Kani Goalkeeper is a 2006 Japanese Monster movie and Sports film Comedy film directed by Minoru Kawasaki and starring Hiroshi Fujioka and Naoto Takenaka.
The film was featured on the BBC documentary 'Japanorama' (episode of 5 October 2006)
Plot
Members of a Japanese football team decide to hire a giant crab to play as goalkeeper.
Cast
Background
Alongside with two other films,
The Calamari Wrestler and
Monster Seafood War.,
has been noted as an example of one of Kawasaki's signature subgenres: "Sea Life Sports films".
More generally, Kawasaki makes an extensive use of anthropomorphic animal creatures in his films, as in
Kabuto-O Beetle or in
Executive koala. is also considered part of "the voluntary kitsch apparent in Kawasaki's crazy productions".
Reception
The film was described as "another attempt at dealing with bizarre topics"
in Kawasaki's career. Another review, calling the film a "mysterious work", found in this "series of emotional episodes provoking laughter and tears" an exploration of the way an animal can change through their contact with humans.
External links
