Cage

Hustler Video/Japan X

Genre: Anime

Director: None credited

Cast: None were credited in English.

Length: 55 minutes

Date of Production: 3/18/2003

Extra's: There were none at all, no trailers, photogalleries, no interviews or anything else.

Condoms: None

Audio/Video Quality: Cage was presented in the original 1.33:1 ratio full frame color as most anime, particularly adult anime, is shot. There was some pattern noise and grain but overall it looked very much like the kind of limited motion anime that more mainstream companies release these days. The audio track was presented in 2.0 Dolby Digital Japanese with optional English subtitles but no dub track. The translation looked to be quite literal, to the point where it often made little grammatical sense or sounded weird but the subtitles were small and not like some recently controversial titles have been.

Body of Review: Anime has long been the last refuge of perverts wanting to see young gals subjected to various forms of abuse that simply wouldn't be allowed if the characters were real life. While anime in general has been growing in acceptance in the USA for years, due in large part to efforts by companies like ADV Films, Pioneer/Geneon, and Bandai (to name a few), the hentai or other adult anime that has a very limited niche market have kind of festered on the vine as it were. Most of my exposure to such titles is with the Nutech releases that employ current porn stars to provide an English dub as a way to expand the audience to their fans but other companies have begun trying to horn in on the market too; case in point, Hustler Video.

Hustler's latest distribution deal with Japan X has gained it access to a lot of adult themed anime full of the kind of sex that would land Larry Flynt in jail in a heartbeat, even given recent court rulings, if the action took place using real women. The first of these that I've had the chance to watch is the Cage OVA that takes both episodes of the show and places them on DVD for your pleasure. An admittedly graphic story, it follows the life of a young student, Sakimi Endo, as she meets the soccer playing man of her dreams, only to find out he's a boorish lout that takes advantage of her virtue and credit card all at once. Leaving her hanging for huge debts that she's unable to pay, she resorts to prostitution to keep out of trouble rather than go to the authorities to report the crime.

After various sordid sex acts where she consensually had sex with strangers for money, she meets a man that has bought all of her debt and offers her a chance to work it off in an exclusive club in Japan. She refuses and after being raped a few times, is put to work servicing the kinky desires of her clientele, taking anal, enemas, multiple partners, and working with another gal similarly trapped. If this turns you on, you probably need help beyond what I can give you in a short review but suffice it to say, the themes were very mature and require a strong stomach.

Summary: Cage will probably appeal to a handful of you out there in the same way some of the more hardcore circus act sex from the gonzo companies will. I'm going to rate it as a Skip It simply because it was so limited in terms of what was offered (no extras, limited running time, etc.) but some fans of anime will undoubtedly enjoy the shock factor that this title provides them. If that's what you're looking for, it will appeal to you based on that alone but keep in mind that the animation was limited and I'm sure that Hustler could do better than this one for a first title in the new distribution deal. Why adult anime has to be limited to such trash is beyond me but there must be a market for it since Nutech has carved out quite a niche, regardless of quality (or lack thereof).

If you enjoy anime, take a look at some of the recommendations by DVDTalk's twisted cast of reviewers in their Best Of Anime 2003 and Best Of Anime 2004 article!

For far better choices in porn, check out: 2004's Top Porn List and 2003's Top Porn List.