This is by far Shinoda's most accessible work, but don't let that fool you because it doesn't lack the depth one expects from Shinoda. On the outside the film seems simplistic but that's used as a tool because this Shinoda and the writer is none other but the master surrealist rebel Shuji Terayama. The cinematography while tame compared to other Japanese New Wave films it's still very very beautiful and I as I mentioned before it's more accessible, yet Shinoda always surprises me with his use of framing. The music, well this has enough song that it's not stretch to call a musical crime film and it is. The songs and the main motif are catchy and tie the plot really well, on top of that they blend really nicely and are not in anyway obtrusive. The story is somewhat linear and simple but it still succeeds in its commentary, the ideas are presented in a less subtle way than in other Shinoda films and they are given this simplistic shell. Underneath all of the comedy and the hyperstylization there is an anticapitalist theme, especially against corporations and their dirty ways of achieving success. There's also commentary on the pollution cause by capitalism and mindless expansion and exploitation of nature. The effect of westernization is brought to the front here using the costume design and production design. This film is largely misunderstood and it could be misleading but looking at the talent and artistry involved is enough to tell us there's more under the surface and beyond the short runtime.
A small package that has a bit of everything, the themes are nothing new for the rebellious 1960s Japan but the way they're presented make this film unforgettable and iconic.
