Konketsuji Rika - A Half Blood's Revolt Against the Society

I can't remember how I learned about this series but I'm forever grateful I did. A small dose of Rika Aoki in your life is good. She's a forgotten actress of the Pinky Violence scene. Even though she led just 3 films, her presence is immediately felt. Acting was not her specialty, it was her charisma. In a similar but very different vein, she's like Rudy Ray Moore minus the whole creating hip hop thing. The Rika trlogy series is built around her. Her character's name is Rika Aoki. They are truly her films.

Rika, the actual person, is mixed Japanese and American, or Amerasian as the films state. In the film, she's the product of rape. The character is the embodiment of the consistent fear that Japanese women felt in the wake of World War 2.  The American occupation was both necessary and tragic to varying degrees. The Japanese propaganda used during WW2 utilized fear of rape primarily. A common theme portrayed American men as killers and rapists that will rampage through pure Japanese women. It was effective and truthful to an extent.

 The harsh reality of women, in particular, lower class women in Occupied Japan was horrific. Sexual assaults and rapes were gravely under-reported, for the common reasons these are consistently under-reported - fear of reprisal, shame, no one believes you, etc. The rate of rape was so high that the Japanese Ministry of Home Affairs commissioned the Recreation Amusement Association, a chain of legal brothels for American GIs. Rapes decreased but there was a problem. Roughly 1 of every 4 American GI had VD, several had contracted gonorrhea or syphilis. General MacArthur, commander of the American forces, banned all public prostitution. The rate of rape multiplied by 8. Under MacArthur, he censored all mentions of rape, and sexual assault. If a journalist, American or Japanese, got something through they were sent out of MacArthur's Japan or sentenced to hard labor.

Very, very few men were court-martialed for rape despite events like in a Nagoya City housing block, where at least 30 GIs cut power and phones lines to invade and rape, "many girls and women between the ages of 10-55." Black men were often the only Americans accused that were tried and punished. There was a common practice of if a white man raped a woman, and a black man was nearby. The black man was blamed whether or not he had anything to do with. This treatment of the local women was not exclusive to Japan, it happened and happens everywhere a foreign force occupies a conquered people.

Along with the military presence, Americans brought religious education with them. The Aiyu Reform School uses Catholicism to force troubled girls into girls that blindly follow what society wants them to do. The reform school is a common troupe in the girl gang/Sukeban film. They serve as a way to make these girls conform and follow the patriarchy. They are always extremely ineffective and ultimately useless. The films never delve into the actual education. They are prisoners, in both this so-called school and society at large.

The Rica series took this ugly piece of history and leapt 20+ years. It proposes, what would have happened to the children born out of this situation. In each film, you see evil corrupt white men take full advantage of the local women. You see how poverty keeps these forcibly single moms and their children in a certain social structure. It's a constant cycle. Broken homes are the familial foundation these girls know. They had no choice in this. They had no real options in life to move up in society. Japan's economy was slowly improving and turning into an economic powerhouse (though that never fully happened).

The only true family for them is their gang. Rika's mother can't spend much time actually being a mother. She's too busy making sure that they survive the next day. Men come and go as Rika grows up. Men are disposable and temporary. The genuine love and affection from other women in a similar socioeconomic background is more meaningful than that from a man. It's the only love she's ever received. Rika's introduction proves this. She's delivering her friend's baby after the father left. There are similar men that assist Rika throughout her adventures but they're only there for a single film. They are for sex and help . Ultimately, they're tools to embellish the bond between Rika and her family.

Within the girl gang/Sukeban subgenre, Konketsuji Rika, truly stands out from the rest. The first moment of the series shows the Toei crashing waves logo trailer but then zooms out instead of cutting to a proper scene. If you're familiar with films, you automatically assume that the production credits are non-canonical. This simple choice totally shifts your expectations. He played with endings in a similar way. The end montages show Rika riding around in a victorious splendor. In each successive film there are more people with. In the final minutes of Juvenile's Lullaby, she's riding around with her family. She doesn't need a traditional life or even want one. The series clearly shows that she chose this life. It's not perfect but it works for her. She's happy. If she wants to change it, she will.

Fashion plays a central role to showing how the Rikas of the world rebel. She confidently wears revealing gaudy outfits that are incredible to put it lightly. A drag queen's wardrobe is more conservative than her fashion sense. This isn't purely the fact she's flashy and shows skin. She actively defies what society wants her to be. She isn't demure or meek. She's bold, loud, and aggressive. Her clothes present that in the most outrageous way she can.

These films are not feminist masterpieces. They are sleazy exploitation films but that doesn't mean they're automatically sexist or devoid of artistic value. There is a wonderful free spirit bursting through the seams. Despite the darker elements, the series has a fantastic sense of fun with more to say than it appears. It's tonal shifts from fun to the reality of potential sexual assault are jarring, but I think that was the point. Things can go from delight to dire seriousness very fast with anyone or anything at anytime. It's a part of life especially, if you operate outside the law.

Rika Aoki only starred in these films despite the fact, that she's an endless fountain of natural charisma. She never went on to become a notable name in Japanese Exploitation world. This series is seen as one of the lesser ones but that just isn't the case. Aoki just like Reiko Ike, Reiko Oshida, and Meiko Kaji, sang her own theme songs. Which led to a brief stint as a pop singer but that never panned out. Thankfully, the Rica trilogy is now widely available to finally be appreciated and hopefully re-evaluated.