Ichi the Killer

[Seedy Edgewick]

Does anyone have concrete info about a legitimate American release of this DVD? I've only seen a bootleg with incomplete subtitles.

At the site www.ichithekiller.com (http://www.ichithekiller.com) they are taking pre-orders for a deluxe 2-disc set with an English language audio track along with various extras. The film is supposedly uncut. The site touts "delivery all over Europe," without any more information.

Does anyone know anything else about this DVD?

[El Duderino Diablo]

A two disc Euro release? Interesting. I have a bootleg that I've watched a couple of times. It is the same print I saw at the VIFF last year and the subtitles are good and complete.

[Seedy Edgewick]

Go to that website. It's all Flash 6 animation and doesn't back off the imagery. You can even download cigarette box artwork. It's got a shot of Kakihara exhaling through his cheeks on one side. I think it only works for overseas packs, though.

But, yeah, it's a "deluxe" edition, uncut, better artwork than the bootleg I saw, interviews with Takashi Miike and the guy who plays Kakihara (don't remember his name right now), among others.

I'm really jealous. But, Dude, if you saw complete subtitles, could you fill me in on the parts I missed? If I can remember them, that is?

[AmaiStina]

Originally posted by Seedy Edgewick
and the guy who plays Kakihara (don't remember his name right now), among others.


His name's Tadanobu Asano.

[El Duderino Diablo]

I bopped about the website a little. I wonder if it's a British distributor. The British censors do tend to get their undies in a twist over graphic violence so this "uncut" version may be no different than the print I have. Or not.
DVD's, special collectors deluxe editions and multiple distributors from lands with different ratings systems really has made things confusing.
I think I'll go double check my disc now.

[cinemaeye]

I read somewhere that Media Blasters was bringing this out uncut in the U.S. I wrote them asking for more information, but never got anything. The news item I read about it said it would be a 2-disc set, but I don't have any official information from Media Blasters.

This looks like a cool European release though. Nice site, and I love the downloadable cigarette box.

[Seedy Edgewick]

Dude, I think it's a full-on ucut version due to one image you can see on the website.

I'm not sure exactly where it is, maybe during the intro animation, but there's a shot of the abusive pimp's two halves separating. Remember those gooey strings between them? You can see that in this shot. Granted, it's small and severely cropped, so if you haven't seen the flick you're not sure what it is, but it's there nonetheless. If they're willing to put such a graphic image on the publicly-viewable website, I wouldn't think they'd be squeamish about the rest of the film's content.

But, since we seem to have a few Ichi watchers here, I have another question for anyone willing to answer:

What's up with the ending? What happens? I still can't figure it out fully.

[cinemaeye]

I think it may be due to the bad subtitling on the copy I have, but I don't have any clue about the ending either.

[BuckyMcSatan]

Hey kids,

Haven't seen Ichi yet, but this is one of the few times I would buy a film sight un-seen after viewing only the trailer.

What are these copies of the film then?
Uncut or No?

Ichi - Unrated:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0000CABGW/ref=cm_wl_ovu-pg.1-pos.5/103-2815273-7502262?v=glance&coliid=I1YOE74AJ2UU97&me=ATVPDKIKX0DER

Ichi - Directors Cut:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0000E6FMQ/qid=1066767721/sr=1-2/ref=sr_1_2/103-2815273-7502262?v=glance&s=dvd

According to the site these both appear to be 129 mins - and both say "Unrated".

I would prefer the 2 disk set, but on the Ichi website, it says the release date is Semptember 2003. (This is 2003 right? I haven't gone back in time somewhere along the way... have I?)

Thanks to anyone who could clear this up.

[El Duderino Diablo]

My bootleg is listed at 115 minutes and it's pretty graphic.

[BuckyMcSatan]

Dude,

So then the above DVDs are probably a good bet then?

Even in Eric Campos' review on FT he lists the film as 120 mins...

[El Duderino Diablo]

Interesting. The version I saw at the VIFF in 2001 is listed on that site as being 126 mins.

