The Calamari Wrestler
The Calamari Wrestler /Ika resuraa | |
---|---|
Directed by | Minoru Kawasaki |
Written by |
Minoru Kawasaki Masazaku Migita |
Produced by | Shuntaro Kanai |
Starring |
Miho Shiraishi Osamu Nishimura Akira Nogami Yoshihiro Takayama |
Cinematography | Minoru Kawasaki |
Edited by | Minoru Kawasaki |
Production company |
Imagica Corp. |
Distributed by | Klock Worx Co. |
Release date |
|
Running time |
95 minutes |
Country | Japan |
Languages | English Japanese |
The Calamari Wrestler (いかレスラー, Ika resuraa) is a 2004 Japanese film by director Minoru Kawasaki, starring Kana Ishida and Osamu Nishimura.
Plot
The plot revolves around a professional wrestler who, after developing a terminal illness, becomes a giant squid-like creature (Osamu Nishimura). As a giant squid, he must battle to reclaim his former life both inside and outside the ring.
Cast
- Kana Ishida as Miyako
- Osamu Nishimura as Kanichi Iwata/The Calamari Wrestler
- Akira Nogami as Koji Taguchi/The Octopus Wrestler
- Hirohisa Nakata as Godozan/The Squilla Boxer
- Miho Shiraishi as Sister
- Yoshihiro Takayama as himself
- Hariken Ryu as Calamari Wrestler's suit actor
Reception
Jeannett Catsoulis of The New York Times described the film as goofy and bizarre "yet surprisingly coherent" with "a good-natured charm." Catsoulis commented on the themes of the film noting a "convincing parallel between the anxieties of post-World War II Japan and what the film calls the "utter chaos" of the country today."