User Reviews

Hired help, City Hunter, stumbles into a generic sci-fi plot of super-soldier drugs and a secret organization.

I've read and watched City Hunter over the years. And I believe this is the third Live-Action adaptation of Tsukasa Hojo's Manga (with Jackie Chan in 1993 and a rather strange-but-enjoyable French version), only to finally be adapted by Japan around 30-years later!! Personally, any adaptation that properly incorporates the "giant mallet" without feeling forced, gets a pass in my books.

But beyond the average script, there are many likeable elements and an excellent execution. With a good cast that delivers charming performances and keeps a suitable tone throughout. I was expecting more silliness and over the top situations, but it knows how to behave itself. Specially the lead, who is portrayed as a VERY reliable person.. and unrealistically impressive, even! I quite liked Ryohei Suzuki, specially since he is what I'd physically imagine Saeba to be!

So, while the story is barely okay.. the Action more than makes up for it. And while I would have liked to see this as a series with a better plot but all the same parts, what it is is good enough to recommend.

Granted, I've never watched the animated series upon which this 2024 movie is based, so I have no idea how true the movie is to the source material. Nor do I know whether or not you need to have watched the series in order to fully appreciate this 2024 movie from director Yûichi Satô.

Regardless, when I happened to stumble upon "Shiti Hanta" (aka "City Hunter") by random chance here in 2024, of course I needed no persuasion to sit down and watch it. I mean, given my love of the Asian cinema and this being a Japanese action comedy, of course I was interested in watching it.

Writers Tsukasa Hôjô and Tatsuro Mishima managed to put together an enjoyable and entertaining script and storyline. And I was definitely adequately entertained throughout the course of the 102 minutes that the movie ran for. And director Yûichi Satô managed to present a movie that definitely felt like it was spawned of Anime, given the characters, mannerisms, dialogues, etc. So if you enjoy Anime and live-action renderings of Anime movies and series, then you're in for a treat here.

The character gallery in "Shiti Hanta" was good, and there were some very interesting characters. And I have to say that the writers did good jobs on fleshing out the characters and making them distinguishable and memorable on the screen. The character gallery in the movie really added a lot of flavor to the movie.

I have seen actor Ryohei Suzuki and actress Misato Morita somewhere before, I just can't put my finger on where. I have to say that the acting performances in the movie were good, and they definitely had a talented ensemble of actors and actresses.

"Shiti Hanta" looked great, and there is a lot of visual treats to take in throughout the course of the movie. Thumbs up to the cinematography and the wardrobe department that worked on the movie; they really did phenomenal jobs.

There is also a good amount of action throughout the course of the movie, and it was filmed in a very energetic and dynamic way, making it feel like the audience is right there along the actors and actresses on the screen. The acting sequences looked great and added a lot to the overall impression of the movie.

I was genuinely entertained throughout the course of this movie, and it is definitely a movie that is well-worth sitting down and checking out if you enjoy Japanese cinema and Anime.

My rating of "Shiti Hanta" lands on a six out of ten stars.

City Hunter is almost 30 years old. For a new audience, the production could have made a one on one adaptation of the manga and/or anime to get new fans. It wouldn't have hurt and the 90s kids (or earlier) would love it. City Hunter is not that hard to adapt IMO. This movie just becomes another action movie.

Besides Kaori, which they changed a little the background, the main characters are from the source. The story is from the principal arc which is good but the introduction is too long to narrate. For a movie of 1h40 minutes, it should have focused on the characters with some small side missions for the 30 first minutes to know them better. It's a miss from the prod. In the end, we don't know what's xyz and don't even know what is City Hunter which is sad truly. City Hunter should be the light for the city of Tokyo. It should brings hope to the needy. But besides that we just get another action movie which is confusing and boring at time.

City Hunter (2024) has missed the mark to get introduced to new fans. It looks just like a fan service of something that is adaptable to a broader audience, but that tells nothing.

The ending sounds like it's open for new parts. If there are not other parts, then this movie is just a pass. It sometimes is too confusing unless the viewers know already the series.

I first started watching this anime in my early 20s, and it became the 'go-to-anime' for me and my siblings. Comprising of humour, action and great music, the anime continued to be great to watch even these days. This movie, captured the essence of the anime. They didn't try to change it much from what we all know aboy Ryo (a perv), and surpasses Jackie Chan's ridiculous, yet funny version of the great 'City Hunter'. If Netflix is pursuing anime-live action remakes, then this is definitely a model for the upcoming remakes - stick to what we love about the show and try to keep it as close as possible to the anime/manga. Great watch! 8/10.

This is a frenetic, Japanese, cartoonish martial arts action adventure. It has many good elements, like the violent and exciting martial arts action scenes and gun play. Much of this is clearly influenced by the first Matrix film. It has a lot of Japanese tropes and much of the comedic Japanese style. The problem with the film is that it is just too confusing. There is realism and then superhero, cartoon sequences and violence. The story is very hard to follow about an outbreak of Japanese violence, possibly, caused by the impact of an injected, illegal drug. The fight choreography is pretty good.

