Recently seen TV shows #7

Sailor Suit and Machine Gun (Japan, 2006) – 2/5

Shinji Somai’s all time great idol film Sailor Suit and Machine Gun (based on Jiro Akagawa’s novel) was followed by two television adaptations, first by Fuji TV in 1982 (with Tomoya Harada in the lead role) and then by TBS in 2006. The new version consists of seven episodes, each running 45 minutes. Masami Nagasawa stars as Izumi, a normal high school put in charge of a 5 man yakuza gang when her father dies and no other blood relatives are found. She tries to keep the men out of trouble while another gang is making attacks against them. This is the basic pattern that is repeated over several episodes to the point of frustration. Visual output is modern and occasionally cartoonish, lacking the merits of the original film adaptation.

The few strengths include some great humour, interesting Asakusa setting, and terrific theme song which of course is a new version of the original theme performed by Hiroko Yakushimaru. Nagasawa fares ok on her own right, especially when wearing glasses, but any comparisons to Yakushimaru would be pointless. The most famous actors appearing in the show are Ken Ogata, whose talent is not utilized, and Kyoko Koizumi, who brings down every scene she’s in. Tsutsumi Shinichi, who plays Sakuma, is luckier. His character is decently written, unlike the other gang members who only exist to bring in cheap drama. It is describing that while in Somai’s film each death became as a surprise, or was revealed to the viewer only afterwards, the new television show builds up for inevitable tragic deaths and spends entire episodes weeping after the fallen friends.

Recently seen movies #156

Wandering Ginza Butterfly 2: She Cat Gambler (Japan, 1972) – 4/5

Meiko Kaji returns in this sequel by name only follow up. She plays the same character as before, but the previous film is not referred in any way and the movies are also somewhat different in terms of style. The original found a charming balance between ninkyo yakuza atmosphere and mini skirts. Wandering Ginza Butterfly 2 also combines modern and past, but in a different way. Gambling scenes are plenty and feel almost as lifted from an early Showa era set yakuza film. Miss Kaji also spends most of her time wearing kimono. However, at the same time the pic is filled with club scenes, neon lights and early 70’s disco music, similarly to the Delinquent Girl Boss movies. The atmostphere is modern, even if many of the seminal elements have roots in the past. Comedy is also a major part of the film.

In terms of casting Wandering Ginza Butterfly 2 further closers the Delinquent Girl Boss movies. Tooru Yuri has a big supporting role – comedic of course – Junzaburo Ban plays an old man with a problematic father-daughter relationship, and Yukie Kagawa, whose absense from the first film was almost distracting, is given a rather unexciting role as a night club hostess. The biggest addition to the cast, however, is Shinichi Chiba. Chiba gives a very humoristic acting performance as a stammering small time goon who is a bit afraid of bigger players. Chiba’s action skills are put into use in the great finale where he and Kaji slaughter three times as many people as there are members in villains Fujio Suga and Hideo Murota’s gang. This is a great conclusion to a highly entertaining film that is more or less on par with the original. The storyline may not be very strong, but there is a wide variety of familiar and enjoyble genre elements on display. Fans of positively charged girl gang films should thoroughly enjoy Wandering Ginza Butterfly 2.

Recently seen movies #155

Wandering Ginza Butterfly (Japan, 1972) – 4/5

Meiko Kaji made her final breakthrough in the Stray Cat Rock movies (1970-1971). These ultra chic and largely feminine gang films were distributed by Nikkatsu, the leading studio in modern action cinema and youth films. Toei, a studio with a strong track record in traditional yakuza films, was also catching the drift and followed their modern day set Delinquent Boss series with four Delinquent Girl Boss (1970-1971) movies, helmed by Kazuhiko Yamaguchi. Meanwhile, Nikkatsu made a decision to switch over to pink cinema, and Meiko Kaji was left looking for a more decent employer. This brief history concidered, it’s very fitting that she made her Toei debut in Wandering Ginza Butterfly, a female yakuza actioner directed by Kazuhiko Yamaguchi. Indeed, this could easily have been the fifth Delinquent Girl Boss film. The concept is the exact same. Kaji plays and ex-gang member who has just finished serving her sentence. She finds her way to Ginza hostess clubs, where she meets nice guy Tsunehiko Watase and cool as hell swindler Tatsuo Umemiya (the star of Delinquent Boss), and ultimately finds a new home under the wings of a good hearted woman (Akiko Koyama) running a club. But, following the genre rules, there will be a conflict when the local yakuza try to take over the business by force.