[BuckyMcSatan]

Well, if we use the "slide-rule of theatrical release to home distribution" and minus 5 minutes from the Amazon's site reading of 129 minutes, taking into consideration that my friend's 2 disk Dutch version is 124 minutes, we will hopefully be able to surmise with some degree of acuracy that the DVD copy on Amazon is more than likely an "uncut" version of the film.

This bullshit reminds me of the day the above mentioned friend and myself discovered an UNCUT copy of Peter Jackson's Dead Alive (nee Braindead) at our local Shite-Buster. (This of course was a dark time in Canada's history where "Maniac" was screened at a whopping 45 mins - like a porno with all the money shots excised...which was also customary practice here until a scant 12, or so, years ago.)

We promptly took it home and knocked off 10 copies before the return date two days later.

Once returned to the sweaty and agitated counter shlub, it was promptly removed from the shelves and BANNED for violence in our idiotic and tight-assed (at the time) country.

Since then, Mary Brown (Head of the "Film Review Board" - a classy phrase for Nazi Censorship Commitee) has been thrown down a flight of stairs and has hopefully passed from a rather painful bowel disease.

More on this copy of Ichi The Killer, once I gamble a purchase in less than a month...

[El Duderino Diablo]

Going somewhat slightly off topic here but I just stumbled across this:

Agitator: The Cinema of Takashi Miike (http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/item.asp?N=35&R=659944&act=A03&Item=978190325421&Section=books&Catalog=Books&Lang=en&mscssid=P5W5XJFWAP6H9HUPPC5TENBP5NCT2S03&WSID=0410A570654BB1E4412FB89979902032FDD04322)

Same book from Amazon.com (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1903254213/qid=1066812420/sr=2-1/104-8852570-8739969?v=glance&s=books)

[Seedy Edgewick]

That Ichi site drives me nuts. All over the place, it says "Pre-Order NOW!" When I went there yesterday, I got a pop-up that said "Now Shipping! Place Your Order Now!" But, when I clicked on the Order button, I got the Pre-Order form with no ship date listed anywhere.

Either their site is fucked up (stupid Euro trash!) or something got changed at the last minute. The two Amazon links above say the DVD will ship on November 18.

BTW, Buck, you should realize just how intensely disturbing this flick is. On the Ichi site, there's an interview with Takashi-san in which he discusses the scenes that are hard for him to watch. You know the flick is intense when the DIRECTOR cringes at certain points.

Oh, and I have one tidbit to include about the ending. The title of this flim in Japanese is "Koroshiya 1," which translates as "Psycho Killer No. 1." The word "ichi" means "one" in Japanese. And Ichi kills wearing that armored suit with a giant "1" painted on the back. I think the implication is that Jijii has done or plans to do this to others besides Ichi.

Don't know if that helps, but it just hit me.

[El Duderino Diablo]

Jijii was the old man played by Shiny Tsukamoto, right? I thought that was Jijii hanging from the tree in the last scene. Or am I wrong and it was Ichi hanging from the tree?

Damn, I have to go watch it again.

EDIT: Shinya, damnit.

[Seedy Edgewick]

Yeah, that was Jijii swinging from the tree. Like I said, the ending has me baffled. I think there's some form of closure embedded in those chaotic images that gives meaning to the insanity that precedes it. Like, why do we see Kakihara in the bathtub without his lip rings? Why was the wound on his head missing when Jijii sees him? Does he fight Ichi or not?

It's been a while since I've seen this flick, so I don't remember all those images. But there's an answer in there, somewhere, goddammit!

[El Duderino Diablo]

That lack of an injury in Kakihara's noggin when Jijii inspects the corpse bothers me also. I just write it up as a continuity error unitl I read or hear otherwise. The bit with Kakihara sitting n the tub I feel inclined to take as a vision of him in some sort of hell or purgatory. Can't really think of any other way of explaining it short of, as you suggested, the big final confrontation never actually taking place.
:shrug:

[Vintango]

The lack of injury on his head does have some meaning....though I forget what. I read a nice interpretation once....I'll have to find it later. (I'm on break at work now...) The ending leaves a lot of questions lingering, I think a lot of it could be just to confuse the viewer in a Lynch kind of way. (It makes no sense, therefore is brilliant!) Miike does like the absurd abstract endings, after all. I also hear the comic explains a lot.