You can tell Ryohei Suzuki is a diehard fan. This was absolutely amazing. Every part of the film feels like it had been made with care and love for the source material.

All main cast were excellent, with Suzuki being the obvious standout. He is Ryo Saeba, and he put in the work. His execution of the hand-to-hand combat and gunplay is phenomenal. He truly makes Ryo feel like the most formidable man you have ever seen.

The comedy, too, has been updated to modern times. Ryo is still as lecherous as ever, but he never puts his hands on anyone without their consent, which is a welcome change.

This film sets a new standard for adapting manga and anime right. I am very hopeful for a sequel.

Story straight out of late 70s and 80s, Ryo Saeba also known as City Hunter is a ladies man, a sleazy one at that. He and his partner are on a case to find a missing girl, simultaneously there are random cases of people getting super strength, acting strange before dying. The missing girl they are searching for too has super strength and soon it is revealed that she is a victim of human trial where Angel dust drug was experimented on her. With the police struggling to get anywhere close to solve this case, it is upto City Hunter along with a new partner to save the girl and also bring the baddies to his own form of justice.

I had fun watching the Jackie Chan version of City Hunter when I was a kid. Now, I am not much of a fan and neither I am any aware of the Manga series. This film belonged to the 80s and setting the story in the current time simply doesn't work for it. The action choreography is decent enough but being self aware alone is of no help as the film jumps from being corny to silly to cringe throughout. This one is strictly for the fans of source material and for the rest, it barely provides any engaging story to get invested in.

I want to love it because I do enjoyed the original City Hunter and the Jackie Chan's movie (I'm watching it right now again).

City Hunter was huge back in the 80s and 90s. The pervy part of Ryo came from that era (these pervy protagonist probably won't work anymore in the current era), and even though he is pervy, he is actually great at his works and kind.

I think the casting choice for Ryo was really good. He nailed the character and his body was great lol. I enjoyed the Mokkori scene. The comedy was great too but I felt let down by the overall production.

I wanted it to have more artistic side of it, especially in its colour and cinematography. The opening scene was great, that part where Ryo used the soapy land cushion was funny af, but after that, it felt like a B movie production, especially during the cosplay scenes.

The action sequence and the bullet shooting was great. It didnt have to be so realistic, but I just wish the cinematography was more interesting. It just felt like a normal Japanese drama instead of a great production. Should have looked at how the Korean did on Parasyte Grey. The colour palette was at least something different.

Prepare yourself for a cinematic journey through the bustling streets of Tokyo with "City Hunter." This Japanese film not only takes us on a tour of the urban landscapes of the capital, but also uses the city as a character in its own right. From narrow alleyways to gleaming skyscrapers, Tokyo is more than just a backdrop; it's a crucial piece of the narrative, pulsating with life and energy in every scene.

But let's talk about the true shining star of this masterpiece: Suzuki Ryohei. This man is not just an actor; he's a force of nature on screen. His performance as the protagonist is nothing short of phenomenal. He manages to switch between hilarious moments and tense moments with enviable ease. And when it comes to action scenes, he simply shines. His movements are so fluid and precise that it's like watching a deadly ballet.

In summary, "City Hunter" is an explosion of action and comedy that takes us on a visual journey through Tokyo. With an exceptional performance by Suzuki Ryohei and a refreshing approach to the dynamics between genders, this film is a true gem of contemporary Japanese cinema.

Why are females treated like they can barely tie their shoelaces in some films?

I was enjoying this until the meow meow cosplay madness started, the women have a lower I. Q. than a Pikachu plushy from a claw machine, and it's getting boring.

I got to a point where I want to shake the women awake, gently, to ask why they are acting like schoolgirls when one of them looks well into her 30's I think the smart actor was the guy who got offed in the first half hour.

This had a lot of promise it's a shame it's so poorly done, I love a good Japanese film, but not this it is pretty awful, even Nic Cage would have refused a role in this.

If you know City Hunter, watch the movie. You won't regret it. The casting is great and it is a true joy to watch an animation come to live. Better than One Piece live action, which was superb.

If you don't know the anime, watch a few episodes first, before you get on the movie. The artwork, soundtrack of the first seasons and movies, is like a stepping stone of what made anime today. This show was along the time of Ranma 1/2, Saint Seya, and all that other good stuff.

I collected all the manga and cd's in the 90's and 00's, big fan of the show. Now in my 40's I just enjoy watching an amazing live action translation that does the show justice.

The 2024 Japanese live-action City Hunter movie is a triumph, setting a new standard for adapting beloved franchises. Masterfully balancing comedy, heart-pounding action, and nuanced character development, it captures the essence of the original manga and anime while feeling fresh and modern. The lead actors embody Ryo and Kaori with uncanny precision, their chemistry electric. Stunning cinematography and inventive direction elevate even the most outlandish scenes. In comparison, the 1993 Jackie Chan film feels like a pale imitation. This City Hunter adaptation is an absolute must-see, a love letter to fans that will also win over newcomers. It's the gold standard for bringing treasured stories to life on the big screen.

