Movies based on anime have a mixed history. There are a few good examples, but they aren’t the ones that stand out in the cultural memory. The disastrous adaptations usually fail because they fail to find the aspects of the original work that fans enjoy. That negative reputation rarely sticks to movies based on manga, like the underrated 1991 classicThe Guyver.
Tokusatsu is a Japanese term that refers to special effects. It’s not technically a genre, but it’s become an umbrella term for everything from kaijufilms toKamen Rider. When someone imagines a tokusatsu superhero, they’re probably picturing theMighty Morphin' Power Rangers.The Guyvershares some DNA with Saban’s empire, but they take action in a different direction.
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What isThe GuyverAbout?
The Guyverbegins when a scientist steals a mysterious alien device from his former employer,a massive global corporationcalled Chronos. The corporation’s thugs kill the scientist, but not before he hides the device in a pile of trash. The scientist’s daughter Mizuki is heartbroken. She and her boyfriend, Sean Barker, visit the crime scene. Sean finds the device and furtively stuffs it into his bag. On his way home, a group of violent street toughs corners him. Sean is changed forever when the device bonds with his DNA and violently warps his body. He’s cloaked in a suit of living armor that makes him more powerful than any mortal man. Sean Barker becomes The Guyver, an armored hero who must use his gifts to defeat Chronos, solve the mystery behind the alien device, and save his girlfriend’s life. It’s a stylish action film that borrows a lot of visualsignifiers from the mangawhile deviating from the story. Fans will discover two different versions of the film. The Japanese cut is more balanced, while the US release is more action-packed.
What isThe GuyverBased On?
The Guyveris loosely based on Yoshiki Takaya’s 1985 manga seriesBio-Booster Armor Guyver. Before the film, the manga was adapted twice.It became an OVAin 1986 and a 12-episode series in 1989. There’s also a 26-episode series that came out in 2005. Like the film, the manga follows a teenager who stumbles upon a miraculous alien device and uses its power to battle a corrupt corporation. The manga follows a monster of the week format, in which Chronos (spelled “Cronos” in the manga) sends increasingly deadly alien warriors to defeat The Guyver.
The Guyverstarts very similar to a lot of other manga. It started just a year after Hirohiko Araki’sBaoh: The Visitor, which has an alarmingly comparable plot. High school students fusing with aliens to fight evil corporations is a subgenre of Japanese comics. However,The Guyverreveals its most engaging elements after several issues. The story is ostensibly ongoing. Takaya left it “on hiatus” in 2016. Either way,Guyverpopularized many of its tropesbefore breaking those conventions. The manga is a must-read for fans of the tokusatsu superhero genre. A modern attempt at the film would have a lot more to work with.
Are There OtherGuyverMovies?
Guyver 2: Dark Herois an unquestioned classic. While the first film fought off negativity from critics and justifiable complaints from fans,Dark Heroimmediately silenced all critique. The sequel ditched one of the directors, the writer, and every major star. Jack Armstrong took the role of Sean Barker in the first film. The sequel replaces him with none other than David Hayter, the iconic voice actor behind Solid Snake. TheDark Herosubtitle is accurate. This sequel claims an R-rating, rather than the PG-13 of its predecessor. It leans into the grim tone of the source material, frequently bringing entire scenes from the manga to life. Most fans agree thatDark Herois the superiorGuyverfilm, but there’s still a lot to be said for the charming fun of the original.Dark Herohad a vastly reduced budget and was released straight to DVD in the United States. The only place it saw a theatrical release was the Philippines, where it was retitledPredator 3and sold as the second sequelto the iconic John McTiernan film.
The GuyverandThe Guyver: Dark Heroare hidden gems in the world of manga adaptations. The second film is the better overall experience, but they both have their merits.Fans of tokusatsu cinemahave likely already seen bothGuyverfilms, but newcomers to the genre will have a wonderful time with the duology. Both films are goofy and unhinged in some fascinating ways, but the experience will carry fans through them. The first film can be a bit hard to find, butDark Herois streaming on Amazon Prime Video and several other services.The Guyverdeserves a look back. The half-alien hero’s cinematic outings are both well worth the journey.
