Big Man Japan
Encyclopedia
is a 2007 Japanese film written, directed and starring Hitoshi Matsumoto
. It was well-received by critics in the U.S., after many months of being shown at various festivals and film events. It has received a "Fresh" score of 78% on Rotten Tomatoes.
that follows Masaru Daisato. Through the application of high voltage
electricity, Daisato is able to grow to a height of approximately 30 meters. Having inherited from his father the duty of protecting Japan against various giant monsters, Daisato is in employ of a sub-division of the defence ministry called the Ministry of Monster Prevention. Despite his great power, he is regarded as an outcast by his fellow citizens and struggles under the burden of living up to a heroic lineage that increasingly overshadows his own somewhat mediocre accomplishments as a monster fighter. To further complicate matters, he is deeply estranged from his immediate family. By the film’s end, his failures and doubts reach a hallucinogenic apotheosis.
genre, capitalism
's excesses and the contemporary entertainment industry, for example. Masaru has an agent who manages his PR
and marketing. She scolds him for bungling a fight which causes poor ratings and leases advertising space on visible areas of his body (e.g. He is reminded to make sure that a corporate logo on his chest is visible during a fight, forcing him to release his opponent from a bear hug
). Towards the end of the movie his agent is seen to have profited from his efforts and become wealthy while Masaru continues to live in a state of near poverty.
The unnamed documentarian following Big Man interviews fight witnesses, who discuss the battles as if they were the latest episode of their favorite TV show. The movie is free of collateral damage
such as civilian casualties or property damage other than being used as a device to allow them to take pointed jabs at Big Man's heroic reputation.
The film's monsters, or daikaiju, are unusual in that they have distinctly human features and do not behave the way that traditional movie monsters are expected to. The female Stink Monster, for instance, challenges Big Man to battle but continues to shout insults at him while avoiding any actual physical contact. The climactic ending scenes are shot in the style of the original Ultraman
series.
Hitoshi Matsumoto
, or Matchan as he is commonly known, is a Japanese comedian best known as the boke half the popular owarai duo Downtown alongside Masatoshi Hamada...
. It was well-received by critics in the U.S., after many months of being shown at various festivals and film events. It has received a "Fresh" score of 78% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Story
The film takes the form of a mockumentaryMockumentary
A mockumentary , is a type of film or television show in which fictitious events are presented in documentary format. These productions are often used to analyze or comment on current events and issues by using a fictitious setting, or to parody the documentary form itself...
that follows Masaru Daisato. Through the application of high voltage
High voltage
The term high voltage characterizes electrical circuits in which the voltage used is the cause of particular safety concerns and insulation requirements...
electricity, Daisato is able to grow to a height of approximately 30 meters. Having inherited from his father the duty of protecting Japan against various giant monsters, Daisato is in employ of a sub-division of the defence ministry called the Ministry of Monster Prevention. Despite his great power, he is regarded as an outcast by his fellow citizens and struggles under the burden of living up to a heroic lineage that increasingly overshadows his own somewhat mediocre accomplishments as a monster fighter. To further complicate matters, he is deeply estranged from his immediate family. By the film’s end, his failures and doubts reach a hallucinogenic apotheosis.
Themes
The movie targets many topics: Japanese pop culture, the monster-movieMonster movie
Monster movie is a name commonly given to movies, which centre on the struggle between human beings and one or more monsters...
genre, capitalism
Capitalism
Capitalism is an economic system that became dominant in the Western world following the demise of feudalism. There is no consensus on the precise definition nor on how the term should be used as a historical category...
's excesses and the contemporary entertainment industry, for example. Masaru has an agent who manages his PR
Public relations
Public relations is the actions of a corporation, store, government, individual, etc., in promoting goodwill between itself and the public, the community, employees, customers, etc....
and marketing. She scolds him for bungling a fight which causes poor ratings and leases advertising space on visible areas of his body (e.g. He is reminded to make sure that a corporate logo on his chest is visible during a fight, forcing him to release his opponent from a bear hug
Bear hug
In wrestling, a bear hug, also known as a bodylock, is a grappling clinch hold and stand-up grappling position where the arms are wrapped around the opponent, either around the opponent's chest, midsection, or thighs; sometimes with one or both of the opponents arms pinned to the opponent's body...
). Towards the end of the movie his agent is seen to have profited from his efforts and become wealthy while Masaru continues to live in a state of near poverty.
The unnamed documentarian following Big Man interviews fight witnesses, who discuss the battles as if they were the latest episode of their favorite TV show. The movie is free of collateral damage
Collateral damage
Collateral damage is damage to people or property that is unintended or incidental to the intended outcome. The phrase is prevalently used as an euphemism for civilian casualties of a military action.-Etymology:...
such as civilian casualties or property damage other than being used as a device to allow them to take pointed jabs at Big Man's heroic reputation.
The film's monsters, or daikaiju, are unusual in that they have distinctly human features and do not behave the way that traditional movie monsters are expected to. The female Stink Monster, for instance, challenges Big Man to battle but continues to shout insults at him while avoiding any actual physical contact. The climactic ending scenes are shot in the style of the original Ultraman
Ultraman
is Japanese television series that first aired in 1966. Ultraman, the first and best-known of the "Ultra-Crusaders," made his debut in the tokusatsu SF/kaiju/superhero TV series, , a follow-up to the television series Ultra Q...
series.
Cast
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Hitoshi Matsumoto Hitoshi Matsumoto , or Matchan as he is commonly known, is a Japanese comedian best known as the boke half the popular owarai duo Downtown alongside Masatoshi Hamada... |
Masaru Daisatō/Big Man Japan |
| Riki Takeuchi Riki Takeuchi is a Japanese actor best known for his roles in v-cinema yakuza movies.Takeuchi has starred in many yakuza films and action films, such as Dead or Alive by Takashi Miike... |
Leaping Monster |
| Ua UA (singer) , simply known by the stage name UA , is a Japanese singer-songwriter. She debuted under Speedstar Records in 1995 with the single "Horizon".-Biography:... |
Manager Kobori |
| Ryūnosuke Kamiki Ryunosuke Kamiki is a Japanese actor and voice actor.-Biography:When he was 2 years old, his mother enrolled him in Central Group, a talent agency specialising in representing babies and children, and that was the start of his career in acting.... |
Child Monster |
| Haruka Unabara | Strangling Monster |
| Tomoji Hasegawa | Interviewer |
| Itsuji Itao Itsuji Itao is a Japanese comedian and actor. He is a member of the comedy duo 130R and former cast member of one of Downtown's previous shows. He usually appears in their batsu games.-Movies:*2001 Desert Moon ... Interviewer*2002 The Blessing Bell ... Prisoner... |
Female Stink Monster |
| Hiroyuki Miyasako Hiroyuki Miyasako is a Japanese actor and comedian, and plays the boke in Ameagari Kesshitai. He won the award for Best Supporting Actor at the 28th Hochi Film Awards for Thirteen Steps and Wild Berries.-Filmography:*Thirteen Steps *Wild Berries... |
Super Justice's Mother |
| Takayuki Haranishi | Male Stink Monster |
| Daisuke Miyagawa | Super Justice |
| Takuya Hashimoto | Midon |
| Taichi Yazaki | Masaru's Grandfather/the Fourth |
| Shion Machida | Masaru's Ex-Wife |
| Atsuko Nakamura | Bar Proprietress Azusa |
| Daisuke Nagakura | Masaru's Grandfather (young) |
| Motohiro Toriki | Masaru's Father/the Fifth |
| Keidai Yano | Young Masaru |
| Junshirō Hayama | Shintō Priest |