Zebraman
Encyclopedia
is a 2004 film
directed by Takashi Miike
. The film's name references the main character, a superhero named "Zebraman". A sequel, Zebraman 2: Attack on Zebra City, was released in 2010
featuring the addition of Masahiro Inoue
of Kamen Rider Decade
to the cast.
TV series he watched as a child before it was canceled after the seventh episode. As a result of meeting a wheelchair-using transfer student named Shinpei Asano, also a fan of Zebraman, Shinichi not only regains his love for teaching but also develops feelings for the boy's mother. At the same time, a rash of strange crimes and murders have been occurring around the school at which Shinichi teaches. On his way to Shinpei's house in his costume to give him a surprise, Shinichi fights a crab-masked serial killer whom he defeats when he starts exhibiting actual superpowers. Confronting more criminals who are possessed by a strange slime-based alien force, Shinichi learns that the Zebraman series was actually a cautionary prophecy of an actual alien invasion written by the school's principal, revealed to be an alien who refused to go through with the invasion and attempted to keep his kind from getting out from below the school before they kill him off and attack in full fury. Though he knows how the show ends, Shinichi defies his predestined fate as he is the only person who can stop the aliens from taking over the Earth. In result when the aliens merge from the ground the Government informs the United States who will perform an airstrike on the aliens. Realizing this Shinichi learns of his powers and defeats the aliens. Before the U.S.
. The manga told its own story, focusing on the relationship the main character has with his two children. Unlike the movie, Zebraman never gains any powers, only remaining a man in a suit until the bitter end.
2004 in film
The year 2004 in film involved some significant events. Major releases of sequels took place. It included blockbuster films like Shrek 2, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, The Passion of the Christ, Meet the Fockers, Blade: Trinity, Spider-Man 2, Alien vs. Predator, Kill Bill Vol...
directed by Takashi Miike
Takashi Miike
is a highly prolific and controversial Japanese filmmaker. He has directed over seventy theatrical, video, and television productions since his debut in 1991. In the years 2001 and 2002 alone, Miike is credited with directing fifteen productions...
. The film's name references the main character, a superhero named "Zebraman". A sequel, Zebraman 2: Attack on Zebra City, was released in 2010
2010 in film
The year 2010 saw many new films released worldwide. 2010 saw a dramatic increase and prominence in the use of 3D-technology in filmmaking and film releases after the success of Avatar in the format, with releases such as Alice in Wonderland, Clash of the Titans, Jackass 3D, all animated films and...
featuring the addition of Masahiro Inoue
Masahiro Inoue
is a Japanese actor from Kanagawa Prefecture. He got his start in acting portraying Keigo Atobe in the Prince of Tennis musical The Imperial Presence Hyotei Gakuen as part of the Hyoutei B Cast. In 2009 he portrayed the lead role in Kamen Rider Decade, Tsukasa Kadoya, who had the ability to...
of Kamen Rider Decade
Kamen Rider Decade
is the title of the first of the 2009 editions of the long-running Kamen Rider Series of tokusatsu dramas. Decade, as its title suggests, is the tenth of the Heisei Rider Series, having begun with Kamen Rider Kuuga in 2000...
to the cast.
Plot
It is 2010. A failure as a 3rd grade teacher and a family man, Shinichi Ichikawa lives with his cheating wife, his teenage daughter who dates older men, and his son who is bullied because of his father's presence in the school. Escaping from everyday life, Shinichi secretly dresses up nightly as "Zebraman", the title character from an unpopular 1970's tokusatsuTokusatsu
is a Japanese term that applies to any live-action film or television drama that usually features superheroes and makes considerable use of special effects ....
