Rise of the Legend

A new legend begins.

The year is 1868. In the aftermath of the Second Opium War, China continues to sink into chaos as the Qing Dynasty has proven themselves unable to fight Western influence and the influx of drugs and slave labor clinging to the underbelly of capitalism. In the city of Guangzhou, two factions control the Huangpu Port: the Black Tiger gang and the North Sea gang. The two gangs are in a stalemate until a brash young fighter named Wong Fei Hung appears on the scene. In an era where wicked men profit on the misery of the less fortunate, one man will rise up to change history forever. This is the rise of a new era. This is the Rise of the Legend.

 

A reckless youth.

Directed by Roy Chow and written by Christine To, Rise of the Legend was released by Edko Films (Hong Kong) in 2014, and picked up by American distributors Well Go USA in 2016. A wuxia in the same vein as Hero and House of Flying Daggers, Rise of the Legend follows the early life of Chinese folk hero Wong Fei Hung. Martial arts fans know that Wong Fei Hung's life has spawned numerous media including television shows, comics, and more than 100 films, most notably Jet Li's "Once Upon a Time In China" series and Jackie Chan's "Drunken Master I & II." When I first heard of Rise of the Legend my immediate reaction was "Omg not another Wong Fei Hung movie." Retreading old ground doesn't do anything for this reviewer so I was put-off from the film at the outset. However, Well Go USA only picks up the finest movies for American distribution. Given that this is the same company who brought us badass films like Wolf Warriors and Police Story: Lockdown, I had a feeling this movie would be something special.

 

Eddie Peng delivers his finest performance yet!

Rise of the Legend presents Wong Fei Hung as a cocky, vengeful, and borderline ruthless Wong Fei Hung. Overtime, we see Wong Fei Hung mature and become the hero China needs him to be. Eddie Peng does a superb as leading man and he absolutely owned the scenes. I've seen countless Wong Fei Hung films and Eddie Peng's performance is right up there with Jackie Chan's and Jet Li's. Eddie Peng's performance was gripping, but he wasn't alone in that regard.

 

BIG SAM!

The film has a great cast including Angelababy, Wang Luodan, and the legendary Sammo Hung who plays the villainous Master Lui, leader of the Black Tiger gang. I was pleasantry surprised by Hung's performance who typically plays the good guy, was intimidating and almost scary as Master Lui. Sammo Hung has a commanding presence and brings a completely different atmosphere to each scene.

 

FALCON PUNCH!!!

Industry veteran Corey Yuen is on board as the film's action director and his expertise really shows. Rise of the Legend has some spectacular fight sequences that do a great job of balancing brutality and style. The choreography is very well done and the hits feel like they have impact. While I felt there was a bit too much wire-work at times, I understand that's something of a mainstay of wuxia.

Must see!

The film has its flaws. It shows us an aggressive, hot-blooded Wong Fei-Hung which I thought was an interesting change of pace from the patient and wise folk hero. However, we're never given a reason for why he is the way he is. Even as a child the Wong Fei-Hung we see is violent and short-tempered, but we're neither shown nor told as to why that it is. It would make sense if it occurred later on after tragedy struck, but it seems he was always a wild child in this film. The film's score - while good wasn't memorable and I felt that a good 20 to 30 minutes of the film should've been cut because it took too long getting to the climax which was a bit rushed. Overall Rise of the Legend is a great martial arts movie and a must own for anyone into historical fiction or action movies.

Crows Zero 2

The boys are back for their final fight.

Two years ago Suzuran - the School of Crows waged a war with Housen Academy. When the battle pushes Suzuran to the brink of defeat, Suzuran's leader Kawanishi Noboru (Shinnosuke Abe) broke the rules of combat and used a knife to murder Housen's leader Makio Bitō (played by Kamen Rider Kabuto's Yoshiyuki Yamaguchi). Because of this tragic incident Suzuran and Housen created a non-aggression pact and both schools vowed to leave each other alone. Sometime later a student named Genji Takiya transferred to Suzuran.

Suzuran vs Housen

Heir to the Ryuseikai Yakuza, Genji set out to be the first person to conquer Suzuran and earn the right to lead his father's organization. With the help of his mentor Ken, Genji forged many alliances but also made a number of enemies along the way. These enemies included a motorcycle gang called the Armored Front, the force of nature known as Rindaman, and the man closest to conquering Suzuran Tamao Serizawa. After many hard fought battles, Genji's faction was able to defeat Serizawa and his forces. However, while Genji won the battle the war was far from over. Many students still doubt Genji's strength and even those who acknowledge his power refuse to accept his leadership. Suzuran is on the brink of an internal war. To make matters worse, when Kawanishi is released from prison he is attacked by forces from Housen looking for revenge and he flees to Suzuran for asylum. When Genji attacks students from Housen he accidentally breaks the non-aggression pact and the war is on. Will Genji be able to quell Suzuran's internal strife and bring down Housen Academy? Or will he become a casualty in the war he created?