Wandering Ginza Butterfly has a couple of surprises in its pocket. Probably most unexpected comes a very strong drama sequence in the middle of the film. This scene reminds of what a great actress Meiko Kaji is. Another highlight is an edge of your seat billiards match. Violent action is saved to the very last reel, which also features a brief glimpse of bare skin, basically just thrown in for the sake of itself. Yamaguchi usually wasn’t very interested in sexual content. Wandering Ginza Butterfly is in fact an exceptionally light hearted and purely enjoyable film in its own genre. It is perhaps partly because of Kaji’s more elegant presence, as compared to wild girl Reiko Oshida of the similarly constructed Delinquent Girl Boss movies, that certain parts of Wandering Ginza Butterfly have an exceptionally strong ninkyo yakuza film atmosphere to it. No doubt screenwriter Takeshi Matsumoto was also a major contributor to this; his earlier works include instalments to both The Delinquent Boss and the Brutal Tales of Chivalry series. Kaji’s character is called Nami the Red Cherry Blossom, not too far off from Oryu the Red Peony, the heroine played by Junko Fuji in the Red Peony Gambler movies (1968-1972). Fuji’s retirement from movie industry took place just one month before the release of Wandering Ginza Butterfly. It’s not difficult to see Toei was looking for a new yakuza queen.

Recently seen TV shows #6

Rebellion League of Girls in Sailor Uniform (Japan, 1986-1987) – 4/5

Rebellion League of Girls in Sailor Uniform was Nippon TV’s answer to Toei / Fuji TV’s hugely successful high school action series Sukeban Deka (1985-1987). It opened in late 1986, just before the second Sukeban Deka series ended. Yumi (Nobuko Sendo), Ruri (Risa Yamamoto) and Kei (Kyoko Goto) form a three girl rebellion league, backed up insider Miho (Miho Nakayma), in a fight against corrupt high school officials and teachers straight out of a Kinji Fukasaku yakuza film. Expect no peace when classes are led by Rikiya Yasuoka (the madman who tries to kill Sonny Chiba with a traffic sign in The Executioner)

Unlike Sukeban Deka, Rebellion League of Girls in Sailor Uniform doesn’t invest much into the storyline. There is a larger backstory that is introduced in the first few episodes, but in practice it is soon forgotten and the episodes are individual stories only very loosely related to any bigger scheme. The secrets revealed in the final episodes are also somewhat underwhelming. For this reason Rebellion League is rather superficial entertainment; the series is as good as the sum of its episodes, and episode quality is mostly defined by the amount of humour, original villains and inventive fight scenes.

It’s the fight scenes that are the show’s biggest asset. The action choreography, which is by Sonny Chiba’s Japan Action Club, is easily the best ever seen in a 1980’s idol product. It’s obvious from the beginning that these girls have taken a karate lesson or two before walking into the set, and they only improve as the show advances. Watching Sendo, Yamamoto and Goto doing Donnie Yen style split kicks, running on the opponents’ shoulders, or just delivering ordinary roundhouse kicks episode after episode often makes you forget that these girls – although naturally assisted by a skillful stunt team and editors – are indeed adorable idols. Slight stiffness in their performance doesn’t hurt the fun. JAC’s choreography gets most insane in episode 12 where the girls encounter an entire football team on battlefield.

Just like the Sukeban Deka girls, each of the heroines have their signature weapon. Yumi relies on boxing gloves, Ruri throws sharp pens, and Kei uses a combination of scarf and long yellow chain. When going into fight, the girls disguise themselves with outrageous hairstyles, make-up and white uniform. Especially Kei is an attention stealer on battlefield; the war painting on her face almost makes her look like a special forces commando on jungle mission.

