big man japan review - 10.14.09

Hitoshi Matsumoto’s directorial debut is a “mockumentary.” There is no better way to explain this film; but its comedic nature is not in the least bit surprising. Macchan, as he is more widely known, is one of Japan’s most famous entertainers. His on-air persona specializes in crude, often violent humor, and he is more often clumsy than clever. When I began watching this film, I anticipated I was in for two straight hours of slapstick. I was pleasantly surprised. The pacing and rhythm of the opening shots were quiet and unobtrusive. The camera panned along a small neighborhood street and into a tiny, dilapidated yard of a small residence. We were introduced to the main character cooking in a cramped kitchen with books and packages lining every available space. This was Japan at its smallest.

The literal translation of the film is, “Large Japanese person.” Although I appreciate the humor in the American title, I think it detracts from what Matsumoto attempted to convey. The main character, Masaru Daisato, comes from a long line of “big men” who are employed by the government to fight off invading monsters. Japan has a lot of them it seems; however, the work has dwindled over the last several years and it appears that Masaru is the last of his kind. He is a lonely man of indistinguishable qualities (save the ridiculously dated outfits he chooses to wear at times). Some people recognize who he is, but many more could care less. His wife left him and took their only child, his salary is laughable, and his house is constantly vandalized. In the beginning, the only thing grand about him is how terribly pathetic he is.

And then he gets a call. A monster is attacking. In order to grow large, Masaru must be electrocuted. The camera follows him to a downtrodden power station. He drives a small motorbike up a long, winding road littered with trash and signs calling him names and even calling for his death. His abilities have branded him a nuisance. Masaru ignores them all.

We are then introduced to the Big Man. His hair stands straight up and his body is tattooed. Although he looks somewhat imposing, his only weapon is a small stick. His opponents, however, rarely offer any notable resistance. Not because the Big Man is a skilled fighter, though, but because the monsters themselves rarely transcend the comic. There is one who likes to destroy buildings, but focuses a lot of his energy ensuring his comb-over remains properly set. Another monster holds a giant, retracting eye where his genitals should be. He throws it around, pulls it back…you get the idea.

The most intense battles, I would argue, are fought when he is a normal size. He is constantly arguing with (and losing to) his agent; he is fighting a custody case he cannot win; he is fighting off waves of depression, a drinking problem and his own insecurities. In every scenario, he loses. When confronted with his only real opponent (from North Korea we discover later), he flees. Arguably, this was his biggest defeat. But his sponsors and television ratings soared. Everybody wants someone else to lose. It’s the only way to win.

Things get markedly different from here. The final several scenes culminate into something wholly unlike the first 90% of the film that I feel a completely separate review might be necessary. Still, it was one of the most hilarious skits I have ever witnessed on screen. Purely Japanese. Purely Macchan. This was finally the film I expected (but to be honest was a bit disappointed arrived). To an American audience with no background in the comedic duo of Matsumoto and Hamada, I argue this final scene won’t even make sense. It shouldn’t, really. But it does somehow. And in that is precisely why Big Man Japan remains ultimately and unashamedly victorious. Most of the time.