Kekko Kamen Returns (2004) Kekkô Kamen: Ritânzu

Movie Rating NR Contains: Strong Language Sex Nudity Mature Situations

Director: Takafumi Nagamine Movie Genre: Exploitation, Comedy Country: Japan Kekko Kamen Returns Score Card The following scores are based on a 0.0 to 10.0 rating scale Hover your mouse pointer over the name of each scoring category below for a description Direction: 2.0 Writing: 4.0 Acting: 2.0 Cinematography: 2.0 Sound and Score: 3.0 Functionality: 5.0 Presentation: 4.6 Genre Comparison: 4.2 General Comparison: 1.4 Overall: 3.1 Reviewed 2006-03-29 19:18:19

Kekko Kamen Returns is the sixth movie in the series of live-action adaptations of Go Nagai's popular manga about a nude super heroine who uses her sex appeal to defeat her foes. In this installment, the evil Mangriffon School infiltrates a local high school's girls swim team. The Mangriffon operative, masquerading as a swimming coach, flies the girls to a remote island for an intensive "swimming camp" which consists of various forms of torment and torture. After hearing the girls' anguished cries, Kekko Kamen rushes to their rescue, wearing her trademark uniform of a floppy eared mask, cape, and boots.

Considering the popularity of the series, this movie was made on a surprisingly low budget. The filmmakers shot this on digital video and the majority of the effects consisted of poorly done computer graphics and cheap costumes. At times, the substandard quality of the visuals adds to the overall silliness of the film. Also, Kekko Kamen was in surprisingly few scenes making for an unusually small amount of nudity, considering this is a movie about a naked super heroine.

The plot of the movie is childish, and has more in common with Saban's Mighty Morphin Power Rangers than an action sex comedy. The sexual torture scenes are fairly tame and mainly involve costumed characters performing the same toilet humor routines that plague most comedies.

It is hard to tell for exactly what audience this movie was made. The costumed characters and immature slapstick humor would appeal to more children than adults, but the nudity and sexual super powers make this a movie for adults. Most people will find this movie way too juvenile. It is easy to think that a movie with such an interesting premise is sure to please. Unfortunately the inane humor and lack of nudity are too much of a detriment to this picture.