message of never giving up, even against all odds.

Initial D: The Movie, on the other hand, struggles to present the same storyline, but shoves it in a very idiotic manner. First of all, the racing culture is depicted not as the environment of young drivers in pursuit of larger-than-life greatness, but rather as a gathering of thugs. Secondly, many supporting characters are either altered or missing (the most painful absence is that of Keisuke Takahashi). Thirdly, there are obvious name changes, unfunny toilet jokes (lots of puking), and… no Eurobeat.

 

Why this movie doesn’t work is partially due to the fact that it tries so hard to cram the first three stages (seasons) of the anime into a 2-hour time span. At the same time, it doesn’t do proper justice to its source material. The most vivid example is the character of Bunta Fujiwara in the movie. From a caring father in the anime, he was turned into a repulsive alcoholic and child abuser. Outrageous is also the filmmakers’ overconfidence in the success of this film. Not getting into any spoilers, there is an open ending which suggests a sequel (that never got made).

 

Don’t even get me started on the lack of Eurobeat, the music score of every self-respecting driver. That’s another reason behind the failure of this picture. Instead of recreating the thrill of gutter run, unexpected overtake, and epic drift, pumped up by the cool vibrations of Dave Rodgers, Mega NRG Man, and Leslie Parrish, the filmmakers went for the hip-hop vibes, because nothing feels better to them than that gangsta atmosphere of ghetto racing (Fast and Furious flashbacks). Guess what: this movie could have been saved in the edit by adding so much needed Eurobeat. Refer below to a fan video of one of the race scenes:

That being said about the disadvantages, I have to be fair and point out some of the good stuff. What was done well? Two things: the usage of classic cars from the anime (Toyota AE-86, Nissan Skyline R32, Mazda RX-7, Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IV) and the way how the racing scenes were shot. These were done in a very natural style with a camera attached to a vehicle that followed the racing cars. Very little usage of CGI, only a couple of shots, is commendable. In addition, I appreciated the scene in which, just for a moment, 86 turned into an animated version of itself.

 

With regard to performances, many actors seem miscast. Jay Chou tries his best as Takumi, but comes off as tired and bland. Anthony Wong does not do well as Bunta either, but that’s due to a bad script writing. Wong is a great actor and he would probably make a great Bunta if given a proper chance. Chapman To is embarrassing as the playboy amalgam of Itsuki and Iketani. The only actors who understood their parts were Anne Suzuki and Edison Chen as Natsuki Mogi and Ryousuke Takahashi, respectively. Especially Edison Chen did so well that he should reprise his role in a new movie adaptation.

 

Recommendations

If you are an Initial D fan, give this film a pass. It left such a bitter taste in my mouth, that I had to aid myself with a couple of Super Eurobeat albums and Carx Drift Racing. If you need to check it out nonetheless, keep an eye on the racing action, because this is a redeemable aspect of this motion picture. As we all know: Initial D is love, Initial D is life. This movie is related to Initial D by name only.

Overall score: 5/10 (generous points for the cars and racings)

Shuto Kousoku Trial (1988) [Film Review]

Shuto Kousoku Trial; or, Whatever It Takes

     A professional driver must have luck too apart from skill. If you’re lucky, you get sponsors, skill alone won’t get you the chance to race. Luck, skill, and money for racing. I have none of that! If I can’t beat 5’13”, I should just forget it!

Today, I would like to review a movie that was purposely pushed into the abyss of cinematic non-existence, placed at the bottom of the straight-to-video heap by censors who hoped that it will become forgotten in time. I’m talking about Shuto Kousoku Trial (a.k.a. Megalopolis Expressway Trial) from 1988. The first live action movie that focused on the controversial subject of illegal highway racing in Japan, way before the development of The Fast and the Furious franchise.

Release Info

Directed by: Katsuji Kanazawa Starring: Gitan Otsuru, Yumiko Masuzaki, Toru Sakai

Language: Japanese Original Title: 首都高速トライアル Runtime: 95 min

 

Synopsis

Rokuoo (Gitan Otsuru) is a young and ambitious driver who aspires to become a professional F1 racer. In order to achieve his dream, Rokuoo, together with his girlfriend Yoshiko (Yumiko Masuzaki) and mechanic Yuji (Toru Sakai), attempts to break the time records set on national highways by a famous racer Nakajima. With a specially modified Nissan Skyline R-30, Rokuoo quickly starts setting new records one by one. Friends cheer for the rising champion, but there’s one road which he dreads the most: the 13,9 km track on Shuto Expressway which Nakajima beat in 5 minutes and 13 seconds.

 

“To hell with heroes! To hell with Shuto!”

I became aware of the Shuto Kousoku Trial series quite accidentally when I saw a fan music video with Meiko Nakahara’s song superimposed on the awesome racing clips. I started searching for the source of these scenes and that’s how I discovered the series. The first movie was made at the height of the street racing era in Japan and the popularity of Mid Night Club. Although it was intended for a theatrical release, it was ultimately banned by the authorities due to alleged promotion of illegal racing. Nevertheless the movie was successful on home video and Toei Company Ltd. commissioned direct-to-video sequels to be made.

 

The information on the making and history of the series is scarce and mostly outlined by motorisation fans. All I managed to find out was that the sequels were received warmly by the authorities as the pro-illegal racing message was toned down and a professional racer Keiichi Tsuchiya was brought on board in the supporting role. Shuto Kousoku Trial is also considered to be not only the first series about racing, but also the one which has influenced Initial D and Wangan Midnight manga series (and The Fast and the Furious as well!).

 

However, all of this stemmed from the first movie, which can now be perceived as an underrated 80s classic. It has the heart and passion due to its story, interesting characters, and unforgettable racing scenes. In addition, the implementation of rock instrumentals and City Pop soundtrack also significantly adds to the viewing experience. The movie was banned for advocating illegal racing, but, ironically, it is the only one in the whole series to feature a police chase!

 

Honestly, I did not find the movie to be pro-illegal at all. It is an engaging story about a driver coming to terms with his fears and sacrifices he had made. The movie also touches upon the themes of friendship and love for the road while objectively depicting the exclusive circle of street racers. In the end, it’s all about making a successful trial run, overtaking the Ajima bend, and losing the heat. That’s what kept me on the edge of my seat.

 

Gitan Otsuru is excellent as Rokuoo, the first driver of the series, and his performance is backed by a brilliant supporting role of Yumiko Masuzaki. Additionally, Toru Sakai is great as a know-it-all mechanic. Additionally, Ryo Kinomoto comes to notice as crazy police officer, Kawakita, who is determined to put the racer behind bars.

 

Recommendations

If you like racing, you will definitely love Shuto Kousoku Trial. Grab some snacks and relax during the 95-minute long spectacle of incredible speed. I will definitely review the sequels, but I have to think in which form (one review or each separately). As for the first movie, I’m glad that I came across it. I will frequently sit back and enjoy its ride. Feel the force of Skyline R-30, feel the nostalgia for the 1980s and; most importantly, feel the power of Shuto Express!

Overall score: 9/10