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Credits

Director: Sakichi Satô Starring: Tadanobu Asano, Shô Aikawa, Erika Okuda Screenplay: Sakichi Satô Country: Japan

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In Tokyo Zombie a mountain of rubbish, dubbed Black Fuji, has arisen in the outskirts of Tokyo. It's a handy tip where people can dispose of all sorts of junk: cans, white goods, cars, even the occasional annoying mother-in-law. Black Fuji is also a good spot for a cheap funeral, but unfortunately the haphazard dumping has made it a bit of a toxic place.

Two self-involved idiots are practicing jujitsu when they are supposed to be working. Their boss gets mad at them, and is killed in the resulting brouhaha. The two idiots bury the boss at Black Fuji, but the toxic mountain reanimates him and several others buried there. He returns the next day, and realising something is wrong if the dead are coming back to life, the pair set out on a journey to either Russia or the States. It's kinda up for debate. Neither of them seem worried that they are driving and on a large island, but, as I said, they are idiots. About halfway through an anime section appears, then the story jumps ahead five years and turns into Land of the Dead… with pyramids and a new deathsport that our lead has been well trained for.

Tokyo Zombie makes it clear early on it's going to be a surreal experience; immediately I started to wonder if it wasn't a Manga adaptation and low and behold it was. It also seems like the film is presenting two different stories from the Manga, because it completely changes the plotline at the halfway mark. It almost feels like two short movies put together so you don't have to wait years for the sequel. Adding to the Manga feel, character actions are exaggerated, with our two leads being totally unconcerned for others at times, unless they think helping people might get them laid. The film does nothing to dispel the idea that Japanese men are perverts, with characters constantly trying to cop looks or feels or just generally molest someone, with a paedophile tone in more than one encounter.

The two leads (one sporting a mighty boosh, the other in a silly bald cap) can be very funny at times, but this is a movie where the comedy doesn't always leap the cultural divide. I'm not sure if the more bizarre comedic moments are taken directly from the Manga, but there were certainly a few times where I was wondering why the hell something was happening, even in this surreal world.