CASSHERN (2004)

An Uneven Yet Moving Special Effects Epic from Japan

Grade: B-

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There are some movies that prefer to emphasize special effects and action over story and characters. Kazuaki Kiriya’s Casshern is not one of those movies. Despite being filmed against a green screen with hardly any physical props, the film’s primary focus is on its sobering themes of violence, destruction, and tampering with the laws of nature. In doing so, it creates a stark and often sad portrait of humanity which rivals that of any effects film made in America, even if the themes and the action do not always go together.

Based on an anime called Casshan, the film is part steampunk adventure, part superhero movie, and part apocalyptic drama. It is set in a war-torn future and centers on the struggles between a warrior named Tetsuya Azuma (Yusuke Iseya) and a group of people known as "Neo-Sapiens" who are intent on destroying mankind with a legion of robots. Both Tetsuya and the Neo-Sapiens are the products of "Neo-Cell" research conducted by Tetsuya's father, Kotaro Azuma (Akira Terao), which ultimately resulted in the resurrection of both Tetsuya (who was killed during a war with terrorists) and the experimental cadavers. As Tetsuya's war against the Neo-Sapiens rages on, he becomes increasingly disturbed by the carnage and destruction wrought by the conflict.

Casshern’s biggest weaknesses are its uneven style and tone. On paper, a premise of superpowered humans fighting giant robots in a steampunk environment should make for an exciting adventure, but the mood is often dark and tragic as people are killed, brought back to life, and killed again.

Even the special effects don’t really start to look good until the second half. Filmed on a digital backlot, the film is almost completely computer-generated, with only the actors existing in the physical world. In most movies, the problem with too much CGI would be that it looks fake; with Casshern, the problem isn’t so much the realism of the effects as it is the visibility of them. Much of the time, the environments and locations have a dark and blurry aesthetic, making them difficult to fully comprehend. The action sequences don’t always look the best either; the first fight between Tetsuya and another Neo-Sapien is not very well choreographed or shot.

But when Casshern does work, it works very well. A scene where Tetsuya takes down a legion of robots is exciting to watch, as is his sword duel with another Neo-Sapien. And when we are finally able to truly see this dystopian world, it’s impressive to behold. Gigantic trains barrel through the desert carrying huge cargo containers while airships with giant propellors approach a castle guarded by robots. Two superpowered warriors battle it out in a snow-swept village as soldiers wearing gas masks abduct the village’s inhabitants. And in the climax, tanks open fire on an even bigger robot armed with missiles and a bomb that will turn the surrounding area into a huge crater if it is not stopped.

Even the themes, which don’t always gel with the action, are still powerful. The classic “Is humanity worth saving?” question has been featured in so many movies-especially those in the superhero genre-that it has become stale. But Casshern keeps it fresh by showcasing mankind's tendency towards violence and destruction. Here the true villains are not the Neo-Sapiens, but the emotions of anger and grief, which lead to all the crises depicted in the film. Tetsuya is horrified by it all, and he knows that he is by no means innocent in this, yet he clings to the fact that one can choose to stop hating and do good.

Casshern might have been an even better movie if it had dedicated itself fully to the action-adventure aesthetic that it flirts with. As is, it is still a very moving and at times entertaining story. Its themes are perfectly conveyed by both the special effects and the performances of its actors. And it culminates in a finale that is sure to make viewers emotional. That alone makes Casshern worth watching.

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Director: Kazuaki Kiriya

Screenplay: Kazuaki Kiriya, Dai Sato, Shotaro Suga (Based on the anime Casshan by Tatsunoko Productions)

Producers: Hideji Miyajima, Toshiharu Ozawa, Toshiaki Wakabayashi

Cast: Yusuke Iseya (Tetsuya Azuma/Casshern), Kumiko Aso (Luna Kozuki), Akira Terao (Prof. Motaro Azuma), Kanako Higuchi (Midori Azuma), Fumiyo Hohinata (Prof. Kozuki) Hiroyuki Miyasako (Akubon), Jun Kaname (Barashin), Hidetoshi Nishijima (Lt.-Col. Kamijo), Mitsuhiro Oikawa (Kaoru Naito), Susumu Terajima (Sakamoto)