 

Shun Oguri returns as Genji Takiya.

Directed by Takashi Miike, Crows Zero 2 is the 2009 sequel to Crows Zero (2007) which is based on the manga Crows written by Hiroshi Takahashi. If you've read my review of Crows Zero you're probably aware it's one of my favorite Japanese movies. It has great action, a lot of attitude, memorable characters and some minor issues aside is the total package in my book. Crows Zero is the reason I got into this genre and similar titles like Bad Boys J, Sugarless, and HiGH & LOW. So when I heard there was a sequel I couldn't wait to see it, but given how high the bar was set by the original I was skeptical if Crows Zero 2 could live up to it. While it did fall short in several areas, I still came away from the movie having felt it was a great experience and firmly establishes why Crows is one of the best properties in this genre. Sans the Armored Front, the entire cast from the first movie returns most notably Shun Oguri (Genji), Kyōsuke Yabe (Ken), Meisa Kuroki (Ruka) and Takayuki Yamada (Tamao). Joined by newcomers Nobuaki Kaneko, Gou Ayano, and Haruma Miura the movie has a massive cast of characters that weave together one badass film filled with action and attitude, while telling a fascinating coming of age story about courage and loyalty.

Enemies make the worst friends.

While Genji and Tamao are no longer enemies (at least not outright) they're still not on the same page. Tamao is still bitter about his loss to Genji in Crows Zero and while the rules of Suzuran state that Tamao's faction is supposed to fall in line under Genji, he refuses because he believes he wouldn't have lost if Genji didn't have outside help. Tamao's refusal to work with Genji sets a bad example which many students emulate and refuse to obey Genji as well. Of course let it be said that Genji doesn't respect Tamao either and when Housen threatens to bring their full force on Suzuran and wipe out the crows for good, the two rivals must decide if they'll unite or watch Suzuran burn.

Housen's Finest

Nobuaki Kaneko portrays Housen's current leader Narumi Taiga (pictured right). Kaneko hasn't forgotten what Suzuran did to the previous head and he's ordered his men to take Kawanishi Noboru's life. When Genji breaks the non-aggression pact that's all the reason Kanenko needs to up the stakes and set out to destroy Suzuran altogether. He's a character driven by revenge, but he does have his own honor code: preferring to fight the strongest students one-on-one and firmly opposed to the use of weapons. Similar to Suzuran, Housen does have some dissension among the ranks. Played by Haruma Miura, Tatsuya Bitō (pictured left) is the leader of Housen's freshmen class and the younger brother of the deceased Makio Bitō. However, he doesn't seek revenge for the death of his brother because in his view crushing Suzuran won't bring his brother back. He'll strike at Suzuran when he feels he's strong enough to honor his brother, not avenge him. His refusal to allow the freshmen to join Kaneko causes tension among Housen's seniors.

T.I. wrote a song about this.

Crows Zero 2 is complex. The story is familiar and I felt a personal connection to it. Genji is in a place where he's worked hard to achieve his goal, but found out it wasn't what it was cracked up to be. He's in that uncomfortable, crippling place that only a few people find themselves in. Given his situation and the goal in front of him, he did the right thing and made all the right moves, but it ended up hurting him in the long run. Victory has defeated him and he's not sure what to do anymore. He's getting close to graduation and has yet to bring Suzuran under his flag. On top of that, his mentor Ken is no longer there to guide him. There's a real sense of hopelessness throughout the movie and Genji is under so much pressure he can barely stand on his own feet let alone fly. Even so he keeps going. He keeps fighting his way because that's what a man does.

 

It's going down.

Crows Zero 2 is a fantastic film, but it's not perfect. As mentioned the cast is massive and while some characters receive a generous amount of screen-time, many don't. While Housen's top brass isn't as stacked as Suzuran's the amount of characters here warranted a short-film or at least a TV special to give them the introduction they deserve. Sure Narumi Taiga gets plenty of screen-time given that he's the main antagonist, but we know next to nothing about his enforcer Ryo Urushibara (played by Gou Ayano). Also, while Tatsuya Bitō is a unique character he's barely in the film. The subplot involving two Yakuza syndicates does continue from the first film and although I can't put my finger on it, it just seemed like it didn't fit with the rest of what was going on. It seemed like it was only there to give Genji more adversity to overcome.

