Even more offbeat and outlandish than 'Why Don't You Play in Hell?', this follow-up feature from Sion Sono is a rap musical about feuding gangs, set in contemporary Japan. While unquestionably a bizarre mesh of genres, the project works magnificently thanks to the energy and imagination that Sono brings to every frame. The sets and costumes are a wonder to behold with heavy doses of neon lights, human statue furniture, walls made of red balloons... there is even a gun with a mobile phone built into it and a van with chandeliers attached to the side mirrors! The minimal special effects and spirited choreography are pretty good too and while the violence is nowhere near as brutal or memorable as in 'Play in Hell', it is an experience all the same. Attempting to nut out of finer details of the plot is a little tricky here. There are a heap of key characters, very few of whom are developed in any depth, and side plots including a missing daughter and a mystical quest delivered via hologram crop up without ever being properly resolved. Never to mind, what can be deciphered here is enticing on its own and the film includes some neat messages too regarding how easy it is to pitch gangs against one another and the very petty reasons that some men have for starting (turf or other) wars. There is a fair bit of dark comedy in the mix too and the overall movie is so outrageous and willfully uncanny that its entertainment value is hard to deny as long as one is prepared to forgo the tropes of traditional narratives and indulge in something a little more 'out there'.
28 Reviews
This movie is WHACK. But 60% whack...
callumniatory7 March 2015
Warning: Spoilers
To be clear I have never read the manga it was based off of so some of my comments may be invalid. Tokyo Tribe is seriously just whacked up from angles. Very cool idea to begin with, however, and I do commend them for the way they separated their characters; each very colourful and unique. Colour is one of the things i love about Japanese films, they always have 'em. Also for the record, I have a grasp on how Japanese grammar works so there are times i do pick up a different perspective on their acting sometimes as Japanese comes across in English sometimes as very plain. But you know, i get what they're trying to say...anyway
OKAY, acting was ... well, its hard to tell. From one angle each character would have half of their dialogue in rap. But when it comes to a film like this, one can be forgiving because it's mostly just trying to express a message rather than a film straight up about some acting. So i didn't mind that the characters were all jacked up on their own principles and egos. No one really stands out except maybe the 'sumni/sumi' or whatever the hell her name was (had glitchy hard sub). Everyone else i guess acted the way they were supposed to act (presuming in regards to the manga) so nothing really special. No Oscar nominations here LOL u know what i mean?
Really was digging the cinematography. City representations of nightlife was pretty cool, semi spot on. The movie did feel like it was on a budget though the characters were always enough to keep your mind guessing. really enjoyed the shots whereby the camera follows the character and things just happen around him. It's like the world froze while they did that. there was some really strange scenes however but nothing too distasteful - it's to be expected what with all the smuttiness and perversion. But yes they did far too many revisits to old locations which was disappointing. And the occasionally really out of place character shots whereby the after a dialogue scene the camera very quickly cuts away to a shot of an not overly important character and that character does something that adds to the archetype or style of the personality being represented.
The plot idea was pretty sick but the pacing was quite all over the place. Lots of overbearingly long expository dialogue in the form of rap (ill go more in detail later.) The idea of warring tribes is cool but not really explored, more like introduced and then mashed together. The bad guy in this film is really messed up which is typical of the style but very out of place in terms of rap. like his character or the people in his crew didn't really necessarily need to be rappers. But ill say it does lend to the overall blend. The plot was mostly predictable too, only not when some weird moments were occurring like the beatboxing maid bits and the fastid strokings of a golden dildo. Ending was totally lame though.
Script, okay, rap too. I can't fully comment on this because I know I'll be semi- wrong because of the translation. But the rap was OK. What dragged it down was the fact that most of it was expository dialogue. Basically explaining exactly what was happening. And then so much patriarchal archetypal rap. The introduction part was great, you really got a sense of how different each tribe was, through their visual displays and their rap style and beat style. But as the characters crossed over it felt less like a collab and more like the awkward clash of another mans hand touching your buttocks. You feel uncomfortable and it's just plain wrong. There wasn't really much to say on this except the way they depicted chillhop rap was funny albeit quite inaccurate.
The music was however not up to standard for a film like this. I honestly expected a well thought out selection of beats and breaks were going to astound me but I was ashamed to find out it was focused mostly and solely on the uniqueness of a group among groups of interloping characters. There were some straight out terrible industrial experimental beats during some of the bad guy scenes and man were they industrially experimentally bad.
I wished there were more fight scenes that were more choreographed. Some flashy stuff but mostly one hit per guy sort of fights which can get pretty boring to watch. If it was anything like crow zero now that would be awesome. The rapping throughout a movie could have been done well had the characters been written more thoroughly and less 'this is my style and this is my take on the situation'. The flow separations are cool though it never really got a time to shine through because of the whole bad guy scenes. Too many of those. But great characters, awesome main character; a fighting cute girl who can rap and showed her boobies on screen - thats a real woman im telling ya. Great costumes and really over the top stereotypes. Lots of fun watching this in the sense of sight. In the sense of sight there was always something happening so you could probably still be entertained had the film been silent.
Yeah 6/10. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone who likes rap unless they were begging me to show them a film about Japanese rappers who rap in different styles, do manga type music things that is illustrated with lots of colour. If i happen to stumble in on someone watching the film I would gladly sit through it again with them to see their reactions and to make comments on how absurdly inane all the scenes were.
ps. I'm not a LOL kind of guy.
OKAY, acting was ... well, its hard to tell. From one angle each character would have half of their dialogue in rap. But when it comes to a film like this, one can be forgiving because it's mostly just trying to express a message rather than a film straight up about some acting. So i didn't mind that the characters were all jacked up on their own principles and egos. No one really stands out except maybe the 'sumni/sumi' or whatever the hell her name was (had glitchy hard sub). Everyone else i guess acted the way they were supposed to act (presuming in regards to the manga) so nothing really special. No Oscar nominations here LOL u know what i mean?
Really was digging the cinematography. City representations of nightlife was pretty cool, semi spot on. The movie did feel like it was on a budget though the characters were always enough to keep your mind guessing. really enjoyed the shots whereby the camera follows the character and things just happen around him. It's like the world froze while they did that. there was some really strange scenes however but nothing too distasteful - it's to be expected what with all the smuttiness and perversion. But yes they did far too many revisits to old locations which was disappointing. And the occasionally really out of place character shots whereby the after a dialogue scene the camera very quickly cuts away to a shot of an not overly important character and that character does something that adds to the archetype or style of the personality being represented.
