K-20: Legend of the Mask
Encyclopedia
at film festival
s, The Fiend with Twenty Faces on home video
in the United States
and The Legend of the Black Mask in the United Kingdom
) is a 2008
Japanese
action
feature film
written
and directed
by Shimako Satō
and based on a novel by Sō Kitamura and its sequel. The film released worldwide on December 20, 2008. Takeshi Kaneshiro
and Takako Matsu
portray a fictional roles in the film. Tōru Nakamura and Kanata Hongo
also starred in the film, just as Takeshi Kaga
, Fumiyo Kohinata, Reiko Takashima
, Toru Masuoka and Yuki Imai.
never happened. In this fictional capital Teito, aristocrats continue to thrive as they have since the 19th Century. There's is a wide gap between rich and the poor with aristocrats owning 90% of the wealth. The right wing military industrial complex have in fact developed a Tesla-style energy beam with the ability to cause Tunguska
style devastation. However, in the city there are rumors about a mysterious thief, who only steals from the rich, a part Robin Hood
, part Spider-Man
, part the Shadow
character with magical powers. Nicknamed K-20 (short for "Kaijin Nijū-Mensō" - the Phantom Thief with 20 faces.
Endo Heikichi (Kaneshiro Takeshi) is a circus acrobat
. One day, he is deceived by a mysterious old man, and arrested as K-20. In fact the old man turns out to be K-20 himself! Heikichi succeeds to escape from the jail, and he decides to hunt down the real K-20 to prove his innocence.
Meanwhile, K-20 sets his eyes on a rich lady, Hashiba Yoko (Matsu Takako), whose fiancé is Akechi Kogoro (Nakamura Toru) who is a famous detective
and once arrested Heikichi. Heikichi happens to help Yoko, who is chased by K-20. He somehow convinces Yoko and Kogoro that he is not the real K-20. He begins to fight against K-20 with Yoko and Kogoro, with his courageousness and incredible physical dexterity.
" by British band Oasis
.
Film festival
A film festival is an organised, extended presentation of films in one or more movie theaters or screening venues, usually in a single locality. More and more often film festivals show part of their films to the public by adding outdoor movie screenings...
s, The Fiend with Twenty Faces on home video
Home video
Home video is a blanket term used for pre-recorded media that is either sold or rented/hired for home cinema entertainment. The term originates from the VHS/Betamax era but has carried over into current optical disc formats like DVD and Blu-ray Disc and, to a lesser extent, into methods of digital...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and The Legend of the Black Mask in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
) is a 2008
2008 in film
This is a list of all major films made in 2008.-Highest-grossing films:Please note that following the tradition of the English-language film industry, these are the top grossing films that were first released in the USA in 2008...
Japanese
Cinema of Japan
The has a history that spans more than 100 years. Japan has one of the oldest and largest film industries in the world – as of 2009 the fourth largest by number of feature films produced. Movies have been produced in Japan since 1897, when the first foreign cameramen arrived...
action
Action film
Action film is a film genre where one or more heroes is thrust into a series of challenges that require physical feats, extended fights and frenetic chases...
feature film
Feature film
In the film industry, a feature film is a film production made for initial distribution in theaters and being the main attraction of the screening, rather than a short film screened before it; a full length movie...
written
Screenwriter
Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
and directed
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
by Shimako Satō
Shimako Satō
is a Japanese screenwriter and film director.-Career:Born in Iwate Prefecture, Satō attended the Asagaya College of Art and Design before studying filmmaking at the London International Film School.-Filmography:...
and based on a novel by Sō Kitamura and its sequel. The film released worldwide on December 20, 2008. Takeshi Kaneshiro
Takeshi Kaneshiro
Takeshi Kaneshiro , born October 11, 1973, is a Taiwan-born Japanese actor and singer.-Name:...
and Takako Matsu
Takako Matsu
, born , is a Japanese actress and pop singer/songwriter born on June 10, 1977 in Tokyo, Japan. The style of her music is often laid-back and relaxing.- Profile :* Interests: Watching movies and stage plays...
portray a fictional roles in the film. Tōru Nakamura and Kanata Hongo
Kanata Hongo
is a Japanese actor and model. He is part of Stardust Talent agency and has appeared several times in music videos, movies, TV series, and magazines. His major breakthrough role was as the anime character Ryoma Echizen in the film adaptation of The Prince of Tennis, and became even more widely...
also starred in the film, just as Takeshi Kaga
Takeshi Kaga
is a well-known stage and movie actor in Japan who is probably best known internationally for his portrayal of Chairman Kaga in the Japanese television show Iron Chef produced by Fuji TV. His real name is .-Biography:...
, Fumiyo Kohinata, Reiko Takashima
Reiko Takashima
Reiko Takashima is a Japanese actress.Active in television series, movies, and commercials, her roles have included ninja in jidaigeki such as Abarembō Shōgun and Abare Hasshū Goyō Tabi, the wife Oeyo of the shogun Tokugawa Hidetada, Lady Fujitsubo in a special with characters based on The Tale of...
, Toru Masuoka and Yuki Imai.
