Goemon – A film by Kazuaki Kiriya

Goemon - A visual feast from Kazuaki Kiriya

Whilst many people outside Japan are familiar with Anime (Japanese animation), Manga (Japanese graphic novels/comics) and Doramas (Televised Japanese dramas), Japanese films are often a hit and miss affair.

I stumbled upon Goemon whilst I was flying home from Tokyo last September. I was familiar with Kazuaki Kiriya’s earlier film, Casshern, which is about one hour too long and 50 plots too many.

Despite that, it was achingly stylish. Think Bleach or Naruto meets Final Fantasy (the game, not the awful one off movie). So with some reservation, but in the Australian spirit of mateship, I gave Goemon a… go.

Friends, Goemon would be fondly remembered as the most impressive modern Japanese movie to date for me.

Without going all spoileriffic on you, the movie tells the story of folk legend Goemon Ishikawa, a ninja slash bandit hero who stole valuables from the rich and gave them to the poor – a familiar story to most in the West, I’m sure.

It’s a bit melodramatic in places, but it has substance and a solid storyline. It’s typically Kiriya, as well; it just oozes style and visual candy so effortlessly. Do go and watch it if you can. You are bound to come across many familiar legendary Japanese names in the movie. More pictures and the official movie trailer (do watch it!) after the jump.

Yosuke Eguchi as Goemon Ishikawa

Ryoko Hirosue as Chacha Asai

Takao Osawa as Kirigakure Saizō

Eiji Okuda as Hideyoshi Toyotomi