The plot idea was pretty sick but the pacing was quite all over the place. Lots of overbearingly long expository dialogue in the form of rap (ill go more in detail later.) The idea of warring tribes is cool but not really explored, more like introduced and then mashed together. The bad guy in this film is really messed up which is typical of the style but very out of place in terms of rap. like his character or the people in his crew didn't really necessarily need to be rappers. But ill say it does lend to the overall blend. The plot was mostly predictable too, only not when some weird moments were occurring like the beatboxing maid bits and the fastid strokings of a golden dildo. Ending was totally lame though.
Script, okay, rap too. I can't fully comment on this because I know I'll be semi- wrong because of the translation. But the rap was OK. What dragged it down was the fact that most of it was expository dialogue. Basically explaining exactly what was happening. And then so much patriarchal archetypal rap. The introduction part was great, you really got a sense of how different each tribe was, through their visual displays and their rap style and beat style. But as the characters crossed over it felt less like a collab and more like the awkward clash of another mans hand touching your buttocks. You feel uncomfortable and it's just plain wrong. There wasn't really much to say on this except the way they depicted chillhop rap was funny albeit quite inaccurate.
The music was however not up to standard for a film like this. I honestly expected a well thought out selection of beats and breaks were going to astound me but I was ashamed to find out it was focused mostly and solely on the uniqueness of a group among groups of interloping characters. There were some straight out terrible industrial experimental beats during some of the bad guy scenes and man were they industrially experimentally bad.
I wished there were more fight scenes that were more choreographed. Some flashy stuff but mostly one hit per guy sort of fights which can get pretty boring to watch. If it was anything like crow zero now that would be awesome. The rapping throughout a movie could have been done well had the characters been written more thoroughly and less 'this is my style and this is my take on the situation'. The flow separations are cool though it never really got a time to shine through because of the whole bad guy scenes. Too many of those. But great characters, awesome main character; a fighting cute girl who can rap and showed her boobies on screen - thats a real woman im telling ya. Great costumes and really over the top stereotypes. Lots of fun watching this in the sense of sight. In the sense of sight there was always something happening so you could probably still be entertained had the film been silent.
Yeah 6/10. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone who likes rap unless they were begging me to show them a film about Japanese rappers who rap in different styles, do manga type music things that is illustrated with lots of colour. If i happen to stumble in on someone watching the film I would gladly sit through it again with them to see their reactions and to make comments on how absurdly inane all the scenes were.
ps. I'm not a LOL kind of guy.
A lot of style but not enough substance
dravidz24 May 2020
The costumes/movie set are quite breathtaking and songs are very catchy. Another eccentric movie by Sion even if it doesn't break any grounds. It's probably hard to watch again as the plot is extremely superficial and never takes itself seriously. Never knew Rap was a thing in Japan until I googled some of the actors from the movie that are actually real artists irl.
Mental, Ludicrous and an absolutely bonkers film that is just pure genius
t-dooley-69-3869168 August 2015
Warning: Spoilers
Shion Sono ('Love Exposure') started his career as a poet before entering film making. Here we have both talents to the fore. This is an alternative or futuristic Tokyo where the areas of the City are ruled and controlled by 23 gangs or 'tribes'. If you like 'The Warriors' then you will get this angle. They are all fairly distinct; except the thing they all have in common is rap music and hip hop (or hippitty hoppetty to the older out there amongst you). *May contain mild plot spoilers*. There is a lot of nudity on display with a plot line that seems to have forgotten to take its Ritalin and has let the imagination go wild – I was reminded a few times of the wonderful Peter Greenaway. The plot is all around taking control of Tokyo, sexual exploitation, cannibalism, sado masochism, bizarre outfits and hair styles and some 'wicked beats' – as the 'homies' say on the streets.
The characters are all over the top, there is tons of fighting – using everything from Martial arts wire work to blinged up AK – 47's oh yes and a Gatling gun. There is a lot of English used in the raps – mostly the profane sort but also some rather brilliant portmanteaus such as 'wan – ksta'.
It is endlessly inventive in terms of the violence and the props as well as the lurid imaginations of all the over the top performances.
This is enough to make you like hip hop – that is if you are not already a fan. Also I was a bit disappointed at first as I wanted this to be the usual type sci-fi violent film. However; once I had given it some time I just could not get enough. This is one I shall be raving about for some time to come. This is what cinema should do – excite, challenge, break the rules, make up some new ones and have a bloody good laugh – screamingly recommended.
The characters are all over the top, there is tons of fighting – using everything from Martial arts wire work to blinged up AK – 47's oh yes and a Gatling gun. There is a lot of English used in the raps – mostly the profane sort but also some rather brilliant portmanteaus such as 'wan – ksta'.
It is endlessly inventive in terms of the violence and the props as well as the lurid imaginations of all the over the top performances.
This is enough to make you like hip hop – that is if you are not already a fan. Also I was a bit disappointed at first as I wanted this to be the usual type sci-fi violent film. However; once I had given it some time I just could not get enough. This is one I shall be raving about for some time to come. This is what cinema should do – excite, challenge, break the rules, make up some new ones and have a bloody good laugh – screamingly recommended.
A bizarre mash up of gang violence, martial arts action and hip-hop musical
mwilson197614 May 2020
You'll either find this mash up of gang violence, martial arts action and hip-hop musical (it is told almost entirely in rap verse), based on a popular Manga series ingenious or totally bonkers, but director Sion Sono delivers a movie that goes beyond the midnight-movie oddness of the plot, and has a knack of making the dumbest of ideas work. In a futuristic Japan, territorial street gangs form opposing factions collectively known as the Tokyo Tribes. When one of the gang leaders breaks the fragile peace, it triggers a brutal street war for supremacy. Featuring a cannibalistic yakuza boss and his son who has a room full of human furniture, a (computer-generated) tank rolling down the streets of Tokyo and bombing buildings, a lot of humour, and even a homage to Bruce Lee (not Kill Bill) in Game of Death, there's a lot to like in this movie even if the novelty of it all does start to wear a little thin after a while.
Ummm...interesting, sort of....
lemon_magic2 April 2019
Warning: Spoilers
Give the movie (and the director) credit: watching this movie is like drowning in cotton candy. Neon, supersaturated colors, spectacle, glitter and glare and gorgeous visuals everywhere you look, attractive people (well, women, anyway) striking evocative poses, and a decidedly epic "feel".
And now the bad news: For all its visual flair, "Tokyo Tribe" takes forever to get off its butt and have something actually happen. And you can't keep the players straight to save your life.
