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Demon City Shinjuku

Original title: Makai toshi (Shinjuku)
  • Video
  • 1988
  • TV-MA
  • 1h 22m
IMDb RATING
6.3/10
4.1K
YOUR RATING
Demon City Shinjuku (1988)
Adult AnimationAnimeBody HorrorHand-Drawn AnimationActionAnimationFantasyHorror

A young swordsman and the daughter of a political Messiah enter a ravaged Shinjuku, Tokyo, to stop the man who killed the former's father from opening a portal to a world of demons.A young swordsman and the daughter of a political Messiah enter a ravaged Shinjuku, Tokyo, to stop the man who killed the former's father from opening a portal to a world of demons.A young swordsman and the daughter of a political Messiah enter a ravaged Shinjuku, Tokyo, to stop the man who killed the former's father from opening a portal to a world of demons.

  • Director
    • Yoshiaki Kawajiri
  • Writers
    • Hideyuki Kikuchi
    • Kaori Okamura
  • Stars
    • Hideyuki Hori
    • Hiromi Tsuru
    • Kiyoshi Kobayashi
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.3/10
    4.1K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Yoshiaki Kawajiri
    • Writers
      • Hideyuki Kikuchi
      • Kaori Okamura
    • Stars
      • Hideyuki Hori
      • Hiromi Tsuru
      • Kiyoshi Kobayashi
    • 28User reviews
    • 18Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Photos35

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    Top cast24

    Edit
    Hideyuki Hori
    • Kyoya
    • (voice)
    Hiromi Tsuru
    Hiromi Tsuru
    • Sayaka
    • (voice)
    Kiyoshi Kobayashi
    Kiyoshi Kobayashi
    • Rebi Ra
    • (voice)
    Kyôko Tongû
    • Chibi
    • (voice)
    Yûsaku Yara
    Yûsaku Yara
    • Mephisto
    • (voice)
    Ichirô Nagai
    Ichirô Nagai
    • Rai
    • (voice)
    Osamu Saka
    • Rama
    • (voice)
    Banjô Ginga
    • Genichiro
    • (voice)
    Takeshi Aono
    Takeshi Aono
    • Hag
    • (voice)
    Arisa Andô
    • Waitress
    • (voice)
    Junko Akimori
    • Girl
    • (voice)
    Kôji Totani
    Kôji Totani
    • Rapist
    • (voice)
    Asami Mukaidono
    • Yin
    • (voice)
    Naoki Tatsuta
    Naoki Tatsuta
    • Water Demon
    • (voice)
    Hirohiko Kakegawa
    • Earth Demon
    • (voice)
    Kazumi Tanaka
    • Anchor
    • (voice)
    Gareth Armstrong
    Gareth Armstrong
    • Mephisto
    • (English version)
    • (voice)
    Teresa Gallagher
    Teresa Gallagher
    • Sayaka
    • (English version)
    • (voice)
    • …
    • Director
      • Yoshiaki Kawajiri
    • Writers
      • Hideyuki Kikuchi
      • Kaori Okamura
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews28

    6.34.1K
    1
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    10

    Featured reviews

    6foxtografo

    Slightly weak ending, great atmosphere

    This film is considered some sort of sequel of the 1987 Wicked City anime because of the demons, and the director.

    It certainly doesn't have the darkness, sexuality and violence of the former, but it's a decent anime.

    The story, I'd even say it holds better than Wicked City, the setting and atmosphere is very interesting and plays a big part, but the character designs are not that interesting, not bad, but not at the level of Vampire Hunter D or Ninja Scroll, from the same director, two of my all time favourite animes.

    The first scene and the main villain, I think, shows a lot of influence from Highlander (1986), I really enjoyed it!

    The action is also ok, but not as good and intense as the previously mentioned, or as dark and sexual as Wicked City.

    The strongest flaw for me was the underwhelming final fight, everything is ready for some badass action and it suddenly ends. Very disappointing!

    Still, it has some good moments, even some moving scene involving a "lost child".. Overall I enjoyed the film, I wouldn't recommend it as an introduction to Yoshiaki Kawajiri films, but definitely worth watching if you want more from him.
    8Sabre_Wolf

    Classic Horror Anime

    I watched this a long time ago in the days of VHS and I loved it because it told a great story and the characters were interesting. And this is among the favourites of Yosiaki Kawajiri's works I seen.

