Zebraman Film Review

I saw this when it first came out in 2004 and remembered enjoying it quite a bit. After watching the Japanese Spiderman TV episode yesterday, I was in the mood for more Tokusatsu or in this case masked superheroes. But this comes at it from a unique angle that is partly parody but all heart. Very sweet and lovable with sly comic interludes along the way. So sweet in fact that I completely forgot that it was directed by Takeshi Miike. Miike has taken every film genre and turned it upside down and knocked it over the head with extreme excess. Brilliantly visual but often leaving out the human aspect. Back around this film, I had tried keeping up with Miike but he was putting out so many films that I lost track of him. But this film got him on his good side; a very affectionate nod to the TV superheroes of his childhood.

Shinichi (Show Aikawa) is your put upon modern Japanese male. A family that doesn't respect him and ignores him and his young students who laugh at him. At a point in his life where the dreams of his youth have slipped away. Stuck to some degree in his childhood with his obsession for a TV Tokusatsu named Zebraman that was cancelled after seven episodes. He even has sewn a Zebraman costume that he wears in his bedroom at night. A neutered man. But things are about to change.

Dead bodies are showing up with green goo around them. Earth has been invaded by aliens. Little green Jello like creatures that can possess humans and make them commit violent actions. Even an entire school bus of small children who destroy a market. Shinichi has begun sneaking out at night in his Zebraman costume, keeping to the shadows where no one will see him. But one night he comes upon a man who has just killed a woman and he goes after him. An alien. And Shinichi miraculously becomes Zebraman with all the powers of the TV Zebraman. And now he knows his purpose. To save the earth as he runs from one crisis to the next, changing into his costume as he runs and excusing himself from class. It is very silly but as he gains the respect of his family and others, it takes on surprising emotional weight. A bit too long at two-hours, but it has some fun special effects and a heartwarming ending.