I'll be honest: I understand why some people are drawn to rap and hip-hop, but I am not one of those people. And to me, Japanese teens aping the beats and style of legendary rappers are at least as silly as American preppies doing the same. So when the move spends nearly 30 MINUTES introducing the various gangs (each with their own raps and boasts) without moving the plot forward, I basically threw up my hands and said, "Who cares??"
Call this one a misfire. I am tempted to find a copy of "Why Don't You Play In Hell?" and see if the writing and screenplay work in that one, because Sono obviously has some kind of thematic axe to grind, and it might work better for me in a different vehicle.
And now the bad news: For all its visual flair, "Tokyo Tribe" takes forever to get off its butt and have something actually happen. And you can't keep the players straight to save your life.
I'll be honest: I understand why some people are drawn to rap and hip-hop, but I am not one of those people. And to me, Japanese teens aping the beats and style of legendary rappers are at least as silly as American preppies doing the same. So when the move spends nearly 30 MINUTES introducing the various gangs (each with their own raps and boasts) without moving the plot forward, I basically threw up my hands and said, "Who cares??"
Call this one a misfire. I am tempted to find a copy of "Why Don't You Play In Hell?" and see if the writing and screenplay work in that one, because Sono obviously has some kind of thematic axe to grind, and it might work better for me in a different vehicle.
I love how crazy the Japanese can be when they feel like it
Red-Barracuda23 November 2016
Well, what can I say? That was something a bit different! If I had known in advance that what I was about to watch was a Japanese hip-hop musical about warring gangs in an alternate Tokyo, I suspect at least a few alarm bells might have gone off. The idea is so wilfully absurd that the movie could easily fall into car crash territory. But you are probably thinking that there is a 'however' coming up here and you would indeed be correct, as in the event Tokyo Tribe proved to be a properly exhilarating movie experience. The originality on display was pretty mind-boggling not just in terms of basic idea but also in execution. There is a story but I realised pretty early on that paying full attention to it was not really a primary requirement. Needless to say, I can't actually be bothered summarising the plot synopsis. What this one is resolutely all about is style over substance. For some viewers that is a cinematic crime but I personally think that we get a little too much 'substance' and not anywhere near enough genuine style in our modern movies. Tokyo Tribe is an example of a film that is great, great style and is pure cinema from start to finish.
Seemingly it was based on a manga comic, which isn't exactly surprising given the sheer insanity that unfolds on the screen. It has an extremely colourful aesthetic with great sets and costuming. The look is constantly interesting and surprising, a fantastic spectacle overall. But this crazy film also has most of its dialogue rapped as well. I hadn't even been aware of Japanese hip-hop before this so it was an education I can tell you. The style of filming with lots of long takes was somewhat similar to the style that many rap music videos adopted, so this is another disparate element mixed into the overall concoction. So what do we have here? Well, we have martial arts fighting (although not so much so that it gets overbearing), some good old fashioned sexploitation elements, a beat-boxing maid, a Mr Big gangster with an ever-present dildo, human furniture, a tank driving Samurai, a super-strong black henchman, (very) cute Japanese women of various shapes and sizes, some men with misguided hair-cuts, a wheel of death, a depressed youth in a hoodie who pitches up every so often like a Greek Chorus, comic-book violence and bling weaponry. There is even more going on than this as well but that's the best I can do for now. On the whole, this is a highly entertaining action-comedy-musical with a real energy and originality. This really does define the term one of a kind!
Seemingly it was based on a manga comic, which isn't exactly surprising given the sheer insanity that unfolds on the screen. It has an extremely colourful aesthetic with great sets and costuming. The look is constantly interesting and surprising, a fantastic spectacle overall. But this crazy film also has most of its dialogue rapped as well. I hadn't even been aware of Japanese hip-hop before this so it was an education I can tell you. The style of filming with lots of long takes was somewhat similar to the style that many rap music videos adopted, so this is another disparate element mixed into the overall concoction. So what do we have here? Well, we have martial arts fighting (although not so much so that it gets overbearing), some good old fashioned sexploitation elements, a beat-boxing maid, a Mr Big gangster with an ever-present dildo, human furniture, a tank driving Samurai, a super-strong black henchman, (very) cute Japanese women of various shapes and sizes, some men with misguided hair-cuts, a wheel of death, a depressed youth in a hoodie who pitches up every so often like a Greek Chorus, comic-book violence and bling weaponry. There is even more going on than this as well but that's the best I can do for now. On the whole, this is a highly entertaining action-comedy-musical with a real energy and originality. This really does define the term one of a kind!
Flamboyant Extravaganza! Must See!
ontoson12 September 2020
If you wanna know what this movie is about, think of 'The Warriors' only as a manga comic or think of 'West Side Story' only as a Japanese rap opera. Think of it as an amalgam of the two, only as if the story was instead conceived during a fever dream, pumped full of crack cocaine, overdosing on metamphetamine, before then getting totally blown out of proportion.
It's like Asian Snoop Dog and Far East Satan had a child that through pondering the value of big dicks, accepts conversion to Christianity by Feminist Jiu-Jitsu-Buddha. It's a Menippean satire that based on the holy principles of hip hop invents its own reality, then cuts it into pieces with the help of samurai swords, gattling guns, and razor blade ventilators, before letting it rise again by the power of bass-laden words from the Battle Rap Bible.
I dare say: if you haven't seen it, you have never seen anything like it!
It's like Asian Snoop Dog and Far East Satan had a child that through pondering the value of big dicks, accepts conversion to Christianity by Feminist Jiu-Jitsu-Buddha. It's a Menippean satire that based on the holy principles of hip hop invents its own reality, then cuts it into pieces with the help of samurai swords, gattling guns, and razor blade ventilators, before letting it rise again by the power of bass-laden words from the Battle Rap Bible.
I dare say: if you haven't seen it, you have never seen anything like it!
Tokyo Tribe
politic198313 October 2014
Warning: Spoilers
I've been to Tokyo, and it is just like this...if 'this' is 'Grand Theft Auto: Tokyo'. Sion Sono's latest film is certainly an experience.
I first came across 'Tokyo Tribe', that is to say to strangely titled 'Tokyo Tribe 2', while in, erm, Tokyo. Bored, and looking for a new anime series to entertain, I searched my local 'Book Off' and came across something that looks like it might combine both anime and hip hop in a way that only 'Samurai Champloo' could do before it. On the cheap (for Japan), I purchased volumes 1, 2, 4 and 5 of the DVD collection, being that 3 and 6 were unavailable on that day. Being that I was in Japan, there was no need for English translations on these bad boys, so I could merely watch the interesting images and listen to the fat beats which were contained within.
