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Reviews
Dai-Nihonjin (2007)
what if superheros were... not so super?
comedian hitoshi matsumoto presents a unique (and useless, but unique regardless) idea as the center point of this movie: what if the superheroes we've all grown to love (and loved growing up) were just ordinary human beings like you and me? and what if those superheroes were.... stereotypically Japanese? daisatou (played by matsumoto) is part of a unique but fading family business, one that involves eradicating invading monsters who threaten the citizens of japan with... well, comical nonsense if nothing else. daisatou's family upholds the lineage of the dainipponjin, a term endowed to a chosen line of men who are gigantified into 20 times their normal size through the use of mysterious electric waves to heroically fight monsters and save japan.
but alas times have changed, and people have come to question the integrity of the dainipponjin, whom at times of Japanese empirical presedence was so valiant and mighty but in the modern era, have become increasingly passive and shy, and even reluctant to complete his mission. the movie is a pseudo-documentary focusing on the everyday life of daisatou, who lives a surprisingly domesticated life: he lives in a small flat, cooks all his meals for himself, and like all single/on-the-brink-of-divorce Japanese men, eats dried seaweed and picks up stray cats for company as his position as the dainipponjin is looked down upon by the general public.
throughout the documentary he fights an array of comical monsters, who are all portrayed by other Japanese comedians that matsumoto is known to have amicable relations with: the highlight of the movie is probably when he fights the itao/haranishi niounojuus (roughly translates to "smelly monster" or something in those lines) and instead of rushing to kill the monster with cool moves or light beams like typical sentai/animated cartoons from the 70s, he gently tries to coax the monster from stepping aside, perhaps poking fun at the passive, conflict-evasive nature of the post-war Japanese people.
nevertheless, the movie is overall satirical and amusing, though it may be hard to follow those who are not too familiar with Japanese culture in general... while the traditionally Japanese in me sympathizes with daisatou's subtle and passive nature and how he handles his confrontations, the action-loving Hollywood-brainwashed side would have enjoyed it more if there was more ass-kicking going on in the movie.
Tatchi (2005)
a heart-warming adaptation
I have not read the manga (or the original "comic") before watching this movie but I was prompted to pick up the DVD as I've heard many good things about both the comic and the movie; the DVD was actually just sitting on my shelf for about a month, not having been opened and what not, until a friend of mine finally persuaded me to watch it with him -- the movie is basically about two twins and a girl-next-door whom dream to one day reach Koushi'en: a haven of high school baseball in Japan, much like what Wembley is to English football.
Although it was pointed out that some details of the movie actually differs from the manga, (but then again, what adaptation is 100% faithful to the original?) the movie does an excellent job in depicting high school baseball in Japan, quite possibly something japanophiles might want to study up to :)
Overall, great plot and good casting guarantees that this movie will be 116 minutes of your time well spent -- I suggest you invest on it as soon as possible!