Teaser - Mutant Girls Squad (Sento Shojo: Chi no Tetsu Kamen Densetsu)
Spotted Productions has posted a 31-second teaser for Mutant Girls Squad, an upcoming film backed by Nikkatsu on their new western-focused (i.e., crazy Japanese shit that Americans like more than Japan does) Sushi Typhoon label with domestic distribution by Toei Video.
I can’t find much in the way of plot as of yet (check back for an update very soon), but judging from the clip, it appears to be a touching coming-of-age drama of young girls searching for true love. Okay maybe not, but it’s co-directed by Yoshihiro Nishimura (Tokyo Gore Police), Tak Sakaguchi (Samurai School), and Noboru Iguchi (The Machine Girl) so you pretty much know what to expect: copious gore, comedy, and gravure idols killing people in inventive ways.
The main trio is played by Yumi Sugimoto (20), Yuko Takayama (17), and Suzuka Morita (17).
The initial release will consist of some late show screenings at Cinema Rise and Theater N Shibuya at the end of May, and it’s probably safe to assume an international premiere at NYAFF is all but guaranteed. More info as it comes.
via Sento Shojo official Twitter
Update (3/10): From what I can gather from the incredibly confusing synopsis on Japanese Wikipedia, the story is sort of a loose take on X-Men. Sugimoto plays Rin, a bullied teenager who discovers her arm has mutated into a razor-sharp weapon on her 16th birthday. A shadow government organization immediately begins hunting her down, slaughtering her parents in the process, but Rin is saved in the nick of time by a super-powered being called “Hiruko”. Soon, mutants from all over Japan are gathered together and begin militant training to overthrow the government. Meanwhile, Rin is fitted with a special iron mask and begins her life as a “battle girl”, utilizing both her mutant powers and acrobatic abilities to fight against mutant-hunting special forces.
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Tags: akiko mishiro, asami, cay izumi, chiharu kawai, demo tanaka, jiji boo, kanji tsuda, kentaro shimazu, kotono, maiko ito, miyuu wagawa, mutant girls squad, naoto takenaka, noboru iguchi, shinji matsubayashi, suzuka morita, tak sakaguchi, takashi nishina, yoshihiro nishimura, yuko takayama, yumi sugimoto
Comments
My guess is they’re kind of financially trapped somewhere between guerrilla filmmaking and larger productions so they can’t really run around the city filming in areas without permission but they also can’t afford to rent out cooler places to shoot or build sets from scratch. Most people don’t seem to notice or care though I suppose. It does get a bit boring when every movie is a set in a big factory and local parks with the occasional CGI landscape in the background.
TOEI, judging from their Kamen Rider and Super Sentai series, have a large place consisting of abandoned and buildings. Maybe this is where they shoot.
I’m rooting up on seeing this movie.
Any release dates?
Just late may in Japan and then sometime in July or August for the international premiere, probably in New York. Nothing set in stone.
Is there, like, only one such abandoned building in Japan that has to be used in films like these?
I realize these films are supposed to be cheesy, in a way… but I’d have to see a bit more before I decide if I wanna like it or not.