Suzuran Strong

Some of the fight scenes were a little choppy and while the enormous battle at the end of the film was quite the spectacle, the large number of people fighting in the school led to some really crowded scenes where I couldn't always tell who got hit and who was fighting who. The battles outside the school were great, but it's when they take the fight inside that a lot of problems with the camera work shows up. There is a way to cram 30 people into a tight corridor and make them fight and make it look good. HiGH & LOW was able to do it, Crows Zero 2 not so much.

"There's nothing wrong with being a crow."

Crows Zero is known for its great music, and legendary Japanese rock group the Street Beats return. Your favorites from the first film are here (I Wanna Change) along with a new ending theme "Sasurai no Uta" (Song of Wandering) which was a fitting and emotional send off for the film and these characters.

Suzuran High class of 09'. Thanks for the memories.

Crows Zero 2 had its negatives, but its positives far outweighed them. It had everything the first Crows Zero had and despite some flawed execution in certain areas, told a captivating and inspirational story with plenty of BADASSERY throughout. Crows Zero 2 reminded me why I enjoy this genre so much and while not a perfect movie, was a perfect bookend to Crows Zero. There is a movie called Crows Explode, but because it follows a completely new cast of characters this is the last we'll see of Genji and the gang. I will miss these characters, but I'll never forget their stories.

Police Story: Lockdown

Putting the competition on lockdown.

Released in China as Police Story 2013 and distributed in America last year by Well Go USA, Police Story: Lockdown is a reboot of Jackie Chan's Police Story film series. In Police Story: Lockdown, Jackie Chan plays Detective Zhong Wen - an aging law enforcement official who has seen more tragedies than he's able to forget. One evening he receives a call from his estranged daughter Miao Miao (Jing Tian) who wants Zhong to meet her at Wu's Bar. Zhong walks off the streets of Hong Kong and into a San Francisco hellscape as Wu's Bar is a hipster's paradise. While there, Zhong meets the bar's owner - a sly fox named Wu Jiang (Liu Ye) who is also his daughter's new boyfriend and Zhong isn't pleased to say the least. A fierce father-daughter quarrel erupts and Miao's words cut her father to the bone. Before cooler heads can prevail, an argument breaks out between the bar's patrons and a gang of thugs uses this as an opportunity to put their plan into motion. The leader of these criminals is actually Wu Jiang himself who lured Zhong to settle some unfinished business. Unarmed and outnumbered, Zhong must use all of his wits and training to save his daughter and the other patrons, but this hostage crisis may be his last.

Jackie, try to remember some of the basics of CQC.

If you're familiar with the Police Story series you know these films are some of Jackie Chan's best. The traditional series had an excellent blend of action and comedy which is what Chan is known for. Of course age and the numerous injuries from a life-time of doing his own stunts has crept up on Chan over the years and he's had to change the way he makes films. While this is probably raising some eyebrows for action movie buffs, make no mistake. Jackie Chan is still on top of his game and this film is an excellent example of that. He still does his own stunts, but they're considerably less crazy and while his fight scenes have gotten shorter they're still expertly choreographed and Jackie Chan retains his signature style.

 

A dark past?

Much like Jackie Chan himself, Detective Zhong Wen is no spring chicken and there's a limit to what he's able to do. There is a lot of tension in the action scenes because Zhong is up against thugs who are younger and often bigger than he is, as well as armed. So he uses his speed, agility, and his environments, often surprising his opponents who take him for some feeble old man. The fight scenes are very well-done as one would expect from Jackie Chan, but there is also a heavier emphasis on drama too. There is a physically brutal and emotionally powerful cage fight where Zhong struggles against one of the villains who happens to know Muay Thai. Zhong changes up his style between Kenpo, Karate, and even MMA as he struggles to take down this younger, more powerful foe - all the while being torn down by Wu Jiang who reminds him that he's too old to win this fight.

 

Can't fake good kids.

There's a subplot revolving around Zhong and his daughter Miao. At first Miao comes off as your typical adult-age brat with daddy issues, but when you learn more about her relationship with her father this family turmoil comes into focus with painful crystal clarity. While Jing Tian didn't do an awesome job playing Miao Miao per se, I felt she was believable as Zhong's daughter.  This movie places a heavy emphasis on drama and Jackie Chan's performance is powerful.

He's still got it!

