Crows Zero also known as Kurozu Zero was an original manga series created by Takahashi Hiroshi, and its popularity was credited to the story of a group of students in high school known for violence and mimicking aspects of the Yakuza. The manga was brought to film by Miike Takashi in 2007, which cleverly transferred the hit manga to motion film. The main theme of the story is violence, and it is appraised by many as a clever adaption of social hierarchy and popular gang cultures. As Japan is infamous for their yakuza syndicates, this story entails the contrast between high school gangs and the real time Japanese mafia. Our main character in this story is Genji, played by Oguri Shun. Genji is the son of a powerful yakuza boss who sets out a near impossible goal to become the “ ruler” of an all boys school Suzuran. Serizawa, Tokio and many other unique characters composed the main portion of the two gangs featured in the movie.
Crows Zero has achieved a large fan base purely by creating a fantasy-like world for teenagers and young adults. The main focus of the film was an in depth view of an ambitious high school student with the dream to live up to his father’s success. The story focuses on internal political relations amongst rival gangs which parallels that of actual government. During Genji’s rise to success, he forms alliances as well as creating enemies which created multiple sub stories that went parallel to the main plot. Genji explores the complicated role of being the next ruler of Suzuran as his rival Serizawa defends his title.
The film appeals to a younger clientele, given the fact that the story originates from manga and comic scripts. The portrayal of a cool, dominant gangster lifestyle is always entertaining to get into. Crows Zero targets a particular group of youth that enjoys fantasy-like action films with multiple things happening simultaneously. Our main character, Genji is portrayed as a fearless fighter, capable of defeating many foes at once. As demonstrated during the scene where Genji was attacked at the courtyard, he was able to stand his own against dozens of thugs, eventually winning the loyalty of a boss named Izaki through brute determination. Genji’s surreal ability to endure extensive amounts of physical abuse as well as his ability to deliver punishment made him an appealing character. As a fan of gangster movies, Crows Zero has really captivated the portrayal of bad boys in a personal point of view.
The action scenes were most enjoyable as the camera angles successfully created a dynamic feel. There are many different angles used in the filming which created an interesting combination of scenes that elevated the action. Miike was able to interpret the action scenes of the manga into real-time action scenes, often switching point of views time to time. Miike was also able to achieve the first-person point of view, which puts the viewer close and personal in the fight. There were lots of special effects which created an exaggeration in the power of the punches and the cries of war added an authentic feel of shogun-style warfare. Prior to battle in most scenes, the leaders would unleash a furious cry and then charge. The exaggerated action was definitely on spot, and gave a surreal feel, which oddly as it sounds created a comical and entertaining value, opposed to a grim and gritty feel.
Crows Zero’s success gave birth to a second installment of the series. The movie is highly recommended for viewers that enjoy the yakuza-based genre. The clever camera angles and suspenseful action sequences added to the already popular gangster style film. The movie’s intermittent comical scenes and exaggerated action sequences gave a light and refreshing feel to the film, steering away from the average gangster film. The story includes love, politics and action which gives Crows a definitive advantage in pop culture demands.