Probably known as Necking Man, but possibly as Bad Hair Dude. Except that the good guy’s hair is frickin’ amazing.
In a horrible sort of way. Kinda like me, ten years ago.
Big Man Japan (2007) examines an important problem in today’s Japan: if you’re the alter-ego of a kaiju-fighting giant, how does that affect your ordinary life? Masaru Daisatō, like several of his recent forefathers, makes his living defending Japan from the occasional monster, and this documentary about him.
Unfortunately, his efforts are not universally celebrated, as his fights have collateral damage, and sometimes his success is definitely limited. This leaks into his private life, as his wife loathes him, and his young daughter does not adore him; indeed, she may fear that she’ll be following in his footsteps, which when they’re not being made by huge feet in sandals, appear to involve a lot of lying around awaiting a phone call from the government, and otherwise meditating on a future that is definitely cloudy, if not outright depressing.
Eventually, Big Man Japan wanders off into incomprehensibility – at least for me – which left my Arts Editor and I goggling at the screen in wonder at a group of kaiju-sized fighters who seem to be playing a game.
This is definitely a strange one, but at least it has high production values.
