Katsuhito Ishii is a director that seems to sit in the middle: You can see the influence of others on his work; but can see his hand in the work of others also. His breakthrough work, "Shark Skin Man and Peach Hip Girl" shows this perfectly: an ensemble piece of numerous characters with their own stories and introductions is very much a Nineties post-modern staple; yet its lead, Tadanobu Asano, went on to star in similar films with different directors.
Samehada (Asano) has had it on his toes with a yakuza family's money. And they're looking for him. Staying at his forest hideout, he finds hotel receptionist Toshiko (Sie Kohinata) fleeing her perverted uncle and brings her home. But the band of interestingly-dressed fellows, led by Tanuki (Ittoku Kishibe), surround them. Using Toshiko as a distraction, Samehada and his new found love escape into the trees.
The pair have a make-over, with Toshiko letting her hair down at last, and rather than run, choose to take their foes head-on, guns blazing. With a number of bodies in the story, a number of bodies are created, from various sides with various interests.
Straight from the film's introduction, you know this is going to be an energetic film full of overly colourful characters. Based on Minetaro Mochizuki's manga, the costume design is very much in keeping with its manga roots. The clothes, hairstyles and mannerisms are all larger-than-life, with the opening credits introducing each separately, as if a manga, over blaring music. It's fun, but feels very much an attempt at recreating Tarantino's brand of Hollywood cool, possibly trying a little too hard.
But this sense of fun continues throughout the film, and gradually, Ishii begins to bring in his unique sense of humour, which is where he should keep his focus, being the strongest element of his best work. And, as in "The Taste of Tea" (2004), Tatsuya Gashuin steals the show as hitman Yamada, tasked with killing Samehada and returning Toshiko to her lecherous uncle. A killer seemingly based on Mr Bean, everything about him is for laughs, and he bounces well off Asano with a glee, even when failing in his task.
And Asano himself, still relatively early in his career takes on one of his first lead roles, spends a large amount of the film in his underwear, and starts to show his ability to be effortlessly cool without taking himself too seriously. The rest of the ensemble cast play largely for laughs, though with such a large number of characters, many don't get enough screentime to have much real impact.
Plotwise, this doesn't offer a huge amount, with the second half largely a shoot-out in the dark, and so the strength lies in what would become an Ishii signature: extended sketches. The bathroom scene between Gashuin and Asano is a delight from the first to the last, with both of top form; and the bank robbery where Samehada and Toshiko first cross paths finds humour in tension.
There is a lot going on here, with Ishii himself stating he tried to get as many of his ideas out as soon as possible when making it. Anime/manga, Hollywood action-drama and comedy all show their influence. And while an American style can be found within this, Ishii uses its manga origins to give this a slightly different feel. The large cast, character styling and sketch approach make one think of Takashi Miike's "Ichi the Killer" (2001) (Asano's Kakihara feeling like an amalgamation of various characters) and Gen Sekiguchi's "Survive Style 5+" (2004). Both feature similar casts, blending comedy and violence, with strong anime/manga influence and aesthetic.
Ishii here, therefore, in his first notable feature is something of a leader and follower, coming at a time where mid-Nineties Tarantino and Coen Brothers' global impact could be felt, bringing a blend of comedy and violence to Japan's global cinematic re-awakening. Maybe that overstates its influence a little. This may not always be serious filmmaking. This may not always be good filmmaking. But it's certainly a lot of fun.
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