Screenshots were taken from viewing the film. Link to the movie trailer on YT can be found here.
I doubled down on the story and suggested this on my turn for movie night with friends. Hentai Kamen 2 Abnormal Crisis is a step up from its previous film. I made a review about the first film and this installment to the story adds more content to Hentai Kamen.
Hentai Kamen is hero that uses a girl’s used underwear for a mask and wears only his underwear and stockings to fight crime with the aid of his full potential perverted energy. Kyosuke is product of love and fetish from a dominatrix and noble law enforcer that one day awakened his powers after mistaking a woman’s used underwear as a mask in an attempt to save Aiko (his love interest) from a hostage taker. That is the shortest recap on who the protagonist is and if it doesn’t make sense, it’s fine, this is a Japanese comedy you’re reading about anyway.
Abnormal Crisis further builds on Kyosuke’s character and struggles of being a hero while maintaining the comical pace. The movie grounds his character to be more relatable than a perverted masked hero. The film also stepped up their use of CGI and skit execution which made it a few points higher than the previous film for me. Here's the review for the first film.
Plot: Spoiler Free
The story continues to Kyosuke’s college life where he is now dating Aiko in the same university. Kyosuke still continues his crime fighting life as Hentai Kamen against the wishes of Aiko out of concern. Kyosuke is torn between negotiating his drive for upholding justice as Hentai Kamen versus living a normal campus life. Tamao Ogane, the crime boss that attempted to take over their high school in search for buried treasure, is no longer a threat and crimes happening in Tokyo are best left to real law enforcers. There was no need for Hentai Kamen to continue existing as a hero.
Kyosuke struggles to accept Aiko’s reasoning but understood them enough for him to consider ending his crime fighting habits. The relationship struggles further escalates as a new biology professor named Ms. Saida that has taken a liking for our hero. Makoto, an honor student and secret admirer of Aiko awaits his chance to confess a midst the conflict that surrounds the lovers. While Kyosuke seeks to find resolution to fully quitting being a hero to honor Aiko’s wishes, a new wave of crises has swept up Tokyo as countless used underwear started flying off the skies sucked by an unknown force leaving the entire college campus and Tokyo female population panty-less.
The Good
I didn’t have high expectations for the sequel. Hentai Kamen was already a complete story on the first film considering it fulfilled the whole hero arc without any plot holes. Abnormal Crises revisits the parts where the first movie lacked which adds to the lore and dimension Hentai Kamen as a character and overall story.
So why all the fuzz for a masked pervert hero story? Listen, if you’re watching a film to kill time and enjoy, there are limitations on what information you would recognized once you see it happen before your eyes. Remove the absurd aspect the Hentai Kamen universe and accept it as they are, you get a relatable crime fighter that’s not so different from the conventional heroes you see from other shows. This goes back to the struggles of trying to fit in while negotiating one’s tendency to do the right thing when the situation arises.
It’s difficult to do the right thing and it’s even more difficult if you have to be half naked to fight crime. Kyosuke understands the absurdity of wearing used underwear to activate this powers but sees past this absurdity to do the right thing. Do what you have to do or regret the consequences that will haunt you. Kyosuke’s character archetype is about doing what it right and being aware of his own limitations but does it anyway.
Now that’s not really a remarkable trait as it’s the default archetype for a hero story, what makes the character feel real is how they conduct themselves when nobody is looking, how others see them, and how they react to the situations they find themselves in.
When Aiko expressed her dismay of Kyosuke’s crime fighting activities, I initially raised an eye brow in opposition. But then grounding myself again to normy reality, her reasoning was relatable. Would you let your significant other fight crime on their underwear being a pervert and exposing themselves to danger? Aiko’s motivations weren’t just rooted from concern but also out desire for a normal relationship. When Kyosuke isn’t Hentai Kamen, their interactions are hinted out to be just like any ordinary couple but the toll of having an alter ego comprises the normal relationship these two could have.
So how is this even important in the grand scheme of the film as a comedy? If the movie was all about all laughs, expect the running gag of masked pervert to run dry. It works because the show presents the cast with a three dimensional character to portray and balances out the weird in between. The film has explored Hentai Kamen’s weaknesses and strengths. It even has a mini training arc to prepare for the big boss battle ahead.
Hentai Kamen’s moves are parodies to spiderman, the masked gives it away if you missed the resemblance. The film has taken a step further to incorporate more wonky CGI work on this and it does add more flavor to the film. It doesn’t need to be spectacular use of CGI, just enough to add value to the visual comedy. It’s a comedy film that only Japanese comedy can deliver with a straight face and still turned out good (against mainstream overrated Hollywood comedy).
The Bad
Well if Japanese comedy isn’t your cup of tea, I doubt this film would change your mind. It’s an acquired taste of comedy and until you can get used to their antics, there’s not much to keep someone interested if they are new to these types of movies. It didn’t spark interest in me trying to find the source manga as the story wasn’t that great. I just appreciate the story as is and what novelty it offers.
Would I Recommend?
I bear the same sentiment from my last review. The film was ok to watch and still is a better viewing experience when watched with a group of friends for kicks and giggles. Hentai Kamen will not be a mainstream thing unless people start using it as a meme to be relevant.