Angel Guts: High School Coed (1978) User Reviews

As much as I love misogynistic Japanese sleaze, this one needed something more.

[BA_Harrison · 6/10 · 23 December 2010]

Only in Japanese cinema could you find a character living by a such a seriously messed-up moral code as biker Kawashima (Sanshô Shinsui): as a member of a ruthless gang, he thinks nothing of robbing and raping innocent strangers on a daily basis, yet he goes out of his way to protect an innocent schoolgirl from being raped by fellow thug Kaji; given orders to rape the schoolgirl himself, however, and he complies without protest. Kawashima also acts as guardian to his younger sister Megu, protecting her from the harsh realities of his life, but when he catches the occasional glimpse of her blossoming female form, it is clear that his feelings of brotherly love extend beyond the accepted norm.

Such an unbalanced individual should make for very interesting viewing, but sadly Takashi Ishii's meandering, confusing and ultimately pointless script for Angel Guts High School Co-ed wastes any opportunity to delve further into Kawashimi's clearly disturbed psyche (or those of his pals), preferring instead to simply deliver a series of sleazy sexual assaults for the viewers' titillation. The girls are very attractive of course, and all get nekkid for the camera, but as much as I enjoy seeing pretty Japanese babes in the buff, I had hoped Angel Guts: High School Coed would offer something a little more substantial in the plot department to prevent tedium from setting in.

5.5 out of 10, rounded up to 6 for IMDb.

First in a popular Japanese 'Roman Porno' series

[movieman_kev · 6/10 · 12 September 2005]

A trio of Biker hoodlums, Kawashima, Kajima, and Sadakuni , who, which is quite apparent from the get go, spend their days raping women, talking about raping women, and planning to rape women again. Kawashima is extremely careful that his younger sister, Megu, never find out what he does and tries to protect her from the other gang members. Kajima tells Kawashima that he must rape a girl that he previously stopped the other members from raping only because his sister would have seen. but it's too late, there's already a rift growing between the gang members. This will start a chain of events that you know will not end well for any involved. I don't really take enjoyment from these rape fantasy films, this one is more thought provoking that titillating tho and has well fleshed out characters (for the most part), and i never felt my interest waning. On a side note was it just me, or did the music sound like a certain Weezer riff?? Perhaps the boys saw this film before.

My Grade: C+

DVD Extras: Commentary by Jasper Sharp; Bio/Filmographies; Separate Interviews with Toshiharu Ikeda (7 minutes) and Takashi Ishii (21 minutes); Original Sleeve art; and Trailers for this and 4 other Angel Guts Films (Red Classroom, Nami, Red Vertigo, & Red Porno) all available in Artsmagik's Box-set, but for some reason the 6th film "Angel Guts: Red Flash" is not in the set

Slow, dull, boring, prodding, take your pick.

[Ky-D · 3/10 · 5 April 2005]

I like J-horror, anime and even kinda dig the pink movement, which some have claimed this a member of, but this did nothing for me. I willing to go a step further and label this one of the biggest let downs of my film watching career.

Three young rockabillies go around getting their kicks out of raping girls. One of the group starts to develop a concisions about their pass-time when his kid sister nearly catches them in the act. Invariably, the group turns on itself as the once friends begin fighting with each other. It ends on a down note befitting the film as a whole.

Aside from watching the friends yell at each other, which they do a lot, there isn't a whole lot going on here. The film is littered with LONG continual shots that only exacerbate the issue. On top of that, even when the film starts to do something interesting, it suddenly gets bogged down in ethereal philosophy that never makes any sense. For instance, after one of the buddies has his change of heart about assaulting girls, he goes out and does it again, but then stops his buddies from taking their turns. Huh? The cinematography is slow and lighting is poor. The writing is OK, as is the acting, which makes this a sub-par cinematic effort from the start. Mix the lack of technical prowess with the flimsy content and you have nothing more than a waste of time.

Oh, and one more extra note, at least one of the girls that appears in the buff does not look old enough to be doing that kinda stuff.

3/10

Decent First Entry In The ANGEL GUTS Roman-Porn Series...

[EVOL666 · 7/10 · 18 June 2006]

HIGH SCHOOL CO-ED is the first in the ANGEL GUTS series and is a pretty solid if semi-disjointed entry in Japanese rapesploit. Some unique cinematography and a deep (yet somehow ultimately unfulfilling storyline) raise this film above the typical Nikkatsu style sleaze...

Three greaser-style bikers spend their days stalking and raping chicks. One of the gang-members has a younger sister who he tries to be a positive influence on, despite the fact that he's involved in sleazy dealings himself. A falling out between the brother and the other gang-members resulting from a "change of heart" when it comes to one of their rape victims, causes a rift amongst the gang - causing some "dire" consequences...

HIGH SCHOOL CO-ED is strong in some areas, but weak in others. There are some well done uses of washed-out black and white scenes that are truly artistic and unique. The storyline, though definitely series, conveys an uncharacteristic (for this type of film) "humanity" among a few of the players. Unfortunately, the ending doesn't seem to really fit with the rest of the film and doesn't resolve the preceding "action" to my satisfaction. The few rape scenes are relatively rough, though nothing that genre-enthusiasts haven't seen before. Also, the physical violence is relatively tame and limited to some enthusiastic bitch-slapping - also a common thing to see in this type of film. Overall, I would definitely suggest HIGH SCHOOL CO-ED to any violent-pink, pinky-violence, roman-porn, or Nikkatsu fan. Others will either be shocked or possibly bored...7/10

Worst entry in the Angel Guts series

[Musicianmagic · 3/10 · 27 March 2024]

This is the first of six movies in the Angel Guts series based on a manga. Also the worst of the series.

