Line #26 Film/Zebraman


1	[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/zebraman_5114.jpg]]
2	[[caption-width-right:300:Criminals are a fearful, superstitious lot... afflicted with equiferusophobia.]]
3
4	-> ''Striping evil!''
5
6	''Zebraman'' is a 2004 film directed by Creator/TakashiMiike.
7
8	A satire/homage of Japanese {{tokusatsu}} television, such as ''Franchise/KamenRider'' or ''Franchise/SuperSentai'', this funny and touching movie follows Shinichi Ichikawa, a Japanese father and school teacher. Unappreciated by his family and colleagues, Ichikawa finds solace in daydreaming about his childhood television hero, Zebraman, and an OddFriendship with a young fan, Shinpei Asano. When mysterious sightings of monsters and aliens begin to spread panic in his neighborhood, Ichikawa begins developing supernatural talents of his own and defending the frightened citizens.
9
10	In the sequel, ''Zebraman 2: Assault on Zebra City'', Ichikawa finds himself TwentyMinutesIntoTheFuture, when scientist Kozue Aihara has somehow made use of the Zebraman motif to turn Japan into a CrapsackWorld, and his daughter Yui is the face of the empire. Fortunately Ichikawa still has allies, like the now adult Asano - except thanks to LaserGuidedAmnesia, he doesn't even remember how it began and why it's his business to begin with...
11
12	Not to be confused with ''Webcomic/ZebraGirl''.
13	----
14	!!Tropes featured include:
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16	* AffectionateParody: Of cheesy tokusatsu superhero shows.
17	* AnimalStereotypes: A zebra makes no more sense than [[Franchise/{{Batman}} a bat]], if you think about it.
18	%%* AnimalThemedSuperbeing: Zebraman since his animal identity is more of an alias.
19	* ArtShift: The quality of costumes, choreography, and special effects changes through the film, with a few [[AllJustADream surreal surprises]]. Ichikawa [[TookALevelInBadass grows into the role]] and the look and tone of the movie change accordingly.
20	* AscendedFanboy: Ichikawa's sad life revolves around the unpopular superhero whose television show was canceled after only seven episodes.
21	* AttackOfThe50FootWhatever: With a touch of MakeMyMonsterGrow, because this is the sort of Japanese story where the boss grows in size at the final battle, for no reason other than to step on buildings and force the hero to come up with a [[TransformationSequence new plan of attack.]] Satirized in the dream sequence midway through the film with the crab-themed villain, with really bad, obvious ForcedPerspective.
22	* BadassBiker: A zebra-themed motorcycle looks badder than you would think.
23	* BodyHorror: Though it's brief, it's intense... poor Segawa.
24	* CallingYourAttacks: Zebra Kick! Zebra Screw Punch!
25	* CatchPhrase: "Don't Stand Behind Me," followed by a predictably zebra-like defensive attack.
26	* ClapYourHandsIfYouBelieve: Drives a majority of the action in this movie. Mostly seen when Shinichi finds out he needs to gain the power to fly or he'll lose the final battle, and tries to gain it by throwing himself off heights hoping if he believes in his need for it hard enough he'll get it. It does work, but like in the shows it parodies, [[EleventhHourSuperpower it only works the time it really counts]].
27	* DownerEnding: The ''Zebraman'' ShowWithinAShow would've had one: they find the scripts late in the movie and it turns out the villains kill Zebraman and destroy the world in the last episode. [[spoiler: Fortunately the "real" Zebraman unlocks the needed power the fictional one didn't, and saves the day.]]
28	* IBelieveICanFly: It's too bad zebras can't fly.
29	* [[IntergenerationalFriendship Intergenerational]] OddFriendship: Ichikawa and Shinpei Asano, the NewTransferStudent.
30	* PeopleInRubberSuits
31	* ScrewedByTheNetwork: In-universe, the ''Zebraman'' series was canned at 7 episodes.
32	* ShowWithinAShow: Scenes from the canceled show are mixed throughout the film, which in fact do a good job of looking like an actual 70's tokusatsu hero show.
33	* SpiderSense: Called "bed head" by jeering students, the hero's hair stands erect like a faux-hawk, in the shape of a zebra's mane, when danger is near.
