Japanese Fantasy ‘The Divine Protector: The Master Salt Begins’ Trailer
by Alex Billington
August 6, 2024
Source: YouTube
“Repel the Evil. Return the Curses. Protect the Divine.” And then save everyone? Freestyle Digital Media has revealed an official US trailer for a Japanese fantasy-thriller film called The Divine Protector: The Master Salt Begins, arriving on VOD to watch in the US later this month. The film originally debuted in Japan back in late 2022 – but hasn’t been released here until now. At 7:07 PM, the occult club members are holding a ritual ceremony to summon “Master Salt” in Kamono Girls’ High School in Tokyo, to help one of the members, Nanako (Saya Fukunaga), who has been struck by mysterious incidents. Together they must work to repel a curse and stop a demon from talking over. “A curse is a wish to bring others unhappiness,” said producer Yoichi Utebi. “Be mindful of your thoughts, especially negative thoughts against others, and counter them with wholesome, loving, positive thinking because curses are not a figment of imagination.” The cast features Rin Kijima, Saya Fukunaga, Kokoro Nishiwaki, Rino Otaki, Donpei Tsuchihira, Sakura Kamijo, and Yuki Meguro. I can’t tell if this movie is anti-science or if that’s just some strange part of the plot? This whole thing seems a bit too obsessed with religious dogma for just a schoolgirl fantasy.
Official US trailer for Hiroshi Akabane’s The Divine Protector: The Master Salt Begins, on YouTube:
The Divine Protector: The Master Salt Begins is a stylish fantasy-thriller made in Japan. At 7:07 PM, the occult club members are holding a ritual ceremony to summon “Master Salt” in Kamono Girls’ high school in Tokyo, to help one of the members, Nanako, who has been struck by mysterious incidents. They draw a pentagon and a circle with purified salt and burn a sealed envelope with a written wish. Out of nowhere, the divine protector, Master Salt appears with a blast of wind. She sees through the identity of the spirit that cursed Nanako and repels the curse. After that event, Nanako and her friends ask Master Salt to repel the curses that bring misery to people. They discover that this world is full of people who curse others. What will Master Salt & the girls encounter in the battle against a powerful enemy? The Divine Protector: The Master Salt Begins, also known as 呪い返し師ー塩子誕生, is directed by Japanese filmmaker Hiroshi Akabane, also of Immortal Hero, Twiceborn, The Cherry Bushido, and Before the Sunset previously. The screenplay is by Ryuho Okawa & Shio Okawa. Produced by Ryuho Okawa, Kaoru Ota and Naofumi Sato. This originally opened in Japan back in 2022. Freestyle Digital Media will debut The Divine Protector: The Master Salt Begins direct-to-VOD / DVD in the US on August 27th, 2024 coming soon. Anyone curious?
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