Ow
The plot was really the best, I loved it a lot, this has been the content I was looking for but never found until today. I highly recommend it. The acting was amazing and just drew me in unbelievably quick. The scenes were chefs kiss. The music played nicely with the movie but wasn't really there for me. I really liked every detail about it.I didn't really dislike anything, it could have been longer and could have touched up on a lot of things yet it just skimmed through it. Either way I think it was for the best, because it just makes you want more. I'm really searching through and seeing if there's anymore of this and I've seen there is. If you like fighting, visuals, bright characters, excitement, then this is for you. The build up of the characters weren't there but it truly did show funny aspects. I wish there was just character growth actually, it really just throughs you in there to understand. Maybe its because you or I was supposed to watch the earlier ones, I don't know but It was pretty great. If you've seen K.O its like that but different. There is also awh moments in it which I enjoyed.
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This review may contain spoilers
This was basically the kiddie version of the High&Low franchise. Oh, don't get me wrong, I liked it, but it was basically a rehash of the old plots just with high school protagonists. Genius friend studying in a good school, sister doing drugs, best friend falling in with the wrong crowd for the right reasons, big fight to bring said bestie back to his senses... yup, it was all there before. And it wasn't bad, it just wasn't, well, fresh.That's why my favorite moments were the bits that actually did feel fresh. Like Fujio and Sachi's relationship that started with them as complete strangers becoming friends becoming enemies becoming friends again, relieved that the other wasn't a bad guy, after all. That was cute! Also, the way Fujio looked at Sachi? Hot damn!
Also, Murayama's graduation. It pretty much mirrored Tatsuya's departure from Mugen, true. But I loved that it showed that change doesn't need to be bad, that when something ends, something else begins and it might be just as good. And that there comes a moment when you feel that, yeah, this is it, it's time to move on now. And you are happy about that closure, not sad.
My favorite scene of all? When Murayama called Cobra and asked him to hear him out this time because he just needed someone to talk to, an equal. That just gave me warm fuzzies.
I wish we got more info on Sachi, though. Because he was a badass and I'm not saying that just because Shison Jun is my favorite actor. Sachi was... hot damn! But he and his sister and Housen in general felt underdeveloped because most attention was given to Fujio and his gang. Luckily, Shison Jun could carry the part with what little he was given. Oh well...
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1This review may contain spoilers
Murayama's Departure was beautiful
Instead of the main story and new main characters in this movie, I found myself more invested in Murayama's departure story from Oya High School, along with the story of Housen Academy's leader Ueda Sachio, and Todoroki.This movie still had great fights and good music. I think the main story is done pretty well. I still liked it, and maybe I would have enjoyed it more if it were an independent movie, not a sequel from the High & Low franchise. It didn't touch me so much as the original High&Low story, with the original characters. I think one of the reasons would be that the plot was very similar to the previous series and movies, which I'm already so familiar with. Besides, it didn't give the same vibe as I had expected. What I loved the most from the High&Low saga, besides great action scenes and distinct theme songs created for each gang, was strong brotherhood, and found family vibe and unique street vibe. It felt like the gangs in S.W.O.R.D district were fighting for something important to them. As it was mentioned throughout the series, the gangs used their fists to protect their friends, brothers, family, women, and also the whole district from big yakuza corporations and corrupt government officials.
In this movie, besides the story of trying to bring back a friend who was choosing the wrong path due to misfortune, which was basically the main theme of the High&Low franchise, the new main characters' purpose is just to constantly pick fights with different rivals to prove their strength and power. It's pretty understandable to me too, as most of them are teenagers and I guess perhaps that's a normal attitude of boys at that age. What confused me a bit was that I felt like they were trying to normalize that attitude and made those young boys look like they were heroes. I actually disliked some new students in Oya High School, but luckily they were not the main characters and didn't have much screen time.
As I have mentioned above, the spotlight of this movie for me was Murayama's departure from Oya High School and his journey into adulthood. Despite Murayama's little screen time, I loved every moment he appeared, including his second fight scene with Todoroki, his wise words given towards the junior students in Oya High School, him at his part-time job, his appearance with his iconic truck, the final big fight against the bad guys in the area, and his iconic line before every fight. It was really nice to see how humble and polite Murayama became at work, in the world outside Oya High School. He was gradually changing and learning to be accept new challenges in life other than being the leader of Oya High School. His departure from Oya High School was inevitable and necessary for his own growth. He was ready for a new chapter in life. I'm happy for him, and glad that I was able to witness his last moments in Oya High School.
I also loved the way Murayama was trying to call Cobra for an advice and for a casual talk, like between close friends. It was another beautiful scene to me. Until now, my top favorite individual fight scene in the whole High&Low saga was still the solo fight between Cobra and Murayama from the first series. I'm so happy to see how far they had become.