Sendo and Yamamoto both contribute one song to the soundtrack. Rock band A-JARI perforns the theme song ’Shadow of Love’. A-JARI is also seen in front of the camera in one episode, and this is definitely a band cameo to remember, unlike their special episode in Toei’s Shoujo Commando Izumi one year later (another high school action series that A-JARI worked on). The songs are all good, however, the amount is quite small compared to some of Toei’s series. Rebellion League also lacks a memorable score by a composer such as Ichiro Nitta.

Sendo, Yamamoto, and Goto are all good in their roles, but not unforgettable. Miho Nakayama, often marketed as the star of the series, is actually a supporting player and doesn’t even appear in every episode. She only becomes equal to the other three leads in the last three episodes. Nevertheless, she’s the first billed star in the opening credits till episode 4, after which she starts taking turns with the real star, Sendo. Nakayma’s selection of weapon is explosive roses. Although she was a successful pop star, most western fans probably know her best from Shunji Iwai’s Love Letter (1995) in which she played the leading role.

Despite its shortcoming in terms of story and characters – as well as a couple of lesser episodes – Rebellion League of Girls in Sailor Uniform is great, occasionally jaw droppingly cool high school action fun. What it loses in depth, it takes back with crazy opponents, ( blind caucasian teacher with a huge afro), solid cast and visiting stars that include Kinya Aikawa, Shinzo Hotta, Noriko Hayami and Jun Izumi, and first grade action scenes. Not a Sukeban Deka beater, but a great challenger.

Recently seen movies #154

Early Spring Story (Japan, 1985) – 3,5/5

Shinichiro Sawai had succeful run with the Kadokawa idol genre when he first directed Hiroko Yakushimaru in the award winning Tragedy of W (1984), and then followed it next year with Tomoyo Harada’s Early Spring Story. Harada plays Hitomi, a 17 year old student who develops a crush on a middle aged salesman (Ryuzo Hayashi). Although the romance sounds a bit dubious, and later the screenplay starts resembling a soap opera in some respects, Early Spring Story is actually a very good movie. It lacks sentimentalism, which makes it more interesting than many other human relationship dramas. Harada, who also sings two songs in the film, is very good in her role, creating a character that is likable but also a little bit selfish. She also has some very funny scenes and lines of dialogue (“I think middle aged women are scary”). Hitomi’s father is played by Kunie Tanaka. Most viewers probably remember him from Toei’s yakuza movies, but here he gives a very different kind of performance. Two other supporting players should also be pointed out; the former Nikkatsu erotica queen Junko Miyashita in a very brief role as Hitomi’s mother’s friend, and Nobuko Sendo, just one year before her starring role in the JAC action fest Rebellion League of Girls in Sailor Uniform (1986), as Hitomi’s friend.

Recently seen movies #153

Tragedy of W (Japan, 1984) – 4/5

An important film on super-idol Hiroko Yakushimaru’s career, Tragedy of W earned her the Japanese Academy Award nomination for best actress, serving as an official proof of that she’s more than just a cute face with a phenomenal pop-star “side career”. Tragedy of W, however, is not a very typical idol film. Based on a novel by Shizuko Natsuki, the film is 100% story and character driven. There is no added cuteness factor other than Yakushimaru’s natural beautiful looks. Her role as a young actress who is willing to go to great lengths for fame and success also features bits not usually seen in idol movies. Another interesting aspect is the film’s structure; the theatre play within the film, and the actual storyline slowly start resembling each other. Director Shinichirô Sawai takes use of this and allows the entire film play very theatrical which works especially during the second half.

Recently seen movies #152

Sailor Suit and Machine Gun (Japan, 1981) – 4/5

Probably the most important – and best – idol film of all time, Sailor Suit and Machine Gun was producer Haruki Kadokawa’s final breakthrough in the idol film genre. It was a bit ironic that while the traditional studio loyalty among filmmakers in had come to an end in the late 70’s, only a few years later Kadokawa gained almost exclusive rights to the new generation of idol actresses. Noriko Watanabe, Tomoyo Harada, and most importantly Hiroko Yakushimaru, replaced the great Momoe Yamaguchi who had just retired from show business at the age of 21.