Zhong's personal struggles are worn on Chan's face and reflected in his eyes. He's getting too old for this sh!t and there's nothing he'd love more than to take his daughter home and let someone else handle the hostage situation. But he never stopped being a cop and he's not going home until he ensures everyone else does as well. His conviction drives him to protect everyone no matter how reckless that might be. A lot of the characters are carrying some kind of emotional trauma and while some are able to grow from it, others become completely undone. The third act of this movie nails the characters (and the viewer) with revelation after revelation that left some characters utterly destroyed. While Police Story: Lockdown isn't as action-packed as Jackie Chan's earlier films, it's a great movie that puts its two hour run-time to good use. There's combat, drama, betrayals, and a tension that grips you from the inciting incident until the final scene. Jackie Chan may have gotten older, but he's not going quietly into the night. 

A Company Man

This is going to be a heavy one.

Ji Hyeong-Do (So Ji-Sub) is a seemingly ordinary salary man; he starts his day with a balanced breakfast, he carries a briefcase and wears a suit to work. Everything about him from his hairstyle to his manner of walking makes him indistinguishable from the average Korean working man. However, Hyeong-Do's job is anything but ordinary. Working as a hit-man for a company specializing in assassinations Hyeong-Do has been with the company for a long-time. Having never failed a mission and always completing his assignments without question, his boss Representative Jeon (Jeon Guk-hwan) plans to leave the company in Hyeong-Do's hands. That is until Hyeong-Do falls in love with a woman named Su-Yeon (Lee Mi-Yeon), a single mom who is also the mother of Hyeong-Do's most recent target. Hyeong-Do is forced to choose between his duty and his heart. When he chooses wrong he finds himself hunted by the very same organization that trained him.

 

He was a model employee.

If you follow me on Twitter you're probably aware that I'm a huge fan of Asian cinema - Korean cinema and shows in particular. Undoubtedly my favorite Korean film (and one of my favorite movies of all-time) is 2010's The Man From Nowhere which has since become the standard by which I judge these films. While 'A Company Man' won't be taking the crown I'd put it right next to 'The Man From Nowhere' as one of the all-time greats given that this movie was filled with drama, suspense, action and very deep characters that made me care about them. The story hooked me in from the word go and I was captivated by this world and the very real sense of pain and loneliness that was felt throughout.

It's hard out here for a killer.

Actor/rapper So Ji-sub plays our lead Ji Hyeong-Do. With 20 years of acting experience under his belt he's no slouch and he does a fantastic job portraying Hyeong-Do. When we first meet Hyeong-Do he appears to be a ruthless assassin, even going so far as to kill an underling with no remorse despite the fact said underling has a family. Orders are orders after all. He is both feared and respected in his organization and his boss likens him to a perfect killer. He's almost mechanical in nature. However this is only on the surface. Beneath that Hyeong-Do is a very lonely man who feels isolated even when he's surrounded by other human beings and it seems his only human contact involves the people he's sent to kill. As time goes on and his missions become more and more complex, we see and understand why he's had enough of this life and wants to move on. He's a quiet character, but the nuances in his body language speak volumes about what he's thinking. Verbally or non-verbally, So Ji-sub commands these scenes.

Learning to be human.

Actress Lee Mi-Yeon plays Su-Yeon a single mother struggling to raise two children on a tailor's salary. Caught between a rebellious, teenage daughter who'd rather make a career out of running the streets and a son whose super secret job happens to be contract killing similar to our main character and Su-Yeon has a lot on her plate. When she meets Hyeong-Do, his support and quiet understanding eases her financial hardships, but more importantly the emotional weight she's carrying. He helps her rediscover what it means to dream again and even brings her closer to fulfilling said dreams. Su-Yeon in-turn helps Hyeong-Do rediscover his humanity and live for something other than killing.

 

Don't cross the boss.

Any corporate structure is bound to have a completed hierarchy and this one is no different. A Company Man has a large assortment of characters connected with the organization - some good, some bad. Jeon Guk-hwan (above right) plays Representative Jeon, the leader of the organization. He's easy-going and friendly, but don't let that fool you. It takes a special kind of crazy to operate a business where the main product is murder. He's the mastermind behind everything and there's no line he won't cross to keep the organization's existence a secret. Serving directly under him is his stooge Kwon Jong-tae played by Kwak Do-won. Do-won does a great job portraying Jong-tae as this character you love to hate. He's scheming, double-crossing, woefully inept, and is basically an amalgam of every bad boss you've ever had. Yoo Ha-bok plays Jin Chae-gook, who was Hyeong-Do's handler before tragic events force him to turn rogue and place him into direct conflict with our lead. There are other characters including Ban Ji-hoon (played by Lee Geung-young) who is a washed-up, old assassin who has nothing in his life but money with no one to spend it on and a fancy car with no one to drive around in. Ban Ji-hoon is particularly interesting because he is in many ways an uncomfortable picture of Hyeong-Do's future. The lives of these characters all intertwine to create a compelling crime drama told through tears, bullets, and bloodshed.

