Golden Kamuy: Assault on Abashiri Prison is a fun ride!

 

I won't lie to you. The live-action adaptation of Golden Kamuy far exceeded my expectations. Expectations which admittedly, were extremely low considering adaptations we have gotten in the past. With the first movie and the subsequent drama series, everything was about as great as it could be heading into the inevitable third entry. Assault on Abashiri Prison is the second movie in the live-action franchise and was helmed by director Kenji Kitagiri, a man whom previously directed episodes of the drama. Tsutomu Kuroiwa also returned as screenwriter. All was set for a promising end product and well, they succeeded! 

The 'Immortal' Sugimoto, Aspira, Shiraishi, Inkarmat, Tanigaki, Kiroanke and Ogata close in on Abashiri Prison which holds the prisoner Noppera-Bo and with him, the location of the Ainu gold. However, getting to Noppera-Bo is no easy task as there are others hunting for him. One such faction is led by the fearsome samurai and former member of the Shinsengumi, Toshizo Hijikata. The other is the infamous First Lieutenant of the 7th Division of the armed forces, Tokushiro Tsurumi. On top of that, there is also the guards of the prison itself, led by the ruthless warden, Shirosuke Inudo. All of these factions inevitably clash over the Ainu gold and Noppera-Bo, each with their own motivations for doing so. 

One thing that I have greatly admired and have tremendous appreciation for within this franchise is the picturesque cinematography. Visually, it's a treat for one's eyes and Hokkaido both looks appealing and oppressing which is rather suitable for the constant pressure each faction is under as they pursue their goals. There's plenty of dynamic movement with the camera as each shot has been carefully crafted to bring maximum immersion, drawing viewers into the world of Golden Kamuy. There is no better showcase of the dynamism than towards the latter stages of the movie with the prison raid fully underway. The way the camera glides seamlessly through the battle-torn environments, showcasing the destruction and devastation brought about by the fighting is a true marvel to behold. 

The dynamic movement also blends in well with the swift cut techniques employed during the comedic moments. Visual gags are highlighted superbly via extreme close-ups that place emphasis on the character's reactions to absurdity. This is also further enhanced via fabulous usage of lighting, especially with one of the earliest gags of the movie, which is hilarious and embarrassing at the same time. In this gag, the main group's male characters partake in sea otter, a delicacy which enhances one's sensual desire and this leads to them seeing each other in a very funny manner. In contrast, the heavy usage of red lighting denotes some major emotional and intense moments. 

Once again, Tsutomu Kuroiwa worked wonders with the tight script which remained rather faithful to the source material whilst also fitting the movie format and live-action in general. He managed to deliver an emotionally impactful script which also weaved in the complexities of each character and their motivations exceptionally well. The middle section of the movie is perhaps the weakest, with things slowing down before the actual titular raid takes place, but it doesn't truly drag things down too much. 

The action is a highlight as it always has been throughout the franchise. This includes a fun sequence near the beginning, which takes place in the darkness outside a hot spring which sees our male protagonists under attack whilst bathing. Things really heat up in a large scale melee and gun show towards the latter stages however, with lots of bodies being cut and gunned down inside the prison walls. Involved in this sequence is a mounted gatling gun wielded with great delight by a major character. There are moments in the large melee were I have the same criticism as usual. That is the fact that people attack one at a time or in small numbers rather than as a group. Thankfully, most of the time, this critique is side-stepped by the big brawl as fighting is happening everywhere and so one can safely assume that others in the area are occupied with each other. For me though, there are two stand-out sequences. Both are one-on-one fight scenes, but each being unique. One is a showdown which had been building since the very first movie and is focused on a man hellbent on avenging his fallen brother. The confrontation is shot so that each and every decisive action is clear and visible, the camera following every motion whilst not being too shaky. It features bayonets being wielded as weapons as well as a boot-gun. The other features a katana duel whilst both combatants are chained together by their wrists. 

Kento Yamazaki proved once more that he is a very capable leading man with a certain inherent likability about him that is hard to explain. He has the screen presence and charisma to pull of the character of Sugimoto and he nails both the emotional sequences, especially towards the climax of the movie, and the action in which he truly excels. 

Anna Yamada's Apsira is in many ways the emotional centre of the movie with her motivation for finding Noppera-Bo being to find out whether or not he truly is her father, Wilk and if he really did murder his own people over the gold. Yamada absolutely nails the emotion and without her being able to handle scenes which have Aspira show both grief and resolution, then the movie would fall flat and fail. The same can be said of her chemistry with Yamazaki's Sugimoto, which is central and crucial to the franchise as a whole. 

Hiroshi Tamaki continued to have glorious amounts of fun as the wonderful character of Tsurumi. This movie also had him being personally involved in the action, and smiling manically whilst doing so. Despite that, Tamaki also nailed the subtleties and complexity of the character, such as the brilliance and intelligence beneath the outward intimidating presence. He continued to prove to be one of my favourite characters in the franchise. 

I also appreciated the development of the relationship between Inkarmat and Tanigaki. Their scenes together were really well-crafted and I couldn't help but smile as their relationship blossomed into romance. Shoutout to Ushiyama, that man makes for a great wingman! 

Honestly, everyone involved did a fantastic job and I feel bad that I have focused on just a few, but there are too many and they all deserve credit for making the movie and the franchise in general the success that it is. 

Overall, this was an absolute delightful experience and further demonstrates that the Golden Kamuy franchise is a clear example of how to do live-action adaptations correctly. It's a no-brainer of a recommendation for fans of the source material, whether you're a strictly manga fan, anime fan or both. It remains true to heart of Satoru Noda's work. I'd also recommend it to action fans, fans of treasure hunts and even those interested in Ainu culture.