Rating of
3.5/4
From Reality Guinea Pig To True Hero
Chris Kavan - wrote on 05/13/24
Having run across a shorter version of the story of Tomoaki Hamatsu aka Nasubi on YouTube, I was interested to see what a full-length documentary would look like. Clair Titley doesn't disappoint as Hamatsu's ordeal (essentially going nearly a year alone and naked while he attempts to win mail-in magazine prizes to feed himself and "win" a game show) is both insane and infuriating. A precursor to the reality TV craze - but with a mean, biting edge (Hamatsu was unaware he was even being broadcast to monstrous ratings in Japan), it shows how far people will go for entertainment. However, the film ends on a much more positive note as we see Hamatsu use his fame for good - helping the people of Fukushima after the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster. Despite all he went through, at one point he even contemplated suicide, he found a way back and proved an amazing talent to help others in his own way.
