• Nov 20
• K-20: THE LEGEND OF THE BLACK MASK swings on UK DVD
• Posted by Deljhp - 20/11/10 at 05:56 PM

Top marks to Manga Entertainent, for the great cover of their release of Japanese special effects laden action extravaganza K-20: The Legend Of The Black Mask, which is finally dropping onto UK DVD. Adapted by writer-director Shimako Sato, ‘K-20’ stars Takeshi Kaneshiro in a swash - and indeed - buckling tale of an unlikely ‘superhero’ pitting his wits against the obligatory super villain who has his sights set on world (aren’t they always) domination. K-20 lands on R2 DVD January 10th - but if you are in the States and fancy caped crusading action, you’re in luck, it’s already out there now.

Plotline: 1949 in a slightly alternative reality to the one we know. In this version of history World War II never happened, Teito is the Imperial Capital of Japan, inventor Nikola Tesla has just won a Nobel Prize and Japanese society is divided between the extremely rich and the hopelessly poor. Taking advantage of the situation is a mysterious thief and master of disguise known as K-20 – the Fiend with 20 Faces, a self-styled Robin Hood figure who steals from the rich and gives only to himself. Having set his sights on a newly developed beam weapon that could make him the ruler of the world, K-20 sets about achieving his deadly goal, by framing a poor circus performer, Hekichi Endo, for his previous crimes. Endo is arrested at the scene of the rehearsal and sentenced to death but manages to escape. On the run, Endo realizes the only way to prove his innocence and clear his name is to assume the identity of K-20 and take on the villain at his own game by finding and obtaining the energy generator first.

Read our review of K-20 here.