“Ika, Ika, Ika!”
Minoru Kawasaki’s 2004 film The Calamari Wrestler (Ika Resuraa) is a charmingly silly creature. It’s a sporting drama, a love story, and a monster movie all mished together into one; an utterly bizarre premise played completely straight.
Champion Kanichi contracts a rare, life-threatening disease, so obviously the only thing to do is travel overseas to take part in an experimental treatment which also turns him into a giant squid.
“I can’t love a squid! How will he support me?” His former lover Miyako laments as she’s forced to choose between man and cephalopod (because there’s a love-triangle too).
Eventually Kanichi has to overcome both emotional and physical battles – with Rocky-style training montages as well as opponents that include a red octopus and a boxing shrimp – before he can triumphantly win back his championship.
It’s a big pile of cornballs that works because the protagonist is a wrestling squid. What’s not to love?! Kawasaki has an exciting resume of similar films including Executive Koala and Crab Goalkeeper which I’m absurdly anxious to discover, too. Perhaps his latest opus Monster Seafood Wars will premiere at an online film festival near you!
Have a super day and remember to take care of yourselves, everyone!