An uncompromising thriller of operatic scope, THE WORLD OF KANAKO is a nonstop visual and emotional assault to the senses as it follows ex-detective Akikazu on the hunt for his daughter, Kanako. What he discovers is a web of depravity surrounding both Kanako and himself. As he stumbles along a shocking trail of drugs, sex and violence, he finds himself unprepared for the shocking revelations.

For thoughts on The World of Kanako, please check out my thoughts on No Streaming Required:

Video Quality

The World of Kanako returns to Blu-Ray with a rock-solid 1080p video presentation courtesy of MVD Entertainment. The film was previously released on Blu-Ray by Drafthouse Films in 2016, but we have never watched it and it is now out of print. From what we can discern, this new disc is likely almost the same as before with some new packaging. The look crafted by cinematographer Shoichi Ato is highly stylized with boldly saturated hues that look amazing here. The image is clean with the vivid color palette popping off the screen, especially in the holiday lighting that juxtaposes the dark narrative.

The presentation provides a substantial amount of depth on display, especially when characters are on the top of a parking garage. While the film is a force in most lighting conditions, some of the darker sequences reveal some very subtle digital anomalies. The black levels could stand to be a bit deeper, and digital noise does prove to be a minor issue at certain moments in the film. The flesh tones are natural with subtle details showcased well in close-ups and medium shots. MVD Entertainment has delivered a worthy presentation.

Audio Quality

The Blu-Ray comes with a DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track in the original Japanese that executes the soundscape with great skill. Everything is mixed capably with directionality carefully rendered across all channels. The sounds of each unique environment provide a decent amount of activity in the rear channels, and the score and music stir up some activity in the low end. Dialogue comes through crisp and clear without being drowned out by competing elements. This track presents the movie with an immersive journey that will linger with you. This release comes with forced English subtitles.

Special Features

The Making of The World of Kanako: A nearly 32-minute featurette that takes you behind the scenes of the production with footage from the set, interviews with the creative team, and more.

Interview with Actress Nana Komatsu: A 35-minute interview with “Kanako” who discusses her experiences being cast in the film, working with the director and her co-stars, the facets of her character, how she takes in movies, and more. This is filmed like a day in the life of the actress following her around rather than sitting in a fixed location.

Interview with Author Akio Fukamachi: A nearly eight-minute interview with the author of the work in which he discusses the real-life inspirations for the narrative, what made him want to tell this story, the process of getting the book adapted, and more.

Trailers: This disc provides a Theatrical Trailer (1:57) and Theatrical Teaser (0:50) for The World of Kanako. There are also trailers provided for Mean Guns, Sukiyaki Western Django, Knock Off, Swamp Thing, and The Linguini Incident.

Final Thoughts

The World of Kanako is a thematically dark and depressing film that makes you feel more hopeless with each new development. The neo-noir setup lends a strong amount of suspense and gripping twists and turns, but this is by no means an easy watch. The performers are fully committed to their roles, typically playing despicable characters that create misery. If you like plunging into the darkness of humanity, you might find it to be engaging. MVD Entertainment has released a Blu-Ray featuring a sterling A/V presentation and some nifty supplemental features. Recommended

The World of Kanako is currently available to purchase on Blu-ray and DVD.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: MVD Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.