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Detroit Metal City (DVD) (Standard Edition) (Japan Version) DVD Region 2

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Detroit Metal City (DVD) (Standard Edition) (Japan Version)
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YesAsia Editorial Description

Continuing his stream of quirky roles after his career-making turn as L in Death Note, Matsuyama Kenichi scores another delightful hit with the hilarious crowd-pleaser Detroit Metal City. Based on Wakasugi Kiminori's popular manga and directed by Toshio Lee, Detroit Metal City follows the unlikely double life of a nerdy aspiring pop singer who becomes a devil-crying death metal rocker. Chockful of winking humor, thrashing music, and amusingly random profanity, the film spoofs the death metal scene with heartfelt gusto and over-the-top music. The title of Detroit Metal City and its championed band is inspired by the song Detroit Rock City by American metal band KISS and, fittingly enough, KISS guitarist Gene Simmons himself appears in the film as a legendary death metal guitarist. Kato Rosa (Catch a Wave) co-stars as Matsuyama's romantic interest.

Shy guy Negishi Soichi (Matsuyama Kenichi) moves from the countryside to Tokyo to pursue his musical dreams. His goal is to become a folk singer-songwriter, the kind that strums acoustic guitars and brings joy to the world with cheery songs. But somehow he ends up the lead singer of the extreme death metal band Detroit Metal City (DMC). Quiet, mild-mannered, and downright dorky by day, Soichi turns loud and vulgar by night when his alter-ego "Johannes Krauser II" takes stage in goth costume and face paint. Leading a strange and secret double life, Soichi and band climb the ladders of the J-rock indie scene. DMC is adored by their head-thrashing fans, but Soichi himself is too embarrassed to admit he's in the band. Worse yet, the girl of his dreams (Kato Rosa) hates DMC even more than he does.

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Technical Information

Product Title: Detroit Metal City (DVD) (Standard Edition) (Japan Version) 爆粗BAND友 (DVD) (Standard Edition) (日本版) 爆粗BAND友 (DVD) (Standard Edition) (日本版) デトロイト・メタル・シティ スタンダード・エディション スタンダード・エディション Detroit Metal City (DVD) (Standard Edition) (Japan Version)
Artist Name(s): Matsuyama Kenichi | Kato Rosa | Matsuyuki Yasuko | Gene Simmons | Hosoda Yoshihiko 松山研一 | 加藤羅莎 | 松雪泰子 | Gene Simmons | 細田義彥 松山研一 | 加藤罗莎 | 松雪泰子 | Gene Simmons | 细田义彦 松山ケンイチ | 加藤ローサ | 松雪泰子 | ジーン・シモンズ | 細田善彦 | 秋山竜次 Matsuyama Kenichi | Kato Rosa | Matsuyuki Yasuko | Gene Simmons | Hosoda Yoshihiko
Director: Lee Toshio 李闘士男 李闘士男 李闘士男 Lee Toshio
Release Date: 2009-02-13
Publisher Product Code: TDV-19017D
Language: Japanese
Subtitles: Japanese
Place of Origin: Japan
Picture Format: NTSC What is it?
Disc Format(s): DVD
Region Code: 2 - Japan, Europe, South Africa, Greenland and the Middle East (including Egypt) What is it?
Publisher: Toho
Other Information: DVD
Shipment Unit: 1 What is it?
YesAsia Catalog No.: 1013071222

Product Information

タイトル:デトロイト・メタル・シティ スタンダード・エディション
出演:松山ケンイチ/加藤ローサ/秋山竜次/細田よしひこ/松雪泰子/ジーン・シモンズ/大倉孝二/岡田義徳/鈴木一真/高橋一生/美波/大地洋輔/大谷ノブ彦/宮崎美子
監督:李闘士男(監督)/大森美香(脚本)/若杉公徳(原作)/服部隆之(音楽)/島田明(企画協力)/永島隆行(企画協力)/東宝映像制作部(制作プロダクション)

おしゃれな渋谷系ポップミュージシャンに憧れ、大学進学を機に田舎から上京した心優しき青年・根岸崇一。「NO MUSIC NO DREAM」を胸に、デスレコーズの新人ミュージシャン募集に応募するが、本人の意志を無視して悪魔系デスメタルバンド「デトロイト・メタル・シティ」(通称DMC)のギターボーカル「ヨハネ・クラウザー・?U世」として売り出され、あろうことかカリスマ的人気を博してしまう。
僕がしたかったのは…こんなバンドじゃない!!