[Seedy Edgewick]

I kind of see things this way:

Kakihara confonts Ichi on the rooftop. This is the culmination of Kakihara's quest to replace Boss Anjo, so he's got a lot riding on it. Remember, he gave up a piece of his tongue for this search. But, once he squares off with Ichi, he discovers what a pussy he is -- that little kid starts kicking Ichi's ass. This drives Kakihara insane. He hallucinates the entire fight with Ichi, including the wound to his forehead. Ichi doesn't knock him off the roof -- he jumps. That's why there's no wound and why there's a shot of Ichi still begin pummeled by the kid on the roof.

Does this mean Jijii kills himself because his great plan for revenge has backfired? Is Kakihara in Hell because he committed suicide, because he's evil, or both? Why is he (Ichi) called "Killer No. 1"? Are there others? If so, why would Jijii kill himself? There are other questions, too: why does Karen claim to be Tachibana? Does Jijii control her, too? How does he manage that? She doesn't live with him the way Ichi does.

For the record, David Lynch doesn't do ambiguity for the sake of ambiguity. I once heard a guy describe a detailed allegorical explanation of "Eraserhead" that made perfect sense and explained every last bit of bizarre imagery in that film. Of course, I was really high at the time, so I don't remember anything he said. I just remember being really impressed that someone figured it out. I know there's an answer to "Lost Highway," too; I just haven't found it yet.

[Vintango]

I like that take on the ending, the whole hallucination angle. When I saw it, my first thought was that it was symbolism. You don't literally see what happens, but more of what's going through the characters heads, and maybe some glimpses of reality thrown in. I need to sit down with the fully uncut version before I form any complete opinions though.

I like to poke fun at David Lynch...and I love Eraserhead, for both it's style and content. But you have to admit, sometimes it seems like he just throws stuff in for the sake of confusion. I picture him out there, chuckling to himself while we all get headaches trying to figure out his movies.

I think much of what a viewer gets from a truly good "art" film is personal interpretation, much like admiring an abstract work of art. Different people see and feel different things, often not what the artist was originally thinking, but that's the point. I think some abstract filmmakers might work the same way, not infusing logic into their work, simply knowing that it will force the viewer to think and come up with their own conclusions. Or not.....

[BuckyMcSatan]

BTW, Buck, you should realize just how intensely disturbing this flick is. On the Ichi site, there's an interview with Takashi-san in which he discusses the scenes that are hard for him to watch. You know the flick is intense when the DIRECTOR cringes at certain points.


I am a Takashi Miike virgin, 'tis true, but have been exposed to enough insanity, hopefully, to pull through... (Nekromantik (thanks to Gore) Richard Kern and several hundred splatter flicks.)

Also, my sense of humor can be best represented here:

http://www.shemco.com/paranoidcomix/murder01.html

When I saw the trailer on the Ichi website (and yeah, where is that 2 disk set? It's driving me bananas, cause I hate like hell to buy something that's been edited to protect me) I thought, "I gotta see this man!!"

I've been itching in the mean time to see something by this director and almost bought "Dead or Alive" and "Initiation" from Amazon, but opted for the Neil LaBute "immorality" trilogy and Texas Chainsaw (special edition), instead.

What are his other films like? Or should I just wait for Ichi?

[BuckyMcSatan]

I know there's an answer to "Lost Highway," too; I just haven't found it yet.

I believe Lynch reveals the conundrum of Lost Highway in an episode of 'The Directors'.

I wouldn't try to do him justice on this, so you may have to seek out the episode.

[El Duderino Diablo]

Originally posted by Buck Satan
I am a Takashi Miike virgin, 'tis true, but have been exposed to enough insanity, hopefully, to pull through... (Nekromantik (thanks to Gore) Richard Kern and several hundred splatter flicks.)