Yakushimaru – commonly know just as Hiroko – and usually referred as super-idol rather than idol, made her cinema debut in 1978 when she was just 13 years old. She played the leading female role in Kadokawa’s slightly megalomaniac modern action film Never Give Up, starring Ken Takura. Yakushimaru’s real breakthrough came in 1981 when she starred in Hausu director Nobuhiko Obayashi’s fantasy film School in the Crosshairs and later the same year in Shinji Somai’s Sailor Suit and Machine Gun.

Somai, sadly ignored in the west, is perhaps the best Japanese director of the 1980’s. His directorial was Tonda Couple (1980), a small drama-comedy starring Hiroki Yakushimaru. Sailor Suit and Machine Gun was Somai’s second film. Yakushimaru plays Izumi Hoshi, a normal high school girl who inherits a small yakuza gang. The leader of the gang had passed away and named his nephew – Izumi’s father – as successor. Unfortunately Izumi’s father dies in a traffic accident before he even dicovers of his new appointment. According to the yakuza code the position now transfers to the only remaining blood relative – Izumi.

On surface Sailor Suit and Machine Gun is a discreet parody of the yakuza film genre. Later in the 80’s idol films and television shows came to lean heavily on action, with Toei’s Sukeban Deka dominating the so called High School Action genre. Sailor Suit and Machine Gun does not follow this formula. Despite the high flying concept Somai is far more interested in characters and quiet little scenes. There are several magnificent moments where all action nearly freezes – including the machine gun finale which is not only very short, but also the only scene where the film’s title becomes reality. The adrenaline seeking Ryuhei Kitamura generation will be severly disappointed and left wondering where all the action is.

The more outrageous moments are in fact one of the the film’s weak points. Somai is not entirely comfortable with a screenplay that features over-the-top supporting characters, such as a maniac drug lord called Fatty (Rentaro Mikuni). Some of the actors, especially Shinpei Hayashiya who plays a member of Izumi’s gang, also play their role in too loud volume which doesn’t go well together with Somai’s perceptive and slightly arthouse-esque directing. Nevertheless, the core idea – a high school girl becoming a yakuza leader – is undeniably very memorable and one of the reasons why the film became so popular.

One of the more suprising and probably confusing to many viewers sequences is a short sex scene between Tsunehiko Watase and Yuki Kazamatsuri. This scene briefly features ”black bar blocking the view” censorship that has accompanied Japanese erotic cinema since the dawn of woman. This scene was most likely intended as a reference to Kazamatsuri’s career; she was a regular actress in Nikkatsu’s pink films in the early 80’s. International audiences have most likely seen her in Tarantino’s Kill Bill Vol. 1, where she appears night club host. Her performance in Sailor Suit and Machine Gun is somewhat adequate, but outshadowed by Yakushimaru and action film veteran Watase.

Director Somai’s most important tool has always been his camera. The director has great skill in planning ane executing long and complicated takes. Although in 1981 Somai’s skills were not yet fully developed, Sailor Suit and Machine Gun features an excessive amount of impressive camerawork. There is a large number of long takes, including a classic sequence that takes the characters from the streets to a shrine and ultimately to the other side of the district riding a motorcycle. This six minute scene was completed without a single edit.

The 17 year old Hiroko Yakushimaru is at her best in Sailor Suit and Machine Gun. Her acting skills improved later – at least in the eyes of critics and the Japanese Academy Award commitee that nominated her as the best actress of the year in 1984 for her role in Tragedy of W – but Yakushimaru’s acting has rarely been as fresh and enjoyable as it is in Sailor Suit and Machine Gun. This film also marked the beginning of her hugely successful pop-star career that produced more than 100 songs. The theme song for Sailor Suit and Machine Gun is among her best. It is heard in the film just before the magnificent final scene, and is followed by one of the most memorable ending lines.

