Zebraman (2004)

User Rating:

6.8/10   

Director:

Takashi Miike

Writer:

Kankurô Kudô (screenplay)

Release Date:

15 August 2007 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

Being a failure as a teacher and a familyman, Shinichi tries to escape everyday live by dressing up as "Zebraman"...

Plot Keywords:

Teacher | Superhero | Classroom | Suicide | Flying

Awards:

2 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Shô Aikawa	...	Shin'ichi Ichikawa / Zeburâman
Kyoka Suzuki	...	Kana Asano
Atsuro Watabe	...	Oikawa at the Defence Agency
Yui Ichikawa	...	Midori, Shin'ichi's daughter
Koen Kondo	...	Segawa
Naoki Yasukôchi
Makiko Watanabe
Keisuke Mishima
Yu Tokui
Yôji Tanaka
Arata Furuta	...	Owner of Candy Shop
Kumiko Asô	...	Newscaster
Akira Emoto	...	Kani-Otoko
Yoshihiko Hakamada
Ryo Iwamatsu	...	Kanda

Runtime:

115 min

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Filming Locations:

Mitsukaido City, Ibaraki, Japan

Company:

Bingo Y.K.

Quotes:

Shin'ichi Ichikawa: Striping evil!

Movie Connections:

Spoofs "Kamen Raidâ" (1971)

Fun Miike comedy with good special effects

Well, you probably know by now whether you like Takashi Miike or not, so that's probably the first thing to consider. If you do, Zebraman is sure to please, being a very fun yet dark spoof of superhero films with high production values and the ever-wonderful Sho Aikawa.

There's nothing in Zebraman that would class as particularly shocking or offensive, if you've only seen ICHI THE KILLER or VISITOR Q before and that's your only objection to Miike, but the mix of dark, deadpan humour and absurd silliness probably aren't going to win any new converts. It's a very Japanese film in style and tone, and though still doubtless low budget by Hollywood standards, has impressive special effects and a good feeling of quality. Except when it doesn't want to :)

If you're an undecided, Zebraman may well be one of the best Miike films to sample to help make that decision :)