What are his other films like? Or should I just wait for Ichi?

I've seen several of Takashi Miike's movies and I have to say that from the start his skewed view of the world had me hooked. Normally I might feel somewhat qualified to summarize all that makes Takashi-san such a great movie maker except I killed a lot of brain cells last night and barely feel qualified to do much more than compose a list and make a suggestion or two. Anything that isn't too taxing.
What I have seen thus far:
Shinjuku Triad Society
Fudoh: The New Generation
Dead or Alive
Dead or Alive: Birds
Dead or Alive: Final
Audition
Ichi The Killer
City of Lost Souls
Visitor Q
The Happines of the Katakuris
Shangri-La
Gozu

I would absolutely suggest seeing Audition, Visitor Q, Fudoh: The New Generation and Happiness of the Katakuris to get an idea of what kind of a film maker Takashi is. In Audition you have a relentless, stomach churning psychological thriller. In Visitor Q you have a video quickie that is an uproarous comedy that graphically explores damn near every societal taboo imaginable that will have you squirming and laughing. Fudoh is a slick, irreverent, hyper-violent yakuza revenge story based on a manga. It features a cute hermaphridite/stripper/assassin that uses blowdarts to take out yakuza leaders in much the same manner that Mitzi Dupree used to entertain the crowds with ping pong balls. "nuff said? Happiness of the Katakuris is musical about family operating a rural B&B that is beset upon by a potentialy business killing suicide, a serial killer and natural disaster. Great stuff all in all.
Enjoy.

[BuckyMcSatan]

Dude,

that's a good enough recommendation for me. Thanks for the input. :)

I think I'm going to start with Ichi, just because the graphics on the website and the trailer is just so damned inviting!...(Although I've heard that it's kind of a retread of what he had already accomplished with previous work.)

And from there - Initiation, Dead or Alive, Visitor Q, City of Lost Souls and Happiness of the Katakuris.

[El Duderino Diablo]

Bootlegs ahoy, just to add to the confusion... (http://shop.hkdvdstore.com/product_reviews_info.php?products_id=1691&reviews_id=162)

EDIT:Probably should've used this link instead... (http://shop.hkdvdstore.com/product_info.php?products_id=1691)

[jonnyredman]

There's an uncut 'Ichi' coming soon from Mediablasters.

It's a 2 Disc set...

Mediablasters 'Ichi' DVD (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0000CABGW/ref=ase_mondoerotico/104-9567352-2253537?v=glance&s=dvd#product-details)

[El Duderino Diablo]

Just to add even more confusion to the mix...
C&L ( www.cnl.com ) has two versions of Ichi coming on Nov. 18th. and one on hold.
Ichi the Killer (R-rated) $18.19 CDN
Ichi the Killer: Special Edition (UR) $22.74 CDN
Ichi the Killer: Bloody Edition $31.84 CDN on hold pending status confirmation

[kevinpmurray]

I rented an un-cut Ichi DVD the other week there. Had lots of cast and crew interviews, some alternate scenes. Culd thid just be released in Britain because it had strong British voiceovers, though i watched it with subtitles on, fuckin hate voiceovers.

I agree with the hallucination stance. He was building up this fight so much that when he realised he could kill this super killer very easily he was so disappointed he made up the perfect ending (in his eyes) and acted it out.

Also, the woman pretending to be a rape victim. i think she really wanted to meet snd have sex with Ichi but probably realised that wouldn't happen in conventional ways as hes a bit mentaly scarred, so she played on his fetish. Unfortunately for her, a little too well.

I dunno, i'm stoned a lot...probably talking bullshit

[jonnyredman]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by kevinpmurray
[B]I rented an un-cut Ichi DVD the other week there. Had lots of cast and crew interviews, some alternate scenes. Culd thid just be released in Britain because it had strong British voiceovers, though i watched it with subtitles on, fuckin hate voiceovers.QUOTE]

The extras you mention were made for the British release of 'Ichi The Killer', hence the accents. However, here in the UK the film itself was cut of all the mysogynistic violence, the rest of it was left intact.