Loosely, the plot centres around the Mushashino Saru gang, a group of fun-loving kids that hang out at a diner. But, being just one of twenty-three gangs in Tokyo, all representing their 'hood in their own unique way, they soon find their peaceful lives caught up in gang wars. It's 'The Warriors' in Japanese.
The anime of Santa Inoue's manga comes with GTA-style breakdowns of the characters, the gangs, the locations, the eateries involved in this semi-fictional Tokyo world. I like the anime (not that I understand it, wakarimashita?!), with the music and style; seriousness and comedy, but mainly the ending credits, which always need to deliver in an anime series. So, now comes the live-action version from bum-crampingly- long film director Sono: a man that might have one said that both Miike Takashi and Kitano Takeshi are both 'dead', but also might have not.
When turning a cartoon into a live-action, it's always interesting to the approach that will be taken. Sono certainly takes some interesting ones here. The first notable one is that this being a hip hop anime, 90% of what is said is 'rapped', with a combination of actors trying their best and some Japanese wordsmiths making up the cast. What starts off as interesting, soon starts to feel like a potentially irritating gimmick, before you settle into it and it becomes natural. After two hours of this, you will only want to speak in rap-form...in Japanese.
The second noticeable element is that of bling. Hip hop is always something that I feel is very anti-Japanese. Despite my love of both Japanese culture and hip hop, the loud, brash, bragging rights world of hip hop simply doesn't fit with that image of polite and respectful Japanese. But, being a man that regularly listens to Japanese ragga on vinyl, this cross-culture exists, and my Japanese hip hop collections is ever on the increase. But the US gangsta ethic feels a little strange in Japanese, with many of the gangs coming straight out of a comic book. But this is straight out of a comic book, and so some poetic license needs to be allowed here.
When watching characters in animated form, it is acceptable for them to be larger than life and somewhat unbelievable, but you're always unsure how to take them when they're actual humans. The sick and twisted characters certainly are that in Sono's 'Tokyo Tribe', and the gang colours come across as much hilarious as threatening.
Reality is not the name of the game here, with 'Tokyo Tribe' feeling very much like a game of 'GTA': not feeling in anyway based on real- life, but a dream world men wish they lived in, but would run from as soon as it was in their face. This is, therefore, pure silliness in a can...of film, the film's farcical conclusion in-line with the rest of the two hours.
There are good and bad elements in this film: The good include the rapping, which is interesting and gives the film a rhythm, though maybe not a linear plot. while the rappers in the cast can obviously hold their own, novices, like actor Shota Sometani take on a lot of rapping and while not blessed with talent can pull it off for the duration. There is certainly a lot of invention here as well, with creative set designs in-line with the manga and anime.
But with all that rapping and less-than-coherent plot, this is at times a little long and at times disjointed. But, much like Miike Takashi - a man he will inevitably be compared to - before him, Sono is a creative director that will keep churning them out, not dwelling too much on how films are received, working on what new and crazy things to do next...
Tokyo Tribe, never ever die...
I first came across 'Tokyo Tribe', that is to say to strangely titled 'Tokyo Tribe 2', while in, erm, Tokyo. Bored, and looking for a new anime series to entertain, I searched my local 'Book Off' and came across something that looks like it might combine both anime and hip hop in a way that only 'Samurai Champloo' could do before it. On the cheap (for Japan), I purchased volumes 1, 2, 4 and 5 of the DVD collection, being that 3 and 6 were unavailable on that day. Being that I was in Japan, there was no need for English translations on these bad boys, so I could merely watch the interesting images and listen to the fat beats which were contained within.
Loosely, the plot centres around the Mushashino Saru gang, a group of fun-loving kids that hang out at a diner. But, being just one of twenty-three gangs in Tokyo, all representing their 'hood in their own unique way, they soon find their peaceful lives caught up in gang wars. It's 'The Warriors' in Japanese.
The anime of Santa Inoue's manga comes with GTA-style breakdowns of the characters, the gangs, the locations, the eateries involved in this semi-fictional Tokyo world. I like the anime (not that I understand it, wakarimashita?!), with the music and style; seriousness and comedy, but mainly the ending credits, which always need to deliver in an anime series. So, now comes the live-action version from bum-crampingly- long film director Sono: a man that might have one said that both Miike Takashi and Kitano Takeshi are both 'dead', but also might have not.
When turning a cartoon into a live-action, it's always interesting to the approach that will be taken. Sono certainly takes some interesting ones here. The first notable one is that this being a hip hop anime, 90% of what is said is 'rapped', with a combination of actors trying their best and some Japanese wordsmiths making up the cast. What starts off as interesting, soon starts to feel like a potentially irritating gimmick, before you settle into it and it becomes natural. After two hours of this, you will only want to speak in rap-form...in Japanese.
The second noticeable element is that of bling. Hip hop is always something that I feel is very anti-Japanese. Despite my love of both Japanese culture and hip hop, the loud, brash, bragging rights world of hip hop simply doesn't fit with that image of polite and respectful Japanese. But, being a man that regularly listens to Japanese ragga on vinyl, this cross-culture exists, and my Japanese hip hop collections is ever on the increase. But the US gangsta ethic feels a little strange in Japanese, with many of the gangs coming straight out of a comic book. But this is straight out of a comic book, and so some poetic license needs to be allowed here.
When watching characters in animated form, it is acceptable for them to be larger than life and somewhat unbelievable, but you're always unsure how to take them when they're actual humans. The sick and twisted characters certainly are that in Sono's 'Tokyo Tribe', and the gang colours come across as much hilarious as threatening.
Reality is not the name of the game here, with 'Tokyo Tribe' feeling very much like a game of 'GTA': not feeling in anyway based on real- life, but a dream world men wish they lived in, but would run from as soon as it was in their face. This is, therefore, pure silliness in a can...of film, the film's farcical conclusion in-line with the rest of the two hours.
There are good and bad elements in this film: The good include the rapping, which is interesting and gives the film a rhythm, though maybe not a linear plot. while the rappers in the cast can obviously hold their own, novices, like actor Shota Sometani take on a lot of rapping and while not blessed with talent can pull it off for the duration. There is certainly a lot of invention here as well, with creative set designs in-line with the manga and anime.
But with all that rapping and less-than-coherent plot, this is at times a little long and at times disjointed. But, much like Miike Takashi - a man he will inevitably be compared to - before him, Sono is a creative director that will keep churning them out, not dwelling too much on how films are received, working on what new and crazy things to do next...
Tokyo Tribe, never ever die...
