Kara Dennison
November 23, 2020 
There have been a few adaptations of City Hunter, the classic crime manga starring the girl-obsessed hero Ryo Saeba. Recently, we’ve gotten two. City Hunter: Shinjuku Private Eyes brings back the anime goodness. Then from France, we have Nicky Larson and Cupid’s Perfume.
The live-action adaptation shows that Ryo and Kaori (or Nicky and Laura) have a strong fan base in France. But what will other fans think? Your mileage may vary, but one thing’s for sure: there are definitely recognizable moments from this particular City Hunter adaptation. Here are just a few.
Mallet-Wielding Kaori
Some things never change. Ryo’s wandering eyes, for one. For another, Kaori’s 100-ton mallet.
The iconic anime prop doesn’t get as much screen time in Nicky Larson as it did in the original City Hunter. That thing’s big, after all. But you will see Laura chase after Nicky with her fair share of real-world mallets. The original 100t model makes a cameo on the movie’s posters, and briefly in a fantasy segment of the film itself.
That cool shot with Saeko’s dress… minus Saeko
In the French dub of City Hunter, police officer Saeko is known as Hélène. And she shows up in the live-action film for a couple of scenes. But one of the original series‘s cool scenes shows up elsewhere — this time with Kaori.
In what’s become one of the film’s essential trailer moments, Nicky Larson makes a grab for one of Laura’s hidden guns under her high-cut evening gown, mimicking the resulting shootout between her legs. Why is Laura wearing full fancy lingerie under her evening gown? It’s a plot point. No, really.
Thought Bird
A memorable visual shorthand from City Hunter and other titles, the Crow (or Thought Bird) zooms by at especially empty-headed moments. The crow makes an artistic cameo as graffiti in an earlier scene. But wait ’til the very end of the film, and you’ll see the trope brought to life.
Reviews of Nicky Larson and Cupid’s Perfume were mixed in its home country, so your mileage may vary. But either way, there’s undoubtedly a lot of the original City Hunter‘s DNA in this film.
What are your favorite things about City Hunter?
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