Miike Tackles Live-Action "Yatterman"

These days, it would appear that maverick Japanese director Takashi Miike's cinematic output is geared more towards the mainstream. And, really, who could blame him? The man has worked exceptionally hard to achieve the cult status he's attained, so why not put it to good use? His latest film, a live-action adaptation of the popular television series "Yatterman," appears to have been crafted in the same vein as his grossly underrated 2004 superhero comedy "Zebraman," a surprisingly effective feature that proves Miike is capable of more than just shock and awe.

Here's the basic description of the plot of the series. For a full breakdown of both the 1977 and 2008 television series, you can visit the Wikipedia page. Once you're up to speed, check out the trailer below. It'll make a lot more sense once you're familiar with the basis premise.

A mysterious stone known as Skull Stone (ドクロストーン ,Dokurosutōn?)) is currently split apart and scattered across the planet. It is said to have the power to reveal the location of the largest deposit of gold in the world.

This legend has entranced the trio of villains in this show: the "Doronbo (ドロンボー ,Doronbō?) Gang, who is on a pursue of fame, power and wealth. However, their hunt for the Skull Stone is not as easy as they imagined, mainly due to the faulty information they receive from their leader, and most of all, due to a righteous duo of pursuers called the "Yatterman".

Todd

Contributor

Todd has been a slave to the horror genre for as long as he can remember. After cutting his teeth on late-night Cinemax schlock and the low-budget offerings found on the classic USA program "Up All Night," our hero moved valiantly into the world of sleazy obscura, consuming the oddest films from around the world with the reckless abandon of a man without fear or reason. When he isn't sitting mindlessly in front of a television set, he can be found stuffing music, video games, and various literary scribblings into his already cluttered mindscape.