Drop (DVD) (English Subtitled) (Hong Kong Version) DVD Region 3

Doubling as Shinagawa himself is Hiroshi (Narimiya Hiroki), a private school student who dyes his hair red and transfers to a public school in order to fulfill his dream of becoming a juvenile delinquent. After joining a group of student thugs led by Tatsuya (Mizushima Hiro), Hiroshi discovers that his new friends are actually the only delinquents in the entire school. Instead of doing any real studying, the boys spend their days picking fights with delinquents from other schools and even biker gangs.

Despite its autobiographical roots, Drop remains a fantasy at heart, conveniently ignoring reality when it is a distraction from Shinagawa's story of friendship and street brawling. Shinagawa stages very brutal fights throughout the film (including a particularly messy one in a restaurant), but no one ever seems to require hospitalization or spend any time under police custody. Family members are also given only minimum consideration, as Hiroshi's family members all seem to react nonchalantly to Hiroshi's violent way of life.

On the other hand, Drop is also a hugely successful comic book film because of that distance from reality. Shinagawa uses actual frames of his manga series (which was in turn based on his original novel) as transition between scenes, constantly reminding the audiences that they're watching a comic book story rather than real life. Even though the violence onscreen appears serious (baseball bats and punches to the face are often shown), the film maintains a light tone throughout as seriously violent feuds lead to lasting friendships.

While Drop appears to be just another youth violence action film with lots of posing and punches being thrown, Shinagawa knows that it would only work if he tells the story with a heart. After the violence-filled first half to hook the audience, Shinagawa slowly shifts his storytelling emphasis to the comedic and the coming-of-age aspects in the second half. As its characters beat each other senselessly in the name of loyalty, they also come to learn about facing challenges head-on and treasuring the important things in life. The lessons may not always be clear, but at least Drop never feels less than sincere about telling an entertaining story that is also emotionally involving.

Most importantly, Drop is effective because it is a variation of Shinagawa's story. This being the third telling of his life as a juvenile delinquent, Shinagawa doesn't have to look too far to find an angle that works for the audiences. He would be equally successful in his second directorial effort Slapstick Brothers, which combines the art of Japanese stand-up comedy and street violence for an equally entertaining mix. Shinagawa doesn't try to branch out beyond what he knows, instead making solid films within the genres he's used to working in. This approach may not elevate Shinagawa to becoming an internationally renowned cinematic artist, but it will likely guarantee him a long, prosperous career as a commercial director for years to come.