VAMPIRE GIRL VS FRANKENSTEIN GIRL Now On Region 1 DVD and Blu-ray

Source: FUNimation Entertainment Official Movie Site: funimation.com/vampiregirl Special Thanks to Manny Alcala and Jackie Smith

The deranged genius behind TOKYO GORE POLICE (Tokyo Zankoku Keisatsu, 2008) is back with a chilling new flick that’s re-writing the hallowed history of the horror genre. VAMPIRE GIRL VS FRANKENSTEIN GIRL (Kyuketsu Shojo tai Shojo Furanken, 2009) is the terrifying story of two classic monsters re-imagined as super hot – and extremely lethal – Japanese school girls. Gore rules supreme in this blood-cake cavalcade of carnage chosen as the winner of the Audience Award at the 2009 NY Asian Film Festival and also took home the Guru Prize for Most Energetic Film at the Fantasia Festival. Fan boys and movie blogs are already buzzing over this bloodbath du jour, and aficionados of psychedelic blood-filled chocolates, mad scientist principals, sumo wrestlers from hell, and sex-crazed school nurses are guaranteed to lose their heads over this old school splatter-fest. VAMPIRE GIRL VS FRANKENSTEIN GIRL has now been released on 2-disc Blu-ray and DVD in North America by FUNimation Entertainment.

STORY

Valentine’s Day turns twisted for Mizushima after the vampire schoolgirl Monami gives him a chocolate laced with her own vampire blood. One bite of the delicious sweet infects him with immortality. This does not sit well with Mizushima’s jealous girlfriend Keiko. She wants him all to herself. A bloody battle between the two women ends with Keiko falling to her death. But to her luck, Keiko’s mad scientist father reanimates her into an undead Frankenstein girl. Now on a level playing field, the undead damsels fight for the heart of Mizushima.

DIRECTOR PROFILES

NAOYUKI TOMOMATSU?

Born in Osaka, Japan, Naoyuki Tomomatsu always knew he wanted to work in the movies. His love for the cinema began during his teenage years when he began directing his own films and writing his own comics. Tomomatsu got his first big break when he landed a position as the assistant of legendary Japanese artist Shugiku Uchida. He made his debut as a screenwriter with his film THE PREGNANT WOMAN in 1992. That same year Tomomatsu directed his first independently produced film SUMMER COLOR ROMANCE. Since then the filmmaker has directed several movies that span many different genres. His films include, STACY: ATTACK OF THE SCHOOLGIRL ZOMBIES (Stacy, 2001) and ZOMBIE SELF-DEFENSE FORCE (Zonbi jieitai, 2006). His latest comedy-horror masterpiece VAMPIRE GIRL VS FRANKENSTEIN GIRL, co-directed by Yoshihiro Nishimura, hit Japanese theatres in 2009. YOSHIHIRO NISHIMURA? Yoshihiro Nishumura is regarded as one Japan’s premier special effects innovators. Known for his extreme make-up and gore effects, Nishimura has enjoyed a long career in the Japanese film industry. The film-maker received his first award, the special jury prize, for his work on the film GENKAI JINKOU KEISU (Limit Population Factor) at the 1995 Yubari International Fantastic Festival. Since then, Nishumra’s special effects work can be seen in hit Japanese films such as SUICIDE CLUB (2002), MEATBALL MACHINE (2005), and THE MACHINE GIRL (2008). His directorial debut TOKYO GORE POLICE received worldwide recognition and screened at several prominent film festivals. Nishumra’s unique vision can also be seen in one of his latest releases, VAMPIRE GIRL VS FRANKENSTEIN GIRL (2009), which he co-directed with Naoyuki Tomomatsu.

CREDITS

CREW Directors: Naoyuki Tomomatsu & Yoshihiro Nishimura Executive Producer: Shuji Omata Produced by: Yosuke Miyake & Tsugio Oikawa Screenplay: Naoyuki Tomomatsu Based on the comic by: Shungicu Uchida Producer: Hidehiro Ito Director of Photography: Shu G. Momose Editor: Yoshihiro Nishimura Producers: Jun Nakajima & Masatsugu Asahi Production Designer: Nori Fukuda Lighting Director: Hiroshi Ota Music: Blood-Stained Fellow Visual Effects Supervisor: Tsuyoshi Kazuno First Assistant Director: Takashi Matsuo Action Director: Isao Karasawa Location Coordinator: Masamitsu Washizu Gore Effect: NISHI-ZO Co., LTD Special Effect Director & Creature Design by: Yoshihiro Nishimura Special Makeup: Taiga Ishino CAST Monami Arukado: Yukie Kawamura Jyugon Mizushima: Takumi Saitoh Keiko Furano: Elly Otoguro Kenji Furano: Kanji Tsuda Monami’s mother: Eihi Shiina

DVD AND BLU-RAY SPECS

Release Date: October 19, 2010 SRP $24.98 (DVD), $29.98 (Blu-ray) Rated TVMA 2 discs 85 minutes English 5.1 Dolby Surround, Japan Stereo English subtitles 1.78:1 aspect ratio Extras • Opening day stage greetings • Making of video Parts 1 and 2 • Original Japanese trailer • FUNimation previews

Crucified Mizushima (Takumi Saito) is the center of an emotional tug of war between undead schoolgirls. Photo courtesy of FUNimation Entertainment. © 2009 Pony Canyon /Concept Film /Excellent Film Partners

About FUNimation Entertainment

FUNimation Entertainment, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Navarre Corporation, is the leading company for home video sales of Japanese animation in the United States. FUNimation has a proven formula for launching and advancing brands, and manages a full spectrum of rights for most of its brands including broadcasting, licensing, production, internet, and home video sales and distribution. For more information about FUNimation Entertainment and its brands, visit funimation.com.

For more information on VAMPIRE GIRL VS FRANKENSTEIN GIRL please see the earlier coverage here on SciFi Japan: