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Circus Boys

1989 1h 46m Drama List
Reviews 68% Audience Score 5,000+ Ratings In the 1930s, Jinta (Hiroshi Mikami) and his younger brother, Wataru (Shu Ken), join a circus because their parents are too poor to take care of them. Wataru enjoys circus life, but Jinta runs away after sustaining a leg injury that he fears will end his career. Joining a group of gangsters, Jinta becomes a traveling con man, swindling villagers with shoddy goods and growing close to Omocha (Moe Kamura), the girlfriend of one of his boss's clients, while Wataru stays with the struggling circus. Read More Read Less

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Jamie Gillies Apollo Guide Rated: 55/100 Mar 29, 2011 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Audience Member First let me say that compared to the other Dragonball Z movies, Dead Zone is the only one which can possibly fit in with the timeline set by the episodes. It takes place before the series, and thus runs no risk of contradicting anything. Although the translations of Japanese animation into English is usually poor, I found the character of Goku to be, as always, the perfect combination of super hero and down to earth dad. Gohan's hidden power, which even Goku is unaware of at this time, is amazing, and he is definitely his father's son in the way that it comes out when his friends and loved ones are suffering. A must see for DBZ fans. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/02/23 Full Review Audience Member Star Rating: 3/4 Exciting first chapter of the world class TV series about a powerful warlord planning on destroying the world after the demise of his father. Goku and company plan on stopping him. Takes place before the show, this entry balances comic tones, intense battle staging, and chilling atmosphere quite well. Followed by WORLD'S STRONGEST. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/23/23 Full Review Audience Member Loved it! Now I can finally rewatch Dragon Ball Z (where Garlic Jr. comes back to take revenge but not for so long hehe). Great movie no doubt and the animation keeps been one of my faves of all time! - Sept. 30, 2014 review. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/22/23 Full Review Audience Member Serving primarily as a segue between Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z, Dead Zone can hardly even be considered as a legitimate film. At an astonishing 45 minutes in length, everything is underdeveloped. The fight sequences were solid, but that's about it. Of course, any die hard DBZ fan needs to see this movie, but it's definitely one of the worst the series has to offer. Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars 02/17/23 Full Review Audience Member One of the weaker DBZ movies. Entertaining at times, but often cringeworthy. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 01/16/23 Full Review Audience Member A worthy start to the Dragon Ball Z films Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/28/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Circus Boys

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Movie Info

Synopsis In the 1930s, Jinta (Hiroshi Mikami) and his younger brother, Wataru (Shu Ken), join a circus because their parents are too poor to take care of them. Wataru enjoys circus life, but Jinta runs away after sustaining a leg injury that he fears will end his career. Joining a group of gangsters, Jinta becomes a traveling con man, swindling villagers with shoddy goods and growing close to Omocha (Moe Kamura), the girlfriend of one of his boss's clients, while Wataru stays with the struggling circus.
Director
Kaizô Hayashi
Genre
Drama
Runtime
1h 46m