Shark Skin Man and Peach Hip Girl

Katsuhito Ishii  |  108 min  |  Japan  |  1998  |  Action  |  18

A reckless gangster and a runaway woman collide in a chaotic escape through the Japanese countryside, pursued by a gang of eccentric, sharply dressed Yakuza hitmen. Shark Skin Man and Peach Hip Girl is a wildly stylish, offbeat crime caper bursting with surreal humour and 90s aesthetic.

Shark Skin Man and Peach Hip Girl follows Samehada, a low-level gangster on the run after stealing from his boss, and Toshiko, a hotel clerk escaping her obsessive uncle. When their paths cross in a literal crash, the two misfits team up and flee through the Japanese countryside, pursued by a cast of eccentric, sharply dressed gangsters. With its surreal tone, deadpan humour, and chaotic energy, the film plays like a madcap road movie through a Japanese-style noir dream.

Directed by Katsuhito Ishii and based on Minetaro Mochizuki’s manga, the film blends Hollywood action influences with a distinctively offbeat, hyper-stylized aesthetic. Ishii, inspired by films like True Romance, sought to craft an over-the-top cinematic experience, complete with exaggerated costumes and kinetic storytelling. His bold, unconventional approach has drawn comparisons to Western crime classics such as The Usual Suspects and Reservoir Dogs, cementing the film’s cult status. The film also showcases a breakout performance from Tadanobu Asano, one of the most influential Japanese actors of the past two decades, in one of his earliest and most magnetic leading roles.

In Japanese with English Subtitles

Doors open at 7.15pm and the film starts at 7.30pm