Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.0

Electric Dragon 80,000V Blu-ray Movie Review

Electric Dragon 80000V is a high-voltage thrill ride. Produced by Takenori Sento (Ringu, Spiral), Electric Dragon 80000V is an experimental genre film some might consider a tokusatsu genre production. An exciting ode to experimentation, Electric Dragon 80000V is a cult gem by Ishii. Starring Tadanobu Asano, Masakatsu Funaki, and Masatoshi Nagase.

An unexpected accident as a kid caused Dragon Eye Morrison to transform from an ordinary youth to a superpowered hero with skills involving electricity. Dragon Eye Morrison was jolted with high-voltage electricity – 80,000 volts to be exact. The electricity cased a new awaking in Dragon Eye Morrison. A superpowered hero now, Dragon Eye Morrison uses his guitar to play music and unleash built up electricity in his body.

Now a new rival arrives at the scene. The rival Thunderbolt Buddha wants nothing more than to surpass Dragon Eye Morrison. The two supercharged characters find themselves in a face-off of sorts.

Who can win in a battle of superpowers and skills? Morrison may be a lizard investigator in his free time and have a brain on the fritz, but the guitar-playing superpowered hero will fight against Thunderbolt Buddha. A rock showdown begins.

The performances are excellent. Tadanobu Asano and Masakatsu Funaki are superb in the leading roles. The actors have a good dynamic between one another. The eccentric and unique style of filmmaking is perfect for allowing the cast a chance to experiment and showcase the characters.

The cinematography by Norimichi Kasamatsu (Angel Dust, Under the Open Sky) is incredible and one of the greatest strengths of the film. The production features stunning black and white cinematography. The black and white visuals add to the grunge and experimental style of filmmaking.

Edited by Shuichi Kakesu (Cowboy Bebop: The Movie, Ghost in the Shell), Electric Dragon 80000V is a fast-paced adrenaline rush. The editing style is fantastic. Kakesu is a top-notch editor and the style explored for the film is high-octane and visually superb.

The score composed by Hiroyuki Onogawa (Labyrinth of Dreams, August in the Water) is outstanding. The music adds a lot to the filmmaking. The score is enormous fun and it adds to the filmmaking in spades.

Written and directed by Gakuryū Ishii (The Crazy Family, Crazy Thunder Road), Electric Dragon 80000V is an underseen gem for fans of experimental filmmaking. Electric Dragon 80000V might have gone under the radar with some but it has a terrific style that is unique and ambitious. A must-see for fans of the director, Ishii.

Electric Dragon 80,000V Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Released on Blu-ray by Discotek Media, Electric Dragon 80000V is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high-definition in the original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.85:1 widescreen. The high-definition presentation is exceptional. The visuals are top-notch. The black and white cinematography is well reproduced on the release. The encoding by Discotek is excellent and adds so much to the film presentation.

Electric Dragon 80,000V Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release includes a selection of lossless audio options: Japanese uncompressed PCM 2.0 and Japanese DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround sound. English subtitles are provided. The lossless encoding is perfect and add so much to the presentation. Dialogue is crisp, clear, and easy to understand. The score is well integrated into the sound mix. The effects are well done, too.

Electric Dragon 80,000V Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The first print run of the release comes with a nice o-card slipcover. The slipcover features unique key artwork. The artwork underneath the slipcover is excellent, too.

On disc supplements include:

Trailer (HD, 1:36)

Premiere Stage Greetings (SD, 3:37)

Actor Tadanobu Asano Stage Greeting (SD, 5:50)

Actor Masatoshi Nagase Stage Greeting (SD, 8:22)

Stage Interview with Director Sogo Ishii, Producer Takenori Sento, and Music Composer Hiroyuki Onogawa (SD, 14:30)

Producer Takenori Sento Interview (SD, 9:33)

Music Composer Hiroyuki Onogawa Interview (HD, 21:29)

Special Effects Breakdown (SD, 22:33)          

Storyboards (HD, 1:40)

Electric Dragon 80,000V Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Electric Dragon 80000V is a must-see experiment for fans of offbeat and surreal filmmaking.  Electric Dragon 80000V is unusual and unlike anything else out there. Electric Dragon 80000V is a film that showcases the magic of eccentric filmmaking. The Blu-ray release features superb high-definition video and lossless audio. The release comes jam-packed with enticing bonus features. Highly recommended.