Six
Japanese high school girls are given permission to shoot their "one-camera
action-fantasy" in part of the facility after school hours. The
student project features a character known as Dragon May (played by
Kanon Miyahara) in a female superhero role. But then, as everyone settles
into the serious business or making a movie, real trouble erupts when
some Yakuza thugs break into the school looking for cash that has been
stored on the premises.
The
entire thing could easily have slipped into typical juvenile fodder
were it not for the level of expertise behind the fight action. Reminiscent
of the recent Japanese hit KG:
KARATE GIRL which starred real life Karate champion Ryukyu Shorin-ryu
(aka Rina Takeda), this one benefits from a cast who knows how
to kick ass. Kanon Miyohara is a martial arts champion, competing professionally
since the second grade (she was also the star of Sion Sono's TAG).
Actress Mayu Kawamoto holds a karate black belt and owns a championship
trophy to prove it, while Kaede Aono also began training in elementary
school and obtained her black belt at age 12.
For
the past decade, director Kazuhiro Yokoyama has been extensively involved
with a Japanese horror series known as Kowabana (13 episodes
to date) but, internationally, he is best known for DEAD
GIRL WALKING.
A Japanese
film with English subtitles; widescreen [16:9] format, uncut (93 min.),
DVD encoded for
ALL REGION NTSC, playable on any American machine. Extras include selected
trailers.