“Described
as having ‘acrobatic martial
arts action and plenty of humour’,
Dororo is a tragic but satisfying tale
from father-of-Manga Osamu Tezuka
about a father’s
lust for power having
grave consequences when he strikes
an unbreakable bargain with demons...” DESPERATE TO PRESERVE the predominance of his clan and hungry for power,
samurai warlord Daigo Kagemitsu (Kiichi Nakai) makes a dreadful pact with 48
demons for the ability to conquer and rule the world in exchange for the body
parts of his first born son. It is the year 3084 in the Sengoku Period (1477)
and war has been raging for decades.
His son, Tahomaru, is born with a limbless torso and an eyeless, earless head
and Daigo's first thought is to kill the child. His wife persuades him to let
her put the baby in a basket to float down the river.
The infant is found and adopted by a mystical physician, a shaman who has mastered
the art of attaching artificial limbs and organs to bodies. He rebuilds the
child and calls him Hyakkimaru (Satoshi Tsunabuki: The Fast And The Furious;
Tokyo Drift).
Twenty years later, Hyakkimaru sets out to track down the demons to destroy
them and claim back his body parts in order to become fully human. He meets
a sassy young woman who calls herself 'the world's greatest thief'. Raised as
a boy by her parents to make her emotionally stronger, she is self-sufficient
and courageous in this hostile environment. In seeking Hyakkimaru's name, she
adopts the name 'Dororo', meaning 'little monster'.
From here the film develops into a sometimes horrific, sometimes beautiful journey
of revenge and ambition. Through war-torn lands and facing many dangers, Hyakkimaru
and Dororo become closer. But there is a secret that may drive them apart forever.
The film has echoes of Frankenstein, Edward Scissorhands and Pinocchio
and under the expert direction of Akira Kurosawa it becomes a fantastically
enjoyable, innovative and very visual comedy-horror with supernatural threads
and spectacular martial arts action binding together strange and amazing creatures,
magical blades, compassion, generosity, ruthlessness and deception to create
a colourful and terrifically compelling film.
Dororo is based on the enduring 1960s manga series by the legendary Osamu
Tezuka (creator of Astro Boy) and its subsequent anime television series
adaptation. Dororo finally gets the big-budget, big-screen treatment
it deserves as a live-action feature with Japanese superstar Kou Shibasaki (Memories
of Matsuko; One Missed Call; Battle Royale) in the title role.
Dororo also features Eita (Memories of Matsuko) as Tahomaru II;
Tetta Sugimoto as Sabame; Anna Tsuchiya (Sakuran; Kamikaze Girls) as
Sabame's Wife; Kumiko Aso as Dororo's Mother; Gekidan Hitori as Gangster; Katsuo
Nakamura as Travelling Musician/Storyteller; Yoshio Harada as Shaman; and Mieko
Harada as Yuri.
The film is Directed by Akihiko Shiota (Canary; Harmful Insect) and Produced
by Takashi Hirano. From an original story by Tezuka Osamu, the screenplay is
by Naka Masa Mura and Akihiko Shiota. Dororo features action choreography by
Hong Kong action maestro Siu-Tung Chin (Curse Of The Golden Flower; House
Of Flying Daggers; Hero); The Creative Designer is Tomo Hyakutake; Music
is by Goro Yasukawa Yenchang and Cinematography is by Takahide Shibanushi.
Filmed in Methven, New Zealand, this epic, supernatural fantasy proved to be
a major box office smash in Japan, topping the movie charts for an unprecedented
six consecutive weeks. A thoroughly enjoyable film!
• Dororo is released on DVD by MVM
Entertainment on 7 September 2009. Certificate: 15 | RRP: £15.99 | Extras: Road
To Dororo | Deleted Scenes | Original Trailers | Stills Gallery | Trailers (Original
Comic by Osamu Tezuka).
"…under the expert direction of Akira Kurosawa, Dororo becomes a fantastically
enjoyable, innovative and very visual comedy-horror with supernatural threads
and spectacular martial arts action" — Maggie Woods, MotorBar
“Described
as having ‘acrobatic martial