Timing and Translation by Patonyan

There are so many angles to take when penning a review--or in the case of this special update, an extended explainer--that it's almost a herculean task to figure out where to even begin. Do we simply talk about the movie itself? It's crisp production values? It's eye candy casting? It's engaging storyline that almost breaks both fourth and fifth walls? Do we begin with the backstory as to what it's a parody about? Or most salient given the time of this release (an off schedule Sunday as a bonus update) do we begin by talking about how this movie was almost banned in Japan the other month and only now is getting a simultaneous smaller domestic release with ZENRA being the sole foreign distributor of it? Let's start with that.

THE COLABO PARODY - TRAGEDY OF THE PSEUDO-FEMINIST NPO LEADER AND THE FAMOUS JAV STAR originally was shot by a studio called FALENO TUBE. In the weird world of connections that make up the JAV industry, this studio obviously has some connection with FALENO, but is distributed by SOFT ON DEMAND and is actually owned by HOT ENTERTAINMENT. Don't ask why this arrangement came into being, rather just look at a visual timeline of Primer Throughout September and into October, the buzz began. Growing and growing in popularity, YUMENO NITO, the focus of the parody, caught wind of it and issued one of her trademark jeremiads on it (we'll talk a bit more about her soon). Her audience of anti-SW feminists raised ire and began a campaign to get the movie pulled down during the pre-order phase. While those behind FALENO TUBE wanted to push and keep it up, their distributors balked and in the end, they decided to release it independently as parodies are protected speech and unlike the types of western adult parodies that may still make use of trademarked material, THE COLABO PARTY is all original. One can even call it less a parody and more of a satire on the entire ordeal we have been calling ColaboGate (we'll provide links to our seven part series on this on our blog at the bottom of the review).

A quick introduction needs to be made: just how the Dark Tower required The Drawing of the Three, anytime even a hint of adult video makes its way into mainstream news, Japan has its own Drawing of the Four (or Feminists): The aforementioned NPO leader, the human rights lawyer, the anti-AV one-person shop with a name similar to a Pap smear which is ironic as both serve similar functions, and lastly the independent journalist who can't find a job and recently was just banned from Twitter (and after its takeover last year, this is a mighty feat!). When Japan's age of adulthood the other year was lowered from 20 to 18 (do note 18 and 19 year olds have always occupied a weird gray area in Japan where they are both of legal age and not), a moral panic began with a fear that JAV studios would target these suddenly adults. Reality says otherwise: be it AV or other adult industries, even 20 year olds are avoided for lacking enough maturity to make serious decisions. That famous JAV star you love who in her debut says she just turned 20? Reality check says she's at least 22. Sorry! 

Due to the Drawing of the Four at such an unfortunate time and with barely any consultation with the actual JAV industry, the New AV Law was passed which is a perfect example of a solution in search of a problem. The industry took a few months to get in line, but today it seems to have survived the challenge and studios are produced just as much as ever before--perhaps even more! During the fraught several week period (yes, normal laws take months or years to pass, but this one to the surprise of few was pushed through before the ink could even dry) two performers within the industry made the biggest fuss about it: SAKURA TSUKISHIMA and MIYUU INAMORI. Sadly, their actions did not prevent the law from passing, but it's undeniable it helped propel both to new levels of fame. And finally after all is said and done both now star in a movie together that pokes fun at Colabo's anti-SW while making questional financial choices and keeping more focus on its owner rather than the women it is supposed to help, the trials and tribulations of the law itself, and that creep Mr. S, the anonymous old guy with a savior syndrome whom Nito claims 'saves' adult performers.

This brings to the movie itself which is really good. Running almost three hours with fantastic production qualities thanks to being directed by none other than Madoka Kazuki himself, we get a great story, great pacing, and insanely good sex. When I first heard about the parody coming out, I'd assume it would be a crude affair with Nito somehow having little choice to do JAV. That would have been one route and thankfully is not the one done here; rather, the focus is on her attempting to 'save' Miyuu even though Miyuu is quite happy to be a JAV star. When she's told about all the alleged ills the industry is known for, she quickly retorts with "adult videos are my safe space!" And in mainstream JAV at least, it's true! By the book from start to finish. Safety first. Full, informed consent. The problems both the Law and the Feminist Four allege are unicorns as is this movie in a way.

It still remains to be seen just how widespread the release of THE COLABO PARODY - TRAGEDY OF THE PSEUDO-FEMINIST NPO LEADER AND THE FAMOUS JAV STAR will be in Japan. For the foreign audience at least, it has a home on ZENRA where we're always happy to accept these breakthrough yet orphaned releases. And for the pro-Colabo folk out there who landed on this review somehow: this is a parody. It's legal, it's protected, and if you don't like it, go away.

ColaboGate on the ZENRA Blog:

Part 1: The Colabo Saga - A Storm Is Brewing!

Part 2: The Colabo Saga - The Protagonist

Part 3: The Colabo Saga - The Lone Whistleblower

Part 4: The Colabo Saga - The Big Reveal Volume 1

Part 5: The Colabo Saga - The Big Reveal Volume 2

Part 6: The Colabo Saga - The Big Reveal Volume 3

Bonus: Parody JAV on Colabo (our original article on this movie from the other month that goes into more detail about the drama surrounding it before its distribution and release date was altered)