Regular readers of ScreenAnarchy may very well recall us mentioning The Ancient Dogoo Girl a good while back. A low budget television series initiated by Machine Girl director Noboru Iguchi -- who then roped in pals Yoshihiro Nishimura (Tokyo Gore Police) and Takashi Shimizu (Juon, The Grudge) to direct episodes -- and produced for a minor Japanese cable network available only in parts of the country, Dogoo revolves around an ancient yokai-battling warrior revived in modern times. As you'd expect from an Iguchi project, the lead is not exactly shy about showing off flesh and the entire thing is shot through with crazy creatures and unrepentant adolescent energy.
The big question, of course, is when people would be able to see this thing. Heck - a healthy portion of Japan hasn't even been able to see it yet, so what are the chance of it being seen over here? Well, quite good actually, because elements of the television series are being augmented with Nishimura-helmed splatter and re-edited into a feature version for theatrical release in Japan and later festival play. I'll let Outcast Cinema's Marc Walkow - the true source of virtually all English language Iguchi and Nishimura information online - explain:
Hungry for a taste? You've got it. The trailer for the theatrical release lurks below.
The big question, of course, is when people would be able to see this thing. Heck - a healthy portion of Japan hasn't even been able to see it yet, so what are the chance of it being seen over here? Well, quite good actually, because elements of the television series are being augmented with Nishimura-helmed splatter and re-edited into a feature version for theatrical release in Japan and later festival play. I'll let Outcast Cinema's Marc Walkow - the true source of virtually all English language Iguchi and Nishimura information online - explain:
The series stars 20-year-old photo model Erika Yazawa - whose model assets are clearly visible on her chest - as Dogu-chan, a yokai (goblin, monster) hunting warrior from Japan's ancient Jomon era who is resurrected in modern times due to a bumbling archaeologist (Takaya Kamikawa) and his shut-in son Makoto (Masataka Kubota). She joins Makoto and two of his high-school friends in not only trying to blend in (poorly), but also, with the help of her animated Dogoo statuette companion Dokigoro, in sniffing our and destroying yokai that have begun to surface in the modern age.
The tone is very Iguchi - sexy and a little bit dirty, but definitely aimed at an audience of all ages. It's equal parts comedy and action, with lots of fish-out-of-water jokes featuring Dogu-chan trying to fit into the modern world - and abusing Makoto, who's obviously in love with her - mixed with some surprisingly effective drama and horror moments.
Iguchi directed four of the episodes, three of which make up most of his part of the Movie Version. Other directors on the series include Takashi Shimizu, who directed one episode that stars Iguchi as a crab- monster yokai, plus newcomers Keisuke Toyoshima and Takuma Tosaka. Toyoshima has directed segments in other omnibus films, like GHOST VS. ALIEN, TALES OF TERROR FROM TOKYO, UNHOLY WOMEN, and TEN NIGHTS OF DREAMS. Tosaka is a producer on the DOGOO GIRL TV series.
The Movie Version incorporates Iguchi's opening and closing episodes, with selected bits (and yokai) from other episodes, with new linking segments featuring Dogu-chan, as well as some additional fake commercials, a la TOKYO GORE POLICE, starring actors from the series.
The biggest addition to the Movie Version is the final 1/3, which is a brand-new "pilot episode" directed by Yoshihiro Nishimura and starring Asami (ROBO-GEISHA) as a "phantom Dogu-chan" who comes to the modern day and wreaks gory havoc. It's a splatter comedy, of course, and co- stars many of Nishimura's regulars, including Yuya Ishikawa (who plays Asami's husband in MACHINE GIRL), Tsugumi Nagasawa (Crocodile Girl from TOKYO GORE POLICE, and also the star of Nishimura's forthcoming spinoff short to VAMPIRE GIRL VS. FRANKENSTEIN GIRL), Cay Izumi (Dog Girl from TOKYO GORE POLICE, and the pole-dancing Tengu from ROBO- GEISHA), Yukihide Benny (the penis-gun cop from TOKYO GORE POLICE), and many other familiar faces.
Hungry for a taste? You've got it. The trailer for the theatrical release lurks below.