20th Century Boys 2: The Last Hope

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Korean poster

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Movie: Twentieth Century Boys: Chapter Two - The Last Hope / 20th Century Boys 2: The Last Hope
Romaji: 20-seiki shonen: dai-2-sho
Japanese: 20世紀少年第二章 / ２０世紀少年＜第２章＞最後の希望
Director: Yukihiko Tsutsumi
Writer: Naoki Urasawa (manga), Yasushi Fukuda
Producer: Nobuyuki Iinuma
Cinematographer:
Release Date: January 31, 2009
Runtime: 139 min.
Studio: Toho, Cine Bazar
Distributor: Toho
Language: Japanese
Country: Japan

Plot

Set 15 years after "Twentieth Century Boys," Kanna (Airi Taira) reunites with several main characters from the first film in an attempt to stop Friend's increasing influence over the world and continued plans to eliminate humanity, as detailed in the New Book of Prophecy.

Notes

Related titles:
1. 20th Century Boys 1: Beginning of the End | 20-seiki shonen (2008)
2. 20th Century Boys 2: The Last Hope | 20-seiki shonen: dai-2-sho (2009)
3. 20th Century Boys 3: Redemption | 20-seiki shonen: Saishu-sho - Bokura no hata (2009)

Cast

Toshiaki Karasawa - Kenji Endo
Etsushi Toyokawa - Occho
Takako Tokiwa - Yukiji
Airi Taira - Kanna Endo
Haruka Kinami - Kyoko
Teruyuki Kagawa - Yoshitsune
Yusuke Santamaria - Sadakiyo
Naohito Fujiki - Chono
Hidehiko Ishizuka - Maruo (Stationary shop)
Fumiyo Kohinata - Yamane
Kuranosuke Sasaki - Fukube
Mirai Moriyama - Kakuda (manga artist)
Arata Furuta - Namio Haru
Eiko Koike - Takasu
Naomasa Musaka
Renji Ishibashi - Inshu Manjome
Takashi Ukaji - Mon-chan
Hitomi Kuroki - Kirko Endo (Kenji's sister)
Ken Maeda
Jun Nishiyama - Kenji Endo (childhood)
Tamaki Matsumoto - Yukiji (childhoood)
Kazuya Anzai - Maruo (childhood)
Taichi Yano - Mon-chan (childhood)
Kiyotaka Yamada - Yanbo / Mabo (twins - childhood)
Riku Uehara - Fukube (childhood)
Ryusei Sawahata - Otcho (childhood)
Fumiya Ogura - Yoshitsune (childhood)
Nobue Iketani
Osamu Shitara - Friendship Party Member
Masao Komatsu - Chinese Restaurant Master
Ryushin Tei
Jiro Sato
Kinuyo Kodama
Mitsunori Isaki
Kazuhiko Nishimura - Detective Saiki
Kaoru Fujiwara
Yo Yoshida
Yoshihiro Nozoe

Trailer (Japan)

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Trailer (U.S.)

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Image Gallery

Film Festivals

2009 (8th) New York Asian Film Festival - June 19th-July 5th
2009 (13th) Fantasia Film Festival
2009 (42nd) Sitges Film Festival - October 1st-12th - Orient Express - Casa Asia
2009 (29th) Hawaii International Film Festival - October 15th-25th - Spotlight on Japan

Awards

"Rookie of the Year" (Airi Taira) - 2010 (33rd) Japan Academy Prize - March 5, 2010

Comments

Comment #2
Shin Says:
Jan 25 2010 12:41 pm

I like the first part of the series, as well as the manga. Truly looking forward to watching this
Comment #1
Ki Says:
Sep 05 2009 8:54 am

“20th Century Boys 2: The Last Hope,” the second part in the “20th Century Boys” trilogy, leaves a whole lot to be desired, but also manages to right its ship just in the nick of time. A mind numbing amount of minor characters are introduced and various sub-plots are introduced, but just as quickly thrown out the window. I would imagine this is all due to the filmmaker’s desire to stay true to the original manga, but this also nearly kills the film. Fortunately, once all the superfluous stuff are finally laid to rest (this occurs some 90 minutes into the film!) an exciting action film does come about.

“20th Century Boys 2: The Last Hope,” takes place in 2015, some fifteen years after the conclusion of the first “20th Century Boys.” This time around, Kenji is completely AWOL – but his niece, Kanna, is set to spearhead efforts to take out the dastardly towel head known as Tomodachi. Before her efforts to take out Tomodachi comes about, Kanna must give due diligence to her own Uncle Kenji – who is portrayed as a terrorist in her history book. During her investigation she meets various transvestites, stops a gang war between the Thais and Triads, enchants a naive cop with her charms & sideways baseball cap, and oh … manages to travel back to 1971 to see her uncle as a little boy. Once Kanna ascertains that Tomodachi is a real threat to the human race, she’s joined by the fearless Otcho who has just busted out of prison. They then learn that the New Book of Prophesies portends that a savior will arise after the assassination of Tomodachi in Shinjuku. It just so happens that today is the day that Tomodachi will appear in Shinjuku and Kana, Otochi, and associates all await for his arrival …

The best thing about “20th Century Boys 2: The Last Hope,” is clearly Etsushi Toyokawa and his b-b-b-b-bad to the bone portrayal of the outlaw Otcho. Without his appearance the movie would have been a complete bomb. This is particularly important because the film casts Airi Taira in the central role of Kana. Sure Airi Taira is cute as a button, having the looks of a young Kou Shibasaki mixed in with a young Aya Ueto. Unfortunately, her acting is another story and she comes across as a middle school kid playing make believe. There’s also Haruka Kinami (who plays Kana’s classmate Kyoko) as she seems intent on overacting her way to stardom.

With the dreary performance by the main actress and a story line that rambles on like a gadfly with dementia you can guess the movie had me squirming in my chair – at least for the first 90 minutes. With that said and no real hope in sight, it did come as a huge surprise that the final 35 minutes of the movie (finally) delivers genuine excitement & fun. By this time, all the subplots are laid to rest and its just Otcho, Kana, and her friends going up against Tomodachi. Yes, even in the year 2015 a simple steel cage death match trumps overly complicated manga-goo.

For anybody interested in watching “”20th Century Boys 2: The Last Hope” I would have no qualms in recommending the film if they skip the first 90 minutes of the film. In retrospect, the movie’s tagline “The Last Hope” makes a lot more sense after you watch the film (just when you’re about to give up all hope for the film they deliver). Now I’m cautiously awaiting for the final installment of “20th Century Boys.”