The World of Kanako – Drafthouse Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Japan, 2014
Director: Tetsuya Nakashima
Writers: Tetsuya Nakashima, Miako Tadano, Nobuhiro Monma
Cast: Koji Yakusho, Nana Komatsu, Satoshi Tsumabuki, Hiroya Shimizu, Fumi Nikaidô, Ai Hashimoto, Jun Kunimura, Joe Odagiri, Miki Nakatani, Aoi Morikawa, Munetaka Aoki, Asuka Kurosawa, Mahiro Takasugi, Shôno Hayama, Hiroki Nakajima

Release Date: July 9th, 2024
Approximate Running Time: 119 Minutes 5 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 2.39:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD 5.1 Japanese, DTS-HD Stereo Japanese|
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region A
Retail Price: $24.95

"Akikazu on the hunt for his daughter, Kanako. What he discovers is a web of depravity surrounding both Kanako and himself. As he stumbles along a shocking trail of drugs, sex and violence, he finds himself unprepared for the shocking revelations." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5/5

The World of Kanako comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 43.8 GB

Feature: 31.6 GB

The source looks excellent; flesh tones look correct, colors are nicely saturated, and image clarity, contrast, black levels, and compression are solid.

Audio: 4.5/5 (DTS-HD 5.1 Japanese, DTS-HD Stereo Japanese)

This release comes with two audio options, a DTS-HD 5.1 mix in Japanese and a DTS-HD stereo mix in Japanese. Both tracks do an excellent job when it comes to ambient sounds. Range-wise, the 5.1 audio track is a more robust experience. Dialog always comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced. Included are non-removable English subtitles.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a theatrical teaser (50 seconds, LPCM stereo Japanese with non-removable English subtitles), a theatrical trailer (1 minute 57 seconds, LPCM stereo Japanese with non-removable English subtitles), an interview with author Akio Fukamachi (7 minutes 50 seconds, LPCM stereo Japanese with non-removable English subtitles), an interview with actress Nana Komatsu (34 minutes 45 seconds, LPCM stereo Japanese with non-removable English subtitles), a featurette titled The Making of The World of Kanako (31 minutes 26 seconds, LPCM stereo Japanese with non-removable English subtitles).  

Other extras include these trailers: Mean Guns, Sukiyaki Western Django, Knock Off, Swamp Thing, and The Linguini Incident.

Summary:

With The World of Kanako, Tetsuya Nakashima once again uses a novel as the starting point. The World of Kanako was adapted from Akio Fukamachi's novel Hateshinaki Kawaki (Endless Thirst).

An ex-wife, whose daughter Kanako has gone missing, contacts an estranged father who used to be a detective. From there, the further he digs into his daughter's life, the more he starts to realize that he never really knew her. Who is responsible for taking her, and the fact that she was taken, is more disturbing than any truth he uncovers.

While watching The World of Kanako, I began to see similarities between it and Memories of Matsuko. The protagonists in both films tell their life stories through flashbacks. That said, despite both of these films having bleak subject matter, The World of Kanako is the noticeably darker of these two films tone-wise.

The World of Kanako opens with a flurry of information, the first 8 minutes overflowing with rapid-fire editing and juxtaposition of images. And once again, Tetsuya Nakashima's visual eye plays a significant role in enhancing the story that unfolds. That said, The World of Kanako’s striking imagery is filled with symbolism and visually arresting moments.

When it comes to the performances, as amazing as the entire cast is, they all pale in comparison to Nana Komatsu’s portrayal of Kanako. Though her character is never in the present, her character's specter looms large throughout. Another standout performance is Koji Yakusho’s (Cure) portrayal of Kanako’s father. So much of what unfolds is from his character's point of view.

From a production standpoint, there is no area where The World of Kanako does not excel. The well-constructed narrative does a phenomenal job peeling away the layers of Kanako’s life, and the gut punch final provides a perfect coda. There is endless pain and suffering on display throughout The World of Kanako. To say that there is an ample amount of carnage would be an understatement. Ultimately, The World of Kanako is an unflinching portrayal of a society rotten to its core and the evil that it produces.

The World of Kanako gets an excellent release from Drafthouse Films that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and informative extras, highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer