Honeko Akabane’s Bodyguards Movie Review – Fantasia 2025

Fantasia Review: Honeko Akabane’s Bodyguards is a fun action brawler that’s comedically paced but ready to detonate.

One punchline at a time from all-out mayhem as one man courageously defends his crush from a 10 billion yen bounty on her head.

Raul Murakami as Arakuni Ibuki in “Honeko Akabane’s Bodyguards” movie – Image courtesy of Fantasia International Film Festival

Warning: The film review of the live action ‘Honeko Akabane’s Bodyguards’ contains spoilers. It was viewed at the Fantasia 2025 Film Festival.

Honeko Akabane’s Bodyguards Premise and Plot:

Honeko Akabane’s Bodyguards centers around the task of guarding whimsical, happy go-lucky high school student Akabane Honeko (actress Natsuki Deguchi) without her knowledge. Honeko’s biological father (who gave her up for adoption as a child) works for the Japanese intelligence services and has amassed a list of enemies a mile wide from his gang raids.

Thus, a bounty on his daughter’s head for the sum of 10 billion yen is up for grabs for every would be villain and mercenary.

We soon discover there’s a plethora of bodyguards operating at the school, every classmate of Honeko’s in fact, even her best friend on the dance team Nei Togeya. Each one has their own specific set of skills, introduced anime style, from an ultimate disguiser to a gambler to judo expert and so forth. They all have a unique card to play, most of all their stoic commander.

While not similar in plot, the defined personalities of every character in the film is kind of reminiscent of other Fantasia mainstays like Kakegurui or Tokyo Revengers. Not surprising to those acquainted with the mangas or animes behind all of these but for those who only watch live action films and don’t follow anime or manga, it’s worth noting.

Adaptation is a Strength of Ibuki’s

Ibuki’s aggressive confidence backfires on a constant basis when he finds out he’s not as strong as he believed in actual battle… That is except when he’s confronted by Honeko’s sister who he tongue kisses to remove an explosive trigger. The sister would turn from dark villain to lovestruck the rest of the way, always humorously demanding marriage from Ibuki in return for the unexpected kiss.

Throughout Honeko Akabane’s Bodyguards, we see Ibuki come up with eccentric, unorthodox methods of solving his problems when fists can’t do justice. Often by comedic accident. Despite his lack of refinement compared to the rest of his bodyguard peers, no one can deny Ibuki’s willingness to sacrifice himself or his happiness for the sake of another.

Visual Excellence

“Honeko Akabane’s Bodyguards” Movie Review – Image courtesy of Fantasia International Film Festival