Big Man Japan (2007)
"Dai-Nihonjin" (original title)

An eccentric man living alone in a decrepit house in Tokyo periodically transforms into a 100-foot tall giant in order to defend Japan against similarly sized monsters.

Director:

Hitoshi Matsumoto

Writers:

Hitoshi Matsumoto, Mitsuyoshi Takasu

Stars:

Hitoshi Matsumoto, Riki Takeuchi, Ua

3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Hitoshi Matsumoto	...	Masaru Daisatô / Dai-Nihonjin
Riki Takeuchi	...	Haneru-no-jû
Ua	...	Manager Kobori
Ryûnosuke Kamiki	...	Warabe-no-jû
Haruka Unabara	...	Shimeru-no-jû
Tomoji Hasegawa	...	Interviewer / Director
Itsuji Itao	...	Female Niou-no-jû
Hiroyuki Miyasako	...	Stay With Me
Takayuki Haranishi	...	Male Niou-no-jû
Daisuke Miyagawa	...	Super Justice
Takuya Hashimoto	...	Midon
Taichi Yazaki	...	Daisatô's Grandfather
Shion Machida	...	Daisatô's Ex-wife
Atsuko Nakamura	...	Bar Proprietress Azusa
Daisuke Nagakura	...	Daisatô's Grandfather - Younger

Storyline

An eccentric man aged about 40 lives alone in a decrepit house in Tokyo. He periodically transforms into a giant, about 30 meters tall, and defends Japan by battling similarly sized monsters that turn up and destroy buildings. The giant and the monsters are computer-generated.

---

Plot Keywords:

monster | giant | japan | rating | scene during end credits | 

---

Genres:

Comedy | Sci-Fi

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for sci-fi action and crude humor

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [United States] Shochiku [Japan]

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Release Date:

2 June 2007 (Japan)

Also Known As:

Big Man Japan

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$7,133 (USA) (15 May 2009)

Gross:

$40,257 (USA) (7 August 2009)

Company Credits

Production Co:

RealProduct, Yoshimoto Kogyo Company

Technical Specs

Runtime:

113 min 113 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Connections

Spoofs Ultraman: A Special Effects Fantasy Series (1966)

---

Soundtracks

Fureai
Music by Taku Izumi
Lyrics by Keisuke Yamakawa
Performed by Masatoshi Nakamura

User Reviews

Where Have All The Flowers Gone?

BIG MAN JAPAN is a very clever spoof on 'The Super Hero Genre'. Depressed and middle-aged Daisato plugs along as a second-rate protector of Japan. The film depicts an altered reality in which cartoon monsters sporadically appear to create mischief and mayhem. The Big Man does what he can, but ends up causing as much confusion and destruction as he prevents. Plagued by waning popularity, the erosion of his powers, and family problems, he stoically soldiers on. As a documentary, the film succeeds admirably. We see this man robbed of his destiny, and watch as he explains his half-hearted efforts to regain some sort of balance between what he was, and what he has become. However, the film's special effects are cheesy, but actually add to the representation of a man stuck firmly in a meager existence. Daisato's life is entirely devoid of any social support network. He visits a grandfather, but this man is suffering from dementia in a nursing home, and is in worse shape than our hero. Daisato is allowed visitation with his wife and daughter twice a year, and his 'friendships' are paid geisha girls with whom he drinks heavily. Although a comedy, BIG MAN JAPAN, is not as funny as it is poignant, and this fact makes it a cut above.