 

Giving one HELL of a two weeks notice!

Any Korean crime drama worth its salt better have some good action and 'A Company Man' is no slouch. The film does an excellent job of having fights play out in very close quarters which makes the action more visceral. Hyeong-Do knows how to throwdown and whether he's up against multiple opponents or people older and more experienced than himself he knows how to bring them down all the same. The fight scenes also have an emotional weight because many of Hyeong-Do's enemies are people he's known for years and in some cases decades. There are times when he asks them to stop fighting for their own sake and when they don't he has to put them down. In addition, there's an office shootout that will make fans of Max Payne 3 proud.

The film's impressive score is composed by Mowg whose resume consists of films from east and west including The Last Stand, I Saw the Devil, Memories of the Sword, The Fatal Encounter, and more than a dozen others. His music perfectly captures the tone of each scene and the ending track carries with it this real sense of finality.

What lay at the end of his road?

A Company Man weaves a powerful tale, but it's certainly not a light-hearted one. This isn't your typical bang, shoot em up action movie. It's a gritty romp through the dark world of contract killing where innocent lives are lost in a war between men who can only find peace at the end of a gun. From the opening hit to the final moment when the last shell casing drops, A Company Man gripped me from beginning to end and I highly recommend it.

Feng Shen Ji

More epic than Dragon Ball.

Eons ago the gods created the heavens, the earth, and the realm below. Having set the foundation of the world the ancient god Tian created humans in the image of gods. For centuries the Great Shang dynasty has prospered in service of the gods and relations have been amicable, until now. Emperor Zhou has grown tired of the gods treating human beings as their slaves. While he has great wealth and power, he understands that the gods use prosperity only to train humans as though they were dogs. What Emperor Zhou desires is not more wealth or power, but freedom for all people. When a messenger from gods informs the emperor that Tian wishes for him to conquer and enslave the surrounding kingdoms Zhou doesn't hesitate to express his discontent. He announces he will rebel against the gods and liberate mankind. The heavens have declared that there will be dire consequences for this act of rebellion. In the name of the Shang dynasty Emperor Zhou gives his royal decree - "Just Bring It."

 

Putting the fear of Man into the Gods.

Emperor Zhou fires the first shot against the heavens and while the gods mock him and regard him as a monkey, they quickly realize the status quo is about to change as Emperor Zhou turns one god into cold cuts and holds his own in a battle against five others - BY HIMSELF.

When Tian descends people die.

He puts so much pressure on the gods that Tian himself has to enter the fray to stop him, bringing Zhou's rebellion to a tragic and bloody halt. This isn't too much of a spoiler, because the story isn't about Zhou. This story is about his son Wu Geng who will later become known as Ah Gou - a legend in his own time.

Savior

I know the term epic has been essentially ruined by pop culture hipsters, but this is one of the few instances where the term is applicable. Zheng Jian He is a superb writer who clearly set out to make Feng Shen Ji more of a legend rather than a typical comic. This story is so huge that at times it makes Dragon Ball seem small by comparison. The story evolves through numerous plot twists, absolutely mind-blowing battles, and extensive development for its enormous cast of characters. There are all kinds of exotic animals and wildlife, and numerous myths in-universe about martial arts techniques, immortals, and even the origins of the gods themselves. There's even lore surrounding various weapons and locations. This epic tale spans more than 200 chapters and there are some huge plot twists that change the narrative only five chapters in.

Meet your new favorite character.

As mentioned above this is Wu Geng's story. After a series of extraordinary events which I won't spoil, Wu Geng finds himself trapped in the body of a previously dead slave named Ah Gou. This is the same slave who Wu Geng beat and tried to torture prior to the events of the story. Understand that Wu Geng was a terrible child who didn't inherit any of his father's love towards his fellow man. Once a proud and arrogant prince, Wu Geng now finds himself assuming the identity of Ah Gou - a slave and in his mind the lowest of all people. This is a humbling experience that changes him for the better. Wu Geng understands his old life is gone. He fully accepts his new identity as Ah Gou and learns to love and lead his fellow human beings after having suffered as they have suffered.

Step back Goku. Watch out Superman. Ah Gou is coming to town.

