Casshern (2004)

Director:

Kazuaki Kiriya

Writers:

Kazuaki Kiriya (screenplay)
Dai Sato (writer)
(more)

Release Date:

24 April 2004 (Japan)

Genre:

Adventure | Action | Sci-Fi | Drama

Tagline:

Reincarnated with an invincible body to fight an iron devil. If Casshern does not do it, who will?

Plot:

Live-action sci-fi movie based on a 1973 Japanese animé of the same name (Shinzo Ningen Casshân). Theme song by Utada Hikaru.

Plot Keywords:

Hatred | Based On TV Series | Redemption | Tragic Villain | Tragedy

Cast

Yusuke Iseya	...	Tetsuya Azuma / Casshern
Kumiko Aso	...	Luna Kozuki
Akira Terao	...	Dr. Kotaro Azuma
Kanako Higuchi	...	Midori Azuma
Fumiyo Kohinata	...	Dr. Kozuki
Hiroyuki Miyasako	...	Akubon
Mayumi Sada	...	Sagurê
Jun Kaname	...	Barashin
Hidetoshi Nishijima	...	Lieutenant Colonel Kamijo
Mitsuhiro Oikawa	...	Kaoru Naito
Susumu Terajima	...	Sakamoto
Mayu Tsuruta	...	Burai's wife
Ryô	...	San Ikegami
Tetsuji Tamayama	...	Sekiguchi
Youko Moriguchi	...	Luna's mother
Hideji Otaki	...	General Kamijo
Tatsuya Mihashi	...	Dr. Furoi
Toshiaki Karasawa	...	Burai
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Ei Morisako	...	Runa
Gorô Naya	...	Narrator

Directed by
Kazuaki Kiriya

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Kazuaki Kiriya		screenplay
Dai Sato		writer
Shotaro Suga		writer
Tatsuo Yoshida		characters

Produced by
Hideji Miyajima	....	producer
Chiaki Noji	....	associate producer
Toshiharu Ozawa	....	producer
Makoto Tanaka	....	associate producer
Toshiaki Wakabayashi	....	producer

Original Music by
Shirô Sagisu
Satoshi Tomîe

Cinematography by
Kazuaki Kiriya		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Kazuaki Kiriya
Jeremiah O'Driscoll
Chisako Yokoyama

Production Design by
Yuji Hayashida

Art Direction by
Yuji Hayashida

Set Decoration by
Yoshihito Akatsuka

Costume Design by
Michiko Kitamura

Makeup Department
Ryoji Inagaki	....	hair designer
Ryoji Inagaki	....	makeup designer

Art Department
D.K.	....	conceptual designer
Shinji Higuchi	....	storyboard artist: action scene

Sound Department
Masahito Yano	....	sound recordist

Special Effects by
Toshiyuki Kimura	....	special effects supervisor

Visual Effects by
Scot Barbour	....	digital compositor
Toshiyuki Kimura	....	visual effects supervisor
Kôji Nozaki	....	visual effects supervisor
Haruhiko Shono	....	CGI supervisor

Editorial Department
Motoyuki Kawase	....	assistant editor
Junya Sakino	....	post-production assistant

Music Department
Hikaru Utada	....	composer: theme song "Dareka no negai ga kanau koro"

Other crew
Shinji Higuchi	....	action scenes supervisor
Yuta Morokaji	....	action director

Production Companies

• Casshern Film Partners
• Tatsunoko Productions Company
• Shochiku Company
• Progressive Pictures

Distributors

• Shochiku Company (2004) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Bright Angel Distribution (2005) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Cathay-Keris Films (2004) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• DreamWorks SKG (2005) (USA) (all media)
• Go Fish Pictures (2005) (USA) (all media)
• I-On New Media (2005) (Germany) (DVD)
• Momentum Pictures (2005) (UK) (DVD)
• Momentum Pictures (2005) (UK) (theatrical)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• Paris Vídeo (2005) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Paris Vídeo (2005) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Rialto Entertainment (2006) (Australia) (DVD)
• Total Film Home Entertainment (2005) (Netherlands) (DVD) (rental)
• Total Film Home Entertainment (2006) (Netherlands) (DVD) (retail)
• Universal Pictures Finland Oy (2006) (Finland) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Dolby Laboratories  sound post-production
• N-Design  CGI
• Pivotal Post  Avid editing equipment provided by

Also Known As:

Kasshân (Japan) (alternative transliteration)

Runtime:

141 min | USA:117 min (cut)

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Color:

Black and White | Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Australia:M | Finland:K-15 | Germany:16 (DVD rating) | South Korea:15 | Brazil:14 | Italy:T | Singapore:NC-16 | Singapore:PG (cut) | UK:15

Filming Locations:

Japan

Company:

Casshern Film Partners

Trivia:

One of several films around the world that was produced almost entirely on a "digital backlot" (i.e. shot with the actors in front of blue/green-screens with all backgrounds added in post-production, a technique which has been used for TV, video and video game production for many years). Although which movie was shot first is debated, the other movies (released in 2004-05) include: Immortel (ad vitam) (2004), Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (2004), and Sin City (2005).

Quotes:

Casshern: Murderer, feel my pain.

Movie Connections:

References "Mahha GoGoGo" (1967)

Soundtrack:

Requiem

Excellent film of the genre.

Ignore any adverse comments on here and watch this movie now! It is a deeply involving film which needs your utmost attention to enjoy it. In fact it's one of those film you watch again and again and every time notice something different.

If you are someone like me who is not overcritical of films and just wants to submerse themselves in the wonderful escapism of it all then you will not be disappointed. For those of you who are discerning critics you will, no doubt, leave yet another negative criticism on here. You really just don't get it do you and in fact you probably never will. For the rest of you keep on watching and enjoy every last minute :)