Gannibal (2022)

La faim justifie les moignons .... (désolé)

C'est donc reparti pour un énième horror-drama relatant l'histoire d'une famille s'installant dans un village paumé de montagne rempli de zombis psychopathes adeptes de rites ancestraux. Et cela, seulement quelques semaines après Uzukawamura Jiken. Ce dernier, m'a laissé, un peu, dans l'état de viande froide (voir ma review). Et pourtant, cette "série originale", qui ne semble être que du réchauffé constitué de tous les restes du frigo, est annoncée comme un méga production Disney+. J'ai de ce fait hésité longtemps avant de gouter à ce menu. Et même une fois fini le hors-d'œuvre du premier épisode, j'avais encore cet arrière-gout de viande avariée dans la bouche, qui ne me poussait pas à passer à la suite du festin. Heureusement, une fois de plus, j'ai rassemblé mon courage de 'Policier du Drama' et je ne me suis pas arrêté aux apparences. Poussant l'investigation jusqu'à la fin de la série et dès l'entrée constituée par le deuxième épisode, j'ai apprécié ce menu, jusqu'à ne plus pouvoir m'arrêter de bouffer.

Il faut dire que le titre, grotesque, les acteurs, encore en quête de notoriété (où ayant abandonné tout espoir de celle-ci) et les teasers, racontant toute l'histoire, copier-coller de Uzukawamura Jiken, sont, on ne peut plus repoussant. Mais les présences du déjanté Yagira Yuuya et de l'éternel antihéros Kasamatsu Sho ont éveillé mon appétit pour cette série. Sans parler de ce petit détail, qui n'en est pas un, du scénariste à la manœuvre ici. Oe Takamasa, n'est rien d'autre que le scénariste de Drive my Car, qui même si Murakami est à l'origine de l'œuvre, lui a permis de faire ses preuves dans les histoires de personnages troubles.

La production léchée, la mise en scène alambiquée, mais surtout le rythme infernal des évènements qui accompagne cette violence folle se dégageant de ce drama, entre tellement en résonance avec le passé torturé de cette petite famille modèle s'installant à la campagne. Les révélations se font avec beaucoup plus de finesse que les scènes d'actions à l'américaine. Les faux semblants sont légion, faisant perdre les repères jusqu'à accepter une violence omniprésente. D'abord insoutenable et d'un cru à la limite de l'écœurement. Les effets spéciaux et la mise en scène amplifiant encore ce ressenti, elle s'accepte au fur et à mesure que les pièces du puzzle s'assemblent et on se surprend à ne plus ressentir de dégout. Et c'est là qu'il faut vraiment avoir peur. Tout comme dans le 'Orange Mécanique' de Stanley Kubrick, le spectateur devient complice de cette violence par la fascination qu'elle exerce, captant ainsi notre attention. Le héros lui-même semble prisonnier de la folie, plongé entre rêve et cauchemar. Ne sachant plus si les évènements passés ou présents sont bien réels, et bientôt c'est le bien et le mal qu'il n'arrive plus à distinguer.

En réalité, ce drama combine des ingrédients qui ont fait le succès de nombreuses grosses productions américaines tout en gardant l'identité japonaise. Glauque et violent, on se sent quand même plus dérangé qu'en admiration. Même si les FX, tout comme l'invincibilité du héros, sont parfois too much, ils ne gâchent pas l'histoire. Les mouvements de caméras surprennent de temps en temps ou donnent la nausée, notamment dans les premiers épisodes. Mais je m'ose à croire que c'est voulu. Ce tournis nous fait partager les sensations des protagonistes. L'impression de sombrer dans la folie, au fil des épisodes, s'accompagne de malaises sensoriels.

Si les personnages dans Uzukawamura Jiken vous semblaient trop serins pour l'horreur des événements, dans Gannibal, les réactions vont paraître trop exagérées. La retenue va vous manquer dès la scène d'introduction.
Déjà que la famille au centre de l'histoire se surprotège à grand coup de fusil, l'ensemble de l'omerta qui monte jusqu'à très haut pour de simple, disons-le paysans, sonne légèrement faux. Tout comme cette étrange créature mi-Gandalf mi-Sulli trop grande et affamée de chaire humaine pour passer inaperçu, mais que personne ne voit. On se demande ce qu'elle mange en dehors du sacrifice annuel. Des pâtes de fruit peut-être ?

