My coverage for Fantastic Fest has started off on a high note with IKÉ BOYS. This is a fantasy adventure co-written and directed by Eric McEver. It took me back to the good old 90s when I was growing up watching things like The Power Rangers, Big Bad Beetleborgs, and classic Godzilla films. Watching those franchises and daydreaming that I was part of the story. 

In IKÉ BOYS we see two friends got the opportunity to live out this dream after receiving a mysterious film. But their newly acquired gifts affect them in very different ways. Something that might cost them their friendship. But with them gaining these abilities, they have also unleashed something that could bring the end of the world on the eve of the year 2000.

Here is the synopsis for  as well as a clip from the film.

 Best friends Shawn Gunderson and Vikram ‘Vik’ Kapoor escape from the drudgery of high school life in Oklahoma through their obsession with all things Japanese. When a mysterious anime film transforms them into its superhuman characters, they at first think that their wildest fantasies have come true. 

But when ancient monsters threaten to unleash the apocalypse on New Year’s Eve of 1999, Shawn and Vik must look to each other to become the heroes they were always meant to be. Joining their adventure is Miki, a Japanese exchange student whose determination to go on a Native American vision quest puts her on a collision course with both Shawn and Vik and their foes…and whose destiny may determine the fate of the world.

With the world premiere of IKÉ BOYS at Fantastic Fest, LRM Online’s Emmanuel Gomez spoke with the cast and director of the film. This included our trio of leads Christina Higa, Quinn Lord, and Ronak Gandhi. The director and co-writer as mentioned above is Eric McEver. During our conversation, we talk about the concept of the film with different elements of pop culture. As well as get to know our protagonists. It was a very fun conversation that you can check out below!