Cutie Honey is a 2004 Japanese superhero film directed and co-written by Hideaki Anno and is an adaptation of a 1970’s manga and anime series of the same name. The film centres around Cutie Honey’s battel to defend humanity and avenge her father against Panther Claw. Cutie Honey is a fun entertaining film that fans of Japanese cinema should watch.
The direction in the film is good. The film feels like a zany kid’s movie as it has an over-the-top comedic style. The film very much feels like a slapstick comedy and is over the top with Cutie transforming into an anime-esc motorcycle outfit. The film has a good use of rapid-fire editing and a good anime-esc ecstatic. The film veery much looks and feels like a cartoon villain being over the top, the film also uses the extras in the film in an interesting way with them all turning into the villains’ soldiers and looking the same. There is a good use of sped up footage which works with the zany nature of the film as the film very much feels like a live action anime. The film also has an interesting use of digital transformation effects which works with the films over the top anime style. The film is very stylised with fights and effects being in sync with the editing which is shown with the kaiju like flight with the gold villain. The film is silly and stupid in the best way possible as when Cutie gest arrested then breaks out it combines wacky very the top feelings with a grounded reality. The film is ultimately a good buddy cop movie with cutie honey and the police girl who are opposites, there is a weird surreal nature to the film which Cutie acting like a cat.
The film is both zany and serious at the same time with cutie honey being a very quirky character. The film very much feels like a live action adaptation of a manga. This is clearly shown with a weird surreal musical number with artistic lighting and effects as the films villain sister Jill looks like a power rangers’ villain as the film has surreal weird looking cartoon villains. The film feels like a children’s carton however this feeling is juxtaposed with elements of realism. The cartoon feeling is shown with the villain’s lair being over the top, cartoony and zany. The villains in the film have a very distinctive weird look to them. Cutie Honey is a very charming character in the film as she just wants to be friends with Aki, but she is having none of it. The film is very much a zany comedy with a comedic duo of opposites as the film is crazy and zany with over-the-top cartoon villains and sicarios. There is some cool imagery were one of the villains flowers falls from its stem indicating one of the villains henchman has died, as this world runs on cartoon logic. There is a cool anime segment in the film as the film has an element of sadness to it. There is a cuteness to the film as well as a realism that is crushing, as cutie falls into a state of depression. The film is a zany wacky three-person comedy with crazy over the top power rangers style villains. The uncle in the film becomes a giant Godzilla like mounter and very much has a cartoon style. The film was weird surreal imagery to it with a musical number and weird villains. The film has some coo artistic set deign to it with the villains’ lair, as there is really cool imagery when honey looks rotten from her power draining. The villains want to throw away love with they believe is the weak parts of humans, as instead of the villains idea of living forever she wants to live with people instead and will try not to feel pain. The film ends with the three of them together, as Seiji states he was going to capture Honey but he changed his mind. Honey and Aki mend their friendship and the three of them work together as honey has final found a place to belong.
The acting in the film is good. Erika Sato does a good job as Cutie Honey a lively and carefree android who doubles as a crimefighter. Mikako Ichikawa does a good job as Natsuko Aki an overly serious and uptight police inspector. Jun Murakami does a god job as Seiji Hayami a charming journalist and NSA agent. Hairi Katagiri does a good job as Gold Claw the egotistical first general of Panther Claw. Shie Kohinata does a good job as Cobalt Claw the controlling second general of Panther Claw. Mayumi Shintani does a good job as Scarlet Claw the playful but cowardly third general of Panther Claw. Mitsuhiro Oikawa does a good job as Black Claw the theatrical fourth general of Panther Claw. Eisuke Sasai does a good job as Sister Jill the ancient leader of Panther Claw. Toru Tezula does a good job as the Butler Sister Kills loyal servant. Masaki Kyomoto does a good job as Dr. Ryo Utsugi a scientist who is Honeys honorary uncle. Ryo. Iwamatsu does a good job as Goko Natsuko’s subordinate. Ryo Kase does a good job as Todoroki Natsuko’s subordinate. Suzuki Matsuo does a good job as Honeys office manager.