Alors, on pourra regretter des situations trop convenues et des retournements que l'on voit arriver à 100 lieus. Une musique tribale, efficace, mais qui semble être la même que dans tout ce genre d'histoires. Mais le plaisir que procure la performance de Yagira Yuuya n'est pas très loin de celui ressenti dans l'inoubliable Aoi Honoo. Cette série ne pourrait avoir de grotesque que le titre. Mais il reste aussi les rituels chorégraphiés et les clichés sur la déficience physique ou mental dus à la consanguinité, nous rappelant que c'est quand même Disney qui produit et qui fait trop souvent passer le spectaculaire avant la retenue. Elle interroge sur la violence, la vengeance, la fidélité à un clan et à des traditions aussi horribles soient elles. Comme si tout pouvait se justifier, par les liens du sang et de la terre. Vous ne sortirez pas indemne de ces 7 épisodes qui par ce nombre et des durées complètement anarchiques de l'un à l'autre ajouteront encore de la folie à une série qui n'en demandait pas tant. Rien n'est fait pour vous sentir dans une zone de confort en regardant cette série. Et même si le dernier épisode vous achèvera dans votre souffrance visuelle et de stress, il risque aussi de vous laisser un peu sur votre faim. Un comble.

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DO NOT SLEEP ON THIS JAPANESE CRIME MYSTERY HORROR DRAMA

jdramas have been hit or miss for me in terms of production value, story, and acting, but gannibals (2022) is a sleeper hit. with only 2 reviews at the time i am writing this (2/3/23), i am praying it gets renewed for a second season following the ending because I NEED ANSWERS!!!

story:
police officer agawa daigo and his family relocate to an isolated countryside town to fill a recent vacancy in the police force following a sudden resignation. they are greeted warmly by the town's people but coldly from the members of the strange and secretive goto family. after digging into the mysterious cirumstamces of the previous cop's disappearance, daigo discovers that he was last seen on the goto's family premises accusing them of cannibalism. while the agawa's hoped to start over in this small town and heal their non-speaking daughter's trauma, daigo is not someone to let go of things easily, so they are quickly swept into this small town mystery that is way bigger than them.

production/acting/everything else:
as mentioned previously, jdrama's that i have seen have been lacking in the production department. this is not an issue here. the cast and crew is impressive. the screenwriter is oe takamasa who was nominated for an oscar in 2021 for the best adapted screenplay for drive my car. yagira yuyu as agawa daigo gives a great performance, best known for his other role in nobody knows (2004) where he was the youngest winner of the best actor award at cannes.

i cannot recommend this drama enough. the pacing was great as the story slowly unveils itself. i was hooked from beginning to end. i also have never seen an jdrama that utilized a festival / folklore setting.

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Dark Elegance: Gannibal

Gannibal has a riveting story that takes us on an unexpected journey into the dark corners of human nature.. From start to finish, This series is a masterclass in storytelling, story development... The plot of Gannibal is hauntingly intriguing with a gripping narrative.. The cinematography is atmospheric.. Creating a striking contrast between the serene beauty of the village and the dark unsettling undertones of the storyline... The only disappointing fact is that the second season is not yet released.. Its delay is something unacceptable considering how they ended the first season.. Overall, Gannibal is a must-watch..

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Very underrated Jdrama!

I strongly recommend this drama to anyone who is into suspense, psychological, character driven, and thrilling drama. The story starts with Agawa Daigo, a police officer who got re-stationed as a substation police officer in a rural and isolated village where he is greeted with a powerful Goto family and its mysterious villagers. Rumors that cannibalism is being practiced in this village reaches Daigo which leads him to go against the Goto family to uncover the hidden secrets.

The main character, Daigo is not your typical nice guy main character which makes this drama more interesting to watch. His adrenaline chasing and super righteous mindset makes him become the target of the the village who wishes to hide certain secrets and enforce their traditional way of living. I am extremely impressed with both Yagira Yuya who plays Daigo and Kasamatsu Sho who plays Keisuke. Every single character in the drama did a splendid job portraying the pain they are dealing with and the high stakes that await their choices.

This drama is based on the manga with the same title, Gannibal. I am highly impressed with the production value, the acting, the costumes, and the music of this drama. I have watched a handful of anime and manga live action but there always seem to be a disconnect between actors and the characters and the actors comes across as overacting. This is not the case with Gannibal! No awkward wigs or caricature acting can be found here. Every episode transports you to the village where it feels you are alongside Daigo wanting to uncover the secrets of the village.

This is also a good introductory japanese drama for anyone who is willing to try out some Jdrama! Here is to hoping season 2 is coming!

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An Unnerving, Intense, And Suspenseful Drama

Gannibal was an unnerving, intense, and suspenseful drama. Every episode had me on edge and made me tense. There were shocking unpredictable twists and turns. The twists and turns were actually good. They weren't bad twists and turns. There were gruesome, macabre, and repulsive moments in the drama. Some moments in the drama made me squirm and disgusted me.

