Gangsta.
2015
Original language: Japanese
- drama
- action & adventure
- animation
- crime
The story
In the crime-ridden, mafia-governed city of Ergastulum, Worick and Nicolas are two “handymen” known as “Benriya” who would take any dirty job from either police or mafia, for a good price. After an assignment from police the two met and later joined by Alex, a former prostitute who got interested in the mysterious background of the team, in particular of Nicolas’ abilities.
What it’s like
Rain-slick nights and grimy neon in a decaying, industrial city, with heavy shadow and a muted, smoky palette that turns bright only at moments of violence. Its camera is restless and cinematic, with fast cuts, low angles and kinetic fight choreography, and the animation mixes hand-drawn figures with computer-rendered vehicles and architecture. Gunfire, katana clashes and bloodshed are frequent and visible, sometimes lingering on wounds, and the story touches on child abuse, kidnapping and murder, with prostitution and sexual exploitation in the background. Its vibe is bleak, cynical and stylish, a mix of noir fatalism and action-thriller adrenaline, best suited to a late-night binge by someone who wants tense, hard-edged crime drama. The pacing is brisk and episodic, with bursts of combat between quieter scenes of scheming and bargaining, and its emotional core is a trio of outsiders with damaged pasts slowly learning to trust one another. Not gentle, and not for anyone who wants lightness. It suits viewers who enjoy dark urban crime, gritty action and morally compromised characters.
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