Shaolin Girl (Shourin Shojo) Movie Review starring Shibasaki Kou

April 24, 2008 by Dennis Amith

Daily Yomiuri’s Kitagawa Ikuko recently reviewed the Shibasaki Kou film. Kitagawa wrote, “Actress Ko Shibasaki was all set for her upcoming kung fu comedy Shorin Shojo (Shaolin Girl). Starting a year before shooting began, she is said to have worked hard to get fit and practiced Shaolin kung fu from the basic level onward to be ready to fight without relying on stunt doubles.”

“Shibasaki plays Rin, a Japanese girl who comes back from her 3,000-day training at a martial art school in China to popularize Shaolin kung fu in Japan. In the film, she is kicked in the face and thrown to the ground. (And remember–no stunt doubles.) What a courageous actress!”

“Ironically, though, the film, which proved her to be a hard-working actress, also ruins her performance because of a shallow plot that doesn’t know which way to go.”

“The idea of Shorin Shojo, directed by Katsuyuki Motohiro (Odoru Daisosasen: The Movie), was derived from the 2001 Hong Kong action comedy Shaolin Soccer. According to the production notes, Shorin Shojo producer Chihiro Kameyama hit it off very well with Shaolin Soccer director Stephen Chow, who became the executive producer on Kameyama’s project to make a similar type of film originating in Japan.”