I don't think he is saying the audience didn't get the time period of the story, I think he is saying they didn't get the storytelling style he used because he used the outdated style of the Showa 30's. Its the typical 'auteur' making things in the style of their childhood then throwing up their hands when 'kids these days' don't 'get it.'
This, but also that the theme of the film is rooted in a 1950s Japan vibe and references is a lot . . . which only makes sense if you catch the references. However, it's also not a very good movie. It'd probably be better with a much better polished script and a more seasoned director who was able to play up the ever-increasing weirdness of the movie. Something like a Film Noir Paprika vibe would be better, I think.
I didn't know Okiura made this a love story so he'd dodge the gig! That is the most hilarious thing I've heard in ages! This is the kind of content I value, stay classy Bennett and welcome to the Old World!
I remember buying Jin-Roh on a deluxe 2-disc DVD set that also included the soundtrack at Suncoast, back in the day. I still own it. This movie was so strange, and yet it was so impactful.
Got that exact same set from a box of anime on Kijiji. I wasn't sure what to expect from the film (going from the cover, I thought it was going to be post-apocalyptic), but I was pleasantly surprised by how good it was. Everything about it feels very melancholy.
I'm not going to lie Bennett I do miss the way you used to review anime earlier in your career but I am glad to see how much you've grown and how much you've evolved
I’ve never wanted to watch a movie more like this one because of the original review. My only flaw is I haven’t taken the time to do so. This is my reminder. Also, loved the original review, but this one gives so much more context to the creation of the movie and the meta-series it’s from.
Its been so long since I have revisited your early episodes that I forgot just how much weight you have lost. The contrast is pretty inspiring. You introduced me to Jin Roh and it quickly became my favorite anime film of all time, super excited to see what other favorites you revisit!
I for one would love to see you re-review "Golden Boy" as it has become one of my personal favorite comedy anime titles and I know you sincerely enjoy it... Plus, Suave can co-review it! XD
7:30 Looks like a student film by someone who already has the grades to pass the course. At least he realized film critics take most films seriously in their judgement. 14:35 That's just a normal Japanese beer commercial. They just didn't add the product name and slogan.
I’m in the military and have done some pretty bad things in the name of an ideal and sometimes this film makes me remember I’m not a bad person and sometimes life just sucks
you say that about Uresei Yatsura, but movie 2 is definately a page out of the classic Oshii book, with the world turning its reality on its head and the characters finally realizing it.
I see a lot of design elements that were lifted for the Helghast uniforms in the Killzone franchise from this movie although that could all have been just a coincidence on Guerrilla Games' part.
I first watched it when I was still fairly new to anime, and I didn't really get it. But since it's been so long since I saw it, I should probably watch it again.
... Violence Jack re-review? Jokes aside, it'd be nice to see a mature and older view of why it doesn't work and the backstory of the production. You know, instead of just a fever dream "review".
With youtubes even stricter rules compared now to when that "review" was out, I don't think Bennet could show us anything from the series today either even if he only show the violence. But I think it would be very cool if he did. Though I think he could get around it by talking about Go Nagai in general or do a whole video on the entire Devilman series including Crybaby.
This was a fantastic video! Jin-Roh has such a special place in my heart, and I love hearing you talk about it whenever it comes up! And I really love the idea of Anime Abandon +, so I can't wait to see more of this subseries! Also, Namba Park was one of my favorite places in my trip to Japan! And I also talked to a drunk salaryman there, at the Absinthe Cafe. Osaka and Kyoto were such amazing places!
I kid you not, the Ghost in the Shell movie changed my life. I was in one of the best college courses ever, it was a Sci-Fi English class, and we watched Ghost in the Shell. I remember I was so taken with the show, especially the Puppet Master, so much that my Professor offered the class to see it again that evening if we wished, something I jumped at the chance for. I scribbled down half-readable notes in the dark of the room and ultimately, based my final paper for the class on the movie and the questions it brought up. Hell, my teacher made me a copy on VHS just so I could see it more. Knowing the link between that movie and this made me far more interested in Jin-Roh than I'd been before. (I think I missed your first vid on it).
I think it's been 15 years or more since I saw the movie and yet, so much of it has stuck with me without even realising and I'm grateful for that. It is one of few things I cherish from an old friendship.
Watched this movie years ago after only hearing a vague idea of what it was about. Absolutely mesmerizing. I completely agree that the combined animation and soundtrack are of master quality.
I saw this on cartoon Network and the fact that Moneca Stori(Kagome from Inuyasha) voices Kei makes the ending just a little bit more heartbreaking It's an interesting anime but I expected just a little bit more out of it.