Plot
The story takes place in an alternate history 1948–9, in an imaginary alternative Tokyo which has taken a different history and in which World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
never happened. In this fictional capital Teito, aristocrats continue to thrive as they have since the 19th Century. There's is a wide gap between rich and the poor with aristocrats owning 90% of the wealth. The right wing military industrial complex have in fact developed a Tesla-style energy beam with the ability to cause Tunguska
Tunguska event
The Tunguska event, or Tunguska blast or Tunguska explosion, was an enormously powerful explosion that occurred near the Podkamennaya Tunguska River in what is now Krasnoyarsk Krai, Russia, at about 7:14 a.m...
style devastation. However, in the city there are rumors about a mysterious thief, who only steals from the rich, a part Robin Hood
Robin Hood
Robin Hood was a heroic outlaw in English folklore. A highly skilled archer and swordsman, he is known for "robbing from the rich and giving to the poor", assisted by a group of fellow outlaws known as his "Merry Men". Traditionally, Robin Hood and his men are depicted wearing Lincoln green clothes....
, part Spider-Man
Spider-Man
Spider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15...
, part the Shadow
The Shadow
The Shadow is a collection of serialized dramas, originally in pulp magazines, then on 1930s radio and then in a wide variety of media, that follow the exploits of the title character, a crime-fighting vigilante in the pulps, which carried over to the airwaves as a "wealthy, young man about town"...
character with magical powers. Nicknamed K-20 (short for "Kaijin Nijū-Mensō" - the Phantom Thief with 20 faces.
Endo Heikichi (Kaneshiro Takeshi) is a circus acrobat
Acrobatics
Acrobatics is the performance of extraordinary feats of balance, agility and motor coordination. It can be found in many of the performing arts, as well as many sports...
. One day, he is deceived by a mysterious old man, and arrested as K-20. In fact the old man turns out to be K-20 himself! Heikichi succeeds to escape from the jail, and he decides to hunt down the real K-20 to prove his innocence.
Meanwhile, K-20 sets his eyes on a rich lady, Hashiba Yoko (Matsu Takako), whose fiancé is Akechi Kogoro (Nakamura Toru) who is a famous detective
Detective
A detective is an investigator, either a member of a police agency or a private person. The latter may be known as private investigators or "private eyes"...
and once arrested Heikichi. Heikichi happens to help Yoko, who is chased by K-20. He somehow convinces Yoko and Kogoro that he is not the real K-20. He begins to fight against K-20 with Yoko and Kogoro, with his courageousness and incredible physical dexterity.
Cast
- Takeshi KaneshiroTakeshi KaneshiroTakeshi Kaneshiro , born October 11, 1973, is a Taiwan-born Japanese actor and singer.-Name:...
- Takako MatsuTakako Matsu, born , is a Japanese actress and pop singer/songwriter born on June 10, 1977 in Tokyo, Japan. The style of her music is often laid-back and relaxing.- Profile :* Interests: Watching movies and stage plays...
- Toru Nakamura
- Kyusaku Shimada
- Jun Kunimura
- Takeshi KagaTakeshi Kagais a well-known stage and movie actor in Japan who is probably best known internationally for his portrayal of Chairman Kaga in the Japanese television show Iron Chef produced by Fuji TV. His real name is .-Biography:...
- Kanata HongoKanata Hongois a Japanese actor and model. He is part of Stardust Talent agency and has appeared several times in music videos, movies, TV series, and magazines. His major breakthrough role was as the anime character Ryoma Echizen in the film adaptation of The Prince of Tennis, and became even more widely...
- Jun KanameJun Kanameis a Japanese actor. He was born in Mitoyo, Kagawa. He made his drama debut as an actor in 2001 in the Tokusatsu Series "Kamen Rider Agito". He appears not only in TV dramas but also in movies, commercial messages, variety TV programs, plays, and music videos.-TV:...
- Yutaka MatsushigeYutaka Matsushigeis a Japanese actor. He won the award for best supporting actor at the 31st Yokohama Film Festival for Dear Doctor.-Selected filmography:-External links:...
- Fumiyo Kohinata
- Reiko TakashimaReiko TakashimaReiko Takashima is a Japanese actress.Active in television series, movies, and commercials, her roles have included ninja in jidaigeki such as Abarembō Shōgun and Abare Hasshū Goyō Tabi, the wife Oeyo of the shogun Tokugawa Hidetada, Lady Fujitsubo in a special with characters based on The Tale of...
- Toru Masuoka
- Hideji Otaki
- Hana Kino
- Kazuyoshi Kushida
- Yuki Imai
- Kisuke Iida
Music
Although a Japanese film, the final credits roll to the sound of "The Shock of the LightningThe Shock of the Lightning
"The Shock of the Lightning" is a song by English rock band Oasis and is the fourth track from the band's seventh studio album, Dig Out Your Soul. The song was released as the first single from the album on 29 September 2008...
" by British band Oasis
Oasis (band)
Oasis were an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1991. Originally known as The Rain, the group was formed by Liam Gallagher , Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs , Paul "Guigsy" McGuigan and Tony McCarroll , who were soon joined by Liam's older brother Noel Gallagher...
.