Maybe in order to prevent Gene Simmons from suing them, the makers of the cartoon series "Detroit Metal City" had to offer him a role in their blockbuster (at least in Japan) film. And while Simmons isn't nearly as good in Toshio Lee's "Detroit Metal City" in the role of Jack II Dark as he was as Dr. Charles Luther in 1984's "Runaway," the rest of the cast and the bizarro story make this import film an entertaining mindf--k -- a searing amalgam of Slipknot live, "Metalocalypse" and "Lost in Translation." The film revolves around a young musician, Soichi Negishi, who moves to Tokyo to become a cheesy pop star, but becomes embroiled in the turbulent world of death metal when he becomes the frontman of the the group Detroit Metal City.

The more he tries to escape DMC, the more popular they grow. With a blaring heavy metal soundtrack that's not half bad, the story becomes an internal battle between decadence, depravity and mega-cash vs. morality, ethics and sunny optimism. The movie was spun off the popular Japanese cartoon, which in turn was inspired by a comic book (manga) by Kiminori Wakasugi. click "more" to read the manga and watch the first episode of the cartoon. Read more...