The Japanese action dramedy GHOST KILLER blends an element of the supernatural with its underworld (the criminal kind, not the realm of the damned) format. Kudo (Masanori Mimoto) is an assassin who is betrayed and killed as the movie opens. Fumika (Akari Takaishi) is a timid college girl who happens to pick up the shell casing from the bullet what offed him when she trips on the street where he involuntarily shuffled off his mortal coil. That magically connects the two (don’t ask how), allowing Kudo to take over her body whenever she touches his hand to trigger the switcheroo in moments when his skills are needed for mutual survival. She is understandably freaked out, but reluctantly agrees on the belief that the only way for his ghost to move on and leave her alone is to avenge his death via her body.
This is somewhat reminiscent of the Steve Martin/Lily Tomlin comedy of yore, ALL OF ME, in which the odd couple of comic legends clash over control of one body. Fumika is the wimpiest of women, containing no instincts, skills or predilection for the violence that must ensue. The comedic side comes mostly from her resistance to the necessary actions, yielding to dependence on Kudo in various crises. Neither of them were at all prepared for this linkage or understand quite how it works.
The tone is mostly silliness with spurts of fighting and shooting until reaching a rousing climactic battle. Takaishi’s looks and timidity are adorable. This is particularly interesting for those who’ve seen her in the series of BABY ASSASSIN flicks, in which she paired with Saori Izawa as teenage non-mutant ninja hit persons for variably amusing rounds of comic mayhem, easily flaunting the essential skills and dedication to their jobs.
There’s nothing special or memorable about most of this, though the climactic battle is worth whatever impatience one may feel during the run-up. Akari’s charm can probably carry just about any load she chooses, and the fight choreography is well above average. Mimoto comes through as a fine co-protagonist, and Mario Kuroba’s Kagehara plays off them well in a key supporting role.
GHOST KILLER, in Japanese with English subtitles, is available on digital formats from Well Go USA starting on Tuesday, July 22, 2025.
RATING: 2 out of 4 stars
