Detroit Metal City

Detroit Metal City (Japanese: デトロイト・メタル・シティ, Hepburn: Detoroito Metaru Shiti) is a vulgar comedy manga series by Kiminori Wakasugi, serialized in Young Animal from 2005 to 2010. An anime OVA series, twelve episodes of approximately 13 minutes each, was released starting on August 8, 2008. A live film adaptation directed by Toshio Lee appeared in Japanese theaters on August 23, 2008. The series takes its name from the KISS single "Detroit Rock City".

Plot

Soichi Negishi is a shy young musician who dreams of a career in pop. Dreams don't pay the bills, so he's ended up as the lead singer and guitarist of a blackened death metal band, "Detroit Metal City." In stage costume he is Johannes Krauser II, rumored to be a terrorist demon from hell, to have killed and raped his parents, to wield his giant death penis with abandon, and other menacing tales being said about him after each public performance. The songs of DMC often encourage the audience to engage in immoral and illegal behavior, such as rape or murder, or tell of Krauser's exploits with similar actions, in a parody of the genre.

Negishi despises DMC and all that it stands for, but he can't walk away as he has a talent to play the psychotic frontman of the band. Negishi is under his meager exterior a rageaholic and also is very skilled in his guitar play. Further, he feels obligation to the rest of the band and his label and even if he manages to escape, he is invariably roped back in by the manager of the band's label. The Krauser persona also functions as an outlet to vent his frustration over his failing personal career, which has not advanced beyond him being a street musician. Playing his music in the street earns him nothing but the disapproval of bystanders over his cheesy pop songs.

Negishi is envious of the popularity DMC and his Krauser persona enjoy in contrast to the music he actually wants to play being ridiculed, which in turn leads to his Krauser persona coming out more often, which leads to Krauser's popularity growing. The series explores the futile attempts of Negishi to break this vicious circle, escape his DMC persona and become a successful pop musician.

Characters

• Soichi Negishi (根岸 崇一, Negishi Sōichi): The main protagonist. A calm and peaceful musician from Inukai, Ōita, he is a fan of Swedish pop and Shibuya-kei who is the exact opposite of his alter-ego Johannes Krauser II (ヨハネ・クラウザーII世, Yohane Kurauzā Nisei), leader of the Visual death metal band DMC (short for Detroit Metal City). Ashamed of his true job, Negishi must cope with DMC's rising fame while keeping it a secret from friends and family. Even though Negishi despises Krauser so much, he can never resist the temptation of invoking his demonic ego every time he feels irritated or in trouble. While performing as Krauser, Negishi proves to be a skilled guitarist, able to play just with his teeth.

  In the OVA, Daisuke Kishio voices Negishi, while Yuji Ueda voices Krauser. In the film, Kenichi Matsuyama portrays both roles.

• Yuri Aikawa (相川 由利, Aikawa Yuri): Negishi's friend from his college times and his main love interest. She loves Negishi's calm nature and songs, but dislikes DMC's music and its vocalist Krauser, unaware that they are the same person.

  Voiced by Masami Nagasawa in the OVA, and portrayed by Rosa Kato in the live-action movie.

• Terumichi Nishida (西田 照道, Nishida Terumichi): Curry-loving, overweight, and taciturn. An otaku, he is a fan of ecchi anime. Nishida is Camus (カミュ, Kamyu), DMC's drummer. Perhaps the most dedicated in the group; not even fire or snakes will stop his drumming.

  Voiced by Makoto Yasumura in the OVA, and portrayed by Ryuji Akiyama in the live-action movie.

• Masayuki Wada (和田 真幸, Wada Masayuki): Plays the part of Alexander Jagi (アレキサンダー・ジャギ, Arekisandā Jagi), DMC's bassist and a ladies' man from Saitama. He would like to leave DMC to perform in a visual kei band, but like the rest of the band, he is reluctant to go on his own path, mostly in fear of their manager.

  Voiced by Yuto Nakano in the OVA, and portrayed by Yoshihiko Hosoda in the live-action movie.

• Death Records President (デスレコーズ社長, Desu Rekōzu Shachō): A foul-mouthed, sex-crazy blonde woman who creates odd schemes to promote the band, most of them to Negishi's despair.

  Voiced by Ai Kobayashi in the OVA, and portrayed by Yasuko Matsuyuki in the live-action movie.

• Keisuke Nashimoto (梨元 圭介, Nashimoto Keisuke): A masochistic middle-aged man hired to perform during DMC's concerts as the "Capitalist Pig" (資本主義の豚, Shihonshugi no Buta), whose role is to let himself be abused by Krauser. He works part-time at a convenience store.

  Voiced by Takashi Matsuyama in the OVA.

• Jack ill Dark (ジャック・イル・ダーク, Jakku iru Dāku): Also known as "The Emperor", he is a legendary Black metal guitarist from the United States who chose to crush DMC during his farewell concert in Japan. But after inadvertently bringing out Negishi's anger, he ends up being upstaged by Krauser, and thus entrusts him his trademark guitar and title.

  Voiced by Riki Takeuchi and Eugene Nomura in the OVA, and portrayed by Gene Simmons of Kiss in the live-action movie.

