History Film / TheRedSpectacles

The film is in the first entry in the Kerberos film trilogy[[note]]chronologically[[/note]] before ''Film/StrayDogKerberosPanzerCops'' and ''Anime/JinRohTheWolfBrigade''.

''The Red Spectacles'' (紅い眼鏡 Akai Megane) is a 1987 Japanese science fiction directed by Creator/MamoruOshii and written by him and Kazunori Ito. It stars Shigeru Chiba and Mako Hyodo. This film would be in the first entry in the ''Franchise/KerberosSaga'' before ''Film/StrayDogKerberosPanzerCops'' and ''Anime/JinRohTheWolfBrigade''. The film is the sequel to ''Film/StrayDogKerberosPanzerCops''.

* SpiritualSuccessor: ''The Red Spectacles'' can be interpreted as an example of this to Oshii's previous film ''Anime/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.

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* DeconReconSwitch: The movie initially seems to be a straight up 80s' action flick with a cool and badass sunglasses wearing action hero, heroes wearing cool armor and mowing down dozens of mooks with ease. Then the film seems to turn into an over the top arthouse parody where Koichi takes down his opponents in completety ridicilous manners and finally [[spoiler:in the end we see the results of what would really happen to such heroes in a ruthless totalitarian country]].

* DeconReconSwitch: The movie initially seems to be a straight up 80s' action flick with a cool and badass sunglasses wearing action hero, heroes wearing cool armor and mowing down dozens of mooks with ease. Then the film seems to turn into an over the top arthouse parody where Koichi takes down his opponents in completety ridicilous manners and finally [[spoiler:in the end we see the results of [[RealityEnsues what would really happen to such heroes in a ruthless totalitarian country]]]].

* LeFilmArtistique: Considering that it has a sepia gradient, a very small budget, several [[Postmodernism postmodernist elements]], and the fact that all the characters speak primarily in metaphors, this film fits this trope. Not surprising, considering how much influence it takes from the UsefulNotes/FrenchNewWave.

* LeFilmArtistique: Considering that it has a sepia gradient, a very small budget, several [[Postmodernism postmodernist elements]], and the fact that all the characters speak primarily in metaphors, this film fits this trope. Not surprising, considering how much influence it takes from the FrenchNewWave.

The film is in the first entry in the Kerberos film trilogy[[note]]chronologically[[/note]] before ''Film/TheRedSpectacles'' and ''Anime/JinRohTheWolfBrigade''.

* 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.]]

* WorldOfHam: Especially evident with various characters in the movie, although Koichi tends to shout and yell when he fights (then again, [[Creator/ShigeruChiba considering who he’s played by,]] that’s pretty much to be expected).

* WorldOfHam: Especially evident with various characters in the movie, although Koichi tends to shout and yell when he fights (then again, considering who he’s played by, that’s pretty much to be expected).

* 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.

Much of the film's cast is composed of Seiyuus whom Oshii had previously worked with in the anime industry, most notably Creator/ShigeruChiba and Creator/HideyukiTanaka.

* ShootTheShaggyDog: [[spoiler:Koichi's years of preparation for his return ultimately amount to nothing as he's almost immediately gunned down after he arrives to the country.]]

* DeconReconSwitch: The movie initially seems to be a straight up 80s' action flick with a cool and badass sunglasses wearing action hero, heroes wearing cool armor and mowing down dozens of mooks with ease. Then the film seems to turn into an over the top arthouse parody where Koichi takes down his opponents in completety ridicilous manners and finally [[spoilers:in the end we see the results of [[RealityEnsues what would really happen to such heroes in a ruthless totalitarian country]]]].

* GainaxEnding: [[spoiler: The entire movie in itself. It also has this purpose for the whole film trilogy if you approach them in the order of their in-universe chronology.]]

''The Red Spectacles'' (紅い眼鏡 Akai Megane) is a 1987 Japanese science fiction directed by Creator/MamoruOshii and written by him and Kazunori Ito. It stars Shigeru Chiba and Mako Hyodo. This film would be in the ''Kerberos Saga'' before ''Film/StrayDogKerberosPanzerCops'' and ''Anime/JinRohTheWolfBrigade''. The film is the sequel to ''Film/StrayDogKerberosPanzerCops''.

* WorldOfHam: Especially evident with various characters in the movie, although Koichi tends to shout and yell when he fights.

''The Red Spectacles'' (紅い眼鏡 Akai Megane) is a 1987 Japanese science fiction directed by and written with Kazunori Ito. It stars Shigeru Chiba and Mako Hyodo. This film would be in the ''Kerberos Saga'' before ''Film/StrayDogKerberosPanzerCops'' and ''Anime/JinRohTheWolfBrigade''. The film is the sequel to ''Film/StrayDogKerberosPanzerCops''.

Released in the Kerberos film trilogy[[note]]chronologically[[/note]] before ''Film/TheRedSpectacles'' and ''Anime/JinRohTheWolfBrigade''.

The movie starts when Koichi Todome is forced to flee from a Tokyo-led crackdown on Special Armed Garrison "Kerberos" unit after a Kerberos officer [[PoliceBrutality has brutally killed a civilian while on official duty]]. This was one of the main reasons why Tokyo wanted the unit to surrender, turn their gear in and disband.

After Inui dies in Taiwan in the events of ''Film/StrayDogKerberosPanzerCops'', Koichi returns back to Japan secretly in the hopes that he can link up with his ex-comrades who have survived the siege and/or have been released after being incarcerated for mutiny.

* {{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.]]
* DeliberatelyMonochrome: The film removes all color after Koichi returns to Japan.
* DyingDream: [[spoiler: In ''Red Spectacles'' it turns out that Koichi died when he was first ambushed in the hotel.]]

* SpecialEffectsEvolution: The firearm props in the movie are all either cap-firing replicas or non-firing models.

* SurrealHorror: [[spoiler: ''Red Spectacles'' gets increasingly Creator/DavidLynch like as it approaches the end.]] Borders on SurrealHumor most of the time.