Hole Head 2010 Program Guide 'Death Kappa'
Death Kappa
Dir: Tomoo Haraguchi
Death Kappa takes a modern look at one of the more infamous Japanese Yokai creatures, the kappa, and elevates it to Godzilla proportions and city stomping shenanigans.
What exactly is a kappa? Glad that you asked. Firstly they are a Japanese mythical monster, a yokai.
According to Wikipedia:
Yōkai (妖怪 literally demon, spirit, or monster?) are a class of preternatural creatures in Japanese folklore ranging from the evil oni (ogre) to the mischievous kitsune (fox) or snow woman Yuki-onna. Some possess part animal and part human features (e.g. Kappa and Tengu). Yōkai generally have a sort of spiritual or supernatural power. Yōkai that have the ability to shape-shift are called obake.
Now a Kappa?
Most depictions show kappa as child-sized humanoids, though their bodies are often more like those of monkeys or frogs than human beings. Some descriptions say their faces are apelike, while others show them with beaked visages more like those of tortoises or with duck beaks. Pictures usually show kappa with thick shells and scaly skin that ranges in color from green to yellow or blue.[5][6][7]
I think I can add to this as well. The kappa are blamed for everything from crop failure to live stock death on a farm. The kappa has a soft spot and/or a hole in it’s head. They are known to be very polite.. If you encounter a kappa the best defense is simply to bow. The kappa, being polite, will bow back. Their brains will then fall out of their head. Problem solved. I am not making this up.
Kanako is a failed pop start who goes out to the big city to pursue her dreams only to return to the country to live with her grandma. Immediately upon her return things go further amiss as her doting granny is knocked sky high by a car of mindless drunken punk kids. They continue their reckless driving and drunken mayhem and smash into the shrine that is the keeper of the town kappa. This brings the kappa to life who is, initially, a benevolent yokai creature and loved by the people of the town. This comes to a halt and things begin to get ugly as Yuriko, the granddaughter of a mad scientist continues his mad attempt to create the “ultimate soldier” who is half fish and half human. She inadvertently detonates an Atomic bomb (a recurring theme, eh? Must happen a lot. ) The result of this is a horrible mutation that causes the fish soldier and the kappa to grow to epic and devastating proportions. The battle of Hangyoras and the Death Kappa is of massive and Godzilla proportions. Can the city be saved? Will this be the end of all humanity? You’ll need to see this one!
Death Kappa is an extraordinary film. You will not be terribly surprised to hear that some of the magic and the talent behind the recent Godzilla films worked on Death Kappa as well. A nod of the hat to the monster lizard and a beautifully crafted effort that puts the rampage of the Death Kappa firmly on the map!
- Mike Skurko
Dir: Tomoo Haraguchi
Death Kappa takes a modern look at one of the more infamous Japanese Yokai creatures, the kappa, and elevates it to Godzilla proportions and city stomping shenanigans.
What exactly is a kappa? Glad that you asked. Firstly they are a Japanese mythical monster, a yokai.
According to Wikipedia:
Yōkai (妖怪 literally demon, spirit, or monster?) are a class of preternatural creatures in Japanese folklore ranging from the evil oni (ogre) to the mischievous kitsune (fox) or snow woman Yuki-onna. Some possess part animal and part human features (e.g. Kappa and Tengu). Yōkai generally have a sort of spiritual or supernatural power. Yōkai that have the ability to shape-shift are called obake.
Now a Kappa?
Most depictions show kappa as child-sized humanoids, though their bodies are often more like those of monkeys or frogs than human beings. Some descriptions say their faces are apelike, while others show them with beaked visages more like those of tortoises or with duck beaks. Pictures usually show kappa with thick shells and scaly skin that ranges in color from green to yellow or blue.[5][6][7]
I think I can add to this as well. The kappa are blamed for everything from crop failure to live stock death on a farm. The kappa has a soft spot and/or a hole in it’s head. They are known to be very polite.. If you encounter a kappa the best defense is simply to bow. The kappa, being polite, will bow back. Their brains will then fall out of their head. Problem solved. I am not making this up.
Kanako is a failed pop start who goes out to the big city to pursue her dreams only to return to the country to live with her grandma. Immediately upon her return things go further amiss as her doting granny is knocked sky high by a car of mindless drunken punk kids. They continue their reckless driving and drunken mayhem and smash into the shrine that is the keeper of the town kappa. This brings the kappa to life who is, initially, a benevolent yokai creature and loved by the people of the town. This comes to a halt and things begin to get ugly as Yuriko, the granddaughter of a mad scientist continues his mad attempt to create the “ultimate soldier” who is half fish and half human. She inadvertently detonates an Atomic bomb (a recurring theme, eh? Must happen a lot. ) The result of this is a horrible mutation that causes the fish soldier and the kappa to grow to epic and devastating proportions. The battle of Hangyoras and the Death Kappa is of massive and Godzilla proportions. Can the city be saved? Will this be the end of all humanity? You’ll need to see this one!
Death Kappa is an extraordinary film. You will not be terribly surprised to hear that some of the magic and the talent behind the recent Godzilla films worked on Death Kappa as well. A nod of the hat to the monster lizard and a beautifully crafted effort that puts the rampage of the Death Kappa firmly on the map!
- Mike Skurko
posted by skurko at 7:33 AM
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