Disturbing yet enthralling
Too much about the plot just didn't add up, the writing was bad, some of the scenes were cringey and awkward,
View MoreEach character in this movie — down to the smallest one — is an individual rather than a type, prone to spontaneous changes of mood and sometimes amusing outbursts of pettiness or ill humor.
View MoreA great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.
View MoreThis is a movie made after the completion of Sukeban Deka II TV series starring Yoko Minamino as Saki Asamiya. It also introduces the new Sukeban Deka Yui Asaka as the third Saki Asamiya.Saki Asamiya (a.k.a. Yoko Godai, Saki Asamiya II, Shiori Saotome) has returned to being a normal high school student. Now retired from her assignment as the second Sukeban Deka, she's concentrating on her study to pass her college entrance exam. One day she gets embroiled in a kidnap attempt of a teenager named Kikuo (Tetta Sugimoto) in a bus. He turns out to be an escapee from an island that trains delinquent high school student to be terrorists. There's a plan to take over Japan by these student terrorists. Kikuo has a young sister Megumi (Ayako Kobayashi) who works in a pub. Saki finds her from the clue Kikuo left. Megumi begs Saki to save Kikuo. Saki with Okyo, and Yukino goes to rescue Kikuo, and other students who are being held in the secret island.This is the final chapter of Sukeban Deka II series, and the last appearance of Yoko Minamino as Saki Asamiya. She's joined by the new Sukeban Deka, Yui Kazama to battle the group of terrorists running a school in a secret island. She is given a special heavy duty Yo-Yo by Nishiwaki (Keizo Kanie) to battle the force run by Hattori (Masato Ibu).Sukeban Deka II series is the favorite of most fans who followed this series. Yoko Minamino really carried this series, and made it a success. Her charm is evident in this movie as well. Supported by more than usual cast of Yui Asaka, Ayako Kobayashi, Tetta Sugimoto, and of course Haruko Sagara and Akie Yoshizawa, this movie really is a fitting finale to an excellent series.This being the best of the Sukeban Deka movies in my opinion, is worth a watch if you can find a copy.
View MoreI think enough time has passed now that we can all admit that the 1980's were basically a bad idea, but the Decade Of Excess did manage to produce some great cultural relics (deliberately or not). A new one for my list is SUKEBAN DEKA. Originally a Manga and then a TV show, and finally a movie in 1985, SUKEBAN DEKA is the story of a special (and secret) branch of the police which employs Japanese schoolgirls to fight crime... with yoyos! The reasons for this are presumably explained somewhere, but the audience of this film is assumed to be familiar with the history. The main star of the film is apparently the actress from the first series, but to fight a particularly villainous megalomaniac high school principal she has to enlist the help of two other Sukeban Dekas and her buddy Marble Girl! The plot is quite entertaining, with a high school for delinquents on a Japanese island that's secretly training the pupils to be obedient soldiers - vague shades of BATTLE ROYALE - and our gang of teenagers basically on a mission to stop them, and kick their asses. The weapon of choice for a Sukeban Deka is a yoyo made out of a super-dense compound so that it deals unfeasible amounts of damage to whatever they swing it at - how cool is that? Cool enough for Quentin Tarantino to rip it off for Go-Go Yubari in KILL BILL, at least ;-) The film is quite violent, very melodramatic and cheesier than Switzerland - which makes for great fun viewing... in a 1980's sorta way :) Recommended!
View MoreGreat Japanese pulp from director Hideo Tanaka is a fetishized fantasy about a bunch of Japanese schoolgirls who are recruited by a secret government organization to fight crime. The girls, who are ultra-cute and studious, are whisked off to an island where juvenile delinquents are being trained as terrorists. The girls' mission is to take down the island's leader and return the wayward youth to their parents. On paper, it is all highly improbable, but on the screen, it is scorchingly good. The use of steel yo-yo's by the girls is lots of fun and surprisingly bloody, as are the many violent confrontations and scenes of mortal menace. The film's tone is reminiscent of Bava's "Danger Diabolik" at times, but this is nastier and less campy overall. Like the excellent "Rapeman" series, the makers of this wonderful concoction know that insane subject matter must be approached totally seriously in order for it to travel. Breezy, violent, sexy and sentimental, this is totally original, peerless movie-making with hot schoolgirls. What could be better?
View MoreBased on the Japanese Manga (Comic) series by Shinji Wada for Hana To Yume (Flowers and Dreams) Comics, Sukeban Deka (Female Juvenile Cop) was a series destined to be adapted for TV. The story of a young high school delinquent being recruited by a special police unit investigating juvenile crimes is oddly reminiscent of American shows such as the Mod Squad, and 21 Jump Street but the similarities ended there. This cop had a special weapon that you would not believe.a solid steel yo-yo that she would throw with the most deadly of accuracy to pummel her enemies and assailants. During its brief run from 1985 -1986 Sukeban Deka, the TV series launched the careers of its various young stars. Yuki Saito was the 1st and IMHO the best to take on the role of schoolgirl heroine Saki Asamia with Yoko Minami and Yui Asaka to follow her. This is the first movie of three to capitalize on the series and was used to bridge the second and third seasons of the series. Yoko Minami reprises her role as "the 2nd" Saki Asamia, a juvenile cop who has since `retired' and is determined to live a normal teenage life and complete her High School studies. Unfortunately for Saki trouble has an odd way of finding her as she stumbles upon a secret para-military organization that is planning to launch a coup on the Japanese Government using juvenile delinquents and school misfits as its soldiers. And wait until you get a load of their leader(Talk about implausibility!) Campy and over-the-top fun! Those who crave a serious, action story should stay clear of this series. Minami is great as Saki and Asaka is cute in her debut cameo as `the 3rd' Sukeban Deka (viewers should suspend their belief as you watch her try to take out a flying helicopter with one of her yo-yos). Soon followed by two movie sequels with Asaka as the lead and a two-part OVA (Original Video Animation) series.
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