FOR TRAILER, SEE THE BOTTOM OF THIS ARTICLE
Minoru Kawasaki's The Rug Cop (Zura Deka) is scheduled to have its international (i.e., outside-of-Japan) première at Nippon Connection in Frankfurt, Germany on April 21st; Kawasaki is expected to attend. Tornado Film K.K. (K.K. Torunêdo Firumu) released the movie theatrically in Japan on September 16th of last year. Ace Deuce Entertainment K.K. (K.K. Êsu Dyûsu Entateinmento) released it in a 2-disc sale DVD set (VPBT-15378; NTSC, region 2, no subtitles) in Japan on February 21st; the DVD set is being distributed by VAP K.K. (K.K. Bappu).
As was reported here on ScreenAnarchy back on August 15th of last year, the screenplay for The Rug Cop was written by Kawasaki and Takao Nakano, based on a story by the former. The movie stars Fuyuki Moto as the titular character, Rug Cop (Zura Deka). The rest of its principal cast apparently is as follows: Ryôji Kanô, Ijirî Okada, Tora Uganda, Rakkyo Ide, Yûsuke Kirishima, Yakan Nabe, Mai Hashimoto, Hideo Nakano, Dr. Yoshiro NakaMats (Dokutâ Nakamatsu - a.k.a. Nakamatsu Yoshirô), Ai Iijima, and Tamao Satô. It was supervised by the late Akio Jissôji (March 29, 1937 - November 29, 2006).
Here's a brief description of The Rug Cop from the Nippon Connection website: "Harada must save the city from a radioactive bomb. All he has to rely on is a bizarre special task force and his secret weapon: An ill-fitting wig. Be warned: This film will blow your mind!"
Kawasaki's previous directing credits include The World Sinks Except Japan (Nihon igai zenbu chinbotsu), Kani Goalkeeper (Kani gôrukîpâ), Jissha-ban: Maicchingu Machiko sensei: Tôdai o-juken daisakusen!!, Executive Koala (Koara kachô), Kabuto-O Beetle (Kabuto-Ô Bîtoru) - a.k.a. "Beetle, the Horn King" - and The Calamari Wrestler (Ika resurâ).
Nakano also co-wrote (with Yûji Kobayashi) the screenplay for Die Silbermaske (Shirubâ Kamen), which was directed by Jissôji (1st story / dai-1 hanashi), Tsugumi Kitaura (2nd story / dai-2 hanashi), and Mitsunori Hattori (3rd story / dai-3 hanashi); he wrote the screenplays for Kawasaki's Kabuto-O Beetle (Kabuto-Ô Bîtoru) and Mitsuru Meike's Horny Home Tutor: Teacher's Love Juice (Hatsujô kateikyôshi: sensei no aijiru) - which Meike's The Glamorous Life of Sachiko Hanai (Hanai Sachiko no karei na shôgai) was an extended version of. He himself has directed such movies as Mikosurihan gekijô: namashibori sûpâ DX, Sexual Parasite: Killer Pussy (Kiseichû: kirâ pusshî), Queen Bee Honey (Bikyonyû kosupure senshi: Kuinbî Hanî), Sumo Vixens (Hana no onna sumô), and the ExorSister (Chô-yôma densetsu Uratsuki-dôji) tetralogy.
The Rug Cop large trailer (streaming Windows Media)
The Rug Cop small trailer (streaming Windows Media)
Ace Deuce Entertainment: The Rug Cop 2-disc sale DVD set
VAP: The Rug Cop 2-disc sale DVD set
YesAsia.com: The Rug Cop 2-disc sale DVD set
Nippon Connection: The Rug Cop
GOMORRAHY.com: Trailer Park subsite (w/ trailers for 5 movies directed by Kawasaki)