Zebraman 2: Attack on Zebra City Blu-ray Review

"Zebraman 2: Attack on Zebra City" is presented on Blu-ray with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.78:1 by FUNimation Entertainment. Shot on HD video, the film has the characteristic smooth, shiny, and textureless look typical of this format. Director Takashi Miike utilizes intentional filtering, particularly evident in the recap sequence, which is desaturated and skewed towards yellow. The primary visual aesthetic shifts to slate gray and cool blue tones, somewhat diminishing fine detail. While the film showcases above-average detail, its frequent darkness, reflecting both lighting conditions and tone, often results in noticeable crush.

Despite these issues, the transfer has commendable attributes. White levels are impressively clean, and black levels appear natural and exceptionally inky without crush. Strong picture depth lends a robust visual experience supported by excellent detail in well-lit scenes. However, there are sporadic challenges, including random grain surges and minor noise accumulations that occasionally disrupt texture consistency. The film's contrast is deliberately manipulated, alternating between extreme pushes and subtler dial-backs, contributing to a surreal aesthetic. While the transfer achieves remarkable highs, it is marred by significant lows, balancing vibrancy and occasional technical imperfections.

The audio presentation on the Blu-ray release of "Zebraman 2: Attack on Zebra City" is delivered exclusively in its original Japanese language track, presented in Dolby TrueHD 5.1. While it may not include an English dub, the auditory experience remains compelling and immersive. The mix, although not consistently utilizing all surround channels, makes excellent use of environmental ambience during traditional dialogue scenes with a striking front and center focus. Where the track truly shines is in the music sequences, particularly with the Zebra Queen’s performances. These moments bring the surround channels to life, delivering an energetic and dynamic soundscape that effectively captures the film’s J-music elements. The low end is particularly noteworthy, providing powerful bass that enhances both the music and action sequences.

Despite some inconsistencies in surround activity during action scenes, where you might expect more use of side and rear channels, the overall fidelity and dynamic range of the audio track are impressive. Particularly for scenes with significant contrast between quiet dialogue and high-energy music or action, the audio maintains clarity and delivers precise localization effects. Pitch-perfect dynamics and solid bass establish a substantial auditory appeal, making it a strong component of the viewing experience. The bass levels could benefit from deeper thundering during critical moments, but the all-encompassing presence of Zebraman’s thematic music compensates substantially.

In summary, while "Zebraman 2: Attack on Zebra City" might lack an English dub and shows some front-channel bias in its surround mix, it excels in delivering a robust Dolby TrueHD 5.1 track. Exceptional fidelity, dynamic range, and impactful low end—especially during musical numbers—make it an auditory highlight of this Blu-ray offering.

The Extras on the Blu Ray of "Zebraman 2: Attack on Zebra City" provide an extensive dive into the making of the film, offering a thorough view of behind-the-scenes activities across various stages of production. The standout feature is the detailed "Making Of" documentary, which spans nearly 90 minutes and delves deeply into elements such as costume preparation, shooting challenges, and director Takashi Miike's unique approach. While the interviews with Miike and the main cast, including Riki Abe, Show Aikawa, Masahiro Inoue, and Riisa Naka, offer personal insights, they can feel somewhat repetitive if you're familiar with similar content on other releases. The feature on the music video is particularly engaging for its narrow focus, providing a rare, in-depth look at this specific creative process. The disc is rounded out by original commercials and theatrical trailers.

Extras included in this disc:

The Making of Zebraman 2: Comprehensive piece covering pre-production to post, including CGI. The Making of Zebra Queen's Theme Music Video: Behind-the-scenes of music video choreography and direction. Interview with Director Takashi Miike: Insight into Miike's vision and hopes for the franchise. Interview with Riki Abe (Niimi): Abe discusses his excitement and experiences working on the film. Interview with Show Aikawa (Shinichi/Zebraman): Aikawa shares humorous anecdotes about his role. Interview with Masahiro Inoue (Asano): Inoue talks about the challenges of his character. Interview with Riisa Naka (Yui/Zebra Queen): Naka reflects on her contrasting real-life and on-screen personas. Original Commercials: Collection of promotional clips. Theatrical Trailers: Previews and promotional content.

"Zebraman 2: Attack on Zebra City" presents itself as an exercise in dichotomy, adopting a radically different style from its predecessor. The film’s plot sees Shinichi Ichikawa, once a third-grade teacher and now Zebraman, revisiting his superhero roots in a dystopian Tokyo rebranded as Zebra City. The storyline plunges into a future where Zebra Queen, an over-the-top pop icon with villainous intents played by Riisa Naka, imposes chaotic Zebra Time, a legal five-minute crime spree occurring twice daily. Miike fast-forwards from the original's charm and low-budget ethos to an opulently surreal, darker aesthetic akin to the Gothic hues of Christopher Nolan’s Batman.

Technically spectacular, the movie trades in Zebraman's nostalgic lo-fi for a richer tapestry loaded with absurd yet engaging elements like the meticulous yet ominous Zebra Police and the flamboyant music videos of Zebra Queen. The production amplifies Miike's penchant for blending satirical humor with jarring social commentary. Audiences are exposed to eclectic, visually arresting sequences that mix outrageous visuals juxtaposed against starkly serious themes such as societal decay and power struggles — an interplay of black and white symbolism both literal and figurative.

Despite its tonal shift and convoluted plot devices that stretch believability to its limits, "Zebraman 2" exudes the director’s distinctive lunacy. Tim Burton’s weirdest dreamscapes pale compared to Miike’s off-kilter extravaganza featuring green aliens, dystopian cityscapes, and pop culture pastiche. It may disappoint purists clinging to the first film’s whimsical charm yet attracts those appreciating its stand-alone status, where prior knowledge is optional due to concise recaps. Zebraman battling Zebra Queen encapsulates Miike’s vision of anarchic fun underpinned by visual slapstick genius, culminating in a film that mirrors its helmer's famously unhinged yet captivating direction style.

"Zebraman 2: Attack on Zebra City" stands as a testament to Takashi Miike's unique, boundary-pushing style. This sequel does not demand prior familiarity with its predecessor, making it accessible to new viewers. Embracing themes that range from bizarre to riotously outlandish, this film showcases Miike’s signature blend of quirky subplots and unconventional characters. The film’s production design is notable for its superb costumes and sets, mirroring the frenetic energy of its narrative. As expected from Miike, the plot can be perplexing, requiring patience but ultimately rewarding those who surrender to its madness.

Technically, the Blu-ray release impresses with stellar visual aspects. The picture quality is sharp, flaunting vivid colors and precise detailing that bring Miike's vivid dystopian vision to life. The high-definition transfer maintains a consistent and clean image throughout, enhancing the film’s spectacular visual appeal. Acoustically, the audio mix balances the chaotic soundscape well, ensuring dialogue is clear amid the often boisterous background scores and action sequences.

If you're a fan of Miike, you kind of know what to expect with "Zebraman 2: Attack on Zebra City," at least as much as you ever know what to expect with Miike. This is another deliberately outré, quite odd offering from the director. It's also an odd sort of follow-up, one which seems to jettison a lot of the first Zebraman's innocent charm in favor of a much darker, almost sadomasochistic approach. The film is visually quite spectacular, and it's often quite funny despite being fairly violent a lot of the time. If you don't mind something a bit nonsensical and completely weird, "Zebraman 2: Attack on Zebra City" comes Recommended.