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 akashi Miike's infamous splatter-fest "Ichi
the Killer" has proved to be a controversial cult favourite, and
so it comes as no surprise that it has inspired a spin off in the form of
an anime prequel. Although the initial reaction for fans of the original
film may be to sigh with cynical disgust, it should be remembered that the
whole story and mythology of "Ichi" stems from a manga, and as
such it is actually a fairly justifiable candidate for the cartoon
treatment. In addition to this, the anime boasts more than a few links to
the film, most notably original writers Hideo Yamamoto (creator of the
manga itself) and Sakichi Sato, as well as a voice cameo from
"Ichi's" director, Takashi Miike.
Unfortunately, this is where
the good news stops as, whether judged by the standards of its live action
counterpart or even by that of anime in general, "Koroshiya: Episode
Zero" is a pretty poor effort. Hampered from the start by an
obviously low budget and some shoddy animation work, the cartoon lacks any
kind of impact despite promising an unrestrained and carnage filled look
at the character's origins. If anything, this rather tame affair serves
only to retread that which is already known about the character, and to
raise further questions, presumably to be pursued in a future series which
has yet to emerge.
The plot is set shortly before "Ichi the
Killer", and begins as Ichi is released from a psychiatric hospital
after a series of killings. Believed to be cured, he is placed under the
supervision of a psychologist and allowed back into the world, despite the
fact that he behaves like a six year old child and has a mind full of
disturbing memories and pent up sadistic sexual urges. As Ichi makes a
vague attempt at a normal life, he finds himself facing bullies at every
turn, which serves to bring forth his repressed experiences, further
helped by a mysterious girl he meets at his karate class. As we learn more
about the events which led to his incarceration, Ichi draws closer to the
edge, and it is obvious that bloodshed and perversion cannot be far away.
Whilst Ichi is a fascinating character, and one which
deserves further exploration, the problem with this prequel is that it is
far too unoriginal and unambitious, providing a disappointingly
predictable motivation for the character's madness. Although this does
give director Shinji Ishidaira an excuse to show scenes of childhood
violence and sleazy sex, one would have hoped for a little more inventive
reason for the character's incredible sadism instead of just being a
downtrodden loner who witnessed his parents enjoying mild bouts of
S&M.
This really is the main problem with the narrative,
as it sheds no real light on the events of the live action film, and lacks
the deceptive depth which its characters possessed. In fact, since we are
shown Ichi being bullied, exploited and harassed by a variety of lowlifes,
the anime seems to be actively encouraging us to support him and his
resulting actions, making him more like a vigilante than a psychopath.
Whilst the original film benefited from existing in a moral void, the
anime seems to be siding with Ichi, and using cheap emotional plugs in an
attempt to make the viewer do the same. Considering the character's
actions and personality, this is an odd, poorly thought out move, and one
which meets with little success.
Another problem is the anime's visceral content, or
to be more precise, the lack thereof. Despite being promised otherwise,
the cartoon features little of the film's shocking torture or violence,
and relies upon a couple of poorly judged set pieces. Similarly, although
there is a fair amount of perverse sex, it never comes close to the film's
gleeful portrayal of pathological perversions. These shortcomings not only
disappoint, but also detract further from the themes of the film, which
used ridiculous extremes of violence as a form of commentary.
The final, and possibly the most damning nail in the
coffin, is the poor standard of animation. Despite the talent involved,
the budget appears to have been very low, and the proceedings resemble a
Saturday morning cartoon more than a credible stab at continuing a
franchise. The characters and backgrounds are shabbily drawn and move
awkwardly, which reduces any impact the action scenes may have had.
All of this only serves to confirm the viewer's
initial fears that this is indeed little more than a cheap cash in on a
successful film. There is nothing particularly worthwhile about this anime
prequel, either in terms of character revelations or violent content. As a
result, it is likely only to appeal to diehard "Ichi" fans. And
even for that niche, "Episode Zero" is far from being required
viewing.
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