Tokyo Dragon Chef

Nishimura is moving more and more away from his horror roots. While there are still traces of his former self to be found in Tokyo Dragon Chef, it's primarily a comedy, with musical, crime and action bits to keep things interesting. Without all the excess though, Nishimura's lacking directorial skills get more in the way of the overall enjoyment.

A huge conflict between different Yakuza clans leaves the city without a viable criminal organization. Ryu and Tatsu decide to leave their old life behind, opening a ramen restaurant instead. They're not the only ones who hope to make a quick buck in the restaurant business, as two other former Yakuza members station their food truck right across Ryu and Tatsu's restaurant.

Nishimura is used to working on a budget, but without his wacky creations it tends to feel a bit too flimsy. The musical numbers aren't very good, performances aren't great, and the comedy isn't all that surprising either. There's still some weirdness and wackiness that keeps things amusing, but it's one of the weaker Nishimura's I've seen so far.