Kamikaze Girls (2004)

i decided to watch this film after i'd watched 'Confessions', and thought i'd look into previous Tetsuya Nakashima films.I knew nothing about the film, I should have read a few reviews beforehand, i was not expecting this. It's a comedy, and a strange one. I haven't seen many.. maybe none at all... films like this.So i don't get the 'Confesions' like film i was after, but i did get an unusual, light hearted, quite funny film. You may not know where this film is heading while you watch it, or know what the hell is going on sometime, but if you go with the flow it's a pretty good and refreshing comedy.this film also has a legendary character in 'Unicorn Ryuji', and i wouldn't be surprised if spin of film was made about him some time.

Momoko lives for the designs of the Rococco period, more commonly known as 'the Lolita look' in Japan. Her washed-up chinpira Dad, estranged Mum, and eccentric Gran, added to her fashion sense and inaka existence, make for a lonely, isolated life. And that's just the way she likes it. Unfortunately, change is thrust upon her by the arrival of bike-gang thug Ichigo, brash and violent, and an unlikely friendship is formed.An incongruous female pairing of cutesy twee and ballsy loudmouth has been seen before in 'Nana', but director Testuya Nakashima gives it more verve here. The fast-cutting, schlock violence, and 'big' acting would all gel better in Memories of Matsuko, but their fledgling outing here makes for an amusing, if slightly overlong tale. Anna Tsuchiya is a real talent, displaying a range and maturity here that is the envy of her peers. Nakashima cleverly harnesses that range and ability to an actress who could not be more of a contrast. Fukuda's doe-eyed vacuity signals her limitations, but Nakashima plays to her persona here, letting her do nothing in a role where less is more. Momoko is shallow and thoughtless, and Fukuda nails the role to the floor.The bizarre English title of Kamikaze Girls suggests someone at the international distributors needs a kick up the behind. This is a fun tale of a teenage odd couple sharing a right of passage. It is well written, acted and edited, and entertains for great stretches.

"Shimotsuma Monogatari" is somewhere between "Thelma and Louise" and "Wayne's World," with a bit of the "Odd Couple," "The Wild One" and a very brief Spike Lee quote thrown in. Ostensibly a coming-of-age chick-flick, its appeal for me is mainly as a wicked satire on fashion consumerism, and it does a pretty thorough job of demolishing female stereotypes in broadly comedic, but plausible, ways. In a rather unflattering product placement for two giant Japanese retailers: Jusco (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JUSCO/ ) and Parco (The Wal*Mart and Bloomingdale's of Asia), they're both slammed. The Lolita-look obsessed Momoko calls their customers twisted, but I guess the "I don't care what you say about me, as long as you spell my name right" version of PR is in play here.Sadwo Abe plays a dual role, and it's nice that in at least one of them you can see his face, unlike in his brilliant turn in "Yôkai Daisensô" as Kawatarô, where he's under four hours' worth of turtle-esquire latex. He's a full-body actor, one of those people who could probably steal a scene just using his pinkie toe. In his case, he's a scene stealer with a heart who makes everybody he works with look that much better on-screen. Abe-san is already a full-fledged actor. I look forward to Kyôko Fukada and Anna Tsuchiya becoming as skilled. They're well on the way.I give this movie a 9 for the clichés it succumbs to, although it smashes most of them to bits. I'd tack on a half star for its self-awareness.

Maybe the one and only movie with a theme about Embroidery, that still can be considered "cool". Kyoko Fukada as cute Lolita-look Aficionado and Anna Tsuchia in a tough Biker-Gang Wardrobe make up a most strange, yet sympathetic pair of friends. Makes you laugh, makes you feel warm, yeah, even nostalgic. "Kamikaze Girls" is the archetypal essence of Manga-Culture come alive, pure J-Pop Fanservice in psychedelic, overbidding videoclip visuals (including one hysterical Anime story sequence), and one of those rare movies, where you don't ever want to see the credits. Also features a great entrance by my favorite Pin-up Idol Eiko Koike.