Right after Tsukamoto's Tetsuo films and Tokyo Fist he presents us with more of the same study of destruction yet from a different angle. Overall Shinya shows what degree of devastation, both mentally and physically, that a gun possesses in a society where firearms are hard to attain.

Shinya Tsukamoto once again takes turns as the director and character, Goda. Goda is an interesting mix because of how he shows his weakness: his first attempts of gaining a firearm result with him being beaten by the same gang he later helps. His "strength" would be his individual understanding of possessing a gun in terms of the destructive power. Which is due to his avid obsession with it that stems from his pseudo-reenactment of his girlfriend's suicide. From this it sets Goda, and later mentioned Chisato, apart because they have on a certain level, an acknowledgement of their own mortality.

Chisato played rather convincingly by Kirian Mano despite her conventional characteristics such as being suicidal and dresses clad in black. They develop an "attraction" for one another in about the second half of the film due to how they both see their own qualities in one another. Idei, Nakamura Tatsuya, as the gang boss was pretty much just whatever you could think of: At first he deceivingly appears in control. Murase Takahiro played Goto, Idei's second in command youth punk. His actions show to Chisato and Goda, and the audience, the consequences of violence and how it gives its user a risky "high and mighty" mentality.

The film was shot in black and white and surprise is laced with Tsukamoto's trademarks: it includes a pulse-pounding headache inducing cinematography, soundtrack, and inspires its audience with multiple interpretations regarding what " the hell just" happened.

Now my only real dilemma with the film is the fact that because of the multiple interpretations it becomes a bit confusing, even unclear, as to reason/create an explanation for what just occurred in a scene means and their connection with the characters: The outcome for example leaves you wondering what's "exactly" going through the characters' heads especially Goda and Chisato in the final scene. Maybe I'm just over-analyzing or looking for something that that doesn't even exist in the characters but Bullet Ballet focuses completely on the characters and their expression of emotions r thoughts are done through their body language, gestures, facial expressions, etc instead of through speech. Mix these with the soundtrack and cinematography and it becomes somewhat unclear.

From Bullet Ballet and of Tsukamoto's other films I have seen (read Tetsuo I and II so this opinion is not based on everything his done) deals with elements such as our personal destruction and use of violence seen in his previous selected work. Yet Bullet Ballet seems to convey and portray a theme of anti-violence and anti-destruction that we, just as the characters, learn through the actions of others. Though to what extent its learned by the characters I found to be unclear, Bullet Ballet is an intriguing ,definitely thought-provoking piece by Tsukamoto.