god_savant Reviews

City Hunter: Shinjuku Private Eyes (2019)

New Decade, Same Formula

[5/10 · 1 December 2019]

Computer animation and changing social norms can make it hard for older anime to appeal to modern viewers, particularly a franchise like 'City Hunter' that's steeped in Japanese bubble-era pop culture. There's many ways around this, like introducing a new setting or expanding the world through spin-off series, such as how the original 'City Hunter' spawned 'Angel Heart'.

Instead, 'City Hunter: Shinjuku Private Eyes' recycles a leftover plot from its 1980s print run, overlaid with modern trappings like smartphones, UAV drones, and rap music by Lotus Juice. Instead of drawing 'XYZ' in chalk, Ryo's clients now write it using an augmented-reality app on their phone. Instead of nukes, the villains are chasing a virtual-reality headset linked to an army of military drones.

Beneath a veneer of modernity, it's the same grade-school slapstick and go-nowhere romantic subplots of a filler TV episode. Maybe that's enough for starving 'City Hunter' fans, but being familiar with the franchise might be even worse. See the theatrical poster? That's the entire cast, and since all but three of them are returning characters, returning fans will instantly guess who the villain is. A whodunit mystery doesn't work when there's only one suspect, and Ryo's prowess with his iconic Colt Python isn't impressive when he's shooting at robots already shown to be bulletproof.

Badly-animated robots, too; for a feature-length film, the animation feels very cheap. All of the robots are clone-brushed CGI models, looking identical and moving in perfect unison. Worse, they animate at a smooth 24 frames/second, clashing with with the static backgrounds and choppy animation of the human characters. A car chase through Kabuki-cho in the intro is nicely animated, but it's short and unrelated to the plot.

'Shinjuku Private Eyes' is an attempt to modernize 'City Hunter' without actually changing its stagnant formula. Fans have seen it all before, and there's nothing here for the modern anime fan to latch onto.

City Hunter (2018)

Faithful & Thoroughly Entertaining

[8/10 · 1 December 2019]

If there's one thing about Tsukasa Hojo's original manga that doesn't hold up, it's the schoolboy ecchi humor that grates on anyone old enough to have touched a breast--that is, most fans of the series by now. This held true in 2019's frankly mediocre 'City Hunter: Shinjuku Private Eyes', but this French adaptation gets it right thanks to a brilliant premise, surprisingly competent action, and nonstop goofs sure to land at least few times.

Most of the comedy comes from the plot MacGuffin, a perfume that causes victims to instantly fall in love, which is a perfect excuse for lots of awkward sexual comedy, nudity, and gay jokes. That last part might make some cringe, but it's strangely effective as a foil for Ryo's usual lechery and doesn't feel mean-spirited. Ryo (Lacheau) and Kaori (Fontan) have great chemistry both as a comedy duo and a couple whose relationship feels fresh and less lived-in compared to other adaptations, i.e. playing will-they-won't-they for over thirty years. Side characters Pancho and Skippy feel slightly out of place as supporting cast, but are hapless enough to lighten the mood during slow moments.

Visually, it takes great pains to stick close to its source material. Ryo and Kaori step straight out of the manga rocking 80's fashion and driving their iconic Mini, and Kamel Guenfoud is uncanny as Falcon (though he sadly never fires a bazooka onscreen). The action is also surprisingly competent for its modest budget and goofier tone. Fights use creative set-pieces without rapid cutting or shaky-cam, including a scrapyard scene (shot entirely in first-person) that expertly mixes comedy and fisticuffs to rival Jackie Chan from the 1993 Hong Kong adaptation. The only disappointment are the villains; they're barely characterized and indistinguishable apart from suit color or facial hair. Still, they work as punching bags and bullet receptacles just fine, and they're at least better than the CGI drone robots from 'Shinjuku Private Eyes'.

Yes, it's goofier and less neo-noir than the source material (being based on the toned-down French localization, 'Nicky Larson') and the mild homophobia could be off-putting for general audiences. But it's finally an adaptation that's not ashamed of its comic-book roots and tries its hardest to entertain and service longtime fans of the series.