Ichi The Killer: Episode 0 is the Japanese animated prequel to my favorite movie, Ichi The Killer. I've been debating for sometime whether or not to see this. Most of the time, the "unofficial" sequels/prequels are never that good. Finally, I caved and Netflix'd the thing.

Episode 0 does not have a solid plot. It is basically the early years of Ichi. Ichi is a high school crybaby who is and goes onto be bullied his entire life. This, on top of psychological problems, major, major sexual dysfunction, a bad habit of animal abuse, and lousy parents, doesn't make for a very happy individual. One day, Ichi is betrayed by a person he believed to be his friend, finally snaps, and kills him. Later on, Ichi befriends a female masochist who reveals that he is a total sadist, albeit in extreme denial (like we didn't know already). And so begins the legacy of Ichi The Killer.

I'll give Episode 0 that it's an interesting watch. Ichi is, while completely unlikeable, a fascinating character as he is unlike any other maniac I've ever seen on screen. Seriously. This guy is ten times the nutjob of every slasher killer and Hannibal Lecter combined. He is chilling to watch whether he is being brutalized or he himself is doing the brutalizing. Unlike Takashi Miike's original film, Episode 0 dwells much more on sexual perversion than violence, which makes it even more disturbing.

Unfortunately, Episode 0 is still essentially a mediocre movie as it really only serves as an appendage to Miike's superior film. Animation that could be better, a horribly bizarre soundtrack, and the fact that the only other character from Ichi The Killer, Kakihara (voiced by Miike himself), is completely wasted are the least of Episode 0's drawbacks. In fact, the whole movie is pretty much one big drawback since Episode 0 lacks almost everything that made the original so brilliant: the other characters, the supurb acting, a legitimate storyline, the blackest of black comedy, the innovative cinematography, the pulsating soundtrack, and of course...

- Damned if it isn't. It's the cop who got fired for losing his gun. What are you doing here?

- ... I'm a gunman.

- You're kidding! First you get fired for losing your gun and now you're a gunman? Really... really... really... really...



All that's really left is the shock value. All in all, it was interesting to learn more about the title character but boil it down, Ichi The Killer: Episode 0 isn't the greatest movie.

Oh? I liked Ichi The Killer. I didn't know that there was this. I will have to look for it.