Sergent Kabukiman N.Y.P.D

After being kissed by a kabuki master, Harry Griswold (police detective) transforms into the superhero Kabukiman. Harnessing his new kabuki powers, he faces corrupt businessmen, drug-dealing ministers... and must prevent the monkey from riding the jaguar.

I first watched this film years (2000?) ago at my friend Jason's apartment and loved it, as I love all Troma releases. Today I watched it for the second time after picking up the DVD at Fangoria's Weekend of Horrors in Chicago 2007 from the director himself, Lloyd Kaufman. The movie was everything I remembered it being and more.

The humor is cheesy and full of bad puns, the acting is decent but not Oscar-worthy, and some scenes are just not politically correct (though by far much less gross than any other Troma movie ever made). We get the first instance of the legendary car crash scene and some good fights. Heck, even the flying special effect is tolerable. Though after seeing "Puma Man" pretty much all flying scenes are tolerable.

Troma is known for their anti-capitalism views, and it shows here (though more subtle than in "Troma's War" or "Terror Firmer"). I mean, the villains are a business tycoon and a reverend! This is a strength for the films, I feel, because it really helps the target audience rally around the hero. If you're watching these films and enjoying them, clearly you like independent films, which makes you a natural for being opposed to huge organizations. Or maybe it's just me.

So, yes. Cheesy plot and acting. A little gore (but not too much). Some bare breasts for no good reason. It's everything you expect from Troma, though more tame and with a little more plot. You really ought to see "Toxic Avenger" first, but if you like that one, this is a great follow-up.

I was very surprised by this flick.

The first Troma flick I saw was Terror Firmer, which was just wall to wall sex and violence. Not that that's a bad thing.

With Kabukiman, however, the sex and gore is reduced considerably, and a lot of the humour is quite witty ("Nice dissolve, huh?"), with only a bit of gratuitous nudity(If it wasn't for the attempted rape bit this film could've got away with a 12 rating) and cartoon violence. I really enjoyed this movie, and it definitely makes my all time favourite list.

OK. This is not great cinema. This is not what you would define as a classic.

But for a B movie, it is A+

Like Toxie (The Toxic Adventure), Troma has once again created a character that is likeable and fun, yet this one is a bit of a jerk too. Still, I think that's what's so endearing about the character.

Basically, A bumbling cop accidentally receives the powers of the Kabuki, and has to fight "The Evil One". Lots of silliness. A bit of Troma trademark unneeded nudity (they love showing breasts whenever they can) and some worm eating. Get rid of that part, and it could be a fun series, and I would love to see a series of this. I think it's designed for a short-run TV series that would quickly develop a cult following. The character lends itself to short stories very well. Perhaps a Saturday Morning cartoon (like Toxie did).

Again, it's not great cinema, but it's a silly ride.

the problem with this movie was that some of the same sort of funny things done in the movie got old. yeah they were funny at first but then after a while it got to be old. i'm sure this would have been a great comedy movie if it was just shortened 25 to 50%. i give it 6/10

Sgt. Kabukiman NYPD is one of my favourite Troma movies. In fact, it's one of my favourite cult movies - full stop. Lloyd Kaufman and Michael Herz really hit a home run with this opus. Rarely have either of these great men been responsible for something so lovingly crafted or effortlessly winning.

In my opinion, Sgt. Kabukiman NYPD proves once and for all that Kaufman and Herz are highly skilled filmmakers, not the hacks they promote themselves to be. These men should be feted at film festivals around the world as film gods instead of being reduced to approaching perverts in public toilets for funding. This film is extremely accomplished. The direction is stylish, the pacing is brisk and the action sequences are well staged. Moreover, the film is startlingly original, seamlessly blending action, fantasy, horror, comedy and kabuki.

The quality that sets Sgt. Kabukiman NYPD apart from many Troma films for me is its sense of whimsy and good natured humour. This is possibly the funniest movie Kaufman and Herz have ever made. Much of this is due to Rick Gianasi. Gianasi is by no means a great actor, but his charismatic yet clueless persona is perfect for the role of Harry/Kabukiman. Harry's transformation into Kabukiman and his encounters with Reginald's henchmen are hilarious and visually impressive. It takes a unique mind to come up with death by chopsticks and sushi paper. The special effects are great, with the emphasis being placed more on humour than gore. The scene in which Kabukiman is flattened by a truck never ceases to make me laugh.

Kaufman and Herz not only created a great hero in Kabukiman, but also an excellent sidekick in Lotus. Susan Byun plays the role with a po-faced sincerity that is hysterical. I also found the romance between Kabukiman and Lotus strangely endearing. Forget those losers balancing on the end of the boat in "Titanic", the most romantic moment in cinema history is Kabukiman flying over New York City with Lotus on his back (that is before he gets airsick and hurls). The flying scenes deserve a special mention, this is the kind of B-grade special effect that got me hooked on cult movies for life.

Sgt. Kabukiman NYPD is a very special film, which I would recommend to anyone. Cult movies have rarely been so original, entertaining and lacking in pretension. It is surely time for Lloyd to start pimping out Mr Herz in order to raise funds for the sequel.