The USA release has the extra features from the UK release, except for the commentary tracks, and has a fully uncut print of the film.

There's a great book out that any fan of Takeshi Miike should read, and there's a (kind of) explanation about what the fuck the ending of Ichi was really all about!

Check out 'Agitator' at Fab Press (http://www.fabpress.com)

[kevinpmurray]

There was a fair bit of violence in the one i watched....I want more, any plans for a totally uncut R2 release that you know of?

[BuckyMcSatan]

Ok, finally - an end to this madness:

I bought the Media Blasters version of Ichi and here's the research to (possibly) end all research on the wonder:

The Media Blasters Version I own:
• Actual DVD Time: 2 hrs 8 mins 30 seconds
• The time listed on the box: 124 mins


http://www.bulletsnbabesdvds.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=820
•_The European DVDS - In Hong Kong the film received a reasonable DVD release that is widely available for purchase but unfortunately for fans this version is missing some (depending on reviews) 7 to 20 Minutes of footage. In fact the information available to the Bullets Team is an NTSC HK DVD run time of 115 minutes against a Theatrical Uncut Runtime of 124 Minutes.

• Media Blaster's Site time: 129 mins 29 seconds

http://www.jpreview.com/Reviews%20HTML/reviews/ichi.html
• 129 mins

http://theyellowbabelfish.bravepages.com/Bearded_Prawn/DVD/DVD_REVIEWS/region%203/Ichi%20the%20Killer%20-%20Uncut.htm
• "You guys should already know what the film is about thanks to the previous review so lets gets started by saying that this is the only officially uncut version available in the world with subtitles. The previous Hong Kong editions have all been 115mins despite numerous people claiming there is a 128 min version, the UK version is getting 6mins of cuts, and a high percentage of the world are refusing to release the film entirely."

http://members.aol.com/poketti15/i.htm

Ichi the Killer (2001)
Running Time: 2:08:23
Language: Japanese
Quality Rating: B
Letterboxed
English Subtitles
Directed By: Takashi Miike

Starring: Tadanobu Asano, Nao Omori, Shinya Tsukamoto, Paulyn Sun, Susumu Terajima, Shun Sugata, Toru Tezuka, Yoshiki Arizono

Also Known As: Koroshiya 1; Koroshiya ichi

An Asian gang tricks a psychopath into doing their killing for them. Very gory and mean spirited, particularly toward women. This version of the film is the uncut version, including the following additional footage not shown on all prints:
• Needles stuck into the victim hanging from hooks.
• Additional footage of grease poured on a victim.
• Close-up shot of the tongue slicing.
• All of the woman's fingers are broken off, not just one.
• Additional violence during the second rape scene, additional footage of the pimp being split in half, and additional footage when Ichi kills the girl.
• Close-up of a victim's eye socket.
• Additional footage during the cheek pull.
• The bloody face slides down the wall.
• Footage of Kakihara picking up and admiring some guts.
• Long scene in which the thug saves Ichi from a beating and remember's his own beating, then they eat a meal together.
• Horrific close up of kidnapped girl's nipples being pulled out with clamps and then sliced off with a knife! The later kicking of this girl goes on much longer.
• A throat slashing in the hallway is much longer with more blood.
• Close up shots of victim of "needle throwing". Same victim has his arm graphically ripped off.
• Throat cutting on the rooftop is much longer with more blood.

[NewburyIan]

There is an Ichi prequel as well...it is animated, and features the voice of Takeshi Miike (anime was directed by him as well)...

Ichi is one of my fav Miike flicks...Full Metal Yakuza and China Mafia War are a couple other good ones that haven't gotten mention here yet...

I haven't seen this around yet, but I have a bunch of copies on the way in...We should have them at most Newbury Comics locations before the end of January...That means you're in luck if you live in New England...if you don't, find a friend to pick it up for you!!