I've been watching anime since the 90's and have known about Jin-Roh ever since I first heard about it so many years ago and yet I have not ever seen it I think I need to change that now so thanks for this amazing reminder
Regarding Red Spectacles and Stray Dog, I think they're both really interesting movies because they're a sign of what Oshii's work is like when he has limitations. With anime, Oshii can do absolutely whatever the hell he wants. The only limitation is the budget and time allotted, and that really just affects how lush the animation will be in the end product. With live-action, he's suddenly limited by having to work in a real physical space, with live actors, physical props, and effects work being much more complicated to do. And yet, in spite of that, Red Spectacles and Stray Dog are... about as representative of his style as you could possibly get. They're unmistakably Oshii movies. It's just that for his style to really work, he needs to have as few limits on him as possible.
Man, Sage now that you mentioned Texhnolyze i could love to see you tackling this or even Blame! some day, even if they arent as good as i might think they are i still want people to know more about these 2 franchises.
The alternative history aspects does fit to the story very well. There was a subtle reference in Wolfenstein New Order even TvTropes theorize that Jin Roh could take place in Wolfenstein’s Machinegames timeline.
I think a major difference between Wolfenstein and Kerberos' post-war universes is that one is an alternate-history science-fantasy, and the other is an alternate-history fiction drama. There's some superficial shared elements just due to the starting point of "The U.S. lost," but in action they're two very different universes in how they operate. Wolfenstein's thing is how the Nazis try and control everything they occupy while they attempt to erase the local identity, while Jin-Roh's about the occupied nation being given autonomy but told to head in an authoritarian direction amenable to the Nazis. They create very different cultures in the characters due to that.
@@VulpesHilarianus Theres also a (admittedly meta observation ) that TV Tropes has become a dumpster fire of head canon and fanfics. And I dont mean fanfic as in actual fan fictions (though its lousy with those) but with people who fail to understand a story going on deranged tangents
I also remember those Jin-Roh ads that aired during Adult Swim, so you're not alone. Anyway, I've been wanting to see this film, but it wasn't available at my local Sam Goody(back when that was a thing), and eventually never getting around to it. So I will check it out at some point.
Hey Bennett, long time watcher/subscriber here. Just a nit pick on my part: in my unimportant opinion the piano music in the intro and afterwards is a little loud when compared to your voice and was very distracting for me. Just thought I would put that out there. Aside from that, I love your work and I am excited you plan to revisit older episodes of Anime Abandon! I actually just watched Jin Roh for the very first time yesterday (I'm 30 now so I feel embarrassed having missed out on it for so long), and I was also enthralled by it. However, I had some questions and confusion with the ending so I went looking for some intelligent discussion on the topic and found you just released this video! An odd coincidence in my mind but a welcome one nonetheless! Anyways thanks for your dedication all these years and keep up the excellent work!
And here I am remember Red Spectacles and Stray Dog. Ugh. The worst thing about those movies was coming into them hoping for more of Jin-Roh and getting . . . well, those. Red Spectacles might actually be good if revisited by a more experience director with better equipment and budget. The basic theme isn't too bad and the bones of the movie are basically solid. Start out grounded, gradually bring in more surreal stuff, and then drop the dying dream reveal. Stray Dog was just, well, Bennett put it well that Oshii's style doesn't really translate as well to live action, though I think really you just need good location scouts and cinematography because so much of the film is basically just people walking and looking at things or driving and looking at things with a conclusion that's basically much the same as Jin-Roh. You'd need a better lead actor, too, since the guy they used just, well, looked like an empty-headed idiot staring at thin-air the entire time when he's supposed to be a Fuse-type. Good music, though. Honestly, you could remake them as a trilogy using the animated film as a base and get something great. The movies ultimately tell the story of a quasi-fascist police organization built up by the State to murder its enemies and then, when the crisis is over, is phased out; said organization objects, tries to mount a soft coup including killing its rivals in another security organization (the plot of Jin-Roh), and then rises up in armed revolt that is swiftly crushed (the opening of Stray Dog), with its leaders killed or driven into hiding (the opening of Red Spectacles). A few years later one of the survivors - a true believer - is recruited by the government and sent as a double agent to hunt down the leader of the coup and kill him, decides to turn against his government handlers and is killed in the process, and then said coup leader goes back to Japan as a more-or-less act of suicide, is killed, and hallucinates a dying dream of a decayed, police-state Japan. Pretty solid trilogy material all around, especially if you give the character's actual arcs.
If you're going to revisit a series based on changing views, have you considered looking at "Evangelion" again in light of the "Rebuild" film quadrilogy concluding?
IIRC Bennett said at one time that he wasn’t going to touch Rebuild until all four movies had come out. I definitely want this too, but with everything he’s got going right now, I doubt he’ll do anything Eva-related anytime soon.
Its funny, having been there for the original review and the new review. I am in some ways disappointed that you didn't go into spoiler territory. The analysis you provided by looking at the plot and the characters really provided an early lens for me to look for how films use their story, characters and atmosphere to make an environment rich for analysis. But this new review is excellent in a different way, the shift of focus away from what the film was saying to how the film makers tried to say things is not generally what I like but you made it so engaging and the origin is so interesting that I love this review as much as the original, they just occupy two different spaces of enjoyment.
I can't help it but see the parallels between Jin-roh and the Chinese series "The longest day in Chang'an". Both are about the city plagued with terrorist threat and both have "Wolf brigade".