TV series he watched as a child before it was canceled after the seventh episode. As a result of meeting a wheelchair-using transfer student named Shinpei Asano, also a fan of Zebraman, Shinichi not only regains his love for teaching but also develops feelings for the boy's mother. At the same time, a rash of strange crimes and murders have been occurring around the school at which Shinichi teaches. On his way to Shinpei's house in his costume to give him a surprise, Shinichi fights a crab-masked serial killer whom he defeats when he starts exhibiting actual superpowers. Confronting more criminals who are possessed by a strange slime-based alien force, Shinichi learns that the Zebraman series was actually a cautionary prophecy of an actual alien invasion written by the school's principal, revealed to be an alien who refused to go through with the invasion and attempted to keep his kind from getting out from below the school before they kill him off and attack in full fury. Though he knows how the show ends, Shinichi defies his predestined fate as he is the only person who can stop the aliens from taking over the Earth. In result when the aliens merge from the ground the Government informs the United States who will perform an airstrike on the aliens. Realizing this Shinichi learns of his powers and defeats the aliens. Before the U.S.
Cast
- Show Aikawa as Shinichi Ichikawa/Zebraman
- Kyoka Suzuki as Kana Asano/Zebra Nurse
- Naoki Yasukochi as Shinpei Asano
- Atsuro Watabe as Oikawa
- Koen KondoKoen KondoKoen Kondo is a Japanese actor. He made his debut in the popular 2001 film Waterboys.-Selected filmography:Koen Kondo is a Japanese actor. He made his debut in the popular 2001 film Waterboys.-Selected filmography:Koen Kondo is a Japanese actor...
as Segawa - Makiko Watanabe as Yukiyo Ichikawa
- Yui IchikawaYui Ichikawa, is an actress and model from Tokyo, Japan. She is also known by her nickname, Yui-nyan. As an actress she has appeared in several dramas , and in recent years she has concentrated more on her film career. She played a minor role in the movie Ju-on: The Grudge and reprised her character for a...
as Midori Ichikawa - Yoshimasa Mishima as Kazuki Ichikawa
- Ren OsugiRen Osugi, born , is a Japanese actor. For his work in Cure, Hana-bi and other films, Osugi was given the Best Supporting Actor award at the 1999 Yokohama Film Festival...
as Kuniharu Kuroda - Teruyoshi UchimuraTeruyoshi Uchimura, half of the Japanese comedy duo Utchan Nanchan, is one of the most famous and influential comedians in the owarai community. His nickname is Utchan , and his partner, Kiyotaka Nanbara, is known as Nanchan. He was born on July 22, 1964 in Hitoyoshi, Kumamoto. Though he has worked for years as a...
as Ippongi - Akira Emoto as Kitahara the Crab Man
- Ryo Iwamatsu as Kanda
- Yu Tokui as Pyromaniac
- Yoji Boba Tanaka
- Arata FurutaArata Furutais a Japanese theatre and film character actor.-Biography:Furata has a broad range that goes from playing serious salary men, to bushi in period drama roles, and even women....
- Eggplant Vendor - Kumiko Aso as Clerk
- Yoshihiko Hakamada
- Miyako Kawahara
- Hideki Sone
- Masayuki Fukushima
- Satoru Hamaguchi Midori's boyfriend
- Hiroshi Watari - 1978 Zebraman
Other credits
- Produced by
- Shigeyuki Endō - planner
- Kumi Fukuchi - planner
- Akio Hattori - producer
- Takashi Hirano - executive producer: TBS
- Mitsuru Kurosawa - executive producer: Toei/Tôei
- Makoto Okada - producer
- Production Design: Akira Sakamoto
- Sound Department: Yoshiya Obara - sound
- CGI producer: Misako Saka
- Lighting Director: Seiichirô Mieno
Manga
The movie screenplay was adapted into a five volume manga by Reiji YamadaReiji Yamada
' is a Japanese manga artist. His first big hit was a romantic comedy , and he is also known for the manga adaptation of Zebraman. He is very concerned with societal problems, and has spent the last several years drawing Zetsubō ni Kiku Kusuri a series of manga interviews with people he believes...
. The manga told its own story, focusing on the relationship the main character has with his two children. Unlike the movie, Zebraman never gains any powers, only remaining a man in a suit until the bitter end.
External links
- Zebraman at MetaCriticMetacriticMetacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...