Casshern

Rating NR Formats DVD Genre sci-fi Starring Yusuke Iseya, Kumiko Aso, Akira Terao, Kanako Higuchi Directed by Kasuaki Kiriya Publisher Dreamworks External Links Official Dreamworks Website

Ignore, for the most part, any conceptions you have attained if you have watched Casshan: Robot Hunter. If you don’t, you will spend your time scrutinizing the film, as I did during the first few minutes. Treat them, if you will, as separate stories with a similar main character. People who have seen the aforementioned animated feature will automatically recognize names such as Europa, Tetsuya, Dr. Azuma, and Zone Seven. Wipe all of that clean, except for the similarity in name (and appearance, for many of the robotic designs are also similar.)

After the war against Europa’s robot armies, the world at large is suffering a different type of threat. With the state of reconstructed civilization, quality of life will irrevocably erode due to pollution and lack of care. Dr. Azuma, a leading scientific mind of the modern world, believes to have discovered the answer in the form of “Neo-Cells.” However, study of these must involved the inhabitants of Zone Seven, which is what the population at large will not abide.

Add to the fact that Dr. Azuma’s wife is steadily going blind and that his son, Tetsuya, wishes to serve in the military, there is a perfect setup for catastrophe. Dr. Azuma has received support from a younger political generation to continue with his Neo-Cell research. In an unexplained accident, a “lightning bolt” from heaven causes the Neo-Cells to react violently and form an entire race. Out of fear, the military powers-that-be reactively eliminates nearly all of these Neo Sapiens. Those that escape re-discover Europa’s robot armies and replenish them to wage war against humanity.

To add to this, Tetsuya is killed during his tour of Zone Seven. His body was brought in for a hero’s burial. Instead, Dr. Azuma revives Tetsuya through baptism in Neo-Cells. However, without proper maintenance, it is discovered that the energy output from these Neo-Cells will rip Tetsuya’s body apart. Meeting with a colleague who has developed an interest in military armor research, Tetsuya is outfitted with a prototype design that will maintain his stability. Now, with the growing threat of Neo Sapien invasion, Tetsuya must once again take up arms to serve humanity.

Paul Ross of News of the World quoted this movie as: “Better than both Matrix sequels put together – a truly stunning sci-fi masterpiece.” He is correct. Then again, almost anything is better than the second and third Matrix disasters. Casshern is, at times, too existential for taste. Even science fiction can’t be enjoyed if it makes no sense. For about the first hour of Casshern, you are given a definite story path. Afterwards, it loses focus. Fortunately, it doesn’t get lost in hopeless action sequences just to entice the senses. In that sense, this film maintains a huge amount of integrity.

Casshern can pride itself on clearly defined character development and role assignment. At all times, you know each character’s struggles and stances. Conversely, while the characters are in focus, the background seems blurred to a fault. The actual direction of the film seems almost unimportant. In the case of Casshern, perhaps that technique is lost on the audience at large. This goes beyond the concept that Japanese culture and North American culture are different. It’s not just about North American audiences not getting certain references or significance from a particular moment. It’s clear that this movie gets lost in itself and won’t stop to ask for directions.

The biggest shame concerning Casshern is that it is not a film that will be widely recognized or viewed by the North American movie-goers at large. Getting published by Dreamworks here in North America was a bolstering move, since it potentially means a greater chance at exposure. However, it’s not the best of films and it’s definitely not a “must see”, which is also sad. A more focused story progression would have solved a lot of the problems posed in this film.