There's something special about seeing creators reflect on their old work. There's something poetic about seeing both Bennett and Mamoru Oshii do that in one video.
Loving the Re-reViews Sage but surprised you didnt mention Headgear and Patlabor in the backstory of the lead up to Jin-Roh being produced - considering a lot of the same key people were involved - as I feel it was a real big franchise pre GITS and apparently Pat2 is what lead to a lot of the funding for GITS in the first place - mainly with Manga Entertainment. Cant wait for more to come Sage, keep up the great work!
Hajime Mizoguchi's compositional work on this movie is possibly one of my favorite things about it, so I'm super glad you brought it up, too. Dude deserves a lot of recognition for his work!
Uruseiyatsura 2: Beautiful Dreamer is the link between old Oshii and new Oshii. It's a masterpiece with just the right amount of mistery and philosophy, a personal work that still doesn't betray the original series it's based on (letting each character be himself). It's also, in my opinion, the most effective and moving depiction of nostalgia for the happy and careless days of youth.
I had to think of Jin-Roh when watching Mars Red last anime season because the soldiers in that looked a lot like these guys. Even if the CGI was not all that great.
For the sake of transparency, this now edited comment was used to advertise the original sponsor of this video, which has also since been edited to remove said sponsorship integration, as the intended period of time for it's inclusion has ended.
Great review Oshii is one of my favourite creators and anime directors, so definitely glad to see someone tackle his universe. I am looking forward to Patlabor reviews.
The fact all those things got in the way, all those little things that probably would have screwed over (And in some Movies and Shows cases, probably very well did.) the film in some way, and the movie managed to be THAT good in spite of all of that is nothing short of astonishing.
There's also a good Korean Live Action remake of the film called Illang: the Wolf Brigade. I saw it before the animated original so I don't have any comments to compare the two, to say which is better. But I say it's worth checking out.
If you're seen the original the Korean version isn't really all that great. It feels like an existing action movie that had some bits of Jin-Roh bolted onto it. It keeps the basic structure, but utterly bungles the ending and, I feel, seems to have been made by someone who didn't Get Jin-Roh. It's not a bad movie, just not a good remake.
Honestly I find Red Spectacles and Stray Dog: Kerberos Panzer Cops as very fascinating movies. I showed Red Spectacles to a group of my friends and we all loved the movie.
Mizoguchi was married to Yoko Kanno. Afair they worked together on Escaflowne. His work with the Cello is second to none. „Shadow of Doubt“ of Escaflowne OST might still be one of the best pieces fitting it’s thematic in all of film history. I even follow the guy on Insta. I wish he was more famous. He has a cool cat.
I absolutely loved Patlabor 1, and I absolutely hated Patlabor 2. Spoilers are why so I won't go into it, but the motivations of the villains are the primary reasons why I felt the way that I did.
Weird, inwas just re watching your Fist of the North Star review earlier today, wandering, how's Bennett doing? Lo and behold, you upload hours later, with a re review of one of my favourites. 😂💜
Kinda sad that in efforts to prevent anime from being lost to time, some pieces of anime abandon are lost to time and the winds of change I suppose It’s nice to see that some may come back if they were taken off by RU-vid
Nice to see you revisiting old episode. Btw, I do wish you would review some more classic old anime - particularly Go Nagai - that is not just a short OVA. The 1970 Cutie Honey, Devilman Lady, etc...
Oshii: "Please direct my film!" Okiura, too nervous to do it: "Um, uh... I'll do it, but... only if you make the story a Romance!" Okiura, thinking to himself: _Haha now I got him!_ _He won't want me to direct his movie now!_ _Everyone is stupid except me!_ Oshii: "k" Okiura: 👁👄👁💧
I swear to God you channel has some association with Christmas because every time I started watching your channel it's always when I put up Christmas decorations I don't know what the hell is up
Don't be too harsh on your original review. Jin Roh was the second anime I ever watched (excluding 4Kids stuff), and I did not get it at all. Your review made me rewatch it with older eyes, and I still have to thank you for that.
I remember buying the Mamoru Oshii collection with the live action films and thinking they'd be like Jin Roh level and now i wish i didnt buy them. Even more I cant get rid of them easily haha, at least the soundtrack it had was great.
Duuuude, I binge watched Urusei Yatsura a couple of years back, and never once did I notice it was directed by the same guy who did GitS and Jin-Roh. That's hella trippy.
Great idea Bennett. I was just thinking that you should revisit some of your older reviews, especially Evangelion. I would suggest doing the newer movies and End of Evangelion again.
I am ironically waiting for you to re-review all the Love Hina stuff you did. Ironically you're opinion most likely hasn't changed but if that happens it would give me some good laughs.
Anime abandon ideas - Birdy the Mighty(1996),Sakura wars(1997),Konjiki no Gash Bell(2007) OldTaku New Tricks ideas - Birdy the Mighty Decode(2008),Kabanery of the Iron Fortress
