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"Speed Grapher" is a series I have been looking forward to ever since FUNImation announced their license of it last year. It is a show produced by GONZO, a studio responsible for some of my recent favorite series. In the years following the end of an economic "Bubble War", Tatsumi Saiga, once a renowned war photographer, has found himself reduced to working as a paparazzi. In the years following the war, Tokyo has become a dark place filled with corruption, greed, and debauchery. Saiga, who once lived off the adrenaline rush of capturing shocking moments of humanity on film, is bored with his current work and cannot find a worthy subject for his lens. He spends his days trailing slimy politicians and businessmen and snapping photos of their sordid affairs. The most exciting thing in his life is Ginza, a sexually aggressive and uniquely clothed policewoman who fancies him, much to his di Speed Grapher is a lurid and trashy show. I mean this in a good way. smay. Saiga's life takes a turn for the strange when he stumbles upon a corruption story that leads him to an underground world and into the arms of a mysterious young girl. Government officials are dying. Brutally killed one by one, the only connection seems to be their opposition to a drug reform bill. Another possible link is a secret club located below the streets of Tokyo that caters only to an extremely wealthy and elite clientele with unusual sexual tastes. The person rumored to be in charge of the club is Suitengu Choji, the right-hand man of the Tennozu Group, one of Tokyo's leading business empires. Suitengu is a sinister and powerful guy, and the thought of investigating him and breaking down the mystery of the club piques Saiga's interest. Camera in hand, Saiga infiltrates the sex club and finds more than he bargained for. It is a very perverted, smutty place, but the main attraction there is not the sex. Amidst the steamy and lewd activities, Suitengu hosts a gathering that is secret, even within the club. VIP members are offered the chance to receive a kiss from a goddess who descends from the sky and can grant their most secret, darkest wish with the touch of her lips. These wishes are different for each person, and granting them yields bizarre and horrifying results. Everyone at the club is masked, so Saiga is able to wander around, but his conspicuous camera and blatant snooping soon draw the attention of the club leaders. He is saved by the goddess herself who bestows her kiss upon him and changes his life forever. Saiga's subconscious wish is granted, and the results are literally explosive. Speed Grapher is a lurid and trashy show. I mean this in a good way. It is unashamedly bloody, violent, and graphic. The story is silly and implausible, but it's unique, and the characters are fun to watch. Suitengu is awesomely rich and evil- he smokes money for cigarettes and has an army of super-powered henchmen. The goddess grants some freakish powers, and I enjoyed the creative ways in which they manifest. The first two episodes cover basically the same time frame but from two different points of view. Episode one introduces Saiga and shows his life leading up to meeting the goddess. Episode two reveals the goddess herself. Kagura, a young girl kept locked in a tower of luxury is being manipulated by Suitengu. She is the daughter of the Tennozu group, but even with such massive family wealth, she is not happy. Just as Kagura gifts Saiga with an incredibleRead full review
I recently purchased Speed Grapher Vol 1,2,3,4,5,6 Complete All Limited Edition. This series has a truly original story that comes out of nowhere when you read the synopsis. It's great in a way that some otaku can't imagine which makes it all the more alluring to the curious viewer...
Verified purchase: No
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