Summary
The cutthroat world of publishing is the backdrop for this slick drama about rival imprints and the quest to be on top.
When we last encountered Daihachi Yoshida a few years ago, it was with the excellent character study The Scythian Lamb. His follow up, an adaptation of Takeshi Shiota’s novel, takes a very different group of eclectic personalities and pits them against each other in the savage world of publishing.
KIBA: THE FANGS OF FICTION (騙し絵の牙) opens a bit like a mystery novel, rapidly cutting back and forth between rookie editor Megumi (Mayu Matsuoka) and the soon-to-be-deceased head of the Kunpu publishing empire. The death of the magnate sparks a series of events, including the brash and confident Akira (Yo Oizumi) being given the task of taking over the failing Trinity magazine imprint.
Despite their backing by the CEO (Koichi Sato), Trinity is in a rivalry with publishing housemates at the prestigious Kunpo Magazine. Akira brings Megumi with him to shake up the magazine. Along with convincing blowhard writer Daisaku Nikaido (Jun Kunimura) to try something new, they draw in new talent including a model (Elaiza Ikeda), influencers and other people that will catch the attention of new readers. Meanwhile, Megumi attempts to track down a literary giant who hasn’t published in decades.
There’s some legitimately sharp commentary to be had in Yoshida’s adaptation, co-written with Ichiro Kusuno. Sure, the film has references to Japan’s unique method of book and magazine distribution, the rise of gimmicks and the decline of the book store, including a sub-plot about Megumi’s dad and his failing book shop. Yet the core of the drama is the rivalry between the fourth and fifth floors of Kunpu, and the colourful characters who work there.
As is the case with most adaptations, there’s probably a few more character threads than a single feature can handle. Elaiza Ikeda’s Saki Joshima, for example, has a whole backstory involving a gun fetish that peaks with a legal scandal, one that feels almost incidental to the main plot. Yet even this has its day by the clever-clever ending. Plus, the already impressive cast gets a little added boost with the final act appearance of a very recognisable Japanese actor as a mystery man.
“There’s more than books and magazines,” concludes Akira at one point, and he could be talking directly about the film’s plot. Like TV’s Younger or similar programs, KIBA has a core strength in the personalities that delight in intriguing each other. In fact, there’s a whole series worth of storytelling to be had here, so perhaps the only disappointment is that it all has to wrap up so quickly.
KIBA: THE FANGS OF FICTION is reviewed as part of our coverage of JAPAN CUTS 2021.
2021 | Japan | DIRECTOR: Daihachi Yoshida | WRITERS: Ichiro Kusuno, Daihachi Yoshida (based on the novel by Takeshi Shiota) | CAST: Yo Oizumi, Koichi Sato, Mayu Matsuoka, Hio Miyazawa, Elaiza Ikeda, Jun Kunimura, Yoshino Kimura | DISTRIBUTOR: Shochiku, JAPAN CUTS 2021 | RUNNING TIME: 113 minutes | RELEASE DATE: 22 August – 2 September 2021 (JAPAN CUTS 2021)
