Tokyo Tribe (2014)

Constantly being shaken by earthquakes, a futuristic (or perhaps alternate universe) Tokyo is ruled over by several tribes or gangs if you prefer. They manage for the most part to tolerate each other by staying off each other's turf. But the evil Big Buppa (Riki Takeuchi) and his henchman (Ryohei Suzuki) have plans to start a turf war and take over all of Tokyo. Based on the manga (a Japanese graphic novel) TOKYO TRIBE 2 by Santa Inoue, the film is a colorful mixture of part SIN CITY, part THE WARRIORS, part ABSOLUTE BEGINNERS all done to a hip hop beat. Indeed, since over half the movie is sung (rapped?) to hip hop, it's fair to call it a musical though it's unlike any musical you've ever seen. The violence is of the comic book variety though there is much nudity but the movie is rich in humor too. At first I was leery about a two hour movie with almost non stop rapping (in Japanese) but the mesmerizing hip hop beat and the dazzling visual look of the film (courtesy of Daisuke Soma) are difficult to resist so I just gave in. I can't imagine anyone not being beguiled with it. Directed by Shion Sono. With Young Dais, Nana Seino and Ryuta Sato.