Bushido Man (Takanori Tsujimoto!!!) (2013)

[HungFist]

You can quote me on this: if Japanese action cinema ever makes a comeback, it's probably thanks to this guy! Takanori Tsujimoto, or Takanori motherfucking Tsujimoto, is working on a new film, Bushido Man!

This guy's been real interesting to follow. He started out with not-so-good but action packed contributions to episode films, like Mamoru Oshii's The Women of Fast Food (2007) and Kill (2008). Then he went to direct the 45 minute Hard Revenge Milly (2008), which was a mixture of gore and martial arts. The follow up, Bloody Battle (2009), is pure diamond: a hard boiled and ultra violent cyber punk thriller with some of the best action Japanese cinema has produced in decades! In 2011, Tsujimoto released Red Tears, a vampire actioner starring Yasuaki Kurata (the trailer seems a bit disappointing, but I'll need to see the film.

Next up is Bushido Man (Summer 2012), choreographed by Bloody Battle choreographer Kensuke Sonomura and starring Mitsuki Koga (also from Hard Revenge Milly).

Twitter: http://twitter.com/BUSHIDOMAN
Site: http://bushidoman.tumblr.com/


via マ－ク

[HungFist]

Let's have a brief look at some of Tsujimoto's earlier works

Two Guns (2007). An episode in the Mamoru Oshii omnibus movie Shin onna tachiguishi retsuden. Miki Mizuno as a western heroine. Quite poor all around, to be honest.



Kiriko (2008). This is the opening episode in yet another Mamoru Oshii omnibus movie, Kill. A female assassin goes against her boss. Dull story and characters, but plenty of katana action. The final fight is quite good. Miki Mizuno and Ayaka Morita star.



Hard Revenge Milly (45 min) (2008). Ultra violent revenge/splatter/martial arts film, once again starring Mizuno. Some promising action, but the film's strength is the excellent performance by Mizono.



Hard Revenge Milly: Bloody Battle (45 min) (2009). Sequel. Ultra-stylish, ultra-violent, with superb action choreography, strong score and stylish cyber-punk world. One of the best Japanese action films in decades.



Red Tears: Monster Killer (2011). Vampire/splatter/martial arts actioner with Yasuaki Kurata. 2011 festival premiere, 2012 theatrical opening.

[HungFist]

[Ricochan38]

the guy can sure make an angry face

[HungFist]

Bushido Man teaser 2
- http://bushidoman.tumblr.com/

[HungFist]

Although shot in digital and probably not gonna end up looking as even good as Bloody Battle, the casting seems ace. These guys are not pretty boy pop stars (execept Mistuko Koga, who is "the craziest, sexiest man alive") like the cast in most Japanese action movies these days, but action stars, martial artists and ex-stuntmen. And the plot, Mitsuki Koga vs. 7 martial arts masters, sounds charmingly old school and simple, too.

Mitsuki Koga: Seiji Chiba regular and Milly's "Jack"
Masanori Mimoto: Alien vs. Ninja lead Chiba regular
Yoshiyuki Yamaguchi: katana villain in Kiriko

I wish Kazuki Tsujimoto was be announced next!

Just for the fun of it, here's a few clips from Seiji Chiba's Evil Ninja, featuring Bushido Man cast

Mitsuki Koga beating ninja ass:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-ia7mKwy-g

Masanori Mimoto (the guy without ponytail) fighting a guy with ponytail:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKrXagewSFI

[HungFist]

I wish Kazuki Tsujimoto was be announced next!

[HungFist]

[HungFist]

[HungFist]

I think the main cast is now complete (as the trailer refers to seven warriors). While the looks very low budget and may have a nasty digital shade to it, the reason why I'm so exited about Bushido Man is the cast. These days Japan produces a very limited number of action movies, and most of them star idols and other pretty girls/boys who have no prior experience in making action films. Bushido Man on the other hand features nothing but stuntmen, martial arts actors, action choreographers and yakuza film and b-movie stars. Not a single idol or teenage girl to be found!

A quick look at the cast:

Mitsuki Koga (Main Character): Martial artist and martial arts actor (Hard Revenge Milly 1&2, Evil Ninja, Kunoichi)

vs.

Masanori Mimoto (Knife Master): stuntman and martial arts actor (Alien vs. Ninja, Evil Ninja, Kunoichi)
Yoshiyuki Yamaguchi (Martial Arts Master): yakuza film regular (Dead or Alive, Gozu, Graveyard of Honor)
Kentaro Shimazu (Gun Master): b-film star (Tokyo Gore Police, The Machine Girl, Alien vs. Ninja)
Kazuki Tsujimoto (Blind Samurai): stuntman, action choreographer and martial arts actor (Hard Revenge Milly: Bloody Battle, Kill, United Red Army)
Masaki Suzumura (Nunchuku Master): action choreographer (The Machine Girl, Zombie Ass)
Naohiro Kawamoto (Bojutsu Master): action director and stuntman (Alien vs. Ninja, Shinobi: Heart Under Blade)
Kensuke Somomura (Kung Fu Master): action director (Hard Revenge Milly: Bloody Battle, Alien vs. Ninja, Bushido Man)

And the crew
Takanori Tsujimoto (Director): action, martial arts and violence addict (Hard Revenge Milly 1&2, Red Tears, Kill)
Kensuke Sonomura (action director): rising talent (Hard Revenge Milly 1&2, Kunoichi)

[HungFist]

Not an all-male movie after all



I was wondering if she'd be on board.

