Getting through lockdown with someone you do not want to rent with (I did not intend to break up with her, which she thought was a dick move but I think just indicates the misunderstandings of our relationship. If you want to see a dick move...) scares me a little. It took her a couple of days to realize the confining elements of it, but since she did not want to bug me with how to manage the finer points (applying for unemployment benefits, understanding all the tech I have to keep her from being bored), I have to hear try to translate her problems over the phone to her employer or parents. The circles she runs makes me think she just as well call the Philippines.
That is not racist, that is how customer service work. HGS, the biggest call center corporation, charges its clients like McDonald's more for its customers to speak with American representatives. If a client still needs a call center, but at a lower rate, Manilla or Bengaluru will take care of you. This makes me wonder, since Peoria is one of their call centers (and I was there), would people rather deal with racists instead of the well meaning?
At least with my household communication failures, it is just simple electronic rearranging and loud, relatively inoffensive music (That means no Nine Inch Nails or Lords of Acid...probably Combichrist and My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult as well.) to relax in the spare bedroom. I say simple rearranging, but even after raising the bed up again, I still got boxes on the TV consoles that prevent me from moving the PS4 and Switch to the room. It feels simpler to just wait her out till she goes to bed, but when I am in the midst of an essential 13-day work week, do I have the energy to?
It is a good thing that my secondary website, NinetyForChill.com is dedicated to shorter movies. The only problem I have is it takes so much time to find them through all the streaming services. Amazon Prime has come through for me many a time when it comes to haste, but with on-demand Rifftrax, finding these less than 90-minute gems makes me feel like I am missing something, besides "Fleabag". It is still offers plenty of the familiar, especially in terms of the post-apocalyptic, so "Demon City Shinjuku" seemed right for a revisit.
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Demon City Shinjuku
Since the film suggests peace between Israel and its Arab neighbors, lets just say in the not too distant future, the primary district of Tokyo, Shinjuku, is a wasteland controlled by vile lowlifes and vengeful spirits. This was the result of a pact made between the demons of hell and Rebi Ra, a practitioner of the chi-dependent martial art of Nenpo who envies any human that possesses more power than him. As a result of his rival Genichiro's sacrifice in battle, the district was separated from the rest of the city, but once Ra regains his strength, the world is doomed.
10 years later, the world's president Kozumi Rama and daughter Sayaka come to visit Japan for the first time. Upon arriving, a bouquet of flowers meant to welcome the president turns out to be a trap from Ra. This attack requires Ra's former master Aguni Rai to be at the president's side as protection, so it seems that no one will be able to stop him from fulfilling his pact with Hell. The only person who may have the knowledge and skills of Nenpo to contend with him is Genichiro's son, Kyoya.
Kyoya was barely a teenager when his father disappeared, and had no time to master Nenpo. Since this seemingly makes him no match for Ra, why should he sacrifice his life only to change nothing? His reluctance to take on the war he just now became aware of seems steadfast, but if he will not go, Sayaka is more than willing to take the task on herself. He cannot just let the girl do this on her own, so despite his better judgment, he will go to war with a realm of demons. Fortunately for him, there are demons and residents who are opposed to Ra's rule, but will that be enough to survive and restore the Monster City?
"Demon City Shinjuku" is the fourth feature by Yoshiaki Kawajiri. If there is any director who I associate with all the negative stereotypes of anime (graphic violence and excessive nudity), it would be him. That maybe an insult to him because I think he has one of the most notable character designs in the industry. But this design serves as a warning that an anime may go over the top in a hurry.
"Demon City" is definitely one of his more restrained features. The first version of this feature that I saw was on the SciFi Channel in the late 1990's. Revisiting it kind of shocked me at moments of blatant sexualization of women, but it turned out that these took nothing away from the story. It leaves you wondering if there was much to take away from to begin with.
The OVA's narrative is rather straight forward and you can tell that they crammed the original novel by Hideyuki Kikuchi into this 82-minute package. Action sequence after action sequence just happens, and that totally takes away from the quest that an unlikely hero is suppose to experience. When it comes to the action, aside from the first demon battle, there is not much to it as a well-placed blow will solve any problem.
There are some great scenes that show you how to cut corners, but only if you want to know how to make a cartoon on the cheap would make this film worth studying. That is kind of a shame because for the year it was made, 1988, it might be the best-looking anime outside of "Akira" and Studio Ghibli. As I said, this was done on the cheap, so I really would like to see another/updated take on "Demon City Shinjuku." At least a version with a English dub that is not used as a voice acting exercise for its cast.
If you can watch "Demon City Shinjuku" with subtitles, this is worth a watch. Too bad finding a free version of that is going to be a challenge. $3.99 for misplaced poor Mexican and British accents is too much.
