Product Details

• Actors: Takeshi Kaneshiro, Toru Nakamura, Takako Matsu
• Format: AC-3, Color, Dolby, DVD, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
• Language: Japanese
• Subtitles: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.77:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: Unrated
• Studio: Viz Pictures, Inc.
• DVD Release Date: April 20, 2010
• Run Time: 137 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0036BDQ2Y
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #95,823 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Based on the novel by Soh Kitamura, the character of The Fiend with Twenty Faces is known to all of Japan and is the central figure in this thrilling story. The cast includes some of the most recognized names including Takeshi Kaneshiro, an actor consistently cast in the biggest films across Asia, and Takako Matsu, one of Japan’s most sophisticated and respected actresses. The acclaimed writer-director Shimako Sato and the incredible “retro futuristic” visuals make this film an action spectacular not to be missed. It is 1949 in Japan, in a world where World War II never happened and the nobility system established in the Meiji Era is still in place. An extreme divide exists between the upper and lower classes, with 90 percent of the country’s wealth being held by the upper class. The capital of Teito is in crisis with the emergence of a phantom thief known as "The Fiend (Kaijin) with Twenty Faces" or simply "K-20." Heikichi Endo (Takeshi Kaneshiro) is a circus acrobat who is deceived by K-20 and is set up to take the fall for the phantom thief. Using his incredible physical dexterity, Heikichi wages war against K-20 in order to clear his name, fighting alongside K-20's next wealthy target, Duchess Yoko Hashiba (Takako Matsu), and her fiancée, brilliant detective Kogoro Akechi (Toru Nakamura). But what is the ultimate decision Heikichi has to make?

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Takeshi Kaneshiro shines as Heikichi Endo, April 21, 2010

By 

J. Scheppler "Vampire fanatic" (Plano, TX USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: K-20: The Fiend With Twenty Faces (DVD)

Takeshi Kaneshiro, who has sometimes been referred to as the Asian Johnny Depp, is an actor who can play just about any role to which he commits. And he commits to the role of Heikichi Endo 100%. Set in an alternative Tokyo, one where WWII never happened, Heikichi Endo lives for the circus. A talented acrobat and showman, he's poor but happy entertaining the common folk. His life changes forever when he's approached by a mysterious man who asks him to use his ability to take pictures of society heiress Yoko Hashiba's engagement ceremony to popular police detective Kogoro Akechi. What Endo doesn't realize until it's too late is that he's been set up to be mistaken for K-20, the Fiend with 20 Faces, a masked thief whom Akechi has been trying to catch for years. To clear his name, Endo quickly realizes that he needs to become a thief to catch a thief. A very entertaining movie ensues. Kaneshiro is a fine comedic actor and he's well matched in his scenes opposite Takako Matsu, who calls to mind a Japanese Lucille Ball. She's dizzy and delightful. The final showdown between Endo and K-20 is exhilarating, but no more so than Endo's training run scenes. Director Sato Shimako employs parkour as the means by which Endo moves through Tokyo looking to confront his enemy. It works. For fans of Kaneshiro's work, it's as apt to refer to Johnny Depp as the American Takeshi Kaneshiro. Don't miss this movie. It's a ton of fun.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars K-20, fun with 20 faces, November 21, 2010

By 

Christina Larkin (Coronado, Ca. United States) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: K-20: The Fiend With Twenty Faces (DVD)

I love this movie. I saw it at the San Diego Asian Film Festival last year and was delighted to be able to buy it on dvd. It does borrow from lots of other sci-fi action movies(as did the earlier RETURNER, which I also love, and also has Takeshi Kaneshiro as the hero)(OK, I am a fan of Takeshi Kaneshiro, or Kaneshiro Takeshi as he's listed in some movies, but whats not to like? He's really cute and does a good job in this genre) This alternate universe adventure is good escapist fun.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Japan's Holmes vs. Moriarty, December 10, 2010

By 

Zack Davisson "japanreviewed" (Seattle, WA, USA) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (2008 HOLIDAY TEAM)    (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: K-20: The Fiend With Twenty Faces (DVD)

Niju Menso, the Fiend with Twenty Faces, is one of the classic villains of Japanese literature. Created in 1936 by mystery author Edogawa Rampo (Japanese Tales of Mystery & Imagination), Niju Menso played Professor Moriarty to Rampo's Sherlock Holmes archetype, consulting detective Kogoro Akechi. The two characters are as well known in Japan as Holmes and Moriarty are in the West. Since his creation, like many great villains Niju Menso took on a life of his own has gone on to appear in several manga and anime series, as well as two novels by So Kitamura.

This 2008 film versions is adapted from the two So Kitamura novels, which takes a decided spin on the original detective Kogoro Akechi/Niju Menso dynamic. So's novels were revisionist to say the least, and this version of the Niju Menso story has as much in common with the original as Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes does with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's original tales. However, since Rampo's Kogoro Akechi stories have never been translated into English, most viewers will be unaware of the shocking twist of So's novels.

But enough with the history lesson. As a straight film, "K-20: The Fiend With Twenty Faces" is one of the best Japanese superhero films I have ever seen. Too many Japanese films are marred by somewhat amateur CG, but the lessons have been learned and "K-20" mixes a great story with very satisfactory effects. Not quite a straight action movie, there are still some spectacular moves and fights mixed in with the intrigue. Kaneshiro Takeshi's use of parkour urban-traveling was as well-done as Mollaka in Casino Royale.

The story is set in an alternate history 1948-49. Niju Menso has been locked in a battle with Kogoro Akechi (Nakamura Toru, Umizaru) for years, with a clear victor on no side. When announcing his engagement to the wealthy and beautiful Hashiba Yoko (Matsu Takako, The Hidden Blade) he is interrupted by Niju Menso (called K-20 in the English translation) who is then unmasked as young acrobat Endo Heikichi (Kaneshiro Takeshi, House of Flying Daggers). But Endo is not the true Niju Menso, and appears to have been set up to take a fall. Not only is Endo "exposed" as Niju Menso, he will also take the blame for the ruling aristocratic powers' plan to use Nikola Tesla's technology to cause a new Tunguska event which will help to consolidate their power. For Endo there is only one way out. He must truly take on the guise of Niju Menso to clear his own name and to put an end to the dangerous scheme. Oh, and also to save the circus and win the heart of a girl in true hero fashion.

There are some great nods to the original Edogawa Rampo story strewn like breadcrumbs to those who can find them. Kogoro Akechi's young assistant Kobayashi Yoshio (Hongo Kanata, Returner) is a clever nod to Kogoro's Boy Detectives' Club that emulated Sherlock Holmes' Baker Street Irregulars. Even without the background though, K-20: The Fiend With Twenty Faces is a fully-enjoyable movie.

The DVD is bare-bones. I know this film didn't get a great US release, but its too bad they couldn't put something together on the history of Kogoro Akechi and Niju Menso even as a paper supplement to put in with the DVD.