    Also the music was nothing short of great even fantastic in places.

    The animation was top notch as well as the fights and character development in this good piece of old school anime.

    Also we had a fearsome antagonist in Levi Rah and a brief explanation of what made him become what he became which always suits any kind of anime or manga.

    Also I liked the English dub and Brad Lavelle did a great job in voicing the main character Kyoya Izayoi and Bob Sessions was great in voicing the main villain Levi Rah.

    So this is an enjoyable anime made in the late 1980's.
    6blackhawk.sc

    good plot, no character development

    The son of a Nempo master must stop a sorcerer from raising hell. This is a Bruce Willis meets anime type of film. There isn't much character development at all. What's good about the film is that although the plot line is common in anime, it still entertains. See this if you're fond of lots of action and could care less about emotion.
    7virtualcrime

    Kawajiri's earlier works..Still not a master but enroute!

    Not Bad. Actually better than a lot of anime's out there. Usual storyline. Demons trying to take over tokyo thus the world. Father tries to stop the villain but fails, 10 years later comes the prodigal son and wham-bam blah blah & so on....Good action, english dubbing is Ok. Needed a little bit more insight on the storyline and the characters lacked some depth. If you follow Kawajiri's work you can c glimpses of his genious. But fans who r looking for Kawajiri's mastery wont find a lot of it in this one.
    7kevin_robbins

    This movie is far from perfect but is a worthwhile viewing.

    Demon City Shinjuku (1988) is a Japanese animated movie currently available on Amazon Prime. The storyline follows a man named Rebi Ra who has opened a gate to hell after killing a martial arts expert who tried to stop him. As various demons and beasts emerge from hell the deceased martial artist's son picks up his fathers sacred sword and sets out to stop Rebi Ra and close the gate.

    This movie is directed by Yoshiaki Kawajiri (Animatrix) and contains the voices of Hiromi Tsuru (Trigun), Kiyoshi Kobayashi (Lupin the 3rd), Yûsaku Yara (Ninja Scroll), Takeshi Aono (Metal Gear Solid) and Kôji Totani (Wicked City).

    I love the animation style which is classic late 80s/early 90s. The narrator could have been better selected but the settings, characters and universe are well portrayed. The characters are fascinating and the dialogue is very good. The final 7 minutes of this film is epic and the concluding battle gives you everything you want to see from this film.

    This movie is far from perfect but is a worthwhile viewing. I would score this a 7/10 and recommend seeing it once.

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    Related interests

    Seth Green, Mila Kunis, Alex Borstein, and Seth MacFarlane in Family Guy (1999)
    Adult Animation
    Steve Blum and Kôichi Yamadera in Cowboy Bebop (1998)
    Anime
    Jeff Goldblum in The Fly (1986)
    Body Horror
    Jodi Benson, Jason Marin, and Samuel E. Wright in The Little Mermaid (1989)
    Hand-Drawn Animation
    Bruce Willis in Die Hard (1988)
    Action
    Daveigh Chase, Rumi Hiiragi, and Mari Natsuki in Spirited Away (2001)
    Animation
    Elijah Wood in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
    Fantasy
    Mia Farrow in Rosemary's Baby (1968)
    Horror

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The film's opening sword fight was featured in the 1995 film Johnny Mnemonic.
    • Quotes

      Mephisto: Men have always fought each other, always creating chaos. That's familiar and safe. They know where they are in those circumstances, but to hazard a step into the unknown and actually love on another is far too risky for them. So if the demons do invade the world, bringing terror and misery with them, don't you think that men might welcome them as bearers of what they desire?

      Kyoya: Are you one of them? Are you, Mephisto?

      Mephisto: I have been called demonic, unjustly. I only ask if this world is worth giving your life for, do you know what you are doing?

    • Connections
      Featured in Akira VHS the Best of Japanese Animation Series Commercial (1990)

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • October 25, 1988 (Japan)
    • Country of origin
      • Japan
    • Official site
      • Yoshiaki Kawajiri Official site - Archive: Demon City Shinjuku [Japan]
    • Language
      • Japanese
    • Also known as
      • Monster City
    • Production companies
      • Japan Home Video (JHV)
      • Video Art Co.
      • Madhouse
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 22m(82 min)
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

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