Back to the ancient Japan where fantasy version of Samurai walk the earth to kickin’ their enemy butts. And here is come martial arts fantasy with a little touch of horror, special FX heavy “Dororo”. Hit theaters in Japan last year, the film was soon became a major blockbuster of the year, it resonated well with hometown audiences young and old alike. Adapted from bestseller manga series of the same name created by Tezuka Osamu, the plot itself was revolves around the exploits of a truly unique and tragic hero, Hyakkimaru (literally "Hundred Demons") who was cursed from birth and born a living husk (faceless, organ-less, limbless and all but an empty torso). While the title was referred to “Dororo,” but actually the film has little to do with the character other than that she is Hyakimaru's sidekick, who also supplies some of the comedic relief from the one-dimensional character that Hyakimaru is. However, the comic version itself after episode 14 was renamed to “Dororo and Hyakkimaru.” The original story also actually takes places during the warring states of Japan, but in its manner way, the movie changes that as well as some minor parts here and there. With some unique and worth a look storytelling, characters, visuals and acting, “Dororo’ now embark on the region 1 DVD shipment. This home cinema version again will represents altogether Japanese style of cinematography and gives the western audience a chance to have a fine look on eastern mythology themes.
Filmed in New Zealand and with two additional films are currently in production, and have been scheduled to hit Japan theaters in 2008 and 2009, respectively. The film's storyline has some major differences from that of the manga, most notably Dororo is played by a young woman instead of a little boy, though she does at times act as and refer to herself as a boy. Here is the plot of this first film: In the distant future of Japan, samurai Daigo Kagemitsu makes a deal with the 48 major demons known as majins. The 48 demons offer Daigo Kagemitsu the power to win all future battles and become the lord protector of Japan. In return Daigo Kagemitsu must allow the demons to take away 48 body parts of his future unborn son. Daigo Kagemitsu accepts the demons offer. The boy eventually is born but without 48 body parts. Daigo Kagemitsu wants to kill the son immediately but his mother manages to place the boy in a basket to float away in a river. The boy is then rescued by a magician who takes pity over the infant and takes him in as his own. The magician over the years devises prosthetic body parts for the boy who is now named Hyakki-Maru. When Hyakki-Maru reaches adulthood he embarks on a journey to kill the 48 demons and regain his natural body parts. Along the way he encounters a spunky young girl named Dororo who joins him on his quest to become "normal" again and accepted by the people.
The action choreography was done by Hong Kong master Siu-Tung Ching, who worked also on such films as ”Hero”, “House of Flying Daggers”, and “Curse of the Golden Flower”. Offered some stylist action sequences that richen the film visualization. Also the New Zealand landscapes that offered a backdrop that was pleasing to the eye. But the FX somewhat came in with mixed result, it sometime fantastic but poor as well like we have seen in many low budget fantasy films or any episode of “Power Rangers”. Directed by Satoshi Tsumubaki whose well-know before as an indie director, his nervousness in directing the first big budget flick was really clear-cutted here. His character, Hyakki-Maru, was supposed to be a gloomy soul, devoid of inner peace because of his physical anomalies. Thus Hyakki-Maru was usually shown in a grim cold state. But all the involved actors somehow quite succeed to seize each of their parts here, they should have grabbed your attention immediately also. But still, it felt too long as a 138 minute epic fantasy piece, he first hour and twenty minutes were just an overly long prelude that should have been condensed in half the time.
Product Specifications:
Product Title: Dororo Region 1 DVD
Actors: Mieko Harada, Yoshio Harada, Katsuo Nakamura, Kiichi Nakai, Tetta Sugimoto
Directors: Akihiko Shiota
Format: AC-3, Color, Dolby, DVD-Video, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
Language: Japanese
Subtitles: English
Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only)
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Number of discs: 1
Studio: Universal Studios
Run Time: 139 minutes
DVD Release Date: September 23, 2008 (Save Your Copy)
Filmed in New Zealand and with two additional films are currently in production, and have been scheduled to hit Japan theaters in 2008 and 2009, respectively. The film's storyline has some major differences from that of the manga, most notably Dororo is played by a young woman instead of a little boy, though she does at times act as and refer to herself as a boy. Here is the plot of this first film: In the distant future of Japan, samurai Daigo Kagemitsu makes a deal with the 48 major demons known as majins. The 48 demons offer Daigo Kagemitsu the power to win all future battles and become the lord protector of Japan. In return Daigo Kagemitsu must allow the demons to take away 48 body parts of his future unborn son. Daigo Kagemitsu accepts the demons offer. The boy eventually is born but without 48 body parts. Daigo Kagemitsu wants to kill the son immediately but his mother manages to place the boy in a basket to float away in a river. The boy is then rescued by a magician who takes pity over the infant and takes him in as his own. The magician over the years devises prosthetic body parts for the boy who is now named Hyakki-Maru. When Hyakki-Maru reaches adulthood he embarks on a journey to kill the 48 demons and regain his natural body parts. Along the way he encounters a spunky young girl named Dororo who joins him on his quest to become "normal" again and accepted by the people.
The action choreography was done by Hong Kong master Siu-Tung Ching, who worked also on such films as ”Hero”, “House of Flying Daggers”, and “Curse of the Golden Flower”. Offered some stylist action sequences that richen the film visualization. Also the New Zealand landscapes that offered a backdrop that was pleasing to the eye. But the FX somewhat came in with mixed result, it sometime fantastic but poor as well like we have seen in many low budget fantasy films or any episode of “Power Rangers”. Directed by Satoshi Tsumubaki whose well-know before as an indie director, his nervousness in directing the first big budget flick was really clear-cutted here. His character, Hyakki-Maru, was supposed to be a gloomy soul, devoid of inner peace because of his physical anomalies. Thus Hyakki-Maru was usually shown in a grim cold state. But all the involved actors somehow quite succeed to seize each of their parts here, they should have grabbed your attention immediately also. But still, it felt too long as a 138 minute epic fantasy piece, he first hour and twenty minutes were just an overly long prelude that should have been condensed in half the time.
Product Specifications:Product Title: Dororo Region 1 DVD
Actors: Mieko Harada, Yoshio Harada, Katsuo Nakamura, Kiichi Nakai, Tetta Sugimoto
Directors: Akihiko Shiota
Format: AC-3, Color, Dolby, DVD-Video, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
Language: Japanese
Subtitles: English
Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only)
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Number of discs: 1
Studio: Universal Studios
Run Time: 139 minutes
DVD Release Date: September 23, 2008 (Save Your Copy)
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