Negative Happy Chainsaw Edge

Japan's answer to the nerd-chic counterculture lies within Negative Happy Chainsaw Edge. What I'm referring to is the demand for such backwards absurd material bordering the idea of zombie ninjas vs. pirates with talking wigs. If you're salivating at the mention of that idea, please leave this website. Negative Happy Chainsaw Edge is based off an unheard of manga that concerns a boy who follows a warrior-schoolgirl to various locations at night to fight a Chainsaw-armed cloaked wraith that falls from the sky, prompting snow. While the idea is, at times, enjoyable, Negative Happy Chainsaw Edge's low fuel tank sputters occasionally in key plot driven scenes, not just a hiccup here or there, but comes to a standstill position that leaves itself vulnerable to attack, much like our irritating subhuman lead.

From the opening scene of snow drifting down slowly then stopping, beautifully frozen in time, we witness a hulking and dreadfully intimidating figure wielding a chainsaw. His lumbering pace over a bridge brings him in contact with his mortal enemy, schoolgirl Eri-chan. Yamamato decides to prove his virility to his dead friend by accompanying her on future nightly missions of CGI-injected masturbatory dreams of chainsaw-dagger deflection starring the presence of a prepubescent klutz that is completely soulless and unlikable. The former is the greatest wound to the enormous ego of Negative Happy Chainsaw Edge. Every minute that Yamamato is present on the screen, the more entertainment this film loses. Soon you'll become so tired of his pathetic countenance that you will consider him a plague of sorts. I can imagine putting this single character in American classics just to watch the film crash and burn, whimper and die. What an experiment that would be!



On terms with other East Asian splurges of stylized violence and CGI misuse, Negative Happy Chainsaw Edge stands victor over some of the other abominations as Tokyo Gore Police and 1/2 of Meatball Machine. Now in Negative Happy's defense, Chainsaw Edge features a storyline that is interesting, trampled at worst, and adds tissue to the characters. The idea of a Super Shredder-like wraith that grows larger based on emotion is a stellar idea and I'd love to see this concept more based around an action-oriented foundation, rather than a bumbling romantic-chainsaw-comedy. Try as it might, Negative Happy Chainsaw Edge never fully develops into a prime piece of film, as in beginning, middle, and ending. It stays developed within its own cocoon and struggles for life in a strictly metaphorical sense. It might have the aesthetics to embellish it within the cult and foreign fan base but there's not really much to admire other than sometimes-slick visuals from a first time director.


Imagine a similar octane style to Wanted, except rationed out in extremely tiny increments. In battle, the chainsaw wraith will throttle his mechanical appendage which results in a detailed and hyperkinetic autopsy scene showing the implausible mechanization of his deadly arm. This leaves much to be expected but sadly deploys the overused cop-out method of Eri throwing a quartet of daggers only to swat them out of the way using slow motion. I'm not exaggerating - we see this same scene up to near three times. For being a later incarnation of the ancient Nikkatsu studio, I expected more, however, I was treated to a more story-based envisioning of new-wave Japanese absurdities. Had this been created with a youthful, angry approach rather than being characterized as timid like a mouse, Negative Happy Chainsaw Edge would be visitable over and over again. I don't regret watching the film but its priorities are severely out of wack.

-mAQ