Demon City Shinjuku

Demon City Shinjuku
魔界都市 (新宿) (Makai Toshi: Shinjuku)
Genre	Horror, Action
Novel
Written by	Hideyuki Kikuchi
Published by	Asahi Sonorama
Published	1982
Original video animation
Directed by	Yoshiaki Kawajiri
Studio	Madhouse
Licensed by	Central Park Media (former), Discotek (current)
Released	October 5, 1988
Runtime	80 minutes
Manga
Written by	Hideyuki Kikuchi
Illustrated by	Shinichi Hosama
Published by	Akita Shoten
English publisher	ADV Manga
Original run	June 27, 2002 – September 26, 2002
Volumes	2
Anime and Manga Portal

Demon City Shinjuku (魔界都市 (新宿), Makai Toshi: Shinjuku^?) is a novel by Hideyuki Kikuchi that was adapted into an original animated video (OVA) in 1988, directed by Yoshiaki Kawajiri. The title has also been translated as Hell City Shinjuku and Monster City.

The film was released in North America by Central Park Media in 1994. Portions of the opening fight scene were featured in the 1995 cyberpunk film Johnny Mnemonic.

Plot

The movie begins with a battle between fates, the evil Rebi Ra (also pronounced Levi Ra or even Devi Da) versus the short-lived hero Genichirou. Rebi Ra has allowed himself to be possessed in order to gain the incredible powers of evil and plans to summon demons to conquer the world. Defeating Genichirou and destroying Shinjuku, a part of Tokyo, with a devastating earthquake, the area becomes a demon-haunted wilderness.

Ten years later, the World President, put in place to uphold world peace, is attacked by Rebi Ra indirectly to keep his old master, Aguni Lai (Aguni Rai), as the protector of the president, occupied. However, Rebi Ra did not know that Genichirou had a son who inherited his powers and more. After an emotional plea from the president's daughter, Sayaka Rama, the unlikely hero Kyoya Izayoi follows her deep into the heart of the evil city, finding new allies and terrifying enemies along the way.

Characters

((in order of appearance))

Genichirou Izayoi – the father of Kyoya Izayoi, the first to face Rebi Ra – getting himself killed in the process

Rebi Ra – the dark lord who desires to gain power and conquer the world; destroys Shinjuku

Kyoya Izayoi – the hotheaded hero; Genichirou's son; studies the art of Nempo

President Kozumi Rama – the World President, in charge of world peace; father of Sayaka Rama

Sayaka Rama – the daughter of the World President; pleas with Kyoya to save the world

Aguni Rai – the Nempo sensei to both Genichirou and Rebi Ra; protector of the World President

Old Woman – sells information in Shinjuku, for a stiff price only to be devoured by the spider demon

Spider Demon – one of three major demons summoned by Rebi Ra; uses raw physical force

Young Man – a young ally that aids the main characters on their journey

Mephisto – a strange, cloaked man of unknown power who sits idly by to watch fate unfold

Kuro – a mutated, two-headed dog belonging to the young man

Illusory Demon – one of three major demons summoned by Rebi Ra; uses illusions and water

Lady Demon – one of three major demons summoned by Rebi Ra; uses acid and strangulation

Reception

Hyper's Daniel Wilks criticises the film for having "only vaguely interconnected action scenes punctuated by some rather dull talkiness marred by horrible accents (the heroine is unconvincingly British and the childish sidekick speaks with a mangled Mexican drawl)".^[1] Ironically, as the film was dubbed in Britain, the aforementioned heroine is a genuine British person.

References

1. ^ Wilks, Daniel (December 2006). "Demon City Shinjuku". Hyper (Next Media) (158): 85. ISSN 1320-7458. 

External links

• Demon City Shinjuku (anime) at Anime News Network's Encyclopedia
• Demon City Shinjuku (manga) at Anime News Network's Encyclopedia
• AniRec Database entry (with screenshots)
• Makaitoshi Shinjuku at the Internet Movie Database