A motorcycle gang of three enjoys raping girls preferably young and not afraid of hitting or tying the girls while raping them. One of the gang members has a younger sister he is trying to protect from the world as well as paying his debts to the Yakuza.

This movie is very depressing. All the girls are victims and most are throwaway characters. Two of the men of the gang don't seem to have any redeeming value. The third might have some value, sort of, but you'll have to watch to see as that's the only interesting story arc in this movie. The rapes scenes are very disturbing and often violent. Nothing erotic about them.

This does have a good soundtrack for 1978. That's the best that can be said for this movie. If you want to watch the Angel Guts series you can skip this turkey.

Disturbing, thought provoking and excellent

[christopher-underwood · 8/10 · 2 May 2005]

It is becoming clear that all around the world about this time films featuring rape were becoming more acceptable. The degree to how explicit depending perhaps more on a particular country's censorship laws or whether the film was intended for mainstream audiences rather than on any particular national differences. Here, of course, any hint of pubic hair is blocked by a leaning motorcycle or image fogging. It is suggested that Japanese movies of this time may have become far more sexually violent than some because a simple sex film without showing any of the genital area left audiences a little bored. With it's origins in manga, this is the first of a series and features rape from the opening frames. Three bikers spend their time riding, laughing, paying their dues to the jakuza and seeking out rape. At least two of them do, there seems to be a suggestion that one of them is gay but this is passed over in the action. Extremely well shot, believable dialogue and fast moving. A little confusing now and again and a rather oblique ending but I seem to have said this before about Japanese films so it seems to go with the territory. Certainly the Japanese seem not to have much notion of the Western idea of how a film should finish leaving the customer smiling etc. Disturbing, thought provoking and excellent

Rawest entry of the series

[fertilecelluloid · 8/10 · 24 April 2005]

This first installment in the ANGEL GUTS series is the loudest and rawest. It focuses on three street punks who behave like Kubrick's Droogs in A CLOCKWORK ORANGE. They spend most of their spare time raping women, harassing women and plotting to rape more women. Their routine is interrupted when one of the trio exhibits a conscience.

Director Chusei Sone employs a rugged, hand-held approach to the material and milks entirely convincing performances from the youthful cast. As rape is a consistent staple of this series, there is plenty of it in this outing, although none of it is pictorially graphic. One nightmare sequence, in which a young woman is stabbed repeatedly in the groin, does possess a poisonous cinematic power.

There is an erotic edge to the film's sexuality and, as per expectations, an emphasis on female underwear and garment tearing.

Plaudits should go to cinematographer Nobumasa Mizunoo who embellishes the film with stark, white-hot visuals and toys with both color and black and white.

The film is a character study of the dangerous miscreants who walk among us and portrays sociopathic behavior as being just one step sideways for most of us.

Interesting obscurity from Japan, on DVD from the good people at Artsmagic

[zetes · 8/10 · 16 April 2005]

There's so much obscure Japanese cinema that I long to see. Thank God for niche suppliers like Tokyo Shock and Artsmagic. The latter has resurrected a five film series of Nikkatsu pink films entitled Angel Guts. High School Co-ed is the first of these films, all of which center around a brutal act of rape, around which a moral tale unfolds. This one has a group of three bikers who attack young women. One of them, Kawashima, has a small bit of conscious, though. Outside of his friends, he lives for his young sister and realizes that the violence he and his friends enact upon others could just as easily be applied to her. While I've seen more graphic material before, the actual rape scenes are very disturbing. The artistic merit is certainly questionable, and the acts are played for stimulation. However, the script is very good, and the characters come across as people. There is at least one character whose situation is only hinted at and never explained – I would have liked to know more about him. And the ending is very odd. Otherwise, definitely a film of interest, if not for those who are easily shocked.

More than just exploitation...

[mnkyhvn · 8/10 · 26 March 2019]

Angel Guts - High School Co-ed (Japan, 1978) dir: Chûsei Sone

Kawashima and his two biker friends spend their time riding around and raping unsuspecting young girls. Much younger than them. His sister, Megu is coming of age, and men are starting to notice her. Ironically being overprotective he starts to feel conflicted. One day while out with his sister he saves a girl from his friend trying to rape her, which ends up leading to even more conflicted feelings. Has he fallen in love? What makes her different from the other rape victims he shares with his friend? Does he see his sister in this girl? Is he attracted to his sister? Is he distancing himself from his gang?

Director Chûsei Sone shoots this like the viewer is there, hanging out and observing, privy to the private conversations and shocking behavior. That makes it all that more realistic and difficult to look away from.

It's part of a series obviously meant to titillate and yet it goes to great lengths to show us the ugliness and the pain of the victim. Machiko Ohtani as Nami, the girl who the gang fights over, gives a pretty brave performance considering especially what she has to go through in here (and Megu Kawashima as well, as the sister). This is still an exploitation film, but it's been made as a well-crafted movie, with something more to show you than just bikers punks raping school girls. That's just an ugly world that happens to exist - we're thrust inside of it when it suddenly tries to gain a conscience.

The ending is unsatisfying, as a way to finish a story. It was summed up better when, late in the movie, Kawashima asks one of the victims "Who did this to you?" and she answers, "It doesn't matter who does it" as if in the end it's just a foregone conclusion in the world they live in.