Overly stylized, unfocused, unsophisticated ...and it could have been great!
cwbellor5 July 2017
Tokyo Tribe gives you extravagant and ambitious set pieces, a cast of hundreds with almost as many speaking parts and rap ...so ...so much ...rap. And therein lies the most glaring flaw of this film. No, there's nothing wrong with rap. There IS something wrong with a plot taking a backseat so that rap and posturing can be front and center again and again and again. And just when you think you might get some substantial dialogue... more rap. Mind you, the rap is good and there are some worthy artists being showcased here. Cyborg Kaori is one of the amusing highlights - she seems to be playing some kind of court jester for the cannibal gangster - but she is overshadowed. She's drowned out by characters like the blonde Mera, who could be subversive and cool, but end up being monotonous and predictable.
I was completely ready to enjoy Tokyo Tribe. On Netflix, it appears to be a fun, action-filled homage to films like The Warriors. But I knew within the first ten minutes that watching this was going to be a test of patience. In a way, it's the perfect Japanese film. It's a sensory overload of colors and images and the wandering camera is reminiscent of a tourist who can't decide what to pay attention to. It reflects little of Japanese reality - gangs are born out of economic hardship and strife. The strife in contemporary Tokyo is existential, not economic. But this film is knowingly fantasy and while it's easy to roll your eyes at middle class kids trying to be thugs, you can't actually accuse the film of being dishonest.
For the first half hour, you feel like you're viewing an introductory segment. If you're half an hour into the film and you're still not sure who the protagonist is, you're watching an incredibly flawed movie. An hour into this story, you'll find yourself hungry for something of substance. Instead, you have to endure more stylized over-the-top performances and yet more introductions of new characters. It's a lot of time wasted on creative tangents, when that time could have been dedicated to the central characters. It's not hard to be emotionally invested in characters like Kai. But it takes almost forty minutes for him to be front and center. By that time, half the people watching this would have been completely justified in tuning into something else.
I was completely ready to enjoy Tokyo Tribe. On Netflix, it appears to be a fun, action-filled homage to films like The Warriors. But I knew within the first ten minutes that watching this was going to be a test of patience. In a way, it's the perfect Japanese film. It's a sensory overload of colors and images and the wandering camera is reminiscent of a tourist who can't decide what to pay attention to. It reflects little of Japanese reality - gangs are born out of economic hardship and strife. The strife in contemporary Tokyo is existential, not economic. But this film is knowingly fantasy and while it's easy to roll your eyes at middle class kids trying to be thugs, you can't actually accuse the film of being dishonest.
For the first half hour, you feel like you're viewing an introductory segment. If you're half an hour into the film and you're still not sure who the protagonist is, you're watching an incredibly flawed movie. An hour into this story, you'll find yourself hungry for something of substance. Instead, you have to endure more stylized over-the-top performances and yet more introductions of new characters. It's a lot of time wasted on creative tangents, when that time could have been dedicated to the central characters. It's not hard to be emotionally invested in characters like Kai. But it takes almost forty minutes for him to be front and center. By that time, half the people watching this would have been completely justified in tuning into something else.
You know you're witnessing 'great art', when people are completely divided!
Hellmant4 December 2015
'TOKYO TRIBE': Four and a Half Stars (Out of Five)
A martial arts/action/comedy/musical flick, spoken almost entirely in rap verse! The film has been described (by it's marketing campaign) as "The world's first battle rap musical", and it's based on the popular Manga series, 'Tokyo Tribe2', by Santa Inoue. It was written and directed by Sion Sono (who's probably most well known for helming 2013's 'WHY DON'T YOU PLAY IN HELL?') and it stars Ryohei Suzuki, Young Dais, Riki Takeuchi, Shota Sometani, Ryuta Sato and Akihiro Kitamura. The movie tells the story of a futuristic Japan, divided into territorial gangs; until one gang leader breaks the truce. It's one of the craziest, and most bizarrely original films, I've seen all year!
Sometime, in the not too distant future, Japan is divided into separate street gangs; each representing a different faction, collectively known as the 'Tokyo Tribes'. The leader of one tribe, Mera (Suzuki), decides to break the peace, and join forces with another ruthless gang leader, Buppa (Takeuchi). Together they wage war on another tribe, and cause an 'all out war'. Blood fills the streets; as everyone turns to brutal violence, and continuous rapping.
The movie is really weird, and definitely not for everyone, but I like 'weird'; and I found myself really enjoying it. The film took a little while for me to get into, at first it's pretty jarring; but once I was 'hooked', I was completely involved and thoroughly entertained! The action is brutally violent, and many scenes are pretty twisted and sadistic; but it's also filled with catchy hip- hop music, and beautifully choreographed fight scenes. The performances are great, and the visuals are always interesting to look at. The film is sure to become a beloved cult classic, by many genre fans, while many others will hate it. You know you're witnessing 'great art', when people are completely divided!
Watch our movie review show 'MOVIE TALK' at: https://youtu.be/41q3ZuWGdEE
A martial arts/action/comedy/musical flick, spoken almost entirely in rap verse! The film has been described (by it's marketing campaign) as "The world's first battle rap musical", and it's based on the popular Manga series, 'Tokyo Tribe2', by Santa Inoue. It was written and directed by Sion Sono (who's probably most well known for helming 2013's 'WHY DON'T YOU PLAY IN HELL?') and it stars Ryohei Suzuki, Young Dais, Riki Takeuchi, Shota Sometani, Ryuta Sato and Akihiro Kitamura. The movie tells the story of a futuristic Japan, divided into territorial gangs; until one gang leader breaks the truce. It's one of the craziest, and most bizarrely original films, I've seen all year!
Sometime, in the not too distant future, Japan is divided into separate street gangs; each representing a different faction, collectively known as the 'Tokyo Tribes'. The leader of one tribe, Mera (Suzuki), decides to break the peace, and join forces with another ruthless gang leader, Buppa (Takeuchi). Together they wage war on another tribe, and cause an 'all out war'. Blood fills the streets; as everyone turns to brutal violence, and continuous rapping.
The movie is really weird, and definitely not for everyone, but I like 'weird'; and I found myself really enjoying it. The film took a little while for me to get into, at first it's pretty jarring; but once I was 'hooked', I was completely involved and thoroughly entertained! The action is brutally violent, and many scenes are pretty twisted and sadistic; but it's also filled with catchy hip- hop music, and beautifully choreographed fight scenes. The performances are great, and the visuals are always interesting to look at. The film is sure to become a beloved cult classic, by many genre fans, while many others will hate it. You know you're witnessing 'great art', when people are completely divided!
