Crab Goalkeeper

Crab Goalkeeper (かにゴールキーパー) is a 2006 Japanese monster and sports comedy directed by Minoru Kawasaki and starring Hiroshi Fujioka and Naoto Takenaka. The film portrays an oversized crab who plays as a football goal keeper. Kawasaki described it as being "like Forrest Gump, but with a crab."

The film was featured on the BBC documentary 'Japanorama' (episode of 5 October 2006)

Plot
Members of a Japanese football team decide to hire a giant crab to play as goalkeeper.

Cast

 * Hiroshi Fujioka
 * Arthur Kiroda

Background
Alongside with two other films, The Calamari Wrestler and Monster Seafood War., Crab Goalkeeper has been noted as an example of one of Kawasaki's signature subgenres: "Sea Life Sports films". More generally, Kawasaki makes an extensive use of anthropomorphic animal creatures in his films, as in Kabuto-O Beetle or in Executive Koala. Crab goalkeeper is also considered part of "the voluntary kitsch apparent in Kawasaki's crazy productions".

Reception
The film was described as "another attempt at dealing with bizarre topics" in Kawasaki's career. Another review, calling the film a "mysterious work", found in this "series of emotional episodes provoking laughter and tears" an exploration of the way an animal can change through their contact with humans.