Just shy of a decade since beginning his journey into history-making indie Tokusatsu with cult feature favorite, Gun Caliber, the tide is finally turning for actor, producer and filmmaker Bueno whose long-awaited follow-up, Strega, is now setting the pace with an official trailer as of last week.
There’s no question though if you’re only just now learning about this film, its predecessor or the creative collective housed at Bueno’s YouTube indie banner, Garage Hero, be advised: Bueno’s style and vision goes straight for the OTT goods in mature and raunchy comedy, and hyper-violent action and gore – all in the way WAY less-commercial vein of programming permissible by the Toei crowd. Rest assured, Bueno has earned the approval of fans, as well as the ire of haters to boot, which is all well and fine with him.
Japan’s government has enacted federal restrictions on superhero activity through special ID cards developed by tech conglomerate, Vector, for monitoring and tracking.
Soma Kusanagi, part-time superhero and full-time social miscreant, has become a tester for Vector’s latest model of supersuit. With this technology, Soma can transform into the Variable Combat Soldier, Strega, the latest in villain-bludgeoning power!
In the midst of his deviant escapades, a shadowy plot to turn the whole of society into monsters is taking shape! Unless his libido isn’t kept in check, Soma and new partner, Sayuri, must uncover and stop this mysterious plot before it’s too late!
Gun Caliber had a slow and steady roll out from 2016 and onward with SRS Cinema also acquiring it for a specialized release a year later in the U.S.. As for Strega, the kinks are still being ironed out while the current plan is to have the feature film ready in less than a year from now, preceding a suitable webseries edit release in 2020 via Bueno’s Garage Pro TV YouTube portal.
Storied by Kumaou Ryo, AV actresses Miori Mai and Ayane Haruna join the roster along with Fujiwara Sakurako, Oka Hideki, Kimura Keisaku and Hachidori Amita. Taniguchi Hiroyuki serves as action coordinator assembling the key fight spectacle with Bueno shepherding once more as action director.
