Gantz (film)

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Gantz
Directed by Shinsuke Sato
Produced by Takahiro Sato
Screenplay by Yūsuke Watanabe
Based on Gantz 
by Hiroya Oku
Starring Kazunari Ninomiya Ken'ichi Matsuyama Yuriko Yoshitaka
Release dates Part 1:
  • January 29, 2011 (2011-01-29) (Japan)
Part 2:
  • April 23, 2011 (2011-04-23) (Japan)
Country Japan
Language Japanese
Budget 2.1 billion yen (part 1 & 2)[1]
Box office 7.4 billion yen (part 1 & 2)[2][3]

Gantz is a series of two Japanese live action films. The first was titled simply Gantz and the second titled Gantz: Perfect Answer. Both were based on the original manga series Gantz by Hiroya Oku, and were released in 2011.

Plot

Gantz

Standing at a subway station a young man, Kurono (Kazunari Ninomiya), watches as his old primary school friend, Kato (Ken'ichi Matsuyama), attempts to rescue a man who has fallen onto the tracks. Kurono ends up on the tracks with Kato after the man has been rescued, just as a train is speeding through the station. The pair are surprised to find themselves not dead, but rather relocated to a room with a few other people. When they turn round they see a strange black sphere, about two meters in diameter.

Before they can discover what has happened, the sphere begins to display messages on its surface including one which tells them who to kill. After the messages the sphere projects two large drawers filled with metal brief cases and strange handguns. They find that they are part of a strange game where they must not only work out how to play, but also how to survive.

Gantz: Perfect Answer

Kurono decides to continue playing to achieve 100 points, and he and several remaining members of the team continue to work for Gantz. A woman, Ayukawa Eriko (Ayumi Ito), receives a small box in her mail, in it is a small black sphere. The sphere begins to give her messages; telling her she has the first key and thanks her for her work the previous night, something of which she is unaware she has done. The sphere tells her that there are four keys leading to the room (the one with the large sphere known as Gantz) and then gives her the details on the next person she must kill. The first three people she kills appear in the sphere room and join the team.

It is revealed that there is someone following the previous events leading up to Kato's disappearance, they have evidence on missing people and bodies. The investigator eventually uncovers a mysterious basement room full of people and is told to follow another lead before having the secret to the room and sphere given to him by their leader. Kurono and the team are sent out to kill the leader of the men from the basement, and at the same time Eriko is on the train to kill Kurono's love interest (Yuriko Yoshitaka).

Another Gantz (2011)

Before finding out the Perfect Answer, discover Another Gantz. Aired on Nippon Television network before the theatrical release of Gantz: The Perfect Answer, this film is an alternate perspective version of the first Gantz film from the same writing-directing team of the two-part theatrical film. In addition to condensed scenes from the Gantz film, Another Gantz features a new subplot that follows an investigative journalist not included in the theatrical film. Delving deep into the mystery, Another Gantz offers another piece towards solving the complex puzzle that is the world of Gantz.

Production and release

On 24 November 2009, it was announced that two live-action Gantz films were in production, based on the eponymous manga comic books and anime animation series. The films star Kazunari Ninomiya and Kenichi Matsuyama, in the roles of Kurono and Kato respectively, and were directed by Shinsuke Sato. Both films were released in 2011: the first, Gantz, in January; and the second, Gantz: Perfect Answer, in April.[4] Computer generated animation (CG) was done by Digital Frontier.

The first film, titled Gantz, was released in Japan on 29 January 2011. A special one night screening took place in the United States on 20 January 2011, during which the film was simulcast to movie theatres in 46 states;[5] with the film dubbed into English for this one-off event.[6] At the end of the special screening in Los Angeles, at the Mann's Chinese 6 Theater, there was a discussion and live interview with both the male leads; as well as a teaser trailer for Gantz: Perfect Answer.[7] The film premiered in the UK at the Sci-Fi-London Festival on 26 April 2011 at the Apollo Theatre in Piccadilly Circus, London.[8] The film was not dubbed, instead it was shown with the original soundtrack and accompanying subtitles.[9]

Both films, Gantz and Perfect Answer, were screened in San Diego, California, as part of Comic-con International at the Gaslamp 15 Theater on 22 and 23 July 2011.[10]

Cast

Reception

Entertainment Today said that Gantz, the first film, "was good, but the dubbing/voice-over detracted from the movie."[11] Twitch Film said the effects were "quite impressive" and called it "a pretty good slice of Japanese-style popcorn cinema."[12] The Japan Times called the second film, Gantz: Perfect Answer, an action packed but disappointing follow up.[13]

Ed Gross of ComicBookMovie.com called the English dub of Gantz terrible, but stated that the action was "very involving, the violence was fitting" and that "it boasted some very impressive visual effects and some scenes were quite intense!"[14] Upon seeing Gantz: Perfect Answer, he said that "this represents some of the most passionate acting and blood pumping action there can be in a film. I cannot express how badass Perfect Answer is. While it's far from being a perfect product, it's a sci-fi action feature unlike any other that oozes with charm and really packs a punch!"[15]

References

  1. ↑ "GANTZ: Manga Gets The Hollywood Treatment". mtviggy.com. 2011-01-24. Retrieved 2012-01-09. 
  2. ↑ http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/intl/?page=&id=_fGANTZ01
  3. ↑ http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/intl/?page=&id=_fGANTZPERFECTANSW01
  4. ↑ "Gantz Sci-Fi Manga To Be Adapted in Two Live-Action Films". Anime News Network. 2009-10-07. 
  5. ↑ "Info dump: list of US theaters to screen Gantz in 2011". Japanator. 2010-12-16. 
  6. ↑ "Gantz (2011)". Rotten Tomatoes. 2011. Retrieved 9 January 2012. "It will be English over-dubbed exclusively for this big screen event." 
  7. ↑ "World Premiere of Gantz on January 20". Asia Pacific Arts. 2001-01-19. 
  8. ↑ "The Sci-Fi-London 10 Programme". Sci-Fi-London Festival. 2011. Retrieved 9 January 2012. 
  9. ↑ "Gantz". Sci-Fi-London Festival. 2011. Retrieved 9 January 2012. 
  10. ↑ "G A N T Z : Perfect Answer". Gantz-movie.com. Retrieved 2012-01-09. 
  11. ↑ ""Gantz" a Japanese horror action landed on Hollywood". Entertainment Today. 2011-01-21. Retrieved 2012-01-09. 
  12. ↑ by DangerManAwesome, January 22, 2011 6:08 PM. "Gantz: Part One Review". Twitchfilm.com. Retrieved 2012-01-09. 
  13. ↑ "'Gantz: Perfect Answer' | The Japan Times Online". Japantimes.co.jp. Retrieved 2012-01-09. 
  14. ↑ EdGross - 1/22/2011 (2011-01-22). "Gantz Review & Film Clips". Comicbookmovie.com. Retrieved 2012-01-09. 
  15. ↑ EdGross - 7/10/2011 (2011-10-07). "Gantz: Perfect Answer - Movie Review". Comicbookmovie.com. Retrieved 2012-01-09. 

External links

Films directed by Shinsuke Sato
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