Sukeban Deka: Kodonemu=Asamiya Saki (AKA Yo-Yo Girl Cop) Review

[Big thanks to James Maruyama for the following review of Kenta Fukasaku's update of the Sukeband Deka franchise. This review originally ran at Japan Hero, home to more fine tokusatsu and kaiju news than you can shake a stick at.]

When a "Sukeban Deka" is horrifically killed in the middle of downtown Tokyo via remote control bomb while investigating the popular and mysterious "Enola Gay" teen blogspot, the "Tokumei Keiji" (Special Police) branch of the Japanese Metropolitan Police Dept. decide upon a desperate and radical plan.

Working with CIA, they bring back to Japan the daughter of a former "Sukeban Deka", who is now incarcerated in New York on various criminal charges. known only a "K", they offer her a deal. They will release her mother from prison and expung both her and her mother's criminal records if the daughter will help them.

With no other choice, "K" reluctantly agrees and is assigned a handler, the gruff former Police Inspector, Kira Kazutoshi. Kurayami Keishi (The Shadow Director) and head of the "Tokumei Keiji" branch, gives "K" a state-of-the-art, steel yo-yo and the codename "Asamiya Saki". She is then sent to a local high school which is the alleged hub for the Enola Gay blogspot. There she meets a motley assortment of delinquents and oddball students including the tragic Kana Taie (who's friend/lover Kanda Kotomi was also killed via a remote control bomb) and the beautiful but sadistically cold Akiyama Reika, who is the elite "heather" of the school.

As Saki investigates the students at the high school she also encounters the enegmatic Kimura Jiro who goes by the web handle "Romeo", who may or may not be the webmaster of the terrorist site.

The "Enola Gay" blogspot announces that a major "event" will occur in 24 hrs and promises that this will be the beginning of a new youth revolution of anarchy. Can Saki stop the teen terrorists behind this plan and what is Taie's mysterious connection to the Enola Gay blogspot?

When popular Hello! Project (Jpop) idol Matsuura Aya (Ayaya) was first announced as the new "Sukeban Deka" in Fukasaku Kenta's big budget movie adaptation of the popular 80's TV crime drama, I had my serious doubts. I thought that the pixie faced Aya was just too "girlie" and genteel to portray the tough talking, rough and tumble schoolgirl cop.

After watching the film, I am happy to report that my fears were unwarranted and that Matsuura Aya proved to be every bit as worthy a successor to the role, following successfully in the footsteps of her predecessors Asaka Yui, Minamino Yoko and the always fetching Saito Yuki.

"Sukeban Deka: Codename = Asamiya Saki" is a fun movie which manages to stay true to the original TV series and at the same time update the character for current audiences.

There is a lot to like about the movie:

The opening segment is gritty and raw and sets the somewhat dark tone of the rest of the movie.

The Maurice Binder "007" inspired opening credits is great fun and very eye catching.

Saki's first introduction is also very creepy and reminiscent of "Silence of the Lambs" with Saki (complete with a bloodshot eye) restrained in a Hannibal Lecter style straight jacket and restraining mask.

The final showdown between Saki and renegade "Tokumei Keiji" (Special Detective) Akiyama Reika, played with sheer camp delight by Vyuden idol Ishikawa Reika is awesome and seems to go after the same feel of the Bride's fantastic showdown with Go-Go Yubari in "Kill Bill Vol. 1".

Some may be turned off by all the "rip offs" Fukasaku seems to have taken from other movies and popular entertainment. The haunting music more than echoes "Silence of the Lambs" and there's also the "dooms day clock" countdown which seems to be in imitation to the series "24".

In fact at times the movie seems to have the same look and feel of a "24" episode (not that it is a bad thing).

Fukasaku even takes elements from his own "Battle Royale II: Requiem" with the use of "human bombs" and youth terrorists. Yet these elements add to the mayhem and madness of the film.

While very much more darker than the TV series and the 80's movies, the film also has some funny moments such as Saki's first attempt to use her trademark steel "Yo-yo". There are also points where the movie steps away from its gritty reality and enters the realm of a "comicbook movie" (Aya fans will definitely cheer at the sight of her in a skin-tight "battle suit" in the finale).

The movie isn't perfect however as there are frequent disjointed subplots that don't seem to lead anywhere and needless introductions of boring secondary characters. Takeuchi Riki is great as Saki's gruff handler Kira Kazutoshi and Sukeban Deka #1, Saito Yuki also makes a surprise cameo as Saki's mother in a bit of fan boy casting.

All-in-all the movie is great "popcorn" entertainment and does a good job at introducing new audiences to this cool character as well as giving fans of the 80s TV show something to cheer about. This is probably the best of the "Sukeban Deka" movies.

Review by James Maruyama