Sky High (2003)

User Rating:

6.2/10   

Director:

Ryûhei Kitamura

Writers:

Tsutomu Takahashi (comic book)
Isao Kiriyama (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

5 December 2003 (Japan)

Genre:

Fantasy | Mystery | Action | Horror

Plot:

A serial-murderer is removing his victims hearts and taking them with him. Kanzaki is a detective on the case...

Plot Keywords:

Heart | Based On Comic | Choice | Death | Katana Sword

Cast

Yumiko Shaku	...	Mina Saeki / Izuko (new Izuko)
Takao Osawa	...	Tatsuya Kudo
Shosuke Tanihara	...	Kohei Kanzaki
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Yuka Itaya
Yumi Kikuchi	...	Shuho Kamiina
Kazuki Kitamura
Aya Okamoto
Masato Sakai
Eihi Shiina	...	Izuko
Hiromasa Taguchi	...	Kazuo Kishi
Naho Toda	...	Kyoko Aoyama
Maiko Yamada
Kimika Yoshino

MPAA:

Rated R for violent content.

Runtime:

Japan:122 min

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Color:

Color

Certification:

Germany:16 | Singapore:PG | UK:15 | USA:R

Company:

Toei Company

Quotes:

Kanzaki: I'll go to the gate.
Kishi: Huh?
Kanzaki: It's the only way I can stop Kudo...
Kamiina: Yes. Is that your choice?
Unknown: What are you talking about? Are you both crazy?
Kanzaki: Crazy as it may be... if it's the only way to save Mina, then I'll go.
Kamiina: [hands Kanzaki a gun] Take this.
Kanzaki: [Kanzaki takes the gun, and looks at Kishi] Shoot me.
Unknown: [Kishi hesitantly raises his gun to Kanzaki] Don't! Death is the end of everything! Kishi! DON'T!
Kishi: [lowers gun] I can't do it!
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Capitalism: The Movie (2008)

Awesome !!!

Sky High is a occult sci-fi starring Yumiko Shaku. She is murdered on the day of her wedding by Tatsuya Kudo (Takao Oosawa) and Rei Miwa (Kanae Uotani). Kudo and Miwa is collecting six hearts from women who used to be the keeper of gate of death to bring back Kudo's fiancé back to life. She reaches the gate of death and its keeper Izuko (Eihi Shiina) gives her three choices: To be reborn as human again, Roam as a ghost, or avenge death to anyone they choose. She's given 12 days to roam the earth before she makes her mind up, so she goes back and tries to stop the killing by Kudo (in spiritual form). Her fiancé Kohei Kanzaki (Shosuke Tanihara) is a detective, and is trying to find who killed his fiancé. He meets Sayuri Endo (Aya Okamoto), and Kazuo Kishi (Hiromasa Taniguchi) who are reporters and camera man working for a magazine. Kishi is psychic and can see Mina (Yumiko Shaku) and conveys her message to Kudo. Kudo first is skeptical, but later believes what Kishi is saying, and together they go off to stop Kudo.

Yumiko Shaku can play a part of ordinary intellectual woman, but she excels in playing a lead in sci-fi movie. This one is no exception, and she plays her rather unlikely part in a cool and convincing fashion.

Shosuke Tanihara kept on reminding me of Leon Lai of Hong Kong cinema. The two really looks alike.

Yumi Kikuchi plays the part of a medium who can exorcise spirits and understands the working of an underworld. She knows what Kudo is up to and helps Kanzaki plan a counter attack on Kudo.

Based on a comic by Tsutomu Takahashi, this movie is an offshoot of a TV series that ran for two seasons between 2003 and 2004 in Japan. Yumiko Shaku plays the role of Izuko in the TV series as well.