I think you can ignore the bad reviews. If you liked other Netflix anime-to-film adaptations, this is one of the better ones in my opinion.

I have NOT seen the earlier anime nor read the comics. I probably have seen the Jackie Chan filmed version yet remember nothing from it. This is VERY GOOD Netflix television. The first act especially is non-stop crazy, stylish action in every way, plot, acting, shot-framing, action scenes and lots of girls.

I did like Parasite Gray and the Netflix filmed version of Avatar Air Bender. I could NOT get thru Netflix One Piece. I recognize the new One Piece has a ton of talent behind and on the screen.

When I put on my film critic hat, there is one big problem these anime-to-film adaptations struggle with. Their source material is from comics which came out 1985-1995. If nothing else, this means these shows have little to no relevance to the world of the 2020s, For example the cos-play (costume dress up) convention scene seems a bit dated; and yet, the expressions of the extras and how the scene plays out dramatically is wonderful--unless you already saw it in the comics and in the anime.

Netflix's City Hunter takes DNA from Jame Bond, comic books, anime, and other 20th century pop culture. Fortunately as in the best of Netflix's anime-to-film adaptations, the commitment behind and on the screen is 100%. In film dedication counts for much. As you undoubtedly expect, this is more well-produced, mindless, fun distraction.

Good adaptation from Manga "City Hunter" form early 90'. I'm a fan of this manga and anime so I can say this movie is quite good for fans and new viewers. Acters are very good acting. I can believe that he is Saeba Ryo and another actress as Kaori from their serious and naugthy parts. The action part is vey exciting as his shooting skills is so cool! Also the music, they rearrange "Getwild" and "Foot Steps" from original anime and put into this movie too. I can see all details they added in this movie and it made me feel so happy to see it back to live again.

Meanwhile, I cut 2 points from story part that not correct from the canon.

City Hunter came out 30 years ago when my parents were young. When I told them that there is a new City Hunter movie just came out and they were really excited. We watched it together last night and man it did not disappoint! My family, 4 of us watched it together and we absolutely love it! It really perfectly restores the feeling of Japan's Bubble Economy era in the manga, the feeling of decadence at the end of the century, the fashion, the prosperity, the feasting, and the feeling of a modern metropolis where people are drunk and lavish. Ryohei Suzuki definitely fits the role and he did a perfect job. His fighting scenes are superb. His figure and muscles, his movements, and postures, switching guns and ammunition scenes, everything has perfectly restores from the manga. The only thing is, because it is only a 1 hour 40 minutes movie, there are a lot of background stories cannot be fitted into this movie. I just hope that there will be a City Hunter 2 coming. But even so, for younger generations who have not seen the manga or watch the anime or have not heard of City Hunter before, they still will not be disappoint by this movie.

I truly enjoyed this movie, The casting was perfect! Ryohei really felt like Ryo Saeba, the actor for Hideyuki Makimura was a perfect choice as well. I enjoyed seeing Ryo and Kaori interact with each other. The story was inspired by the original but it was not a copy of the original and I truly enjoyed that, they took the beginning of the original anime and turned into a fresh new story that still felt like I was watching an episode straight from the anime. The humor was great and Ryos "Mokkori" behavior was just right and not over the top action scenes were great. I believe anyone can enjoy this movie anime fan or not. I definitely hope we get to see a sequel!

So I watched the movie without knowing that this is an anime adaptation, however the name did ring a bell.

The action in the movie is top notch and the comedy is as one would expect from an anime (yes, it did feel like one).

I did feel they didnt lean into the pervy comedic thing as much but that was only because it really did turn into a 'city crime chase' kind of a movie in the second act.

The third act was slightly underwhelming but that may only be because i am so used to the marvel movie, end of the world scenrios, final boss fight idea.

I loved the characters, great action, the city looks amazing and as it should and overall just a good time.

I first started with City Hunter in the form of manga, and that goes all the way back to the 80s. So in reading one review that says it is almost 30 years old, made me chuckle.

Now for the film.

Honestly, I much prefer the last French movie among all the adaptations. That movie catches the hilarity of City Hunter almost perfectly.

This one is a more faithful adaptation but something still feels off. I think with the Netflix budget this could have been a much better production. The casting is mostly on point but the materials need some contemporary updates. This movie catches the skill and abilities of Ryo perfectly though. Kaori needs to be more development.

I question the choice of picking the first chapters of the manga series for this movie though. There are better and more contemporary storylines in later chapters.

Good try but not perfect.

Just one complain from a very long time fan: WHY are the actresses of Nogami Saeko never up to par with the manga? She was always the most beautiful, sexiest and smartest woman in all the female lineups. But all the adaptations never do her justice.