Kekkô Kamen: Ribôn

This time around JAV actress Aino Kishi takes on the titular role. Darker and more serious than the previous camp heavy movies in the franchise this is an interesting take on the character that I would have liked to see expanded on.

When I saw the blurb for this flick, I was too intrigued to pass it up. A nearly naked super heroine ( boots, gloves, cape and mask essentially ) ... this could be pure trashy sleaze or an original idea cloaked in an exploitative cover. Obviously it's not a concept that's probably gonna fly in America and if I deciphered the code correctly, the Japanese only required that a viewer be 15 years of age to watch, which certainly seems reasonable. This is not an " ogle the scantily clad young girl engaged in martial arts " film one might expect. Our hero has a bigger agenda, involving fairness and equality for her school sisters that draws us into her character, transcending puerile prurience and making us accept her skimpy costume as an integral and even necessary part of her presentation. She makes herself appear raw and vulnerable in order to reinforce her seemingly defenseless status. She wears her femininity as a badge of honor. Like one of the male teachers says, a nearly naked female attacker is a brilliant strategy when it comes to fighting men. Highly entertaining from start to finish.