More Dororo

It's been almost a month since the Japan release of Dororo, a Tezuka Osamu's manga based film, and it looks like the film is doing pretty well at least here in Japan. I don't know when it's going to be released in the other 23 countries but anyway I did have a chance to see the film a little while ago.

As for my personal review goes... not extremely excellent but entertaining enough. I actually haven't read the original story but I could tell that there'd been a lot of cutting (and probably changing) in the storyline. I guess it can't be helped as the original must be a very long piece with a very profound philosophy or theme, but I must say I expected a little more. I liked it overall though. Afterall I think I liked it. Yep.

The story ended like it was going to have a series - and so it is going to with the same Tsubabuki and Shibasaki playing the main two characters. The production committee announced not only that they're going to have a number 2 but also number 3, disclosing that 2 would focus a little more on Dororo's (Shibasaki) story with more entertainment elements and 3 being about Hyakkimaru (Tsumabuki's) determination of his life.

Sure it did end like it's going to have more, but I didn't actually think that there would be since the production cost for this film far exceeds the common sense of Japanese film making, and it was also shot mostly overseas which is not so common for Japanese films. In order to not disappoing the audience of the first one (in theaters now) they're going to spend 6 billion yen all together for 2 and 3, and are of course going to shoot the film somewhere outside of Japan although where and when is not yet decided. They did say that 2 has a lot to do with the ocean and said they'll probably choose a location somewhere in the South Pacific. Series 2 is scheduled to appear in the theaters in 2009 at the earliest. As we say in Japanese, "let's keep our neck stretched long" ;-)

I won't give away the details of the film here, but I will mention there were quite a bit of surprises that probably very very few if not none of the audiences expected. I also heard that to make the film better, the production board had a mid-process preview gathering common people and asked the audience to evaluate, criticize, comment on the still editing film. After they collected the comments they made a few changes and so came out the final piece.

A little note: the film is rated PG12 here in Japan but I don't know how it would be rated in other countries. Like you can probably tell from the preview it is quite violent with lots of battle and use of weapons. There were many parts that I thought little kids can cry from scariness. In any case, do go have a look when it becomes available in your neighborhood.

Today's update on Japan Mode: Sakura Guide 2007 - the cherry blossom season is coming close and the sakura season here in Japan is traditionally the party season by all means. Aside from the hanami groups and parties spreading their picnic sheet under the night cherry trees with beer and food, there are lots and lots of sakura related events taking place starting from the southern warmer regions. Today's the first edition of sakura event guide 2007!

Dororo Official Website: www.dororo.jp/ (Japanese)
Dororo English Info on Japan Mode: http://www.jmode.com/madeinjapan/madein11_3.html