History Anime / JinRohTheWolfBrigade

''Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade'' is the third and final film of Creator/MamoruOshii's ''Franchise/KerberosSaga'', released in 1999. It is also the only animated film in the series, the animation done by Creator/ProductionIG.

The main character is Kazuki Fuse, a member of a heavily armed special forces unit (Kerberos) of the police. At the beginning of the film he witnesses the desperate suicide of a young girl who was delivering explosives to an anti-government riot. The [[SuicideAttack suicide bomb]] cuts power lines causing a large blackout; as a result the police lose control of the situation and Fuse gets into trouble with the brass as he could've prevented this by shooting the girl. The audience is then introduced to a power war going on behind the scenes, between the police unit Fuse is part of and a rival entity called Public Security. Later on, Fuse meets Kei Amemiya who looks like the dead girl and claims to be her older sister. Is it the truth, or is she hiding something? Despite his suspicions, Fuse doesn't reject her company.

* ThereIsNoKillLikeOverkill: The Kerberos cops don't show much mercy to their targets and [[MoreDakka riddle them with bullets]]. The completely one sided carnage of pitting anyone against the Kerberos cops is animated in a glorious mess of muzzle flash, blood and smoke. [[spoiler:To say nothing of Fuse's disposal of Henmi.]] In fact, this is drilled into them through training: the instructor makes sure that his trainees receive plenty of rubber bullets for doing anything that would have gotten them killed in the field.

The film was licensed and dubbed by Creator/BandaiEntertainment for a DVD release, but said release went out of print when the company ceased production. Creator/DiscotekMedia has since rescued the movie for a future DVD release. A Korean Live action remake of the movie titled ''Illang: The Wolf Brigade'' was released in 2018 and directed by Kim Jee-woon.

%%* DieselPunk

* DownInTheDumps: The finale

* [[GasMaskMooks Gas Mask]] EliteMooks

%%* GovernmentAgencyOfFiction

%%* ResignationsNotAccepted

%%* ShootTheShaggyDog

The film was licensed and dubbed by Creator/BandaiEntertainment for a DVD release, but said release went out of print when the company ceased production. Creator/DiscotekMedia has since rescued the movie for a future DVD release. A Korean Live action remake of the movie titled ''In-rang'' was released in 2018 and directed by Kim Jee-woon.

* PowerArmor: This is one trope that the series is remembered for, the [[IconicOutfit iconic]] Protect-Gear. Ample protection, glowing [[RedEyesTakeWarning red]] night vision lenses, and the very picture of badassery. May have inspired [[VideoGame/FalloutNewVegas other]] [[VideoGame/{{Killzone}} similar]] [[VideoGame/WolfensteinTheNewOrder armors]].

* InterplayOfSexAndViolence: Twice; first on a terrifying ImagineSpot where Fuse envisions a pack of wolves eating Kei alive with and Fuse himself shooting her into pieces with a machine gun while the other Kerberos unit members watch. All of this, combined with [[FanDisservice a disturbing shot of her exposed breasts]] as the wolves feast on her. Second time during the end of the movie [[spoiler:as Fuse is crying and prepares to pull the trigger and kill Kei, he sounds awfully lot like he's about to have an orgasm]]. This is another part of the movie's FairyTailMotifs as ''Literature/LittleRedRidingHood'' was originally a cautionary tale for young girls about the dangers of alluring young men.

* DieselPunk.

* GambitPileup: Everyone has an angle. Most involve manipulating Fuse. [[spoiler:Turns out he already knows and is manipulating ''them''.]]
** [[spoiler: Although he has been manipulated into manipulating them.]]

* GovernmentAgencyOfFiction

* MayDecemberRomance: Between Kei and Fuse.

* ObfuscatingStupidity: [[spoiler:Fuse]].

* ResignationsNotAccepted

* ShootTheShaggyDog

''Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade'' is the third and final film of Creator/MamoruOshii's ''Kerberos Saga'', released in 1999. It is also the only animated film in the series, the animation done by Creator/ProductionIG.

Unlike two of the earlier films in the series, ''The Red Spectacles'' and ''[=StrayDog=]: Kerberos Panzer Cops'', which were original stories, ''Jin-Roh'' is a very loose adaptation of the ''Kerberos Panzer Cops'' manga. Most of the characters have been renamed, reimagined or removed entirely and the plot has been [[PragmaticAdaptation compressed and simplified to fit a movie that lasts less than two hours]].

* YouKnowTooMuch: [[spoiler:Kei must be killed to guarantee Public Security can't find her and do the same -- as long as she's missing, they can't be sure Kei isn't under protective custody somewhere, ready to give evidence if needed.]]
----
!!Tropes in other works in the Kerberos Saga:

* ActionGirl: Midori, a woman in the Panzer Cops who is not afraid to take the lead.
* ArcWords: "Who is your master?" and many other questions.
* AnimeChineseGirl: Tang Mei from ''Stray Dog''.
* {{Chickification}}: This happens to Midori in ''Red Spectacles'' [[spoiler: but the fact that Midori ends up this way is actually something that Koichi is dreaming up.]]
* ContemplateOurNavels: Shortly before storming an embassy, one of the Panzer Cops talks about how he wants to own a blimp. There are also numerous conversations written by Creator/MamoruOshii, especially about dogs and men.
* CoolShades: Koichi wears these all the time, even while wearing a Protect Gear helmet and while taking a shower.
* CrapsackWorld: The poor conditions of AlternateHistory Japan are further elaborated upon. After the Panzer Cops were forcefully disbanded, things went FromBadToWorse.
* DeliberatelyMonochrome: The film ''Red Spectacles''.
* DirtyCoward: [[spoiler: Many characters believe Koichi to be this, for taking a suit of Protect Gear and flying off to a foreign country rather than sticking with the rest of the Kerberos Panzer Cops.]]
* DoomTroops: [[GasMaskLongcoat Protect Gear]] troopers.
* DownerEnding: Repeatedly, some of which make Jin-Roh's ending look peaceful and nonviolent in comparison.
* DrunkenMaster: Koichi, after enduring a harsh interrogation, breaks free after being force-fed some cheap alcohol.
* DyingDream: [[spoiler: In ''Red Spectacles'' it turns out that Koichi died when he was first ambushed in the hotel.]]
* EnemyMime / MonsterClown: During the post-Panzer-Cops era, the government of Japan employs psycho-killer constantly-laughing-or-smiling white-painted-faced red-lipstick killers.
* ExtremeCloseUp: Done to a comic effect as Inui and Koichi unexpectedly meet again in ''Stray Dog''.
* FarEastAsianTerrorists: An antagonist to Japanese security forces, especially the Panzer Cops. Most are pro-leftist.....
* FightInTheNude: Koichi fights off a lot of armed mooks with just a handgun and exaggerated martial arts.
* {{Foreshadowing}}: Notice the FightInTheNude sequence? How a fairly grounded drama has this out of place moment and gets increasingly more absurd as it goes along? [[spoiler: The absurd nature is a hint as to movie we're watching is not quite reality, but Koichi's DyingDream.]]
* GainaxEnding: [[spoiler: ''The Red Spectacles'', without a doubt. It also has this purpose for the whole film trilogy if you approach them in the order of their in-universe chronology.]]
* ImprobableAimingSkills: Midori, a.k.a. "The Crack Shot," can snipe with a Mauser C96.
* ImprobableWeaponUser: After the Panzer Cops are disbanded, Souichiro's signature weapon becomes a pool cue. He can even throw it ''into a man's head''.
* InterserviceRivalry: Just as important as in ''Jin-Roh''.
* JackBauerInterrogationTechnique: PlayedForLaughs as Koichi hilariously slaps and strips the clothes off of a gangster.
* LeaveTheCameraRunning: Most-prevalent in ''Stray Dog''
* MacGuffin: [[spoiler: It turns out that the main reason Bunmei was hunting for Koichi was to get his suitcase which is supposed to contain a suit of Protect Gear, but the suitcase was actually full of ''[[TitleDrop Red Spectacles]]''.]]
* MeaningfulName: '''Inu'''i, the "stray dog" from the manga who whose background and personality would later influence Kazuki Fuse. The name was re-used for the protagonist of ''Stray Dog''.
* MindScrew: Hoo boy. ''The Red Spectacles'' is about as close to a Creator/DavidLynch film as you can get without the man himself directing it. ''Stray Dog'' is less weird and more laid-back, but still has its moments.
* MysteriousWoman: The Red Riding Hood from ''Red Spectacles'' - nothing is ever explained about her, or why she appears in the situations that she does.
* NumberOfTheBeast: Multiple times.
* {{Retcon}}: The events depicted in the series, especially the Kerberos Riot, have been moved back from the 1990s to the 1960s.
* TheRevolutionWillNotBeCivilized: In addition to their actions in ''Jin-Roh'', they also purposely recruit people [[ChildSoldiers 15-years-old and younger]], take hostages, hijack airplanes, etc.
* SceneryGorn: One chapter of the manga has pages full of views of junkyards and landfills.
* SceneryPorn: In ''Stray Dog'', quite possibly some of the most ever seen in anything involving Creator/MamoruOshii.
* SeriousBusiness: Eating fast-food while standing up.
* TheSiege: The Kerberos Panzer Cops held out for over forty days before finally surrendering.
* SpecialEffectsEvolution: The firearm props in ''The Red Spectacles'' are all either cap-firing replicas or non-firing models. The [=MG42=] used in ''Stray Dog'' is a real firearm converted to fire blanks.
* SpiritualSuccessor: ''The Red Spectacles'' can be interpreted as an example of this to Oshii's previous film ''Film/AngelsEgg''. Just like that one it deals with a character trying to cope with a world he or she doesn't understand. ''Angel's Egg'' is even [[CallBack alluded to]] in a scene of ''The Red Spectacles'' where the main character points out that a dish named "angel's egg" is not served anymore.
* SunglassesAtNight: Koichi does this.
* SurrealHorror: [[spoiler: ''Red Spectacles'' gets increasingly Creator/DavidLynch like as it approaches the end.]] Borders on SurrealHumor most of the time.
* ThereIsNoKillLikeOverkill: Inui from ''Stray Dog'', much like Kazuki Fuse, has a high ratio of bullets used to people killed.
* TwoPartTrilogy: The film trilogy is an examaple of this. ''The Red Spectacles'' and ''Stray Dog'' are both live action and take place after the dissolution of the Kerberos Panzer Cops, plus they share the character Koichi. ''Jin-Roh'', on the other hand, is the only animated entry in the trilgy, takes place long before the other films, and doesn't even mention any of the characters of the other two films.
* WorldOfHam: Especially evident in ''The Red Spectacles''.
----

