Casshern (2004)

Live-action sci-fi movie based on a 1973 Japanese animé of the same name (Shinzo Ningen Casshân). Theme song by Utada Hikaru.

Director:

Kazuaki Kiriya

Writers:

Kazuaki Kiriya (screenplay), Dai Sato,

Stars:

Yûsuke Iseya, Kumiko Asô, Akira Terao

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Yûsuke Iseya	...	Tetsuya Azuma / Casshern
Kumiko Asô	...	Luna Kozuki
Akira Terao	...	Dr. Kotaro Azuma
Kanako Higuchi	...	Midori Azuma
Fumiyo Kohinata	...	Dr. Kozuki
Hiroyuki Miyasako	...	Akubon
Mayumi Sada	...	Sagurê
Jun Kaname	...	Barashin
Hidetoshi Nishijima	...	Lieutenant Colonel Kamijo
Mitsuhiro Oikawa	...	Kaoru Naito
Susumu Terajima	...	Sakamoto
Mayu Tsuruta	...	Burai's wife
Ryô	...	San Ikegami
Tetsuji Tamayama	...	Sekiguchi
Yôko Moriguchi	...	Luna's mother

Storyline

In a world with an alternate history, a great war finally comes to an end leaving the earth diseased and polluted. The geneticist Dr. Azuma vies for support from the government for his neo-cell treatment that he claims can rejuvenate the body and regenerate humankind. The government leaders, guarding their own deeply entrenched powers, turn down the professor. Driven to complete his work, Dr. Azuma accepts a secret offer from a sinister faction of the powerful military. After an incident occurs in Dr. Azuma's lab, a race of mutant humans known as the Shinzo Ningen are unleashed upon the world. Now only the warrior known as Casshern, reincarnated with an invincible body, stands between the Shinzo Ningen and a world on the brink of annihilation.

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Plot Keywords:

mutant | warrior | laboratory | japanese | military | 

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Taglines:

When a hero falls a legend will rise.

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Genres:

Action | Sci-Fi

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Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Release Date:

24 April 2004 (Japan)

Also Known As:

Casshern - Reencarnado do Inferno

Filming Locations:

Japan

Box Office

Budget:

JPY 600,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$344,218 (Japan) (7 May 2004)

Gross:

$3,745,753 (Japan) (14 May 2004)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Casshern Film Partners, Tatsunoko Productions Company, Shochiku Company

Technical Specs

Runtime:

142 min 117 min (cut)

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital EX

Color:

Black and White Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

One of several films around the world that was produced almost entirely on a "digital backlot" (i.e. shot with the actors in front of blue/green-screens with all backgrounds added in post-production, a technique which has been used for TV, video and video game production for many years). Although which movie was shot first is debated, the other movies (released in 2004-05) include: Immortal (Ad Vitam), Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow, and Sin City.

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Quotes

Kotaro Azuma-hakase: You have no idea what war is like.

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Connections

References Speed Racer (1967)

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Soundtracks

"Requiem"
By The Back Horn

User Reviews

speechless (almost)

My wife and I watched this movie last night. I love anime, for the most part, but realize that quite a bit of it is rehashing the same topics. Visuals are important, and I can look past some of the more trivial and view the entertainment. She likes some, but is more "willing" to see these movies than "eager".

Having said that. HOLY COW! this is one of the best movies we have seen. Visuals were stunning, the message real, the topics more than timely, the human story was touching. Even the non-special effect type shots were beautiful. You can tell that the filmmakers were not concerned about dumbing down the story for the audience. I fear for an American release (please quite assuming we are morons).

This was not "good anime" or "good superhero" or "good science fiction". This was a excellent movie and story that was told using all those as medium.

You can see aspects of "Blade Runner", "The Matrix", maybe "2001" even film noir but this movie does it right. Please give it a chance. The first thing we thought of after the viewing is that we want run out and tell everyone we see "see this movie".

See this movie.