REVIEW by Al SHEVY
FULL METAL YAKUZA - What can I say, ever since I saw a great flick called FUDO I was hooked by Takashi Miike. He goes where others dare not. He does not candy coat sex and violence. Blood, sex, gore it's all here. But the difference with a Takashi Miike film is that he uses these elements to tell a story and not let them take over the story. Yes there are many who will view Miike films for the sex and violence and in that aspect they deliver, but under it all are stories with REAL emotions.
FULL METAL YAKUZA is the story of a inept wannabe yakuza named Keisuke Hagane. He joins a yakuza group with his friend Ken mainly because he is in awe of the boss named Tosa. Keisuke is delegated to cleaning the floors while his friend Ken quickly moves up in the group. Ken indeed has the balls to be a yakuza while Keisuke just does not have what it takes. Keisuke gets beaten up by a gang of kids and cannot even keep a erection while screwing his girlfriend. When she makes fun of him and his small penis he slaps her and she in turn slaps him back and Keisuke does nothing.
His boss, Tosa, is placed in prison for hacking and killing some other yakuza from another group. On the day he is released Keisuke is sent to pick Tosa up. Its all part of a set up and bad things happen. 
Next thing you know Keisuke becomes a cyborg built from his body and Tosa's. Their bodies were sold to a nutty professor who built them to be a super hero. Instead he gets FULL METAL YAKUZA. The cyborg is not suppose to have emotions yet wants revenge and has some feelings. This causes him to overload, jerk about wildly, and smoke at times. Most of his body is now covered in armor and he is super strong and fast. This leads into some great over the top violence as Keisuke sets out for revenge.
Miike covers all kinds of territory here. There are elements of Robocop, Frankenstein, Robinson Crusoe, and more. Part comedy, dark humor, horror, sci fi, porno, and violence Miike combines it all well into a flick that has to be seen to be believed. This low budget wonder has more going for it than any 5 Hollywood blow outs. 
The dvd views very well. The sound is in stereo. No surround sound but it really works well in stereo. It is Japanese with English subtitles. They can be seen well as they are white with black outlines so you don't have any drop outs. If I have any complaint about them its that some scenes go by too fast. But that is a minor complaint.
If you are a fan of Takashi Miike you will want to add this dvd to your collection. If you like your movies with gore, violence and perverted sex then you need look no further. Here it is. ARTSMAGICDVD

Review by Al Shevy

FROM THE DIRECTOR OF 
‘THE BLACK SOCIETY TRILOGY’
SHINJUKU TRIAD SOCIETY 
RAINY DOG 
LEY LINES

TAKASHI MIIKE’s
FULL METAL YAKUZA

When a bumbling gangster is killed in the crossfire of a yakuza execution, it’s the best thing that ever happened to him! 
Rebuilt by a mad professor as a super-robo yakuza (with private parts to match!!) this full-metal killer is ready to find out who was responsible for his death and mete out 
bloody revenge.

DVD SPECIAL FEATURES
• In-depth Interviews with: 
Director Takashi Miike 
Editor Yasushi Shimamura 
Leading actor Tsuyoshi Ujiki
• Full Length Commentary by 
Tom Mes, Author of ‘Agitator-The Cinema Of Takashi Miike’
• Detailed Biographies and Filmographies
• ArtsmagicDVD Previews

1997 • Color • Dolby Digital
16:9 Anamorphic Presentation
Region 1 • DVD-9 • Not Rated
Running Time 103 minutes 
SRP: $24.95 • STREET DATE: May 25 • CAT. NUMBER: ATU 001 • UPC: 8 81482 0001 9 7