DISCLAIMER: This movie contains some disturbing images. Like this one:
Viewer discretion is advised.
CHECK IT OUT YO!
Director: Miyamoto Reiko (whose attention to detail is astounding)
Starring: Isaka Toru - Ichikawa Hayato (Ju-On 2, Lily Chou-Chou no Subete, Niji no Megami)
Tamashiro Tetsuo - Hiraoka Yuuta (Swing Girls, Ima Ai ni Yukimasu, Kiken na Aneki, Trick -MOVIE EDITION- 2)
Motobe Akira - Emoto Tasuku (69, 17-sai no Fuukei, Hatsukoi)
Haebaru Yui - Inoue Mao (Hana Yori Dango, Kids War, Kaidan, Gegege no Kitaro)
Nakamura Nagisa - Itou Ayumi (Tifa Lockheart in Final Fantasy VII AC/CC/DC, Ageha in Swallowtail)
Tarama Ryouta - Tamayama Tetsuji (Sparking Wolf in GaoRanger, Nana, Tengoku no Honya ~Koibi~)
Along the lines of movies like "Swing Girls" and "Linda, Linda, Linda", Check It Out, Yo!! is a movie about a bunch of high school kids who live in Okinawa (area code 098, for those wondering) discovering rap (through a very unreliable source, in my opinion) and forming their own band.
Their "Dragon Voice" is Isaka Toru, who spends most of the movie yelling out much of his lines (he seems to be channeling BanBan from Dekaranger). For a movie that is more about story than anything else, Ichikawa ends up doing A LOT of stunts that a film like this usually doesn't warrant.
He's rather good at it, I'll admit...
Their "Tablemeister" is Tamashiro Tetsuo, played by Hiraoka "Hired for His Hair" Yuuta. He's once again playing the "Handsome Savior of All Mankind" stint, but now coupled with the "I've got a secret pain that I hide with a smile" complex that the teenage girls just drool over.
And the...err..."Other Guy" is Motobu Akira. As per every other "Other Guy", his storyline is nowhere near complex, but then again, it does keep it kind of real, since there are some people out there with no real drama going on in their life. He's more of the casual observer, who while not being involved in any major emotional event, always knows the right thing to say after all the smoke clears.
Haebaru Yui is their unofficial manager. She doesn't really manage them, per se, but does get on their ass about having a song to play for a gig, and even helps name their band. The fact that she's played by Hana Yori Dango's Inoue Mao is a stroke of genius: here, she plays a girl that is NEVER afraid to kick anyone's ass...
...which is why she's responsible for the more violent scenes in the movie ^_^
Nagisa is that one random girl that motivates Isaka to do this whole rap thing. Instead of just being someone to pine for, she actually does nice little things to help him out, such as taking him shopping for clothes, or lighting up the sky to wish him luck. My only gripe is that Itou Ayumi is trying TOO HARD to act that you can TELL she's acting, making it hard to believe that she's actually feeling the emotions she's supposedly feeling. She needs to drop it down a few notches so that they don't feel forced.
Ryouta is played by everyone's favorite Sparking Wolf, Tamayama Tetsuji. Now, I don't know if he understands the concept or not, but he was supposed to be playing a rapper, a live performer, hell, a rock star, at least. But no...he just ends up playing this character the way he's played every character since he donned the silver spandex: EMO. His rap scene is poorly done, obviously missing the one thing that every front man needs to have or risk death by thrown projectile: STAGE PRESENCE. This guy has none.
He's just there and not much else, making the scene where he talks to Isaka (where he tells him that he's just "superficial" and "hollow inside") just that much more ironic.
Okay, before I go on...RANDOM CLIPS FROM THE EQUALLY RANDOM MUSICAL NUMBER!
One of the nice little aspects of this movie are the side stories involving their parents. Most movies of this genre use the parents to simply propel the story in the direction it (kind of) needs to go. Here, they have their own contained storyline that, while never truly affecting the main story, is written so well that you actually care what happens to them, too.
I must say that, besides some acting flaws, I liked this movie a lot. Director Miyamoto knows how to shoot her actors, and it's in the subtlety of some reactions that make it seem all the more real. She won't shift the focus for the audience, which makes every viewing different, since you notice new things every time. It's one of the reasons why my multiregion DVD player was worth the purchase =P
Product Placement!
Note that the majority of the BLEACH soundtrack is on the left side, with Orange Range's *~Asterisk~ playing on the TV. If you look near the bottom right, you'll find the Mahou Sentai Magiranger soundtrack.
Look past the CDs that Nagisa has in her hand. That's right, folks...it's Orange Range's NATURAL!
HOW TO BE A POSER
Step 0: Go Shopping
Have a friend take you to the trendiest malls, preferably a female one. If she's popular where you're from, even better!
Step 1: Get Something Shiny
Real posers have big bling. The reflected rays of light will blind whoever is looking long enough for them to not notice how fake you are. Just remember, dog tags do NOT go on your hair!
Step 2: Get a Starter Cap.
Wear a cap with the logo of a team that people barely know of that plays a sport that everyone's clueless about. People will say "Hey, That's So Awesome!" to hide their own ignorance.
Step 3: If it don't feel right, it IS right.
Dress like you inherited all your threads from your fat uncle Charlie. Chicks dig it for some reason.
Step 4: Be A Good Ranger
Since wearing the wrong color in a given area can lead to someone capping your ass, you should gather a smorgasboard of primary colors for your wardrobe. Here, we demonstrate the most popular selection method: The Dairanger Selection.
Step 5: Go The Hell Home
Now you've bought all you need to. Go home, dress up, and face the brave new world. You are now a certified poser!