Watch our movie review show 'MOVIE TALK' at: https://youtu.be/41q3ZuWGdEE
Heaps of potential wasted
grantss26 May 2015
Heaps of potential wasted.
Tokyo Tribe is a wasted opportunity. The central plot was interesting: scores of organised crime gangs, each with their own patch, in constant competition but trying to avoid each other until something sparks them all off. Throw in the innocent bystanders caught in the middle and this had the makings of a gritty and original drama.
However, from the start it goes wrong. Instead of being gritty, it is more a musical. Immediately feels like West Side Story but less campy and with far worse music.
There is action but it is silly, degenerating into the usual martial arts acrobatics, mass brawls and Benny Hill-like running around and around from one contrived battle to another.
Incredibly disappointing.
Tokyo Tribe is a wasted opportunity. The central plot was interesting: scores of organised crime gangs, each with their own patch, in constant competition but trying to avoid each other until something sparks them all off. Throw in the innocent bystanders caught in the middle and this had the makings of a gritty and original drama.
However, from the start it goes wrong. Instead of being gritty, it is more a musical. Immediately feels like West Side Story but less campy and with far worse music.
There is action but it is silly, degenerating into the usual martial arts acrobatics, mass brawls and Benny Hill-like running around and around from one contrived battle to another.
Incredibly disappointing.
Crazy, Insane, but Completely Lucid!
capo-365-82960231 January 2015
Shion Sono can, in the case of Love Exposure, make a 4 hour movie feel like a 2 hour movie and in the case of Tokyo Tribe make a two hour movie feel like a four hour movie. A strange showdown in Tokyo between warring crews is a freaking absurd mix between the Warriors, 1970's yakuza flicks, and an entire history of hip hop videos. The beats are tight, the visuals mind-blowing, the whole thing is like a crazy hallucination that is actually closer to way the real world operates than we admit. The set it is filmed on is obviously fake like the rain that hits it, the acting is absurd, the plot simple, but executed however the hell he wants. What is Shion Sono trying to say??? I think everyone that watches Tokyo Tribe at one point has to ask the question they know they shouldn't. I see, hear, and feel this movie. It does drag at times, since they're defiantly rapping almost every line of dialogue. Something about this film makes it the most progressive, subversive, pure cinema yet to be made on such a large scale. It's inaccessible, but mindless. It's mindful and welcoming. Crazy, insane, but completely lucid the entire time. I think it's genius. I think this guy Shion Sono is a genius. Should I admit that again? Oh I guess I already did on his last film.
Sekkusu to Bitchi
herr-walkes1 March 2015
Japanese Rap - a musical oxymoron. Neither cool nor funny. Just plain awkward and embarrassing. I sat there for 120 minutes trying to figure out what in gods name Sono was trying to do with this flick. Rapping ridiculously stupid (I don't want to call it) lyrics and all those naked chicks whose IQ would add up to 10 just gave me goosebumps. He just can't be serious! This movie is a bad joke. I was basically cringing throughout the whole film and felt a strong need to shower afterwards. Sonos cinema has always been misogynistic and blunt but this simply goes too far. If you're a Sono fan you can risk a glimpse but don't expect a creative and facetious ride like his latest work Jigoku has been.
Sometimes hard to follow, but a lot of fun
zetes5 January 2016
Insane rap musical about warring gangs in Tokyo. This grows to be a lot of fun, but I had to get over a lot of annoyances before I could get into it. First and foremost, I had to get into the music itself. It's certainly not great hip-hop, and, at first, I found it kind of lame. As the film progressed, I don't know if the music got better or I just accepted it as it was, but I started to kind of like it. Second, the plot is a huge mess. I certainly wouldn't recommend you go it hoping for a clear plot, because you're not going to get one. It's just kind of your standard yakuza turf war stuff, with a good gang and a bad gang and a bunch of other, lesser gangs. Then there's something with a runaway princess or something that never quite gels into a coherent story. What you will find is a ton of cool bits scattered throughout, augmented by weird and wild costume and production design. The action is also very good. Sono continues to be a flawed director, but he's clearly one of the most interesting people working today.
Acquired Taste
jimniexperience19 January 2018
Cult classic and the best film of 2014.
OverlordFresh6 May 2015
Sion Sono seems to be entering a new phase in his career that is just incredible. With 6 films set to be released in 2015 alone, and putting the insanity of Why Don't You Play In Hell and Tokyo Tribe into consideration, I think it's safe to say that Sion Sono is the new Takashi Miike. Only better since Sono actually writes his owns movies.
If you are asking "where can he go after doing Why Don't You Play In Hell?", the answer is Tokyo Tribe. The movie is an instant cult classic and one of the most ambitiously original films of his career that I doubt any other director could pull off. He dubs it as "the worlds first battle rap musical", and it definitely is. Over 90% of the dialog is rapped. Most of the shots are in long masterful takes. While it's not as gory as Why Don't You Play In Hell, the action is nearly non stop and absolutely mind blowing. The sets in this film are truly a site to behold. He said at TIFF that he employed a lot of students to make them. The all around visual style of this film is just unreal. The only film I could compare this to would be Sogo Ishii's Burst City. Both are musicals that chronicle Japanese music scenes of the time with a very loose plot connecting it all together. Like Burst City, it's not about the plot, it's about the visual and musical experience. Sion Sono took a risk that most film directors of his calibre wouldn't even dare and he pulled it off masterfully. Love Exposure will always be his supreme masterpiece, but I can safely say that I rank Tokyo Tribe among his best films, and i've nearly seem them all.
Some people who hate hip hop may hate this movie. I myself am a major hip hop nerd but I don't see that as bias, If anything It made me more concerned before watching but wow. This movie rules and is the best musical in ages and the only good hip hop musical ever produced.
Neva Eva Die
If you are asking "where can he go after doing Why Don't You Play In Hell?", the answer is Tokyo Tribe. The movie is an instant cult classic and one of the most ambitiously original films of his career that I doubt any other director could pull off. He dubs it as "the worlds first battle rap musical", and it definitely is. Over 90% of the dialog is rapped. Most of the shots are in long masterful takes. While it's not as gory as Why Don't You Play In Hell, the action is nearly non stop and absolutely mind blowing. The sets in this film are truly a site to behold. He said at TIFF that he employed a lot of students to make them. The all around visual style of this film is just unreal. The only film I could compare this to would be Sogo Ishii's Burst City. Both are musicals that chronicle Japanese music scenes of the time with a very loose plot connecting it all together. Like Burst City, it's not about the plot, it's about the visual and musical experience. Sion Sono took a risk that most film directors of his calibre wouldn't even dare and he pulled it off masterfully. Love Exposure will always be his supreme masterpiece, but I can safely say that I rank Tokyo Tribe among his best films, and i've nearly seem them all.