My other favorite parts in this movie belong to Housen Academy's leader Ueda Sachio. Shison Jun is one of my favorite actors and he was so cool in this movie, from his look, facial expressions, actions, to his badass fight scenes. Everything was perfect. I wish he had more screen time. He seemed to be an interesting character that I would love to learn more about, and his relationship with our main character Fujio was pretty interesting too. I guess they would become good friends in the future.
Oh, Tettsu and Chiharu appeared again in this movie. This time they appeared together in one scene. They were still a comedic duo as always. It would be nice if Dan could be there too. By the way, Tettsu had a new hairstyle again, which was also nice, but I still loved his dreadlocks style the most.
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Action Done Right
Hollywood producers can definitely learn a thing or two about how action should be done from High&Low The Worst. This movie is an absolute gem in its genre – the best that I have seen since Crows Zero. Whether you are looking for a well-written plot, realistic fight scenes, or fun, likeable characters, you will find all of these and more. Now let me tell you in detail what makes this movie so great.1. Top-notch Action.
The highlight of this movie are the long fight scenes. What distinguishes them from those in most action movies that I have seen is that they do not rely too much on slow motion. The viewer is exposed to the full chaos of a battle between two large groups of violent delinquents. The changing camera angles and the fact that the lead character does not miraculously emerge unscathed from every fight adds realism to the scenes, while the witty banter between opponents and the absence of excessive gore makes them satisfyingly entertaining. Although I usually skip the fighting in movies because it bores me, this time I was glued to the screen.
2. Gorgeous Guys.
The visuals in this movie are jaw-dropping – and I do not mean only the lead actors. The number of Oya High and Housen Academy students that can become top models is really high. Almost every scene left me wondering at whom I should stare. They all look like they have stepped out of an anime! Whoever was in charge of the casting deserves a raise. My only complaint is that the majority of extras looked too old to be high school students.
3. Well-developed Plot with Likeable Characters.
This movie is a great reminder that action does not have to be plotless. It has an interesting and well-written storyline that drew me in almost immediately. Although I am a newcomer to this franchize, I did not have any difficulties understanding what is happening.
I also appreciated the fact that the main characters are all fleshed-out well. Each one of them has his own problems and motivations that make him easy to sympathize with. The eccentric Murayama became a favorite of mine by the end, but I rooted for everyone else just as much.
The spin that this movie does on the power of friendship and found family tropes also works really well and does not seem clichéd. Despite all the fighting and screaming, there are many heart-warming moments of genuine friendship – something that is difficult to find in movies nowadays.
Most importantly, the ending ties everything together, leaving no plot holes.
4. Bromance.
The bromance is the second highlight of this movie. I do not know if the production team chose to underscore the chemistry between Fujio and Sachio on purpose, but more sparks flew between those two than between most onscreen romantic couples that I have seen.
Overall, if you have two hours to spare and you are in the mood for action, watch this movie.
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This review may contain spoilers
I Accidentally Enrolled in High&Low University
📝 So... How Did I Feel About This One?⚠️ WARNING: Potential Spoilers — I’m Not Saving You from Emotional Damage
Officially, we're into The Worst Saga, and this was actually the first one I watched in the entire High&Low franchise.
Which, looking back, probably wasn't the best way to start.
Because I had absolutely no idea what the hell was going on.
The movie itself was really enjoyable. The characters were entertaining, the action was great, and the whole thing was very well done.
But because I hadn't watched any of the predecessors yet, there was a LOT of context that I was missing.
The storyline was definitely confusing the first time around.
Then I went back and watched the previous movies and series.
And when I came back and rewatched The Worst?
Suddenly, everything made a whole lot more sense.
Funny how that works.
It also helped me appreciate what the movie was doing with the transition into a new generation.
We're moving into The Worst Saga, which is centered around Oya High and introduces a new group of characters, but we're not simply throwing away everything that came before.
The previous characters and storylines still matter.
And I really liked that.
It made the transition feel much more natural instead of suddenly feeling like we were watching an entirely different franchise.
💕 Things I Loved
The biggest thing for me was seeing this new generation of miscreants take center stage.
There is always a risk when a franchise starts moving away from characters you've already grown attached to.
You spend all this time getting invested in one group, and then suddenly you're expected to care about a bunch of new people.
Thankfully, The Worst makes that transition work.
The characters are entertaining, the story gives them room to establish themselves, and the connections to the previous storyline help keep everything feeling like one larger world.
I also really enjoyed the action.
Because let's be honest.
We're watching High&Low.