Feng Shen Ji follows Ah Gou from childhood, to adolescence and into adulthood so he grows a lot over the course of the story. His development is fantastic largely because he's so different from every other heroic character out there. After losing their parents, anyone else would be motivated solely by revenge and rightfully so. However, as a slave Ah Gou's first priority is survival. As he grows closer to those around him, he becomes less focused on his own survival and more focused on ensuring he's able to free his friends from servitude under the gods. Ah Gou isn't stupid. He's smart Maggle. Smart. Ever the opportunist, Ah Gou uses his captivity to make himself stronger, learn more about the gods and why they need humans to excavate bloodstones, and even work his way into the good graces of his owner so he can sabotage the entire operation. He uses his cunning to stay several steps ahead of his enemies and he ensures the survival of not only himself, but his friends.

 

To the window! To the wall!

After escaping captivity he trains with powerful teachers and also in solitude. At first Ah Gou can't even throw a punch, but as time goes on he becomes strong enough to do battle with the gods, even trouncing some of them with ease. While the gods initially scoff at him, they come to recognize him as a terrible threat and the Dark Ones - a race long opposed to both gods and humans acknowledge Ah Gou as their equal.

 

His evolution knows no limits.

Ah Gou is cocky enough to laugh in the face of the gods and he's resourceful enough to tear them from the heavens and take the throne for himself. He's similar to Yusuke Uremeshi, but 100x more badass. Thus he's not your typical, boring shonen character (Naruto, Ichigo, etc.) who always wins all the time in absurd ways. Ah Gou is the embodiment of epic, but he's not a Marty Stu. In a world where literally everyone is a badass and his enemies are the gods themselves, Ah Gou isn't ashamed to ask for help nor is he above using dirty tricks to take down his enemies. Even if said trick involves kidnapping the son of a slave owner to get what he wants. He'll do what he needs to do to get the win and he'll flip-off his enemies while doing it.

 

And so a child will lead them.

There are times when he lets his power go to his head and his inexperience at life does get him into trouble from time-to-time. There are also occasions where he becomes too cocky and even comes to blows with his uncle Zi Yu - the godslayer. His flaws make him an endearing character because it's his imperfections that make him feel more human. Despite his shortcomings he becomes a folk hero even as a teenager and he attracts followers of different races and species from all over the realms because of his charisma, power, intellect, frank manner, and rather eccentric personality. I could easily spend the rest of this review talking about Ah Gou, but he's just one of many in a manhua overflowing with fantastic characters.

 

The Dark Generals

The Dark Ones are an ancient race with centuries of bad blood with the gods. Led by thirteen generals who follow the command of Ni Tian Er Xing (far left) the Dark Ones have been looking for an opportunity to emerge from the shadows and take their revenge on the gods. A combination of Emperor Zhou's rebellion and Ah Gou declaring war on the gods brings them out of hiding and they provide a badass boon to mankind's coup d'etat. But don't think they're all on the same side. What's great about these characters is that not all of them get along just because they're from the same culture. The writing is more natural than that. They all have different personalities, beliefs, and feelings towards other races and each other. Many of the Dark Generals are actually enemies whose only reason for teaming up is the destruction of the gods. For example Si Wang Yen Shen (far right) despises the other generals, Er Xing in particular and makes it known that after the war is over all bets are off. Yen Shen also despises Ah Gou and the two have some tense interactions. In addition to having their own myths, the Dark Ones also have different styles of martial arts not seen anywhere else in Feng Shen Ji thus adding another layer of authenticity to their civilization.

They Descend

Don't think of the gods as being specist mind you. While the vast, vast majority of them do regard humans as animals some have different ideas. While none of the gods think humans can ever be equal, some feel that humans should be left to their own devices, others think the humans need to be led, and one god in particular couldn't care less because he just wants to party and hit on hot women. Similar to the Dark Ones and the humans, not all of the gods get along just because of their divine nature. There are differences in their personalities and even status. Also similar to the other cultures we see in this manhua, the gods have their own martial arts never seen in the mortal world and trust me when I tell you that the words "shock and awe" could not be more appropriate. And there are still other races and martial arts the reader encounters in Feng Shen Ji besides the ones I introduced.

 

The best battles you'll see anywhere.

The battles in Feng Shen Ji are simply mesmerizing. Saying they put DBZ to shame would be an understatement as animating even a handful of them would likely bankrupt a studio. There are your classic speed lines, special moves displayed in giant Chinese characters, entire cities being leveled brick-by-brick as these warriors deliver tremendous blows that shake the heavens and the earth. The battles just get bigger and more epic as the manhua goes on and some phenomenal artwork is on display. Cheng Kin Wo and Tang Chi Fai bring their A-game and firmly establish themselves as the best artists in China. Every fight looks and feels like it's going to be a cataclysmic conflict and it almost always is.

