Sukeban deka: Kôdo nêmu = Asamiya Saki

I saw the film at the cinema years ago and came out as the only person in the group that appeared to like it. SOme of my friends begrudgingly let slip that "the actions scenes were cool" or that "the chicks were hot", and it was then that I updated my list of people not to see movies with.

Yes, the main girl is cute and yes the action scenes are cool, but in my mind a film doesn't earn the designation "crap" because it doesn't sate one's thirst for blood and titillation. Sadly it seems that Japanese film has scored a legion of followers expecting everything to be "extreme". It doesn't help that Western marketers pander to this lowest common denominator. This latest Sukeban Deka movie is pure teen drama and super-hero action and it doesn't need misogynistic violence, tentacles or acupuncture needles in tender places to be entertaining.

The main character is established early on as the daughter of now outcast original "Sukeban Deka", translating to "Girl-gang leader Detective". She is reportedly just as cute and just as aggressive as her mum. After a very stylish intro and opening credits (cool rotoscoping) the daughter, taking her mother's old moniker, Asamiya, as well as her old job, is sent to investigate an Internet based terrorist organisation. It is here that the film sets into "highschool detective" mode where all manner of tangled intra-personal troubles and dark motivations are unraveled.

Anyone familiar with the above genre will probably know what that entails: bullies, student politics, trust and friendship, and there is nothing wrong with that. Interspersed with the detective work is intrigue, action and character building enough to draw the viewer along to the climax, which is comprised of a couple of great action setpeices but unfortunately a slightly disappointing conclusion.

Kenta Fukasaku has put together a stylish film that works well within obvious budget constraints and ultimately delivers some great cheesy fun, reminiscent of the TV dramas before it. No, it isn't gory, and no, those expecting the next "Asia Extreme Gorefest" with blood, bodily fluids and TnA all over the place, are not going to be happy. But if you can put aside your base desires and just enjoy the flimsy teen drama and cheesy action, you will enjoy yourself.

This remarkably silly film is taken dead seriously by the performers in it which helps in getting though a film that seems to be two thirds soap opera potboiler, and one third live action anime.

Anyway, it seems the authorities know they have only 3 days to stop a mass suicide at a high school by bomb and so of course do this not by closing the place down but instead by placing an untrained street urchin, with rad moves of course, undercover in the school in (she only agrees to do this so they'll let her mother out of lockup in American.) Armed only with a cell phone and a yo-yo, no really a yo-yo, and the occasional aid of the Colombo of Japan, she gets to the bottom of the whole affair.

However don't expect too much yo-yo fu, in fact we have to wait until the last 20 minutes before there's any real yo-ing battles.

Amusing if you don't expect too much from it

Live action Film and TV adaptations of the Sukeban Deka graphic novel series go all the way back to the early 70s, plus there is an anime version as well. The gimmick here is that a girl delinquent is coerced into working undercover for the cops at a high school. But she has no gun, only a high tech combat yo-yo. No really. Okay. the main story premise is frankly absurd, but the fans of the manga series are familiar with it and by this point don't care. Anyway, what sets this version apart from its predecessors is the greater use of cutting edge special effects to go along with much more elaborate fight choreography. The camera tracks with the yo-yo during fights, creating great point of view action, for one thing, and often switches to the weapon or fists of her opponent during cross-cuts. The shot-making here was clearly influenced by first person shooter games, and the action has a video game fluidity and sense of fun. The violence is pretty PG stuff for Japan, I suppose so as not to dismay the series largely female following, but the pace is fast and the bad girl showdowns are played just straight enough to keep things from getting silly.

The first Subekan Deka in over ten years updates the special effects and boosts the star power to make for a pleasantly watchable entertainment that excels in its social conscience.

Former Deka entries, whether drawn or dramatized, have taken the usual hero vs. super- villain route, making them seem tired even before they've left the gate. In addition, they suffered from the basic limitations of the special effects at that time; the manga-inspired concept of razor yo-yos and killer cranes seemed less than convincing in a martial arts film. As the series progressed, the plots became almost as silly as the James Bond films of the period.

In Kodo Nemo - Asamiya Saki, director Kenta Fukasaku (Battle Royale 2) modernizes he action sequences and frames the story to reflect contemporary social realities - in particular, the prevalence of bullying in the Japanese school system. It comes to focus when an underground internet site counts down, and a teenage undercover agent - code-named Saki Asamiya - tries to uncover the mystery before it's too late.

As Idol Aya Matsuura is a good pick for the lead role, beautiful but tough in the tradition of the series (and a much better singer than any of the girls who preceded her). Matsuura is dynamic though (like former deka girls) lacking in a certain humor. The standout villain, played by Morning Musume alumnus Rika Ishikawa, is sexy in her faux-leather action outfit - a complete surprise. The normally demure Ishikawa is clearly having fun in her over-the-top role, and you wish she could appear more often.

The film could have used more hard-edged humor - something that Fukasaku might learn from the work of his latefather, the late Kinji Fukusaku. Also, the film's plot makes a high ratio of characters irritatingly geeky and impossibly suicidal. But these flaws are tolerable in the anticipation of a possible sequel, either on film or serial. Certainly there's enough talent in Upfront Management to cast several film projects. Aibon would be amusing in some suitably smoky role, Miki perfect as a villain, and Eri could be on hand for comic relief.

Sadly, this film didn't deliver on its promise or premise. On paper, it sounds great - in execution, not so much. It starts off well enough, introducing us to our leads: a juvenile delinquent, and a grizzled old ex-policeman working for some secret CIA-esquire unit. But then it stops making sense fairly quickly. Why is it that our heroine, able to single-handedly fight off a roomful of cops, is easily taken down by a few thugs? And why is it that later in the film she's able to take down the same group of thugs without breaking a sweat? The villains aren't particularly well fleshed out. No explanation is given as to why the head thug has amazing seductive powers over women, without even saying a word, yet it seems every female character falls madly in love with him. A sub-plot about websites for tormented teens, is convoluted and nonsensical. Ridiculousness abounds, and not in a good/funny way: at one point, for example, a ten-minute monologue takes place entirely by text messaging. Really? They couldn't just, say, call? But the main problem with Yo-Yo Girl Cop is simple: not enough yo-yo-ing! The yo-yo weapon is introduced early on, and then only teased at until the last reel. Even then, it's not terribly exciting to watch in action.

For those hoping this would be non-stop cute Japanese girls kicking ass with yo-yos, prepare yourselves for disappointment.

3/10 for the cute girls. The lack of yo-yo action left me feeling a little ripped off, though.