The fighting is basically part of the food pyramid.
And this movie delivers.
But above all else...
THE MUSIC.
This franchise continues to absolutely refuse to give me a bad soundtrack.
The music is easily one of my favorite things about these movies, and The Worst is no exception.
😭 Things That Hurt My Feelings
Murayama.
That's it.
That's the section.
Okay, fine. I'll elaborate.
It made me genuinely sad knowing that this was Murayama Yoshiki's last appearance and that his departure signified that the S.W.O.R.D. saga was officially coming to an end.
We've spent so much time with these characters.
We've watched them fight.
We've watched them grow.
We've watched them turn what should probably be an absolute disaster of a school environment into something resembling a found family.
And now we're moving on.
Sighs.
I knew it was coming.
I still didn't like it.
Apparently emotional attachment was the real final boss of the S.W.O.R.D. saga.
🔥 And Then There Was THIS...
So, after watching this movie, I discovered that High&Low: The Worst also has ties to another set of movies called Crows Zero.
Because apparently one franchise rabbit hole wasn't enough.
Now, in all honesty, while the premises are connected, they aren't really related in the same way the various High&Low installments are.
There are connections between the worlds, but you don't need to have watched Crows Zero to understand what you're watching here.
Still, finding out that there was yet another branch attached to this whole thing was certainly a moment of:
Wait... there's MORE?!
Apparently I had accidentally enrolled in High&Low University.
🫠 Final Mood
This was a really good movie, especially considering that it was the one that accidentally introduced me to the entire High&Low franchise.
Watching it the first time, I was confused.
Watching it again after going through the previous installments, I understood it so much better.
And honestly, I think that made me appreciate it more.
I liked the introduction of the new generation, I liked how the movie connected them to the existing world, and I loved the action and music.
It was also incredibly bittersweet knowing that this marked the end of Murayama's story and officially closed the door on the S.W.O.R.D. saga.
But it did leave me with some questions.
Like...
After Murayama leaves, what happens to the O in S.W.O.R.D.?
Because somebody needs to answer this very important question.
There's still one more movie that comes after this, and I've also heard that another installment is currently in production, supposedly set to be released in 2027.
Apparently, they're claiming that one will be the final movie.
But who knows?
Hopefully not.
Because if I've learned anything from this franchise, it's that there is always another fight, another gang, another school, another movie...
And apparently another rabbit hole waiting for me.
Started: I thought I was watching a random Japanese delinquent movie.
Finished: Somehow deeply invested in an entire cinematic universe and emotionally attached to people who solve problems by punching each other.
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I liked how they introduced each gang but I didn't understand what their purpose was. Especially the gang that had their hideout in a high school and that it was suppose to be a school but it was just run by a gang.
I made it to season 1 episode 6 before I decided to call it quits. I don't know, but it seems like this Japanese drama was trying to imitate the style of Korean action dramas but they failed miserably.
High & Low The Worst is right. It was the worst drama that I watched and there's two seasons and four movies of this.
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Oh My Yankee!
High&Low The Worst ne prend pas réellement de risques dans son scénario ou sa narration. Moins coriace et émouvant que les précédents, il fait son chemin avec des performances solides et un retour à l'action.Dans ma review sur le drama (qui précède ce film), j'avais mentionné que les valeurs communes semblaient avoir laissé place à de l'individualisme. Ici, la tendance s'inverse. On retrouve l'ADN même de la franchise avec des gangs qui s'affrontent puis s'allient pour une cause commune.
Côté casting, c'est du High&Low pur jus. Beaucoup de personnages avec des performances solides. Shison Jun (Ueda Sachio) incarne ce que j'attendais de lui : à la fois distingué, charismatique, beau et féroce. Yamada Yuki (Murayama Yoshiki) bénéficie d'un final soigné (qui donne le sourire). L'arrogance de Shiono Akihisa (Odajima Yuken) est brillante. Quant à Yoshino Hokuto (Takajo Tsukasa) et Kawamura Kazuma (Hanaoka Fujio), ils livrent à nouveau un jeu efficace.
Plus généreux en combats, le film retrouve la fibre originale de l'univers High&Low. Les chorégraphies sont bien exécutées et filmées, même si elles ne sont pas aussi spectaculaires que les projets précédents. Il est aussi dommage que les membres d'un même gang perdent leur identité visuelle. Cela dit, voir Shison Jun et Yoshino Hokuto briser des mâchoires compense et me rend beaucoup trop enthousiaste.
En bref, High&Low The Worst renoue avec l'esprit de la franchise. Bien qu'il dépoussière un scénario déjà connu de l'univers, il reste un film entraînant et vif où les personnages donnent autant qu'ils reçoivent.
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