Media

Manga

The manga was originally serialized in of the Japanese manga magazine Young Animal published by Hakusensha from September 2005 to April 2010. Hakusensha has compiled the 113 chapters into 10 volumes from May 29, 2006^[1] to July 29, 2010 under its Jets Comics imprint.^[2] Viz Media licensed the manga in North America^[3] and published it from June 9, 2009^[4] to September 13, 2011.^[5] The manga has sold at least 2 million copies.^[6]

Film

The live action film adaptation of the series, directed by Toshio Lee and written by Mika Ōmori, was released on August 23, 2008. It features performances by Kenichi Matsuyama, Rosa Kato, Kazuma Suzuki, Rumi Hiiragi, Yasuko Matsuyuki and a cameo appearance by Gene Simmons. It has been watched by more than 1 million people. The film was licensed in North America by Viz Pictures in July 2010^[7] and released in November 2010.^[8] It has been reported that several offers have been made from United States and Hong Kong based companies to remake the film.^[6] Detroit Metal City was selected as a part of the 33rd Annual Toronto International Film Festival's Midnight Madness Program on September 5, 2008. It was also shown for the first time in the United Kingdom on November 2008 in Hyde Park Picture House, Leeds. It was also shown as part of the 13th Japanese Film Festival in November and December in Sydney and Melbourne, Australia in 2009. The toy company Banpresto created a set of four plush dolls based on the characters and figurine company Kaiyodo created action figures for the North American market.^[9]

OVA

A DVD box set was released of a series of 12 OVA episodes for D.M.C.

• 1-A – PV
• 1-B – SICK MURDERER
• 2-A – REAL LEGEND
• 2-B – SATAN
• 3-A – PIG
• 3-B – DRUG
• 4-A – FRUSTRATION
• 4-B – GOOD SONG
• 5-A – MASOCHIST
• 5-B – FAMILY
• 6-A – PUNK.1
• 6-B – PUNK.2
• 7-A – TOWER
• 7-B – CONFESSION
• 8-A – PROMISE
• 8-B – ALTERNATION
• 9-A – CINEMA.1
• 9-B – CINEMA.2
• 10-A – FAKE
• 10-B – DETROIT-MOE-CITY
• 11-A – HIP-HOP.1
• 11-B – HIP-HOP.2
• 12-A – EMPEROR.1
• 12-B – EMPEROR.2

Music

Prior to the theatrical release and the OVA release, an album titled Detroit Metal City: Tribute to Krauser II the metal mix (デトロイト・メタル・シティ トリビュートアルバム〜生贄メタルMIX〜, Detoroito Metaru Shiti: Toribyūto Arubamu ~Ikenie Metaru MIX~, Detroit Metal City Tribute Album: Sacrifice Metal Mix) was released featuring many popular Japanese recording artists covering their own songs in a metal style. The album has songs by:

• Beat Crusaders
• Kaela Kimura
• Scha Dara Parr
• Midori
• YUKI
• monobright
• Tommy February⁶
• Mucc
• King Giddra
• Electric Eel Shock
• ANA
• Wagdug Futuristic Unity
• Kahimi Karie

As a fictional band, Detroit Metal City has released several real records for both the film and the OVA series. Singles titled "SATSUGAI/Amai Koibito ~for the movie~" (SATSUGAI/甘い恋人〜for the movie〜, "MURDER/Sweet Lover ~for the movie~") were released for the film (subtitled "for the movie"), sung by Tetsuya Kanmuri as Johannes Krauser II and Hideki Kaji as Soichi Negishi. Another single titled "Maoh/Raspberry Kiss ~for the movie~" (魔王/ラズベリーキッス〜for the movie〜, Maō/Razuberī Kissu ~for the movie~) was released with Kanmuri and Kaji in character on vocals for their respective songs. The film's D.M.C also released an album titled Makai Yūgi ~for the movie~ (魔界遊戯〜for the movie〜, Hell Game ~for the movie~) featuring "SATSUGAI", "Maoh", and other songs featured in the film and manga sung by Kanmuri.^[10]

Singles were also released for the fictional bands depicted in the movie:

• "Detarame Mothe-com Cherry Boy ~for the movie~" (デタラメ・マザコン・チェリーボーイ〜for the movie〜, Detarame Mazakon Cherībōi ~for the movie~) by anti-sexism punk band Kintama Girls (金玉ガールズ, Kintama Gāruzu)
• "From New York City ~for the movie~" (フロムNYシティ〜for the movie〜, Furomu NY Shiti ~for the movie~) by rapper MC KIVA (MC鬼刃, Emu Shī Kiba)
• "Sally my Love ~for the movie~" (サリーマイラブ〜for the movie〜, Sarī Mai Rabu ~for the movie~) by Tetra-pot Melon Tea (テトラポット・メロン・ティ, Tetorapotto Meron Ti)

Video game

D3 Publisher was producing a game based on DMC for the Nintendo DS titled Detroit Metal City DS: Death Shout that would feature multiple modes of play, including an Elite Beat Agents-inspired rhythm game and a Final Fantasy-inspired RPG mode.^[11] It was later cancelled.^[12]

References

External links

• Official website
• Detroit Metal City (manga) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia
• Detroit Metal City (anime) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia

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