Tiger & Bunny: The Movie, The Beginning

Based on a manga by Masakazu Katsura, this colorful semi-satirical action-comedy feature—a 2012 origin-movie spin-off from the popular TV anime series—lampoons superhero mania. The setting is the reality channel Hero TV, where the exploits of costumed crime-fighters in the high-tech metropolis of Stern Bild are treated like sporting events, with point-scores and popularity polls amping up the drama and competition between contestants (who wear real-life corporate logos on their outfits). Case in point: newcomer Barnaby Brooks Jr. is a young blond hunk with short-duration super-strength who becomes the rival of veteran do-gooder (and single father) Kotetsu Kaburagi, aka Wild Tiger. Sponsors have demanded that the older guy become a mere sidekick to the rising Barnaby, whom Tiger scornfully nicknames “Bunny.” Together they tackle a widespread array of situations, including a plague of living statues, a slippery teleporter-supervillain, and an ongoing, more serious challenge in which Barnaby vows to solve the murder of his parents. The violence here is cartoon harmless, while the token super-heroine sexpot, Blue Rose, is modest by anime standards. Presented in a dual-language release, rated TV-14, extras include a bonus disc with a concert and full-costume extravaganza tied to the film's premiere—a riotous celebration worth seeing in itself. Highly recommended. (C. Cassady)