 

This is going to hurt. A lot.

Some of the fights take their cues from Jojo's Bizarre Adventure where opponents basically try to out-gambit (or out-Joestar) each other. On occasion  an enemy will be on the offensive, only for Ah Gou to say "AHA! I knew you'd do that so here is my real plan". To which an enemy will respond, "AHA! I knew that this was your real plan all along and I'm two steps ahead." Only for Ah Gou to finish with "AHA! I've been five steps ahead this entire time." It's awesome in this somewhat absurd, meta-way and it makes for some entertaining fights and reactions from the characters therein.

 

Siri did it to me again.

The world of Feng Shen Ji is massive and there are numerous moments where the characters themselves are just as amazed as the reader at what they discover. There are legends older than the gods themselves, civilizations even the Dark Ones regarded as mere fairy tales, and the reader bears witness to first contact between cultures. There's more going on in this world than even the characters themselves know about and you learn as they learn.

 

Uncle BADASS

The central themes of Feng Shen Ji are freedom, responsibility, and family. Regardless of where they're from the majority of the characters want the freedom to live their lives in the way they think will best suit them. Most of the cast has tremendous physical, spiritual, and even political power, but very few use it for the right reasons. The majority of the problems in this manhua stem from an authority figure abusing their power and it's not always the gods. The cast has to learn that if they don't wield their power responsibly they stand a very real chance of worsening the same problems they're trying to solve.

 

Family

Family also plays a role in Feng Shen Ji. Ah Gou forges a strong bond with his uncle Zi Yu who he sees as a teacher and father-figure. After proving his strength, the Dark Ones come to see Ah Gou as their brother and he is welcomed as one of their own by "most" of them. Ah Gou (and hopefully the reader) learns that blood isn't the only thing that makes a family, but also who you love, honor, and protect.

Ah Gou vs Tian: He will avenge his father or die in the attempt.

As you've probably surmised Feng Shen Ji is a truly epic tale. Any reader interested in this title should take note that it does require a substantial investment of your time. Recall that the story follows Ah Gou from childhood to adulthood and so you won't see any titanic battles for quite awhile. After the introductory chapters, the majority of the first part is Ah Gou developing as a human being not just a fighter. However, once he comes of age and begins to strut his stuff get ready to see some truly awe-inspiring conflicts. With fantastic artwork, superb writing, several plot twists, a great cast of characters and mythic story-telling that makes this world seem alive, Feng Shen Ji is a gripping tale from start to finish. I highly recommend this comic for anyone and everyone interested in a modern myth they won't ever forget.

Kizumonogatari Part 1: Tekketsu

Does it live up to the hype?

Monogatari (Japanese for “story) refers to a series of light novels written by Japanese novelist Nisio Isin and illustrated by Taiwanese artist Vofan. Published by Kodansha more than 20 light novels in this series has been released since 2006. Due to its success it was later given the anime treatment thanks to Studio Shaft and it basically prints money. The stories center on a high school student named Koyomi Araragi who after surviving an encounter with a vampire, becomes embroiled in a number of paranormal incidents revolving around ghosts, gods, mythological creatures, and other supernatural entities referred to collectively as ‘oddities’. The anime series much like the novels they’re based on introduce different characters who get wrapped up in the supernatural including Koyomi’s friends and family and he must use his powers and his growing knowledge of oddities to protect them. Kizumonogatari Part 1: Tekketsu is based on book two and serves as a prequel to the Monogatari series by showing us the incident that first drew Koyomi into the world of the supernatural. Minor spoilers ahead.

 

Shinobu is having a really bad day.

Koyomi meets the vampire Kiss-shot Acerola-orion Heart-under-blade (we’ll call her Shinobu because I’m not typing Kiss-shot Acerola-orion Heart-under-blade more than I have to) who was brutally attacked by a group of vampire hunters. Mutilated and dying, Shinobu pleads with Koyomi to give her his blood. After much resignation Koyomi saves her life by offering his own, but finds that instead of being killed by Shinobu he’s been turned into a vampire and Shinobu has reverted to the form of an eight year-old girl. Shinobu informs Koyomi that while the hunters are in possession of her limbs she has only a fraction of her powers and is stuck in this form. If Koyomi defeats the the vampire hunters and returns Shinobu’s limbs to her, she will use her power to turn him back into a human. However, in the world of the supernatural nothing is ever what it seems.

