You may think you know movies, but if you don’t know the work of Japanese filmmaker Shion Sono, there’s a good chance that you still have a lot to learn. The prolific director has been cranking out memorable films since the 1980s, and recently given audience such unforgettable works of maniacal genius as Cold Fish, Love Exposure and Why Don’t You Play in Hell? and his latest feat of absurd over the topness is hitting theaters, VOD and iTunes on October 23rd. It is called Tokyo Tribe and it is INSANE.
Adapted from a manga by Santa Inoue, Tokyo Tribe tells the story of warring gangs in Tokyo who wage regular combat against each other, with kidnappings, tank battles and sword fights. It is also an opera told entirely in Japanese rap music. And the only thing crazier than the first 90 minutes are the last 26.
If you’re already a fan of Shion Sono, you’re excited to take a look at this exclusive clip from Tokyo Tribe, without any set-up. If you’re new to the works of Shion Sono, YOU ARE WELCOME. Join us, be a part of our club. Watch this exclusive clip from the action-packed conclusion of Tokyo Tribe and check out the film in its bonkers entirety in theaters, VOD and iTunes on October 23rd.
In a futuristic Japan, territorial street gangs form opposing factions collectively known as the Tokyo Tribes. When one of the gang leaders breaks the fragile peace, it triggers a brutal street war for supremacy. Based on a popular Manga series and told almost entirely in rap verse, TOKYO TRIBE is an ingenious mash-up of Yakuza gang violence, martial arts action and hip-hop musical.
William Bibbiani (everyone calls him ‘Bibbs’) is Crave’s film content editor and critic. You can hear him every week on The B-Movies Podcast and watch him on the weekly YouTube series Most Craved and What the Flick. Follow his rantings on Twitter at @WilliamBibbiani.