34	* SuperMode: First, there's a more streamlined, awesome version of his costume with tornado powers. Then, [[spoiler: he turns into a fucking ''zebra pegasus.'']]
35	* ThemeMusicPowerUp
36	* ThrowingOffTheDisability: A wheelchair-bound child provides just the inspiration a hero needs.
37	* TwentyMinutesIntoTheFuture: The film takes place in 2010. Its sequel which came out in 2010 takes place in 2025.
38	* TheVirus: The aliens are green goop that infects humans, although they can gain shape eventually.
39	* ZorroMark: Zebra starts with a Z, too, you know.
40
41	!!''Zebraman 2: Attack on Zebra City'' has examples of:
42	* BadassLongcoat: Zebraman junks the cape in favor of this in the sequel.
43	* ChurchOfHappyology: Variant - while Zebra City is not based on any teachings of the Church of Scientology, it ''is'' based on the religious cult Happy Science, which is basically Japan's equivalent of the Church of Scientology.
44	* CrapsackWorld: In the sequel.
45	* {{Dystopia}}: Zebra City.
46	** {{Egopolis}}: It used to be called Tokyo. [[spoiler:An aversion as Ichikawa[=/=]Zebraman had nothing to do with it.]]
47	* TheDragon: Yui has the katana-weilding Niimi; Yui herself can be considered one to Kozue [[spoiler:until the end.]]
48	* DragonInChief: [[spoiler:Turns out Yui Aihara was pulling the strings all along.]]
49	* GRatedSex:
50	** As the narration states that the corrupt government officials were also guilty of rape, the re-enactment we see has one such official ''[[WrestlerInAllofUs doing a wrestling maneuver]]'' on the woman instead.
51	** When Zebraman has to take Yui Aihara [[spoiler:into himself to reunite both halves of his powers]], we have them locked in a tight embrace... then blinding light... then [[spoiler:the now-complete]] Zebraman throws down an ''empty condom pack''.
52	* KarmicDeath: [[spoiler:Kozue Aihara is ditched by Yui in the slums, the very killzone he established, to be killed by his own black ops police.]]
53	* KatanasAreJustBetter: Niimi certainly believes this, and the fact that [[spoiler:he only loses ''after'' Zebraman wrests it with a BarehandedBladeBlock, and only dies from committing ''seppuku'' with it]] seems to reinforce that.
54	* MadScientistsBeautifulDaughter: Invoked with Kozue Aihara and his daughter, Music/LadyGaga {{Expy}} Yui [[spoiler:except she's not his daughter, and not even human.]]
55	* OlderThanTheyLook: Sumire, one of the refugees at the White Horse house is a 25-year-old who looks about 10 [[spoiler:thanks to experimentation on her alien infection.]]
56	* PaintingTheMedium: Yui Aihara's music videos shown are apparently broadcasts during Zebra Time.
57	** After the 'union' of Zebraman and Yui Aihara, he throws down a condom pack and the slogan '''Stop AIDS''' appears on the screen.
58	* PatientZero: [[spoiler:Sumire is an inversion, as the last alien infectee who gets captured and experimented on.]]
59	* TheRemake: After the events of the first movie, the ''Zebraman'' scripts are [[ShowWithinAShow dredged up, produced and broadcast completely this time.]]
60	* {{Revenge Of The Sequel}}: ''Zebraman 2: Vengeful Zebra City''
61	* RuleOfSymbolism: The sequel does a heavy Yin-Yang motif with the introduction of Yui Aihara, [[spoiler:a female despite being born of the black half of Zebraman's powers.]]
62	* ShoutOut: Kozue Aihara's Zebra Police have black masks with white lines meant to be a zebra head motif, but may also remind some of the [[Franchise/KamenRider Shocker]] {{Mooks}}.
63	* SleptThroughTheApocalypse: How Ichikawa wound up at the start of the sequel.
64	* StylisticSuck: The ''Zebraman'' remake ShowWithinAShow. Despite being an updated version, it deliberately zigzags the level of quality, from ropey makeup, an updated Zebraman outfit comparable to Heisei ''Franchise/KamenRider'', and obvious SFX.
65	* TyphoidMary: [[spoiler:Sumire, the last alien infectee, is a subversion as TheVirus needs to be forced out of her.]]

Context Film / Zebraman