 

Shinobu having a somewhat better day.

Going into this review I must mention that while I’ve never read the light novels, I have been following the anime series since 2009. I point this out not for some imaginary, internet nerd-cred, but because having followed the series so long I started to get tired of it around Tsukimonogatari (2014). I wasn’t hyped for this movie, but I was quite pleased with it because it has a lot of elements from Bakemonogatari I liked, and many of the elements seen in later series which I didn’t care for are downplayed if not absent altogether.

 

Meme is still the Man!

Kizumonogatari’s art style, animation and overall direction differs from the post-Bakemonogatari series. Tatsuya Oishi directed Bakemonogatari and left successive series in the hands of Akiyuki Shinbou. While the series retained Oishi’s experimental art style, it didn’t have the same feel or influences as Oishi’s take on Bakemongatari. Tatsuya Oishi returned to direct Kizumonogatari and brings back the elements he’s known for. There’s a greater emphasis on the personal story, human interactions and the emotions that lay under the surface of a normal conversation. The slapstick humor, play on words, and over the top character traits are subdued. Almost every bit of dialogue is used to express something about the characters or their feelings toward their current predicament. And there are some scenes with absolutely no dialogue and everything you need to know comes across the characters’ expressions. The film has long scenes of silence, a lot of moving camera shots, and a peculiar use of 3D CGI backgrounds which – while not my thing – did provide a unique visual element.

 

BEST GIRL!!

The film opens in medias res where things have already hit the fan and then we get a flashback to Koyomi first meeting his schoolmate Tsubasa Hanekawa and it’s easily one of the best scenes in the movie and I’d go so far as to say the series as a whole. Tsubasa is very kind and more outgoing than she would appear. She’s admired Koyomi from afar, but never interacted with him in the past despite going to the same school and even having the same classes. She’s upbeat, but not to the extent of being bubbly or annoying and she gets Koyomi to open up to her with ease. Not only that, but despite the fact that something is clearly off about Koyomi she seems to accept him immediately. She really is the Best Girl. The scene is short but sweet, allowing them to learn more about each other before Tsubasa shares an urban legend about a vampire with golden hair – a “ghost story” if you will which is thematically appropriate.

 

Pre-Creep Koyomi

One of the biggest positives in the movie is Koyomi himself. Koyomi has yet to become the character we know him as in the anime series and to an extent I feel this makes him more interesting. If you’ve seen the Monogatari series you know Koyomi is somewhat of a morally ambiguous, chivalrous pervert. When he isn’t groping his sisters or beating up an elementary-school girl, he’ll give his all to protect his loved ones. True his odd behavior works for him, but as the series goes on his debauchery becomes less humorous and more by the numbers. Here in the film, those traits are muted if they’re there at all. Koyomi is a lot more down to earth and fairly normal. He’s socially reclusive and has a hard-time making friends as indicated by the fact he doesn’t have any and he has trouble interacting with Tsubasa. When he first meets Shinobu he outright objects to helping her and flees in sheer mortal terror, but eventually comes around largely in part because he feels that helping someone will make up for the fact he’s a bad person. Koyomi’s normality in the movie sharply contrasts his over the top series counterpart and this makes him a more interesting character. Some fans might not like this version of Koyomi, but I felt it made him a stronger character who was easier to relate to.

 

Vampire Hunters

The film isn’t perfect. With a run-time of only 63 minutes certain parts (like Meme’s introduction) feel rushed. The film also makes a big deal about the vampire hunters, but their menace falls flat to anyone who has seen the series. It’s obvious that no matter how strong or dangerous the vampire hunters are Koyomi and his friends will be just fine in the end because there’s 20 novels set after this. I understand that this is one of the caveats of prequels, but the big conflict looming over the film didn’t interest me nearly as much as Koyomi’s interactions with the other characters.

 

Lulz. Just lulz.

Most anime reviewers are singing the movie’s praises from the mountains and claiming “You’z guyz dis is the BEST VAMPIRE ANIME EVA. The hype iz real. Hype levelz over 9000”, but it’s not on the level of Noblesse, Hellsing: Ultimate, or Vampire Hunter D. It’s not the best vampire anime ever, but it is an excellent, dark story of a normal, unassuming young man who gets sucked into the horrifying world of the supernatural and who must overcome all obstacles to protect his friend(s) from a fate even worse than his own. Newcomers will find Kizumonogatari Part 1: Tekketsu to be a good jumping on point, while long-time fans of Monogatari will find that this is a promising start in what is sure to be a great trilogy.