The Defender

Computer engineer Takashi notices that a microchip is protruding from his head. He contacts a notorious hacker for help. Meanwhile, Takashi's world is turning upside down. He's robbed at knifepoint & then chased through the crowded Tokyo streets by a giant. Or maybe not. Perhaps the microchip is only making him think these things are happening. Soon he realizes there's a connection between all the bizarre traumas and a girl named Masami. Seemingly, all his troubles started when she visited his repair shop and asked him to fix her CD-ROM unit. Eventually Takashi finds himself psychically linked to the girl. As it turns out, they are secret government-made humanoids, programmed to live undetected within society an then - when the need should arise - they are activated as professional fighters; The action of the movie itself plays like the Defender arcade game.

Directed by Kazuya Konaka, The Defender leans on a strong ensemble — Toshiro Yanagiba, Miho Kanno, Kenji Takano — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about science fiction titles of 1997.