"This is a Genre Possible Only in Japan!" The Essence of Absurdist Comedy The single thought lingering in my head throughout the movie was, "Whose head did this concept come from?" The movie Hell's Garden (Jigok-no-hanazono) is a work that encapsulates the unique B-grade sensibility of Japanese culture, also known as the "sick taste" (byeongmat) code. The direction feels like comic book imagination transferred directly to the screen, and the actors' acting—which is funnier because it is so serious—makes the viewer let out a wry smile before eventually getting sucked into that worldview. It confirms once again that this is a distinct domain that Hollywood or Korean cinema wouldn't dare attempt, one that only the Japanese film industry can digest. It is the birth of a truly "mind-boggling" movie with zero realism but a substantial pleasure derived from its brazen setting.
Continuing the Lineage of School Violence Films? An Office Version of 'Crows' and 'Jjang' In Japanese pop culture, the "School Violence" genre has quite a deep history. Works like Crows Zero or Rokudenashi Blues (Viva Blues) have stimulated men's romance by dealing with the hierarchical battles of vigorous high school students. In Korea, comics like Lucky Jjang or Jjang gained popularity, sharing the pulse of this genre. The common point of these works is that while the characters are clearly "students," their actions, appearance, and the scale of their fights rival those of "adult gangsters." Hell's Garden takes these clichés of school violence films but twists them by changing the setting from a school to a "company" and the protagonists from high school boys to "OLs" (Office Ladies). This bizarre substitution is the movie's core identity and laughter point.
The Romance of Yankees? A Strange Coexistence of Reality and Fantasy Watching the school genre, one sometimes wonders, "Are Japanese students really that rough?" But fiction is a way to project desires that cannot be fulfilled in reality. Japanese school violence content is often portrayed as a kind of "romance," a way to burn off the last energy of youth before inheriting the family business or becoming an ordinary member of society after graduation. This movie is the same. They may look like office workers in neat uniforms on the outside, but the blood of a "Yankee" (delinquent) dreaming of national domination flows inside them. The company's business performance is irrelevant. Only the fist hierarchy proves their value. This setting satirizes the unique collectivism and hierarchy culture of Japanese society while providing vicarious satisfaction to modern people living tough work lives.
OLs Who Pick Up Fists Instead of Pens, The Double Life at Mitsufuji Trading The background of the movie, "Mitsufuji Trading," gives off the feeling of a parody of the Japanese conglomerate "Mitsubishi" just by its name. It looks like an ordinary large corporation on the outside, but it is actually a "Hell's Garden" where the country's best fighters have gathered. The interesting point is their dual attitude. When answering the phone or making copies, they are the kindest and gentlest office workers in the world, but the moment they gather in the break room or on the rooftop, they turn into vicious fighters. Even after covering their faces in blood and grabbing each other by the hair, they sit back down to work as if nothing happened once the lunch break is over. The fact that general employees also nonchalantly avoid their seats or cheer when a fight breaks out, accepting this abnormal situation naturally, provokes hilarity.
Where Does the Faction Fight End? A Feast of Meaningless Hierarchy Sorting Inside Mitsufuji Trading, there are largely three factions. Satake called the "Mad Dog," Ando the "Kaiju" (Monster), and Shuri the "Devil." whenever they get a chance, they invade each other's "nawabari" (turf) and compete. The purpose of this faction fight, which reminds one of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, is just one thing: to become the "Jjang" (Top Dog) of Mitsufuji Trading. But here arises a fundamental question: "What is good about being the Top in the company?" Salaries don't go up, and it doesn't lead to a promotion. The sight of them risking their lives fighting for the sole honor of being the "Strongest" is pathetic beyond tragic. Through this meaningless hierarchy fight, the movie ludicrously twists the cross-section of modern society driven into fierce competition without a purpose.
The Recluse Master Acting Ordinary, Tanaka Naoko's Twist The narrator and protagonist of the story, 'Tanaka Naoko' (played by Nagano Mei), lives as an extremely ordinary office worker amidst this chaos. She relays the daily fights via narration as if it's someone else's business and pursues a petit bourgeois life, enjoying department store shopping or visiting famous restaurants after work. However, the movie drops a huge twist about her identity in the middle. In fact, Naoko was a "Recluse Master" who possessed stronger martial arts skills than anyone else at Mitsufuji Trading, simply lacking interest in fighting. The setting that she has lived hiding her power because she wanted to live normally is a typical cliché of martial arts novels or shonen manga, but when combined with the innocent acting of actress Nagano Mei, it radiates a fresh charm.
The Transfer Student with Overwhelming Charisma, Hojo Ran's Appearance and Friendship The person who causes a crack in Naoko's peaceful(?) daily life is 'Hojo Ran' (played by Hirose Alice), who joins as an experienced hire. Ran, who holds the position of a "transfer student fighter" in school genre terms, conquers the company by defeating existing factions one by one with overwhelming skill as soon as she joins. However, Ran is a character with the temperament of a pure fighter rather than a lust for power, and she becomes best friends with Naoko—who seems far from fighting—through a coincidental opportunity. The friendship between the company's Top Dog and an ordinary employee. The combination of the two, who don't seem to match, faces a crisis as Ran becomes the target of another company, which eventually becomes the catalyst that awakens the dormant Naoko.
Men Acting as Women? Hitting the Peak of B-Grade Sensibility When rumors spread that Ran has conquered Mitsufuji Trading, the 'Thompson' faction, which controlled the nearby area, issues a challenge. Here, the movie presents audacious casting that hits the peak of B-grade comedy. They employed large middle-aged male actors, including Endo Kenichi, for the roles of the leader and executives of the 'Thompson' faction—that is, "female employees." The sight of middle-aged men wearing wigs and skirts and coyly saying "Oh my, look at them" is a visual shock in itself. The audience is forced to surrender to the brazenness of the movie insisting, "In this worldview, they are female employees." This absurd setting, blurring(?) the boundaries of gender, clearly shows what code of laughter the movie pursues.
Awakened Naoko, Reborn as the Strongest OL on Earth Ran jumps in to save Naoko, who was kidnapped by the Thompson faction, but she is miserably defeated due to numerical inferiority and the overwhelming physical difference (since they are actually men). At the desperate moment, Naoko finally releases the power she had sealed away. Screaming "I wanted to live normally!", she blows away huge men like fallen leaves with a single punch. The scene where Naoko, who had been modestly making coffee and making copies until now, suppresses enemies with flashy aerial levitation and striking skills provides thrilling catharsis. It is the highlight and best part of the movie, reminiscent of the unrealistic action direction of the manga Dragon Ball and exploding with Nagano Mei's twist charm.
Even the Ending is Absurd, The Winner is the 'Woman Who Dates'? After all the fights are over, peace returns to Mitsufuji Trading. Naoko has ascended to become a legendary fist, but what she truly wanted was not the position of the fighting Top Dog. The movie's ending hits the back of the audience's head once again. This is because the realization gained after the blood-splattering bloody battle eventually leads to the conclusion that "Fighting well is useless, having a boyfriend is the best." The rivals who fought so fiercely declare their retirement(?) one by one for marriage or dating, and the movie ends with Naoko fluttering with excitement over a date with a guy she is interested in. This feels like following the archaic value that "a woman's happiness is marriage," but on the other hand, it feels like high-level satire twisting who the real winner in the world of OLs is. For those who want to empty their brains and laugh at unpredictable developments from start to finish, I strongly recommend Hell's Garden.
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