[El Duderino Diablo]

Originally posted by NewburyIan

Ichi is one of my fav Miike flicks...Full Metal Yakuza and China Mafia War are a couple other good ones that haven't gotten mention here yet...


Actually I'm sure I mentioned Shinjuku Triad: China Mafia War earlier in this thread. Caught it at the VIFF a few years back, no subtitles just two very impressive translators working the theaters pa system.
My local vid shop recently got Shinjuku Triad: China Mafia War, Full Metal Yakuza, Bird Men in China and Gozu on disc. It's been quite the Takashi Miike Christmas season for me, catching up on those movies of his I haven't seen.

[The Baron]

I just finished watching the 129 minute cut of Ichi, and frankly, I don't know what to say. I'm still stunned. Yes, part of me would agree that it's a brilliant piece of filmmaking... The other part of me needs a shot and a beer.

By the way, in reference to the symbolism of the number "1", although my Japanese is a bit rusty, I believe that Ichi translates as "One."

Also a part of this evening's video entertainment was a little manga ditty entitled, Versus. If you haven't seen it, I can recommend this movie as being a lot of fun. Imagine if John Woo had directed a "Wire-Fu/Zombie Fairy Tale," and you'll get the idea.

OK... Time for some liquid sedation.

[El Duderino Diablo]

Animated Ichi the Killer (http://shop.hkdvdstore.com/product_info.php?products_id=2144)

[BuckyMcSatan]

Originally posted by jonnyredman
There's an uncut 'Ichi' coming soon from Mediablasters.

It's a 2 Disc set...

Mediablasters 'Ichi' DVD (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0000CABGW/ref=ase_mondoerotico/104-9567352-2253537?v=glance&s=dvd#product-details)

Ok I got this one - it's one disk with minimal extras but uncut as far as the shotlist I presented earlier in the thread.

Oh yeah, did I mention I'm sold?
Good film. No one else I show it to can get past the opening scene with the beating and masturbation.

Fools!

[bombyourself0]

ok. idea about ending of ichi. there was a conversation between jiji and that chick who pretended to be the rape victim and got killed, when he explained how he had hypnotized ichi into thinking he had been bullied as a child. she then asks if he had hypnotized her and he said no, but before ichi kills her she has a flashback to the same rape scene, indicating he did. at the end when he sees that there is no wound on kaka-whatever hte fuck his name was's head he laughs. maybe he had this vendetta out against hte angelo gang the whole time and he used hypnosis to make them all kill eachother/themselves. i dont know.

[The Baron]

You might want to take a look at Ichi:1. It's a prequel, based on the manga of the same name, with a screenplay by Sato Sakichi (Ichi the Killer, Gozu.)

If you follow the dialogue in ItK, you discover that Jiji is an ex-cop who worked a beat in Shinjuku. He definitely has a hard-on for this particular yakuza family. When Kakihara resigns from the Triad (and before anyone tells me that the Triads are in China, the yakuza and the Triads are in bed together,) and takes over the gang, that doesn't change Jiji's agenda. They were his nemeses when he was a cop, but he had to wait until he was out from under Tokyo P.D.'s scrutiny to get his revenge.

***SPOILER WARNING***

In Ichi:1, we find out that Koroshiya has been programmed by a top-secret government organization. But he is "dormant," and has to be awakened to his Ichi personality. This explains why he constantly retreats into his own world in ItK. He was relentlessly fucked-with in high school in order to bring out the killing machine in him, and also to create triggers for later hit assignments. It may even be possible that Koroshiya is genetically engineered to be a killer... A killer with one hell of a hammer kick.

Now, was Jiji merely a cop, or was he a government spook? Or, was he recruited post-retirement to this covert operation because of his vendetta, and because of his knowledge of things in Shinjuku?

If you go with the "spook-all-along" theory, it explains why Jiji hangs himself. (If, in fact, he did hang himself.) After devoting his life to the Ichi project, his protege fails. Kakihara's death is an accident; Ichi never landed a killing blow on him. This is too much for Jiji, who has to win his way. Jiji loses face, so...

