Crab Goalkeeper (かにゴールキーパー, Kani Goalkeeper) is a 2006 Japanese monster and sports comedy directed by Minoru Kawasaki and starring Hiroshi Fujioka and Naoto Takenaka.[1] The film portrays an oversized crab who plays as a football goal keeper. Kawasaki described it as being "like Forrest Gump, but with a crab."[2]
| Crab Goalkeeper | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Minoru Kawasaki |
Release date |
|
Running time | 92 minutes |
| Country | Japan |
| Language | Japanese |
The film was featured on the BBC documentary 'Japanorama' (episode of 5 October 2006)
Plot edit
Members of a Japanese football team decide to hire a giant crab to play as goalkeeper.
Cast edit
Background edit
Alongside with two other films, The Calamari Wrestler and Monster Seafood War.,[3] Crab Goalkeeper has been noted as an example of one of Kawasaki's signature subgenres: "Sea Life Sports films".[2] More generally, Kawasaki makes an extensive use of anthropomorphic animal creatures in his films, as in Kabuto-O Beetle or in Executive Koala.[2] Crab goalkeeper is also considered part of "the voluntary kitsch apparent in Kawasaki's crazy productions".[4]
Reception edit
The film was described as "another attempt at dealing with bizarre topics"[5] in Kawasaki's career. Another review, calling the film a "mysterious work", found in this "series of emotional episodes provoking laughter and tears" an exploration of the way an animal can change through their contact with humans.[6]
References edit
- ^ ジョルダン. "かにゴールキーパーの上映スケジュール・映画情報". 映画の時間 (in Japanese). Retrieved 2023-05-20.
- ^ a b c "The bizarre world of Japanese Sea Life Sports movies". faroutmagazine.co.uk. 2023-02-22. Retrieved 2023-05-19.
- ^ "Fantasia 2020 Review: MONSTER SEAFOOD WARS Plays Kaiju Karnage For Laughs". ScreenAnarchy. 2020-08-29. Retrieved 2023-05-19.
- ^ Navarro Remesal, Víctor (2019). Cine ludens. 50 diálogos entre cine y juego (in Spanish). Editorial UOC, S.L. ISBN 9788491804147.
- ^ "かにゴールキーパー : 作品情報". 映画.com (in Japanese). Retrieved 2023-05-19.
- ^ Pia, Natasha. "かにゴールキーパー | あらすじ・内容・スタッフ・キャスト・作品情報". 映画ナタリー (in Japanese). Retrieved 2023-05-19.