I completely missed the blog before:
http://blog.livedoor.jp/t3aa/archives/cat_50036027.html

[HungFist]

I think it's safe to say this isn't coming out in 2012. It's still in post production, with today's blog post referring to color correction. If I remember correctly, there was a bit of additional shooting done in August or around that time, too.

Though it may benefit the film (purposefully?) that it doesn't come out the same year with The Raid.

[HungFist]

Completed! To be released in 2013. Fingers crossed for Yubari opening.



- http://blog.livedoor.jp/t3aa/archives/52041576.html

[HungFist]

Trailer
http://bushidoman.tumblr.com/post/37236983591

A bit lame visual look, but I think this is going to be a fun movie. The cast couldn't be better, and I love the "Eat and Fight" thing.

Random note 1: Do you spot Mark Walcow in the trailer?
Random note 2: Yoshihiro Nishimura was praising this as better than The Raid in his blog, though his stand could be considered be a bit biased...

[HungFist]

World premiere at Yubari next month. I'll tell you how it is if I manage to get a ticket.

[HungFist]

Watched in Yubari. Will write more when I have the time, but here's in very brief:

Koga wanders around Japan challenging masters of different martial arts. Kung Fu, Katana, Knife, Nunchaku, Stick and so on. Very little storyline, though fun pilgrim theme, and poor production values, but two thirds of the film is fighting. Begins like an 80's Hong Kong film, with some of the best hand-to-hand fighting ever seen in Japanese film. Koga vs. Kensuke Sonomura match is insane! Towards the end humor and metaphysics hurt the film a bit, and the ending throws away any realims and goes for completely nuts (again 80's Hong Kong style) fight circus that can be quite fun in its own right. Tak Sakaguchi would better pull some serious tricks from his back pocket, as right now Koga is clearly the action man no. 1 in Japan.






(screencaps from the trailer)

[HungFist]

Finished my review:

An old fashioned fighting movie to delight genre fans
- http://sketchesofcinema.wordpress.com/2 ... shido-man/

From Yubari: Masanori Mimoto, Takanori Tsujimoto, Mitsuki Koga and Kensuke Sonomura

[HungFist]

Finished my review:

An old fashioned fighting movie to delight genre fans
- http://sketchesofcinema.wordpress.com/2 ... shido-man/

Japan’s most famous active screen fighter Tak Sakaguchi would better come up with new tricks as Koga just stole the game!

"Tak Sakaguchi announces retirement from films"
- https://twitter.com/moviefan55/statu...64833159778304

I should be more careful with what I write

[HungFist]

wow, I really should be careful with what I write

Thu Mar 01, 2012

I wish Kazuki Tsujimoto was announced next!

Thu May 31, 2012

Bushido Man cast: Kazuki Tsujimoto as Blind Samurai

Mon Nov 26, 2012

Completed! To be released in 2013. Fingers crossed for Yubari opening.

Wed Jan 16, 2013

World premiere at Yubari next month.

Tue Mar 05, 2013

Japan’s most famous active screen fighter Tak Sakaguchi would better come up with new tricks as Koga just stole the game!

Wed Mar 06, 2013

Tak Sakaguchi announces retirement from films

[Shingster]

This is no joking matter, you're killing careers!

[HungFist]

Here's my review of another Yubari premiere: Sengoku Bloody Agent:
- http://sketchesofcinema.wordpress.com/2 ... ody-agent/



A good example of everything that can be wrong with Japanese action cinema. In the Q&A, the only person who could think of anything to ask from the filmmakers was Bushido Man director Takanori Tsujimoto who was sitting in the audience.

In other news, here's a trailer for Tak Sakaguchi farewell screening event in Tokyo. 7 movies, including Snake of Violence which premiered in Yubari earlier this year (I'll post my review later), and his final work Kyomusashi, which is a jidai geki action film shot entirely in one take (about 75 minutes). The film was directed by Isao Karawasa. Tak's English language retirement announcement actually claimed it was not completed, but it is nevetheless set to be screened..

trailer:
http://youtu.be/0Xhex6sadxA

site:
http://taksakaguchi.com/

[HungFist]

Bushido Man will have its international premiere at the Japan Film Fest Hamburg later this month.
- http://www.jffh.de/2013/bushido-man/

[HungFist]

new poster again


- http://blog.livedoor.jp/t3aa/archives/52065378.html

[HungFist]

Hah, the marketing team shows sense of humor!



Battles: 80%!
Gourmet: 15%!!
Drama: 5%!!!

No Stunt Double!
No Wires!!!
No Budget!!!!





Can't wait to see this again.

[HungFist]

Brief Bushido Man article with some interesting information on how the film was shot:
http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/2013 ... asia-2013/