The film was licensed and dubbed by Creator/BandaiEntertainment for a DVD release, but said release went out of print when the company ceased production. Creator/DiscotekMedia has since rescued the movie for a future DVD release. A Korean Live action remake of the movie titled ''In-rang'' will be out in 2018 and directed by Kim Jee-woon.

* AlternateHistory: The film takes place in the 1960s. Germany won UsefulNotes/WorldWarII, occupied Japan and has only recently moved out, leaving it in economic and political turmoil. Most of the weapons and vehicles seen are German.

The film is a very loose adaptation of the first two parts of the ''Kerberos Panzer Cops'' manga. Most of the characters have been renamed, reimagined or removed entirely and the plot has been [[PragmaticAdaptation compressed and simplified to fit a movie that lasts less than two hours]].

''Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade'' is the third film adaptation of Creator/MamoruOshii's ''Kerberos Saga'' manga, released in 1999. It is also the only animated adaptation, the animation done by Creator/ProductionIG.

* [[DirtyCommunists Dirty Commies]]: Seem to make up at least a significant amount of the members of the Sect.

* DownerEnding: [[spoiler: It was written by Creator/MamoruOshii, after all. He really likes his cynicism.]]

* StarCrossedLovers: [[spoiler: Fuse and Kei]]

The film was licensed and dubbed by Creator/BandaiEntertainment for a DVD release, but said release went out of print when the company ceased production. Creator/DiscotekMedia has since rescued the movie for a future DVD release.

Somewhat jarringly for a cynical political drama, ''Jin-Roh'' is mostly remembered for the [[IconicOutfit impressive and menacing heavy armor]] worn by Fuse. It is often confused with the armor worn by the Helghast faction in the [[FirstPersonShooter first person shooter]] ''VideoGame/{{Killzone}}'' (which it possibly inspired).

* SurrealHorror: [[spoiler: ''Red Spectacles'' gets increasingly Creator/DavidLynch like as it approaches the end.]]

''Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade'' is the third film adaptation of MamoruOshii's ''Kerberos Saga'' manga, released in 1999. It is also the only animated adaptation, the animation done by Creator/ProductionIG.

* HoneyTrap: [[spoiler:Kei pretends to be the sister of the suicide bomber shot by Fuse. She's actually a terrorist turned police informer.]]

* [DirtyCommunists Dirty Commies]]: Seem to make up at least a significant amount of the members of the Sect.

* DirtyCommies: Seem to make up at least a significant amount of the members of the Sect.

* PowerArmor: This is one trope that the series is remembered for, the [[IconicOutfit iconic]] Protect-Gear. Ample protection, glowing [[RedEyesTakeWarning red]] night vision lenses, and the very picture of badassery. May have inspired [[VideoGame/FalloutNewVegas other]] [[VideoGame/{{Killzone}} similar]] armors.

* {{Lolicon}}: In ''Stray Dog'', Inui accuses Koichi of having this kink due to his relationship with Tang Mei.

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