If you’ve spent any time in the darker corners of the anime community, you’ve probably heard whispers about it. Someone mentions a "forbidden" movie. A film so grim it was banned, hidden, or lost to time. We’re talking about Mr. Arashi’s Amazing Freak Show, also known by its much more evocative Japanese title, Midori: Shoujo Tsubaki.
It’s not just a movie. It’s a legend.
Honestly, calling it a "freak show" feels like an understatement. It’s a visceral, nauseating, and heartbreaking descent into 1920s Japanese ero-guro (erotic grotesque) culture. Directed by Hiroshi Harada, this 1992 film didn't have a big studio budget. In fact, Harada basically spent five years of his life hand-drawing nearly 5,000 frames himself because no one would fund it. He used his life savings. He risked everything for a story about a girl, a carnival, and the absolute worst parts of human nature.
The Gritty Reality of Midori’s World
The plot is deceptively simple and relentlessly cruel. Midori is a young girl whose life falls apart after her mother dies. She ends up working for a traveling freak show run by the titular Mr. Arashi.
You’d think it might be a story of finding a "found family." It isn't. Instead, she’s subjected to psychological and physical abuse by the other performers—a group of social outcasts who take their own misery out on her. Things only get weirder when a magician joins the troupe. He uses illusions to manipulate reality, offering Midori a glimmer of hope that feels more like a fever dream than a rescue.
What most people get wrong is thinking this is just "shock for the sake of shock." It’s actually based on a 1984 manga by Suehiro Maruo. Maruo is the king of the ero-guro genre. His work isn't meant to be "fun" or "cool" in the way modern horror often is. It’s meant to reflect the decay of the Taisho and early Showa eras. It’s about the vulnerability of the innocent in a world that has no use for them.
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Why You Can’t Just "Watch" It
For years, finding a copy of Mr. Arashi’s Amazing Freak Show was like trying to find a ghost.
Because of its extreme content—including depictions of animal cruelty and sexual violence—it was heavily censored. When it first premiered in Japan, it wasn't shown in theaters. It was shown in small, private venues with live "performances" to accompany the film, like a real freak show. Rumor has it that some of the original film reels were even destroyed by censors.
This scarcity created a massive cult following. People would trade grainy VHS tapes. They’d post low-res snippets on early 2000s forums. Today, you can find it if you look hard enough, but the mystery of its "lost" status still clings to it.
The Art Style: A Beautiful Nightmare
Let’s talk about the visuals. Most anime from the early 90s looks a certain way—think Sailor Moon or Dragon Ball Z. Mr. Arashi’s Amazing Freak Show looks like a haunted woodblock print.
Harada’s dedication is evident in every frame. The colors are garish. The characters are distorted. It feels like you’re looking at something you shouldn’t be seeing. This aesthetic is a direct nod to the kamishibai (paper theater) tradition of Japan. It’s old-school. It’s folk-horror. It’s incredibly effective because it makes the violence feel theatrical and, somehow, even more unsettling.
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The soundtrack by J.A. Seazer adds another layer of dread. If you know Seazer’s work from Revolutionary Girl Utena, you know he does "epic and weird" better than anyone. Here, he uses traditional Japanese instruments mixed with avant-garde choral arrangements. It’s loud. It’s jarring. It’s perfect.
Addressing the Controversy
Is it a "good" movie? That’s a complicated question.
If you ask a film historian, they’ll tell you it’s a masterpiece of independent animation. They’ll point to Harada’s solo effort as a feat of sheer willpower. If you ask a casual viewer, they might tell you it’s the most disgusting thing they’ve ever seen. Both are right.
Critics often argue about the ethics of the film. Some see it as a critique of how society treats its most marginalized members. Others see it as an exploitative piece of media that goes too far. But that’s exactly why it still matters decades later. It forces a reaction. In an era where a lot of media feels sanitized or designed by committee, Midori stands out as a singular, uncompromising vision.
Real Impact and Legacy
The influence of this film (and Maruo’s manga) is everywhere if you know where to look. You can see echoes of its aesthetic in the works of Satoshi Kon or even modern dark fantasies. It paved the way for "extreme" anime to be taken seriously as an art form, even if the content remains radioactive to mainstream audiences.
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It’s also important to note that a live-action version was released in 2016. While it captured the visuals, it lacked the raw, dirty energy of the 1992 animated version. There’s something about the medium of animation—the fact that every act of cruelty had to be painstakingly drawn by hand—that makes the original film feel much more intimate and, frankly, much more disturbing.
How to Approach It (If You Actually Want To)
If you are curious about Mr. Arashi’s Amazing Freak Show, don’t go into it lightly. This isn’t "horror-lite." It’s a deep dive into the darkest pits of human experience.
- Check your triggers. Seriously. This film covers everything from physical abuse to extreme gore. It is not for the faint of heart.
- Context is everything. Read up on Suehiro Maruo and the ero-guro movement. Knowing the historical context of the "freak show" in Japanese culture helps make sense of the madness.
- Look for the restored versions. While the grainy versions have a certain "cursed" charm, newer digital restorations allow you to see Harada’s incredible linework properly.
- Don't watch it alone. Or do. But be prepared to feel a bit "oily" afterward. It’s a movie that stays with you, for better or worse.
Ultimately, Mr. Arashi’s Amazing Freak Show remains a landmark in underground cinema. It’s a testament to what one person can do with a pen, a camera, and a very dark imagination. It isn't meant to be liked. It’s meant to be experienced. It’s a reminder that art doesn't always have to be beautiful—sometimes, it just has to be true to the nightmare it's trying to show you.
If you decide to seek it out, just remember that you can't unsee it. That’s the power of Midori’s story. It’s a tragic, colorful, and utterly repulsive piece of history that refuses to be forgotten.
Actionable Next Steps
To truly understand the weight of this film, start by researching the Ero-Guro Nansensu movement of the 1920s and 30s. This cultural backdrop provides the necessary lens to view Midori's suffering not as random cruelty, but as a reflection of a society in flux. From there, compare Hiroshi Harada's animation style to the works of Suehiro Maruo, specifically the manga Mr. Arashi's Amazing Freak Show. Seeing how the static panels were translated into a flickering, nightmarish motion will give you a profound appreciation for the technical labor involved in this independent production. Finally, if you choose to watch the film, ensure you are sourcing a version that includes the original J.A. Seazer score, as the audio is as vital to the experience as the haunting visuals themselves.