There were some repulsive and evil characters in the drama that infuriated me. On the other hand, there were some good characters in the dramas. I really like the main protagonist Agawa Daigo. He was a tough cookie.

The season finale (the last episode) ended on a cliffhanger, which caught me a little off guard. I wasn't expecting it to end on a bad note. I thought it would end on a bittersweet note. I thought the protagonist Agawa Daigo was going to save the day, but unfortunately, he didn't. Sorry for spoiling it for you guys. Anyways, I think there is a possibility there will be a second season. I hope there will be a second season. Overall, I like the drama. I thought the drama was intriguing.

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Gripping, Raw Terror.

Do not mind the ratings ever for a Japanese Drama on MDL. JDramas have less viewers as compared to other countries and often users don't rate them on face value. So, give this one a shot... if you can stomach this.

I wonder what sort of insanity got into me that I decided to binge this series in a single go for 5 hours straight. The number of watchers and the positive comments made me quite curious

Agawa Daigo, a diligent policeman with an uncontrollable temper, moves with his wife and daughter into a new village "Kuge", after his predecessor resigns before mysteriously vanishing. Within the very first day, he is called in after the Goto family finds the body of their Grandmother in the woods in a rather bizarre condition. However, Daigo's suspicions pique after realising that the Gotos are desperately trying to hide something from him... or someone.

Warning: Cannibalism is a really strong backbone of this story. So, please be prepared for the worst. Some scenes can be traumatizing.

Right from the very opening scene, we know what was discovered by Mr. Kano, the previous officer stationed at Kuge. The series follows Daigo-san as he decides to get into the bottom of Mr. Kano's disappearance and the reason that finally lead him to that point.
I have to say, every single cast member played their roles excellently well. I don't think I would appreciate Daigo as much as I did had the role been performed by a weak actor. Daigo was certainly the character that I wanted to simultaneously cheer for, as well punch due to his extremely impulsive nature.
The villagers were plain creepy in the very first glimpse that we get of them.
The little kid Mashiro was someone who kept me on the edge of my seat till the final episode, but her character seems to have been underutilized. [There is a certain scene where I wondered why no one questioned her. Yes, she couldn't talk, but she seems to signal and respond well to emotions.]
The one character who intrigued me the most was Keisuke. He was indeed different.
If I could point out any 'letdowns', then it might be the predictability of the plot - this could also be because I distrusted every single person on screen and concocted various scenarios, so nothing came as a surprise.
The ending was expected, yet unexpected. Though, I do believe that a second season is necessary to tie up all the loose threads, the post-credits scene and the words of a character pretty much makes the future imaginable.
It was a knowledgeable, yet a gripping watch for fans of horror and mystery. 8/10 from me. (Deducted points due to some predictable bits.]

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SINISTRO. AMEI!

❝What do you think when you look at me? I see you as a human being, nothing else.❞
Aquele tipo de thriller que você começa desconfiando de tudo e de todos, tentando não se apegar a ninguém, por que a qualquer momento um personagem pode morrer ou matar alguém.
Uma vila sinistra, isolada, com apenas um policial responsável e vários moradores estranhos. Onde tudo indica que há pessoas canibais. E o fato do nome da série ser Gannibal e não Cannibal, remete ao fato de que tudo gira em torno da família Goto.
Gostei muito do personagem principal, e do ator em si, quero muito ver outros projetos dele.
Um dorama incrível, onde cada episódio você sai mais chocada que o outro, ansiando para o próximo, mesmo estando com o coração na mão.
Não sei se haverá segunda temporada, as cenas pós créditos foram bem chocantes, e trazem talvez um "final" onde é trágico. Mas espero que tenha. Quero o policial se vingando de tudo e todos.

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Convincing acting, some bloody and gruesome scenes

Lots of suspense in the drama and this would make you want to binge watch. Plus it was only 7 episodes.

Everyone, except the male lead and his family, in the village seemed to be hiding something, villagers who appeared friendly turned out to be weird in the end. Even the male lead's boss and colleagues in the police station looked suspicious one point in time.

The drama ended abruptly, so definitely looking forward to season two, but I expect more gruesome scenes (to be expected when we are talking about humans eating raw flesh of other human beings) in season two as more secrets will be revealed.

By the way, the male lead, Yuya Yagira, seemed to have a nice body :D I guess he had to be if he were to handle all those fighting scenes against the cannibals in the drama.

All in all, I would recommend this drama. Generally, the Japanese do well in suspense and mystery dramas, but watch bearing in mind that it is about cannibals so expect some rather bloody and gruesome scenes.

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Frighteningly Disturbing In Parts!

18/01/2023

I am only five episodes in which makes it two left out of seven only the rest is yet to be released over the next 2 weeks.

