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Casshern
Anime DVD Review
Based on an obscure 1973 Tatsunoko anime TV series of the same name (and a later anime OAV known in the USA as Casshan: Robot Hunter), this live-action sci-fi reimagining was a smash hit in Japan taking audiences by storm with its unique cinematic vision, and now the Director's Cut comes to USA DVD for the very first time! With stunning, jaw-dropping visuals and an exciting tale about a post-Third World War dystopian future, Casshern thrills viewers by using some of the same techniques as those used in the blockbuster film 300.
 Filmed entirely using a digital backlot technique similar to Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow, Sin City and 300, Casshern allowed the film-makers unlimited imagination and they make full-use of it with outstanding visuals that depict the brutal world the characters inhabit with stunning realism.
 Set in a dystopian future in which the planet has been ravaged by a catastrophic Third World War, Casshern follows the story of a young man imbued with superhuman strength who emerges as humanity's last hope in an epic battle against powerful mutant neo-humans and their army of robots. Join the powerful warrior Casshern in his battle as humanity's last hope against the dreaded mutant neo-humans before their robots can annihilate the human race and give rise to a whole new world.
The incredible action sequences are magnificently rendered using state-of-the-art digital technology and the fantastically gripping story comes alive through moving performances set against awe-inspiring digital backgrounds.
 Understand that the film is uniquely Japanese; there are no good guys or bad guys, and instead, the horrific future is inevitable, humanity's future hangs in the balance, but, it is shown again and again that perhaps humanity is not really worth saving. Unlocking the layers of history and morality that are infused into the storyline and the way it plays out will leave you pondering the film for some time.
In the end, Casshern stands out as one of the most original film masterpieces to come along in some time. Compared to the mindless eye-candy blockbusters Americans are fed, this film is refreshingly thought-provoking and deliriously dazzling as it is exciting. You simply MUST experience this film.
Below: Scenes from Casshern.
Reviewed by Brian Cirulnick, December 2007
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