Hiroko Yakushimaru became the ultimate cinematic schoolgirl in 1981. Sailor Suit and Machine Gun had her playing a high schooler who inherits her late father’s Yakuza clan. She was back in her class uniform for School In the Crosshairs. The title sounds like it’s a film about hostage taking or a sniper on top of the gymnasium. It is neither of those things. This time Hiroko battles aliens that wanted to disrupt her academic life. This is a teenager who can’t feel the angst of normal schoolgirl problems.
Yuka Mitamura (Hiroko Yakushimaru) is a quiet schoolgirl with a secret. She’s psychic. She can turn back or freeze time to prevent things from happening. But she doesn’t use the power often. Things at the school are getting weird as the teachers really want everyone to focus on their studies and quit having extracurricular activities or even physical education. Yuka doesn’t like this since she has a crush on Koji (The Girl Who Leapt Through Time‘s Ryôichi Takayanagi) who is part of the kendo team. Things start to get even weirder at the school when a new female student shows up who also as psychic powers except she’s not using them for good. Things quickly change at the academy as things get strict and militaristic. What’s happening? All gets revealed when Yuka meets a visitor from another planet who wants her to be part of his masterplan. Today the school and tomorrow the world. But will she give into his view of an unfun world?
Nobuhiko Ôbayashi has quite a bit of visual fun with School In The Crosshairs. This reminds me of watching the Japanese TV series Space Giants except with a bit more depth. He brings touches that make this young adult action pop. A few of the visual effects in the final battle are reminiscent of what Ken Russell used in Altered States (which had come out a year before). Although Ôbayashi goes a little farther such as one student being trapped on a floating star. It’s more of him expanded on the effects used in House. The special effects really take this school tale to another dimension of weirdness.
Hiroko Yakushimaru does an amazing job at keeping a certain stability to the story as things go wild on the screen. Even though her character has a superpower, she’s not playing the role as a superhero. She plays the part in her school uniform without trying to look heroic. She’s a middle school student who just wants to enjoy these days without having to deal with fascist aliens. School In The Crosshairs is a brilliant and outrageous trip back to junior high.
The Video is 1.85:1 anamorphic. The transfer is a 2K restoration that gives a natural feeling that grounds the film before the weirdness hits. The Audio is Japanese LPCM 2.0 stereo, Dolby Digital 5.1 and 5.1 DTS-HD MA. The levels are good so you can hear all the high school sounds. The movie is subtitled in English.
Audio Commentary is by Max Robinson who has a book coming out about Nobuhiko Ôbayashi’s House. He talks about the director’s collaboration with writers and musicians.
Sailor Suits and Sound (17:03) is a video essay by Phillip Jefferies that discusses theme song singer Yumi Matsutôya and her marriage to soundtrack composer Masataka Matsutôya. We get into the J-Pop sounds of late ’70s and early ’80s. There is talk about how well Japan was doing at this time as an economic powerhouse. Even Western electronic musical instruments were bought up by Japanese companies.
Obayashi Film Poster Gallery (2:37) includes House and many of his other films. I’m curious about the movie that was promoted with just a watermelon drawing.
Theatrical Trailers includes School In The Crosshairs (1:55), His Motorbike, Her Island (1:32), The Island Closest to Heaven (1:41) and The Girl Who Leapt Thru Time (2:43). All 4 films are being released by Cult Epics.
Reproduction of the 24-page Japanese booklet has photos from the film. The text is in Japanese. This is only in the first press and so worth it.
Cult Epics present School In the Crosshairs. Directed by Nobuhiko Ôbayashi. Screenplay by Taku Mayumura. Starring Hiroko Yakushimaru, Ryôichi Takayanagi, Masami Hasegawa, Miyoko Akaza, Fumi Dan & Hajime Hana. Running Time: 90 minutes. Rating: Unrated. Release Date: October 14, 2025.
