Black Film no Nazo is the Japanese name of Viewtiful Joe 2. Same two-hero cinephile masterpiece and same Capcom intensity. Essential for studio fans.
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Category
Action1 player12+
Description
A Clover Studio and Capcom action game released in 2004, the Japanese edition of Viewtiful Joe 2 under the Black Film no Nazo (The Mystery of the Black Film) title. Original Japanese version of the Hideki Kamiya-signed sequel, released one month after the Western version. Joe and Silvia (playable) fight the Gedo council with deepened VFX mechanics and new Replay power. Original Japanese edition of the masterpiece sequel.
Viewtiful Joe 2 - Black Film no Nazo review
MAX
Art direction
★★★★★
"Iconic"
4/5
Music
★★★★★
"Excellent"
3/5
Story
★★★★★
"Solid"
Denser and more inventive, the sequel's comic-book style pushes the vivid flat colours and cinematic staging effects even further. The VFX powers warp the screen into bursts of colour and heroic framing. This controlled graphic escalation brilliantly extends the brilliance of the original.
Gameplay
"Excellent"
Fun
"From the very first seconds"
The sequel enriches the concept with a duo of heroes, new cinematic powers and trickier puzzles that wed action and reflection. Switching between characters and combining their special effects multiplies the inventiveness. The dazzling style and the offbeat humour enchant from start to finish. Colourful, snappy and zany, an adventure as original as it is gleeful.
Addictiveness
"Captivating"
Difficulty
"Difficult"
Lifespan
"Average"
Technical info
💾0,77 GB📅16/12/2004
Published by Capcom
Viewtiful Joe 2 - Black Film no Nazo (PS2) price, value & rarity
Complete: box, manual and disc/cart very clean. Lightly handled.
Q1 damagedQ6 completeQ10 new
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Collector interest
The Japanese version of Viewtiful Joe 2, released under the title Black Film no Nazo, the original pressing of Clover's sequel in its native language, a little less widespread than the Western editions. It appeals to those collecting Kamiya's stylish saga at its source, under its own title. Its interest lies in this distinct regional name and a thinner local run rather than marked scarcity, in a niche of studio fans.
Memorable bosses
More cartoonish than ever, this sequel's clashes enrich the arsenal with Replay, which replays the action to multiply your blows. Between deranged bosses and booby-trapped arenas, every duel is solved by juggling time and style. The same comic-book energy, paired with sharpened mechanics, carries on the first game's outsized fights with real flair.
Is Viewtiful Joe 2 - Black Film no Nazo still worth playing in 2026?
Released in 2004 on PS2, Clover Studio's project extends the highly stylised two dimensional action of the first Viewtiful Joe by adding Sylvia as a second playable hero with her own VFX powers. The system of manipulating time and image, at the heart of the combos and puzzles, gains variety through alternating the two characters. The vivid cel shading, the parodic humour and the raised difficulty keep the strong identity of the series. The lack of deep renewal against the first entry shows. A generous sequel, recommended for fans of inventive action and of demanding challenge.
