This is the sort of film that gives anime a bad name, being full of sex, violence, and all the other stuff we here at Trash City look for in a movie. Yes, we know it's not all like that. But when it's well-handled and directed, there's no denying it: shallow exploitation can be great fun. Actually, "shallow" is doing this a bit of a dis-service, since there's more depth here than at first meets the eye - not in the characters, admittedly, but in a plot with one big twist and a lot of little ones. Taki is an agent of the Black Guard, tasked with bodyguarding a signatory for a treaty between the human world and the demonic one, which will bring peace to the two realms. But not everyone wants the treaty to be signed... Hence his partner - Makie, a demon in (inevitably) shapely female form, who helps him fend off any number of icky monsters with tentacles, or mouths in unusual places. Think Men in Black meets The Thing, in a remake financed by the Playboy channel. As a result, there's plenty going on, though Taki could be played by Keanu Reeves in any live-action remake [actually, there was one already, made in Hong Kong]. You want a thought-provoking drama the whole family can enjoy? Look elsewhere. You want chilli sauce with that kebab? Pull up a chair.
B