The writing in the film is good. The film is over the top in the best way possible with childlike humour as she can’t transform into her suit and therefore runs though the street with a rubbish bag on. Cutie Honey is a zany funny character who transforms into her suit and rides off on her motorbike. The film shows the cartoon villain that has the scientist hostage as she transforms the place into her soldiers. They shoot at the hostages but then the villains drop down dead as the superhero’s has saved them as the film has slapstick comic book deaths. Cutie Honey tricks the villains by dressing as the professor as she then transforms and fights the villains. The film has live action anime-esc fight scenes with very over the top explosions, as she gets the villain by hitting her with a boomerang freeing the scientist and killing the villain. They are then put under arrest as Cutie Honey’s zaniness is juxtaposed with normal work life all with an anime-esc ecstatic. Aki’s proper police officer character is juxtaposed with Cutie Honeys zany ditzy office worker. Cutie then find that Panther Claw has kidnapped the professor. Cutie Honey then meets Seji as they find out that the four creations are like gods as they have nanomachines inside of them as her late father developed this technology. There is then a weird musical number about the main villain’s sister Jill as the film sates that Cutie Honey won’t forgive and therefore Revenge will leave her empty. The detectives follow Cutie Honey who discusses herself as a street performer to sneak past them as Aki follows her, as the villains find out that Cutie honey is there enemy. The detectives find out that the professors daughter died years ago asking the question who this girl is, as Aki meets Cutie Honey at her work and investigates her. One of the co-workers is kidnapped and possessed. They run away as Cutie drags Aki away in a funny way. A skin costume then drops form the ceiling as the dominatrix looking villain attacks them as Cobalt Claw one of the four villains tacks them as Cutie Honey fights and heats up her body killing Cobalt Claw. Cutie Honey Faints as Seji find her and collects pictures as evidence. Natsuko rescues Cutie letting her stay at her flat. Cutie talks about her father bringing her back to life with an AI system as she’s like a robot a clone of her old self with no memoirs. Cutie Honey sates that a heart full of hatred is a scam and maybe a heart full of love isn’t great but its better then hate.
Honeys has plants all over there bedroom as they have an awkward relationship as she likes life but Natsuko states there no point to life if you don’t care for something. Cutie then falls into a state of depression quitting her job. Honey and Natsuko then reunite with Seiji as she finds Seiji’s photo research. Honey has become more human throughout the film as they get as message from the villain and invites her to her base. Natsuko is ready to leave the force as her and Honey reunited take each other advice to heart as they help each other to forge a connection. Lady Jill kills Power Claw as they plan on getting Cutie Honey, as Uncle Uzuiki has turned into a giant robot controlled by them. Her uncle shows Cutie her father’s watch sowing he still loves her as Cutie faces off against one of the villains. Jills true form is relived as a tree as Black Claw is killed by another one of the villains for being weak as the villains break out into song. Honey fights the villain. Honeys energy runs low as she manages to catch the villains spear, spinning him away as she lies with little power as the villain tries to kill her as she uses the last oof her power to kill him. she goes to the villain’s lair as Cutie must trade her uncle for Aki, as Cutie would also have to hand over her power system.
The villain wants to rise above humanity, but Cutie doesn’t need to, as the villain wants to merge with her and in return Aki will be spared. Aki breaks the chocker and Cutie uses Honey flash to feel her father’s love and feeling the love in her heart, as the villain doesn’t understand he must learn to love himself. The villain goes away as Honey and Aki reconcile. The film presents the theme of living forever however Cutie loves people and sates she won’t have pain. The film ends with the three of them together. Seji was going to capture Honey, but he changed his mind as a agent. Honey and Aki mend their friendship and the three of them work together as honey as finally found a place to belong.
The cinematography in the film is good. The cinematography is decent throughout as they use manga looking artwork to showcase story elements. There is a good use of blue lighting and cool dynamic camera movements. There is a cool shot with an eye in the background as some good POV shots. The villains lair has good cultic loured environment set design as well as a good use off snap zooms. There is a good use of colouring with Cuties side being normal and the villain’s side being red. There is also a good use of slowed down footage with a different background making the footage looking like an anime or manga.
The special effects in the film are good. There is a good effect with a blast of light as she transforms into her suit as well as good power ranger’s villain looking costumes. There is an interesting use of digital transformation effects, as well as an interesting effect when she jumps as she goes low quality as the villain transforms out of blobs. Dents are made in the road when the villain throws people around which has charming bad effects. There is also digital explosion effect and a cool use of practical explosion. There is good set design with the villain’s lair looking like a kid’s TV show and a cool effect of the exorcist girl crawling on the ceiling. There is a cool skin costume deign with air whips as well as an effect were extra arms come out of her body. The film uses purple blood effects as well as an effect of the villain having three hands. There is some interesting CGI lighting of the villain making his hand purple as he is dehydrating. There is also a CGI effect where a drill comes out of the ground spearing Tokyo tower on the top of it. There is a use of CGI with the uncle coming giant as well as energy beam effects. There is GCI tornado effects as well as a cool effect were Cutie seemly rots and an interesting pink cloud mist effect.
Cutie Honey is a fun, funny, entertaining film that is defiantly worth a watch.