On the other hand, the last image with which we are left is Koroshiya looking back at Jiji's dead and swinging corpse. Consider also: Ichi can't get off, sexually, without the act of killing. Sexual release is anchored in his murder program. Is Jiji, now dead, swinging meat, symbolic of Ichi's sexual impotence? Hence, did Jiji lose his control over Ichi, and fall victim to his own device? Or did Ichi's program fail, leading him to take revenge on Jiji?

Either way, the film ends with this sociopath all on his one-sies, free in society.

That was, for me, one of the most chilling moments in the movie.

[SilentHeaven]

One of The. Greatest. Movies. Ever. Amen.

I remeber the 1st time I watched it with my best friend. He looked at me when it was over and said, "You know, we're going to Hell for watching that." So nasty that after watching I have to take a shower. Flawed? Yes. Something for everyone? No. Brilliant? I'll bet the farm, but hold back a cow.

[Seedy Edgewick]

Do you want the Ichi experience but can't actually purchase the DVD?

Click Here! (http://www.i-mockery.com/minimocks/ichithekiller/)

[sterling]

I had no idea there was an animated Ichi. loved the movie though--need to see more of Miike's stuff. any recommendations? I'm kinda new to modern Japanese stuff -- particularly extreme stuff like Ichi -- and i've just started to get into anime. the show i really like so far is Zatch Bell (www.zatch-bell.com). it's quite a bit tamer than something like Ichi, but good fun all the same, i think.

[El Duderino Diablo]

I had no idea there was an animated Ichi. loved the movie though--need to see more of Miike's stuff.

See it all. Seriously.

My personal favorites, so far: Fudoh, Shinjuku Triad Society: China Mafia War, Rainy Dog, Ley Lines, Visitor Q, Shangri La, Happiness of the Katakuris, City of Lost Souls, Dead or Alive, Dead or Alive II: Birds, Dead or Alive III Final, Audition, Bird People of China, Ichi the Killer, Gozu, Deadly Outlaw Rekka, Kikoku: Yakuza Demon, One Missed Call.

I'm going to have to watch MPD: Multiple Personality Detective Psycho again along with Izo (especially after reading this thread: Clicky! (http://www.filmthreat.com:8000/forums/showthread.php?p=31955#post31955)

Looking forward to eventually seeing Zebraman some day.

[SilentHeaven]

I really liked MPD Psycho, especially now that all 6 episodes are out. It took a couple of viewings to get the flow, but I really enjoyed.

Sterling- Miike is my favorite director, and The Dude did an excellent list of films you might wish to view. Other non-Miike movies that I really enjoyed that I think you might dig are Suicide Club, A Snake of June, and Versus(the greatest pure action movie ever made). These movies are golden.

[El Duderino Diablo]

and I wasn't too hot on Full Metal Yakuza either but that may have been largely due to the fact that the disc it was on was a little, ahem, fucked up which resulted in some serious digital jitterbug action being displayed on my telly.
I may give it a second chance some other day.

MPD: Psycho is one that I'll definitely be giving a second chance in the near future.

[The Baron]

Full Metal Gokudo is the funniest unabashed RoboCop jack I have ever seen. I only wish that we could get this and MPD: Psycho without the digitized handiwork of Japanese censorship.

MPD: Psycho is everything Twin Peaks should have been. (And that's coming from a die-hard T.P. fan. *sigh* Fire, Walk With Me pretty much fellated mooses, though.)

[SilentHeaven]

In the book Agitator, Miike said that he did the editing himself, and often he would blank out things that didn't need to be. Just to screw w/people.

[El Duderino Diablo]

for my goddamn copy of Agitator.

Watched MPD-Psyco II tonight. Fell asleep during episode 4, The Crushed Ant.
Looks like I'll just be rewatching the whole damn series some night.

[SilentHeaven]

Having to watch the previous episode before I would watch new ones. Kept me from getting lost in the forest.

[El Duderino Diablo]

Just finished MPD-Psycho III, ep.5 Coronaion of the Cursed King. Whoa.