I remember doing an article once about this movie not so long ago when it was released on Blu-ray/DVD, so after I decided I actually really wanted to see it as the trailer looked very good and original and no its nothing like Kato or Jet Li's Black Mask.
This Superhero adaptation based on Japanese literary favorites from popular '80s manga, starts out with a mind blowing first few minutes that you truly believe you've been sucked into a big budget Hollywood movie thats breathtaking and very stylish and original too.
The movie is set in an alternate 1949 where Japan had surrendered before World War II ever began. With the result of that, Japan is now very steampunk and divided amongst social classes, where the rich do not marry the poor etc. K-20 The masked avenger is actually not an avenger but the villain of the piece and is the one who terrorizes the fictional city, stealing priceless works of art and other technological innovations for unknown dark reasons. K-20 frames a talented small time circus acrobat named Hekichi Endo who's played by Takeshi Kaneshiro. Don't want to give too much away and ruin the movie for you but Hekichi manages to escape and goes after the mystery man who framed him, while in the process becoming a vigilante Japanese superhero of his own, he aims to clear his name by catching K-20 himself.
I will say though opposing K-20 is detective Kogoro Akechi played by Toru Nakamura, who solves crimes with the help of his young assistant Kobayashi played by Kanata Hongo. Akechi early in the movie is due to marry the beautiful Duchess Yoko Hashiba played by Takako Matsu and their engagement being all the media rage, much like the British royal one of today. Hekichi Endo is aided by a crime circle (like Robin Hood and his merry men) that thinks he is K-20 at first and trains him up in all their ways to go up against the real K-20.
The acting is topnotch and no, its not dubbed there are Japanese subtitles but you soon forget about them when you get sucked into this fantastic world and visual treat thats got so many twists and turns your head goes into overload. The movie too has heart and the amazing acrobatic fight scenes are out of this world. Impressive CGI, this Japanese manga film looks so good, the kind of movie (that I remember someone saying) that Christopher (Batman) Nolan would of made if in Japan and I couldn't agree more.
Beautifully made and a good old story of good versus evil, with spectacular effects and story telling. K-20: The Legend of the Black Mask deserves to be on any comic book movie fans bookshelf with The Dark Knight, Watchmen, Iron Man and all their other loved DVDs and Blu-rays. Its certainly one to own with pride and watch again and again.
I give
K-20: The Legend of the Black Mask:
8 Stars out of 10!
LEEE777 - Would have been 9, but I'm not a lover of subtitles lol. Anyways if you would like to own a copy, theres a link below at
The Associates.co.uk that sells many Manga/Anime movies and the Blu-ray is region free!