TVスポット/特報/予告

テクニカル・インフォメーション
:カラー
画面:Vista-16:9LB
言語/音声:日本語:ドルビーデジタル5.1chサラウンド/日本語:ドルビーデジタルステレオ

その他の情報
製作年:2008
備考:1枚組
映像特典:特報、予告、TVスポット
日本小売価格:¥3800

Additional Information may be provided by the manufacturer, supplier, or a third party, and may be in its original language

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Awards

This film has received 3 award nomination(s). All Award-Winning Asian Films

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YumCha! Asian Entertainment Reviews and Features

Professional Review of "Detroit Metal City (DVD) (Standard Edition) (Japan Version)"

March 18, 2009

This professional review refers to Detroit Metal City (DVD) (English Subtitled) (Hong Kong Version)
From his eccentric physical ticks as L in the Death Note franchise to his manic energy as the overactive nerd in the TV drama Sexy Voice and Robo, Kenichi Matsuyama has proven himself to be one of the best young physical actors in Japanese cinema today. He solidifies that reputation with Detroit Metal City, the manga-based comedy from TV variety show director Toshio Lee. Here, Matsuyama takes on his toughest role yet, playing a character with two clashing personalities in one crazy, twisted story of dreams, identity, and music about murder.

Much like the comic, the film eschews basic exposition and dives straight into its gimmick. Matsuyama plays Negishi, an innocent country bumpkin who goes to school in Tokyo to pursue his dream as an easy-listening pop star (He specifically mentions Kahimi Karie and her French-style J-pop as his inspiration). He takes to the street everyday with his guitar to perform his saccharine-filled, pure love ballads (one of his songs literally translates to "Sweet Lover"). However, his real talent lies in his alter ego, Johannes Krauser II, the songwriter-lead singer of the death metal band Detroit Metal City. After a few years in Tokyo, Negishi has found success as Krauser, spending his nights in over-the-top makeup screaming about rape and murder on stage.

Negishi is so good as Krauser that devout Detroit Metal City fans, made up of people from all social circles, have no idea that underneath the antichrist image and the over-the-top Marilyn Manson persona lies a shy, nerdy weakling. Despite Negishi's hate for such music, he's forced to continue being Krauser because of the overbearing pressure of his abusive record company boss, not to mention the fact that no one likes his ballads. One day, Negishi finds new motivation to quit Detroit Metal City when he runs into music column writer Aikawa (the very cute Rosa Kato), an old classmate that was one of the few fans of his real music. After discovering that she hates Detroit Metal City, Negishi is determined to rid himself of his death metal image once and for all. However, Negishi's boss sees his real talents and wants to exploit them in various ways, including having Negishi take on death metal legend Jack Il Dark (Gene Simmons of KISS in a cameo) in a battle-of-the-bands showdown.

Detroit Metal City retains much of the humor from the comic, but it also follows the now-trendy, over-the-top style of humor made popular by Kankuro Kudo that also recalls the golden days of Hong Kong mo lei tau comedies. Like other recent over-the-top Japanese comedies, Detroit Metal City steers clear of common logic, but director Lee and screenwriter Mika Omori keep the comedy coming at such a furious pace that the audience barely has any chance to breathe, let alone figure out plot holes. Of course, this is also because the filmmakers knew well enough to leave the source material alone, only taking out some of the more extreme comedy to keep the film more youth-friendly.

Matsuyama is also another major reason why it all works, and his physical transformation from the weak Negishi to the aggressive Krauser must be seen to be believed. In addition to exaggerated reactions to everything as Negishi, Matsuyama also relies on the clear difference in the physical traits of the two personalities to distinguish them. A lesser actor could have easily taken the exaggerated personalities and overacted to the point of annoyance, but Matsuyama manages to remain likable throughout without being out of character. While Matsuyama's performance is not of award-winning caliber (subtlety has no place in the world of Detroit Metal City anyway), it's easily the best of his young career.

Deep down, Detroit Metal City is essentially a superhero movie disguised as a music comedy. The story paints Negishi as an unwilling individual whose Krauser persona is not only his secret talent, but also the source of inspiration for his societal outcast fans (The slogan "no music, no dream" is repeated throughout the film). Krauser's effect on his fans makes up a large portion of the film's sentimentality, and drives the overall message home. However, since Detroit Metal City's music would likely inspire more crimes than dreams in real life, one wonders how serious the creators really are about their message.

Lee drops the ball here by delivering that message as is. Like last year's Maiko Haaaan!!!, the sentimental moments feel crammed in to give the film some kind of emotional gravitas, and it never truly fits with the overall tone. However, Lee also knows not to completely dispose of the humor by including a hilarious scene that sees Negishi using Krauser's influence for good. It's an ingenious way for Negishi to balance his two personas, but it's also the balance between crazy comedy and sentimental ideals that Detroit Metal City struggles to find. Still, with loud songs that climax with endless repetitions of the f-word and a character that likes to throw burning cigarettes in people's faces, Detroit Metal City doesn't seem to be searching for any balance, gravitas, or poignancy. As it is, it's one of the funniest Japanese comedies of 2008, and that's surely enough.

By Kevin Ma

This original content has been created by or licensed to YesAsia.com, and cannot be copied or republished in any medium without the express written permission of YesAsia.com.
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