KAPPEI

On a remote Japanese island, a severe kung-fu master trains a group of boys to become “Doomsday Warriors”. After the inevitable Apocalypse, which Nostradamus predicted would take place in 1999, they are to fight for justice in a ravaged world. When this doomsday scenario still hasn’t materialized in 2022 (!), the sensei decides to throw in the towel and to sack his disciples. From now on, this lot of frustrated warriors are forced to find their place in a modern, pretty un-apocalyptic Tokyo. But they’re a bit out of touch with what’s hip and dandy nowadays. One thing is sure: it isn’t their discount superhero looks, with leader Kappei sporting a spectacularly camp rendering of the Conan the Barbarian costume. They soon realize there’s very little to confront in contemporary Tokyo, apart from the other sex… But their master never taught them anything about romance! With a bit of imagination you could consider KAPPEI as a zany variation on LOST IN TRANSLATION, without Scarlett but with manga flair. That’s no coincidence, seeing as it’s based on the work of Kiminori Wakasugi, of which you already got a taste with Sion Sono’s THE VIRGIN PSYCHICS (BIFFF 2016)!