IIwatch and review a lot of Asian films, a number of which can definitely be described by the term “extreme” at least due to their distance from everything that is perceived as mainstream cinema. Pink, exploitation, splatter and all kinds of cult do not deter me at all, on the contrary, I frequently enjoy them, despite their no-budget aesthetics. It seems, however, I do have a limit in terms of how low the quality of a title and can be, and “Dosuemon” went much further, even to the point that can be described as offensive, a term I do not remember giving to any title before.
Dosuemon is screening at Japan FilmFest Hamburg
The paper-thin script seems to be a parody of the radically popular character Doreamon, who in this case, is replaced by the titular character, who has come from the future in order to help young Kasu Kasuto, who has masturbated so much, his penis is about to have an infection. Dosuemon proceeds on helping him get a girl he likes, and even face some of the bullies that have been tormenting him. The way he proceeds, however, is essentially disgusting, since the girl is kidnapped and placed in bondage for both protagonists to have their way with, while the bullies find themselves knifed to death. The movie proceeds in the same fashion, with the knifing, the raping and the overall sexual violence coming in waves, and even becoming more and more intense as time passes. The involvement of the police sheds more light on Dosuemon’s identity, while Kasu seems to cherish the way he changed his life, to the point that he cannot let him go, even after his parents also get involved in his endeavors.
Evidently, Shingo Kanemoto tried to shoot a film that is a mixture of parody of Doraemon, even including some moving sketches sequences throughout the film, a pink film, and an exploitation one, probably taking inspiration from Takashi Miike’s V-cinema days. The production values however are so bad, including the cinematography, the editing and the ridiculous sound and SFX, that even if the context was worthwhile, it would not matter. The same applies to the acting, with Rikiya Kaidu as Dosuemon and You Yamazaki as Kasu performing like absurdly perverted and violent caricatures, with their effort barely touching the borders of what we call ‘acting’. Evidently, the constant cursing and the whole script does not help them at all, not that this is any kind of excuse, while the rest of the actors seem to be there just to receive the sexual advances or the violent tendencies of the duo and particularly of Dosuemon.
Raping, beating up people who did not laugh during a movie screening, stealing the groceries from an old lady and then eating them in front of her, not to mention the ridiculous reasons for knifing people, are just some of the elements that can appal any viewer, particularly because they are given through a style that seems to mimic children’s movies. At the same time, that the approach to all the aforementioned is a comedic one, essentially expecting the audience to laugh with how different from Doraemon the protagonist is, emerges as an equally offensive element.
I never imagined that I would say something like this for a film, but “Dosuemon” is a movie that should have never been made. Not even in the “So bad that is good” category