Some people who hate hip hop may hate this movie. I myself am a major hip hop nerd but I don't see that as bias, If anything It made me more concerned before watching but wow. This movie rules and is the best musical in ages and the only good hip hop musical ever produced.
Neva Eva Die
Wasn't feeling this one
Jeremy_Urquhart27 February 2023
Sion Sono's Cats, because a lot of the musical numbers are just characters introducing themselves, parts of it made me very uncomfortable, and it's a bit of a mess tonally and narratively.
Okay, I guess it's technically a better made movie than Cats. It's got creative production design and some decent action, but I still wasn't a big fan of it. I guess the premise is unique, but I wasn't crazy about the execution, and the music wore out its welcome.
It's also made it clear that it's much harder to stomach Sion Sono movies since the allegations against the director, especially given how often his movies feature and/or discuss sexual violence. I feel like even those who champion "separate the art from the artist" will find it difficult to do so for Sono and his films.
Okay, I guess it's technically a better made movie than Cats. It's got creative production design and some decent action, but I still wasn't a big fan of it. I guess the premise is unique, but I wasn't crazy about the execution, and the music wore out its welcome.
It's also made it clear that it's much harder to stomach Sion Sono movies since the allegations against the director, especially given how often his movies feature and/or discuss sexual violence. I feel like even those who champion "separate the art from the artist" will find it difficult to do so for Sono and his films.
Why so serious?
kosmasp19 October 2015
Actually watching this I can't imagine anyone being serious ... I was surprised at how much "Rap" was in it (even though some of the actors actually weren't that good with their MC skills) - you can and should call this a musical. Obviously, if rap music isn't your thing, you should not even think about watching this.
Anyone else open to a mad world, go ahead and have fun. And you can have fun. There are so many crazy and wicked ideas in this, you'll have quite a lot to talk about with friends or generally on the internet. There were a couple of moments that seemed unnecessary (misogynistic), but other than that, this is really just a fun little movie, that almost made me stand up at the end singing along - Tokyo Tribe
Anyone else open to a mad world, go ahead and have fun. And you can have fun. There are so many crazy and wicked ideas in this, you'll have quite a lot to talk about with friends or generally on the internet. There were a couple of moments that seemed unnecessary (misogynistic), but other than that, this is really just a fun little movie, that almost made me stand up at the end singing along - Tokyo Tribe
"When two tribes go to war,A point is all you can score,When two tribes go to war,A point is all you can score."
morrison-dylan-fan17 November 2016
Warning: Spoilers
Getting the chance to host an event on IMDb's Film Festival board,I started looking at the nominated titles. Finding the list to be filled with exciting-sounding Neo-Noirs,animation and troubled "indie dinners",I was caught completely by surprise by a Hip-Hop Musical Crime flick (!) on the list,which led to me booking a ticket to Tokyo.
The plot-
Japan in the future:
In an alternate Japan street gangs collectively called Tokyo Tribes hold a truce by each being in control of their section of the city. Desperate to expand his territory, Merra of the Wu-Ronz hires hit- man Buppa to help his gang start a war with fellow gang the Musashino Saru.Aiming to kill the leader of the Saru's,Merra accidentally kills a friend of the Saru's,which leads to all of the other tribes teaming up for a big showdown in little Tokyo.
View on the film:
Whilst sadly not featuring any sounds from the late Japanese Hip-Hop legend Nujabes,writer/director Sion Sono delivers some solid beats,that hit the gang warfare with wheels of steel,as the lyrics skip being exposition chords thanks to some catchy choruses that bring da ruckus. Laying the tracks down themselves,the ensemble cast give explosive performances,with Riki Takeuchi delivering some cackling boo-hiss flavor flav baddie vibes as Buppa, and Shôta Sometani pulling the viewer into the world of the tribes as MC Show.
Sprung from the Manga by Santa Inoue, Sono & cinematographer Daisuke Sôma hit a bombtrack opening whirling with lush Comic-Book stylisation. Moshing to the beat from composer B.C.D.M.G.,Sono brilliantly blends Hip-Hop kicks with lashings of vibrant Kung-Fu gang wars being fired up in groovy reds and purples,along with deliciously off-beat displays of clockwork orange flesh.
Picking up the mic,the screenplay by Sono cleverly gives each tribe their own "track" which allows for the distinctive features of each gang to swing high from the Rock-band T-Shirt welding thugs in the Wu-Ronz, to the gold-plated ruthlessness of Buppa.Although Raekwon has shown in his magnificent albums Only Built 4 Cuban Linx part 1 and 2 that Hip-Hop can be a fantastic genre to build concept albums on,Sono struggles to bring all of the gang themes together,with the individual sides that Sono gave each group not offering space for a foundation to be made on their paths crossing,as the Tokyo tribe are called on their quest.
The plot-
Japan in the future:
In an alternate Japan street gangs collectively called Tokyo Tribes hold a truce by each being in control of their section of the city. Desperate to expand his territory, Merra of the Wu-Ronz hires hit- man Buppa to help his gang start a war with fellow gang the Musashino Saru.Aiming to kill the leader of the Saru's,Merra accidentally kills a friend of the Saru's,which leads to all of the other tribes teaming up for a big showdown in little Tokyo.
View on the film:
Whilst sadly not featuring any sounds from the late Japanese Hip-Hop legend Nujabes,writer/director Sion Sono delivers some solid beats,that hit the gang warfare with wheels of steel,as the lyrics skip being exposition chords thanks to some catchy choruses that bring da ruckus. Laying the tracks down themselves,the ensemble cast give explosive performances,with Riki Takeuchi delivering some cackling boo-hiss flavor flav baddie vibes as Buppa, and Shôta Sometani pulling the viewer into the world of the tribes as MC Show.
Sprung from the Manga by Santa Inoue, Sono & cinematographer Daisuke Sôma hit a bombtrack opening whirling with lush Comic-Book stylisation. Moshing to the beat from composer B.C.D.M.G.,Sono brilliantly blends Hip-Hop kicks with lashings of vibrant Kung-Fu gang wars being fired up in groovy reds and purples,along with deliciously off-beat displays of clockwork orange flesh.
