Don’t take it seriously. A real tokusatsu (special-effects film) which focuses on the fun of ridiculous effects. The hero with his racing engine that can take on all kinds of robotic forms fights against even more ridiculous robot monsters. Once a cult TV series.
Japanse retro science fiction, based on a TV series from 1974 about a futurist robot. Secret agent Yutaka Daimon sets out to fight the evil Dr Akunomiya and his gang, after they kill his father. To help defeat Akunomiya, his father left Yutaka a robot, Zaborger, which has the power to change into an engine (and was later the inspiration for Hasbro's Transformers). Before they reach Akunomiya, an army of bizarre cyborgs and robots must be defeated, however. Iguchi rejects smooth, computer-generated sci-fi in order to pay homage to the original series, giving the film a retro appearance in which the plastic and cardboard is clearly visible. It’s obvious from Karate-Robo Zaborgar that Iguchi has plenty of experience in horror, slasher and porn: fountains of blood, flying limbs and murderous breasts abound. Very cult. Genre lovers will remember Iguchi from the 2008 gore-fest The Machine Girl.
Programmer Note by Gertjan Zuilhof:
A characteristic of genre films, and perhaps pop culture in general, is that certain elements, stories and symbols are continually reused. Without shame. Without thinking that a story or character should be original. In fact, the pleasure and charm of many genre films and remakes is precisely the fact that the known and familiar are recycled. Nostalgia for its own sake.
The problem is that we have to be familiar with the origins the re-user refers to. How many of us were in Japan in 1974 and watched the science fiction crime series Denjin Zaborger religiously every week? Probably only people who are now middle-aged - and have always been Japanese. Although parts must have been repeated, and some episodes were apparently broadcast in Hawaii.
So when a big-budget remake is made of the original television story - this is what Karate-Robo Zaborgar is - few people will be familiar with the original. This also means they will enjoy it less. Luckily, we have YouTube, where you can watch entire episodes, cut into parts and equipped with English subtitles. Why not start here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=bn18PR7cEJU. I’ve noticed how amusing it can be to watch the original TV series after watching the film. After the flashy transformations of the film’s robots, their 1970s television counterparts seem particularly endearing.