City Hunter Private Eyes available on Amazon Prime Video
City Hunter Private Eyes is available both in Italian and in the original language with subtitles. Released in Japanese cinemas on February 8, 2020, it was also shown in Italy at the cinema during the past season of Anime al Cinema. Developed by Sunrise Studios, City Hunter Private Eyes is directed by Kenji Kodama with a screenplay by Youichi Kato (Time Bokan 24). The character design is by Kumiko Takahashi (DNA2); the animation direction is by Yoshihito Hishinuma (InuYasha); the soundtrack is by Taku Iwasaki (Breaking the Skies Gurren Lagann).
A little curiosity: the protagonists of Cat's Eye - Cat's Eye also appear in the film!
Here is the plot:
Ryo Saeba is a private investigator based in the Shinjuku district of Tokyo. In addition to being quite smart and having an infallible aim, he has an exaggerated obsession with the opposite sex. He and his colleague Kaori often act as bodyguards and also perform other duties for those requesting their services. Their latest client is a model, Ai Shindo, who has been attacked by mysterious people, and who unknowingly is in possession of a strange "key", fundamental to a conspiracy involving the whole city. Will Ryo be able to protect Ai and save the city?
Let's remember that for a few weeks now, Mediaset has been broadcasting 2 City Hunter on Italia: a cult series from the 80s and 90s that monopolized the local television networks of the time.
The anime series, inspired by the manga of the same name by Tsukasa Hojo (former author of Cat's Eye - Cat's Eyes), consists of four series to which are obviously added animated, special and OVA films. The first series of 1988, consisting of 51 episodes, was produced by Studio Sunrise under the direction of Kenji Kodama and arrived in Italy in 1997.
The appointment with City Hunter on Italia 2 is fixed every day, at 20.25 with two episodes in rerun the following afternoon at 14.05.
Every Wednesday in prime time, the films, specials and OVAs of City Hunter are proposed! It starts with the first 1989 film directed by Kenji Kodama and titled City Hunter - Love, fate and a 357 Magnum (City Hunter: Ai to Shukumei no Magnum). If you decide to follow the chronological order, the next appointments on Wednesdays would be OVA Guerra at the Bay City Hotel (1990) and A million dollar conspiracy (1990) and the special TV Secret Services (1996), La rosa nera ( 1997) and Arrest Ryo Saeba! (1999).
City Hunter in Italy
In Italy the original manga was published first by Edizioni Star Comics and then by Planet Manga to whom we owe the latest revised and corrected edition in adaptation. The anime series were first published by Dynamic Italia (starting with the unreleased City Hunter 3) and then by Dynit; the animated, special and OVA films, on the other hand, were published by Yamato Video. The 2019 film titled Shinjuku Private Eyes is instead published by Dynit.Here is a brief description of the series:
Apparently not the type that inspires confidence: he has a clear propensity to hunt in trouble, a fatal attraction to awkward situations and often acts like a horny teenager, hitting on every girl he comes across. In reality Ryo Saeba is a brilliant private investigator ready to rescue anyone who asks for his help and, if forced, to use the gun with the precision of a sniper. "City Hunter" is his story. A comic that has built its fortune on a rich cast of supporting actors - including assistant Kaori and colleague Falcon - and on a mix of action, comedy and suspense. The series created by Tsukasa Hojo between the 80s and 90s also inspired an anime. In an anthological volume, here is a selection of Ryo Saeba's most significant adventures.
Buy the anthology volume I Am City Hunter published by Planet Manga.