Picking up the mic,the screenplay by Sono cleverly gives each tribe their own "track" which allows for the distinctive features of each gang to swing high from the Rock-band T-Shirt welding thugs in the Wu-Ronz, to the gold-plated ruthlessness of Buppa.Although Raekwon has shown in his magnificent albums Only Built 4 Cuban Linx part 1 and 2 that Hip-Hop can be a fantastic genre to build concept albums on,Sono struggles to bring all of the gang themes together,with the individual sides that Sono gave each group not offering space for a foundation to be made on their paths crossing,as the Tokyo tribe are called on their quest.
Deeply musical B-movie epic
stroggos28 March 2020
This film displays such great craftsmanship! It looks absolutely gorgeous, with Tokyo being set in brooding lights, and some amazing camerawork and edits. There's a few multi-character tracking shots that must've taken ages to rehearse! And some of the fighting is really well done.
I don't like rap at all, but I really liked it here, as it was something unique, something I have never seen before in a film. At times, nearly every single line in this film is rapped. So if you don't like that, you're going to hate the film. But to me, the music was really what held the whole thing together.
The whole thing has high production values, but it often goes for the look of a B-movie. This is great, fitting with Sion Sono's "guerrilla style", highlighting the fact that you are watching something edgy and underground. There's A LOT of sexual language in there, and the whole thing is at times deliberately exploitative ... and I can see that this would throw many people off. A lot of the exploitative aspects of the film are meant to be tongue-and-cheek, but Tokyo Tribe one is definitely not for viewers who want to see something that is "politically correct".
Altogether, a truly unique vision, something that I have never seen before.
I don't like rap at all, but I really liked it here, as it was something unique, something I have never seen before in a film. At times, nearly every single line in this film is rapped. So if you don't like that, you're going to hate the film. But to me, the music was really what held the whole thing together.
The whole thing has high production values, but it often goes for the look of a B-movie. This is great, fitting with Sion Sono's "guerrilla style", highlighting the fact that you are watching something edgy and underground. There's A LOT of sexual language in there, and the whole thing is at times deliberately exploitative ... and I can see that this would throw many people off. A lot of the exploitative aspects of the film are meant to be tongue-and-cheek, but Tokyo Tribe one is definitely not for viewers who want to see something that is "politically correct".
Altogether, a truly unique vision, something that I have never seen before.
Loved it - and I hate rap
amo-8854623 August 2017
Rap and hip hop are of zero interest in my house, but Sion Sono is crazy and in a very good way.
Stories, subplots, wars, battles, violence and heaps and heaps of sexy and gorgeous women with great hair, superb fine legs and all strutting their stuff. It is the stuff of dreams for film fans, seekers of originality and bound to wound up prudes everywhere.
I may be a man reacting to skin, but I can tell you Sono knows his stuff. Just enjoy it.
By the way the beatbox girl is an actual Japanese artist so you can find her on the Internet if you want.
Stories, subplots, wars, battles, violence and heaps and heaps of sexy and gorgeous women with great hair, superb fine legs and all strutting their stuff. It is the stuff of dreams for film fans, seekers of originality and bound to wound up prudes everywhere.
I may be a man reacting to skin, but I can tell you Sono knows his stuff. Just enjoy it.
By the way the beatbox girl is an actual Japanese artist so you can find her on the Internet if you want.
Sexy, Cool, Original, A Slap in The Face of Body Shamers, Fat People Who Hate The Human Body etc
dns-675521 April 2017
I love how the Japanese are not afraid of the human body and nature and moved forward while back in America retarded corporation bans leggings!!! This is by far the best Japanese movie and possibly the best Sono movie to date. It is up there and it deserves to be. Everything paid off in this film and I don't even like rap. It is emotional. It is explosive. It has heart. It is sexy. This is everything anyone who is young or young at heart has wanted in a futuristic film. By the end you will feel like humanity has progressed and it becomes hard to say goodbye. Don't get me wrong it is dystopian, but has a happy ending. The final scene in this movie was one of the most powerful scenes and that and the beautiful flaunting add up to a masterpiece and the fact that human haters are angered make it perfect
A breath of fresh air
hin-0392228 May 2017
I have watched this film several times all two hours of it and than goodness Japan is not infested with PC death spiral. The actors are wonderful and so is this movie.
While America is caught in the grip of a Taliban influenced PC attack where mothers make their children ashamed of their bodies, principals scare their students of humanity and restaurants ban attractive women's dresses here we have dance, beat, rape, stabbing, stealing, betrayal, lust, prostitution, graft, corrupt cops you name it and all depicted as normal and morally redeeming. This is humanity being human and film taking us where fantasy and fancy lies.
I would advise anyone who wants to think better of their fellow man to find this film and watch it. Tokyo Tribe is fun, active, exciting, original and yes sexy (take that lazy moralizers).
While America is caught in the grip of a Taliban influenced PC attack where mothers make their children ashamed of their bodies, principals scare their students of humanity and restaurants ban attractive women's dresses here we have dance, beat, rape, stabbing, stealing, betrayal, lust, prostitution, graft, corrupt cops you name it and all depicted as normal and morally redeeming. This is humanity being human and film taking us where fantasy and fancy lies.
I would advise anyone who wants to think better of their fellow man to find this film and watch it. Tokyo Tribe is fun, active, exciting, original and yes sexy (take that lazy moralizers).
Sion Sono's musical masterpiece
Leofwine_draca5 April 2017
Warning: Spoilers
TOKYO TRIBE is another quite incredible movie from Japanese cult director Sion Sono, a man whose has overtaken Takashi Miike as that country's supreme director of trashy, anything-goes cinema. I've previously experienced the delights of such films as GUILTY OF ROMANCE and LOVE EXPOSURE among others, but even they didn't prepare me for this high-energy musical that has to be seen to be believed.
The story is set in an alternate universe Tokyo, one that is dominated by rival gangs. The tale sees a pair of super-villains teaming up to commit murder, only to find themselves opposed by the rest of the gangs who gather together to combat them. The result is an incredible concoction of martial arts action, sexuality, and generally cool characters doing intensely cool things. I loved every demented minute of it, and that's coming from somebody who doesn't even like rap music. It says something about Sono's efforts that I ended up loving the music here, even if it is just for this movie.
The story is set in an alternate universe Tokyo, one that is dominated by rival gangs. The tale sees a pair of super-villains teaming up to commit murder, only to find themselves opposed by the rest of the gangs who gather together to combat them. The result is an incredible concoction of martial arts action, sexuality, and generally cool characters doing intensely cool things. I loved every demented minute of it, and that's coming from somebody who doesn't even like rap music. It says something about Sono's efforts that I ended up loving the music here, even if it is just for this movie.
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