Golden Kamuy: Hokkaido Shisei Shujin Sodatsuhen is excellent!

 

After watching and thoroughly enjoying the first live-action movie adaptation of Golden Kamuy, I was excited and eager to dive into the drama that rather swiftly followed the movie's release. Ever since being pleasantly surprised by the live-action movie, I have to say that it's up there with the best adaptations of them all and the drama is now included in that.

The drama itself picks up immediately after where the movie left off. Saichi Sugimoto, the Russo-Japanese war veteran and his travelling companion turned friend, Asirpa are on the hunt for the gold, the location of which is hidden within tattoos of escaped prison convicts. Meanwhile, Lieutenant Tsurumi and his Seventh Division squad are also hunting for the same prize. Not only that, but the surviving Shinsengumi member, Toshizo Hijikata, has formed his own unique band of misfits to search as well. With the groups at odds with one another, it's only a matter of time before they collide as things heat up. 

The drama has a ton of comedy. It often involves productive organ related jokes, particularly stand-up ones. There's also various other gags such as Inkarmat selling various items as if she were a TV saleswoman, starring in those weird commercials. Some rather fun moments where the humour is sort of meta as far as the characters either all staring into the camera or off at the same unknown point, either laughing or saying the same lines whilst the lighting also makes the scene humorous. The campiness of the manga also is present and is actually done really well, to the point where it got me laughing quite a bit. If you enjoy the source materials humour, then you'll love the drama, if not then it won't be for you. 

With it being a drama and having 9, just under an hour-long episodes, there's more time for character development, fleshing out characterisations and getting backstories for some major characters. Tsurumi gets more time to shine and that's a wonderful thing as we see his role in the war or at least a part of it. Hijikata also gets more screen time, as does Ogata, Ushiyama and even Tanigaki. We also get more education regarding Ainu culture, their customs and particularly the food that they eat. 

There is a dynamic array of shot types and techniques used throughout the drama. This includes some truly beautiful wide angle shots that showcase the wonderful Hokkaido landscape. There's also some extreme close-ups, particularly in episode 2, but also rarely beyond that point, that are used for extreme moments of comedy. Some very nice POV shots enhance the tension of certain scenes and make them stand out. On the negative side of the production, which is pretty superb overall, there are some poor CGI and greenscreen backgrounds in some shots. Plus some of the creatures, mainly bears, look awful at certain points. Surprisingly, having two directors, Shigeaki Kubo and Kenji Katagiri, actually worked out well for the drama. It's not really noticeable and so the two worked well.

The action is pretty darn great. I particularly am fond of the one vs one fight scenes, but there's a plethora of action sequences. The choreography isn't always fool-proof and could certainly be improved at certain points, but it works when you apply the rule of cool as well as remember that this is a pretty faithful adaptation of the manga. Some slight gore in terms of limbs being lopped off, ears, hands and even feet. 

The entire cast did a fantastic job in bringing the manga to life in the live-action. Kento Yamazaki proved that he can carry franchises with his brilliant performance as Saichi Sugimoto. He brought a ton of energy to a difficult role, expertly showcasing a wide range of emotions through the drama and looked like a badass doing it. Hiroshi Tamaki seemed to have a ton of fun portraying the compelling Tsurumi, always a joy to see on screen. Gordon Maeda really made Hyakunosuke Ogata cool and another badass that's a crack shot with his rifle. Katsuya brought a good energy to the role of Ushiyama, I loved the judo sequences with him, those were great fun. As was the nickname he got after his lecture for Asirpa. Maryjun Takahashi brought some lovely femininity and wile to the drama as the enchanting psychic Inkarmat. Then there was Yuki Sakurai as the very fun, yet slightly creepy Kano Ienaga... If you know, you know! 

Overall, I had an absolute blast watching Golden Kamuy: Hokkaido Shisei Shujin Sodatsuhen. It's a very strong recommendation on my part to any fans of the manga or even the anime adaptation. I'd also recommend it to those who aren't deterred by the unique blend of action and humour that somehow finds a way to be charming and work.