After its hugely successful release in 1981, Kadokawa released a 130 minute ”Complete Version” in 1982. This longer cut installs 18 minutes of additional footage into the film. Some of the additions make the narrative more fluent – and there’s an important scene featuring Hiroko drying her hair – but the Complete Version isn’t really a better movie than the original cut. 130 min is slightly too much for this movie, and there’s a long sequence where Izumi nearly gets raped that feels out of place. Also in 1982 a Sailor Suit and Machine Gun television series was aired on Fuji TV. This series featured the future star Tomoyo Harada in her fist acting role. Incidentally, her next work was a television version of School in the Crosshairs, an adaptation of yet another a Hiroko Yakushimaru movie. Sailor Suir and Machine Gun returned to TV screens one more time in 2006 when TBS broadcast the second small screen adaptation, this time with Masami Nagasawa playing the leading role.

Recently seen movies #151

Custom Made 10.30 (Japan, 2005) – 2/5

What started as a concert document evolved into a feature film during the process. The fictional story follows two sisters (pop star Kaela Kimura and Erika Saimon) who dream of playing in a band. The storyline ultimately takes them to the Hiroshima Stadium, not as performing artists, but to witness rock legend Tamio Okuda’s epic concert. Custom Made 10.30 divides into two uneven parts. The first 80 minutes is miserable, full of dull visual tricks and appalling supporting characters. Susumu Terajima and Shingo Yanagisawa’s every appearance is a nerve wrecking experience. The beautiful Hiroshima landscapes is the only redeeming factor. However, the final 40 minutes is terrific. Most of it consist of Okuda performing several songs live. This footage is not only musically impressive but also visually first grade. Whether it makes the first 2/3 of the film worth enduring is open to discussion.

Too damn much Yamashita

How do you know you’ve been watching too many Nobuhiro Yamashita films? He enters your dreams. He didn’t speak any English and my Japanese leaves something to be desired but I tried to have a conversation anyway. Anata no ichiban suki na kantoku wa donata desu ka? Ah, sou. Kakkoii. Watashi mo ano kantoku dai suki. Then Yamashita showed me some gravure idol dvd and said it will be screened at the Helsinki International Film Festival this year. I really didn’t have a clue what he was talking about or how it was related to Yamashita.

I suppose this is my punishment for writing about Linda 3 only a week after promising not to do so… But it’s not too bad. One could have worse dreams. But then, one could also dream about Aki Maeda or Aya Ueto. Yeah, I think I’d prefer that. Lets see if I can work out something.

Recently seen movies #150

Tennen kokekko (Japan, 2007) – 4/5

Nobuhiro Yamashita’s second big mainstream film’s got the most describing English title; A Gentle Breeze in the Village. It’s a visually very beautiful film full of light, colours and green nature (almost an exact opposite from Matsugane ransha jiken which had a cool and blue visual tone). But it’s also Yamashita’s least recognizable film to date. The director’s skill is very much present, but his trademarks are not. The Osaka-era slacker humour and characters are missing, and the film’s beauty is far more traditional. This kind of project could have been handled by any first grade mainstream director. Similarly the screenplay – which was not written by Kosuke Mukai but Aya Watanabe – is a conventional youth story taking place in a small village. It is a ”small and quiet” screenplay, but this type storytelling has become so common in Japanese drama cinema nowadays that it could be labeled as ”arthouse for mainstream audience” or vice versa.

The storyline begins when a new student, Hiromi, (Masaki Okada) arrives from Tokyo to countryside and joins a small school that only has 6 students. The oldest of the kids, Soyo (Kaho) immediately has a crush on him, although his arrogant big city type character comes as a set back. All this leads to a couple of romantic or otherwise unneeded scenes (the festival sequence for example) that don’t really have a place in the film. But such scenes are in the minority, thanfully, and don’t prevent Tennen kokekko from being a highly enjoyable and well acted movie. Yamashita loads the film with tranquil images of school corridors, small roads and nature. There is a short Tokyo segment as well, and interestingly Yamashita shows Tokyo as a bit depressive and threatening place. The director himself has also stated he doesn’t feel entirely comfortable in Tokyo. Also worth a mention is that the ending scene – possibly by a pure chance – reminds of Shinji Somai’s Ohikkoshi (1993).