A police officer, Agawa Daigo, moves into a small village, Kuge, with his wife and daughter replacing the former police officer, Kana, who has disappeared. It seems a well known local family, the Gotos, are dangerous people to mess with not to mention something doesn't feel right with the place at all especially after the body of Goto Gin is discovered in the woods after a "bear attack" and accusations of cannibalism is thrown in for good measure...

The only member of the Goto family that isn't crazy it seems is Keisuke Goto.

There are some really cool scenes like the bear attacking Daigo on the mountain, Mashiro's encounter with "That Man", the finger in the box, all the freakish adrenaline rush moments Daigo has with the Goto family, the car in the tunnel incident, the man with the half eaten face, the bodies and skeletons when discovered...

There a few minor things that irked me a little bit like one police officer taking on 4 to 5 family members with weapons by himself, a little girl wondering off in the middle of the night in a strange place and the directness of the Gotos or how impolite they were even if in a rural environment. For anyone to be so outspoken or to talk about a woman like they did of Daigo's wife so openly in public was distasteful and not something that would commonly occur in Japan where everything is usually quite indirect.

Not the Japan I remember anyhow unless it has changed a lot!

I have to say the Kuge villagers themselves are really weird and episode four has this vibe like: "The Wicker Man" or "The Lottery" coming up soon on Festival Day.

And now that I have seen Episode 5 it seems there might be a slow build up to that festival in which a "human sacrifice" might be the flavour of the day as it has been a tradition for one or two centuries.

The story is gripping until around the end of episode 4, the music is eerie, the thematics are on point, the cast is believable and the cinematography is outstanding, however, more and more it has this Twin Peaks feel or something similar to The Wicker Man, The Lottery and The Ritual.

21/01/2023: Additional Comment-

I reckon this could be turned around a little bit if they added a twist like Agawa's wife being an original villager or something and I'm wondering if they will do something like that - as in add in an unexpected twist.

Back To Original Post: 18/01/2023-

Highly recommended for the gory graphics and adrenaline rush moments, but about half way through, the story itself, loses originality and becomes similar to a number of others.

It doesn't make it terrible or bad to watch - just not original.

04/02/2023-

I have now finished watching it and although there is no real "twist in the tale" the last two episodes aren't too bad.

We find out more about Keisuke Goto and his younger brother and how they tie into the man with the half eaten face, also, a little more about Gin Goto (grandmother) and what she has in common with "That Man".

Just so you know season one ends on a cliff hanger or open ended ending which can be interpreted in two ways:

1) S2 is needed to tie up the cliffhanger in S1.
2) It is up to the audience to decide which way the wind blows when it comes to Agawa Daigo and his family as well as the Gotos and the Kuge Villagers.

Agawa Daigo is left facing "That Man" and his wife and daughter are left in the hands of one of the Gotos that isn't as sane as Keisuke.

The only silver lining in it all is that Agawa Daigo isn't all alone with what he knows about the Gotos and Kuge, however, it doesn't mean what he knows can save him...or will it?!

Background: Agira Yura (Agawa Daigo)-

The first time I ever saw Agira Yuya was in the film Nobody Knows back in 2004 when he was a beautiful looking boy taking on the role of Akira Fukishima.

Now is my second time ever watching him in a movie or series only at first I didn't recognise him until I thought his face looked familiar at certain angles.

Unfortunately, for Agira Yuya, his whole life changed because of Nobody Knows and not in a good way. He ended up turning to drugs in order to cope and at one point even gained a lot of weight which made him quite unrecognisable. In addition, he married young and had a daughter only months after being wed that became his saving grace.

Since then he has sorted his life out and is still married to the same woman he fell in love with at first sight!

I'm glad he was able to turn his life around and didn't end up wasting away to nothing.

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Amazing vibes, intriguing story

Japan has got the horror vibes down because I absolutely had to take a break between episodes — it was just so dark and heavy. And yet, by the end of the season, I was surprised at how hopeful the drama made me feel despite how much paranoia and anxiety the show also gave me.

Overall, I'm really impressed with how this was written, and how it really gave itself time to develop and set up the story. There are some common horror elements like the main character's backstory, but it still feels really original. I don't know where the plot is going and I'm excited to find out.

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This was a weird and wild ride. I didn't really like the series. I guess it was just too weird for me. Too many scenes were disgusting too; very graphic.

The cast and acting is great but there is something left to be desired in the writing. Some of the actions by the ML defy logic and I get that he's supposed to he a hothead who acts before he thinks. What foolishness in a new town? Even him and his wife staying in town for their daughter was dumb.

Excellent casting re the young Keiske. I may not watch a 2nd season but the last episode damn sure makes me want to. I'm very confused about the villager's role in the drama as well.

6/19/23

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