Fans of cult Japanese films became very aware of a movie called “Ichi the Killer” in 2003. Directed by Takashi Miike, it became infamous for it’s very extreme violence and taboo nature. The basic plotline of that film is that in a Yakuza syndicate (the Anjo clan) has just lost their leader. The Anjo clan is then targeted by a group of people that once used to be in the clan and are gunning for their destruction. To make matters worse, a character kown as Ichi is wiping them out one by one… a sadist/masochist who revels in death and sexual perversion… at the same time! Well… ambiguous, yes, but you have to see it to believe it.

The movie we are reviewing is not this film but the new anime prequel that shares the same name. It is just as twisted and violent as it’s predecessor and fills in the years leading up to the film for the protagonist, Ichi. From the onset, Ichi is obviously not revelling in his teenage years. Bullied and tormented at school and at home rather harshly, choosing to take it and repress all his anger rather than taking a stand. This sort of pressure can mess with someone’s sanity and sure enough, Ichi’s grip on reality begins to float away like a plastic bag in a tornado. After an incident where he is forced to dissect a frog in front of his class things begin to get a little weird when he is aroused by the dissection… that’s right, I said aroused.

Ichi explores this weird sensation by massacring the school’s pet bunnie rabbits then pleasuring himself over their twisted remains. His friend Kaneda secretly watches him do this and blackmails him into handing over money daily to keep his secret. This constant pressure finally makes Ichi snap and he gives in to his desires… throw in a little bit of masochistic hentai porn to boot and you have one disturbing revelation. Warning, there are some severely disturbed and brutal scenes towards women and animals. You most likely will be shocked even though it is animated.

Okay, I think you pretty much get the jist of what the film is about. I actually tried to watch the film in Japanese with subtitles to get the true sense of the story, but I found that It was actually better when viewed in English. The animation is disappointing. Very poorly drawn. In fact, it doesn’t look like an anime film at all, which is why I probably preffered it in English. It kind of reminded me of a low budget art house student animation. The music score was good and was on the money when it came to setting the mood and narrating Ichi’s descent into madness.

I think the less said about the rest the better. I think the die hard Ichi fans will enjoy this but for the rest of you, I recommend renting before you buy. You will either love it or hate it but it is worth a look anyway.

Rating: 2.5 out of 5