Third Window Films are having a cracking year releasing great films what with three Sono titles The Whispering Star/The Sion Sono and Antiporno and the Osamu Tezuka anime. Here’s a great title which I reviewed last year called Suffering of Ninko which will get released on July 23rd on Blu-ray and DVD.
Special Features:
Dual format DVD & BLURAY
45 minute interview with the director
“Strawberry Jam” Short film
Director Norihiro Niwatsukino trades in combining animation and live-action to make a fun horror comedy with shades of shunga and samurai action as well as plenty of earthy humour. With beautiful women and ghosts aplenty, this comes close to being like the 70s exploitation films many fans of Japanese cinema will recognise. Here’s more about the film:
仁光の受難 「Ninko no junan」
Running Time: 70 mins.
Director: Niwatsukino Norihiro
Writer: Niwatsukino Norihiro (Screenplay)
Starring: Masato Tsujioka, Miho Wakabayashi, Hideta Iwahashi, Yukino Arimoto, Tomoko Harazaki, Kyoko Kudo,
This is the debut movie of Norihiro Niwatsukino and it premiered at last year’s Vancouver international Film Festival before moving on to Tokyo FILMeX. It’s a hilarious take on Japanese history with many comedic and visual surprises.
Synopsis: Ninko is a diligent Buddhist monk but he has a problem: he’s irresistible to many women (and some men). Due to his holy vows, he suffers greatly morally and, because he can’t go about his daily life, it affects him physically. It’s getting to him mentally and since sexual indulgence is a sin, he decides to “purify” himself and learn how to rebuff sexual advances so he goes on a journey during which he meets a samurai named Kanzo and hears of a village decimated by the rapacious mountain goddess Yama-onna who kills men to absorb their energy. Ninko sees defeating her as part as part of his quest.
About the director: NORIHIRO NIWATSUKINO 庭月野議啓
Born April 6, 1981, Norihiro Niwatsukino started filming while attending the Kyushu Institute of Design in Fukuoka. After graduating from the Graduate School of Design at Kyushu University in Fukuoka, Niwatsukino moved to Tokyo and started working as a freelance director and as a screenwriter. He has directed various video works includes live-action, music video, animation, etc. His short film STRAWBERRY JAM (2010) was invited to various film festivals in Japan. Niwatsukino followed with his first animation series ONIZUSHI. SUFFERING OF NINKO is his first feature film.
Genkinahito 
Wow. My first impression was that he should have been very good at soliciting alms for the temple as he was so popular.
Maybe he should be one of those wandering monks that wear one of those helmets that look like bird cages and cover the face.
It looks like a good movie, the conflicts with the metaphysical makes me wonder if it will turn out well.
They wanted to give him more than alms, believe me. Seeing the poor guy having to deal with the attention made me a little jealous, haha.
The ending is a massive surprise and a tour-de-force of the imagination. It turned out to be one of my favourite films of last year.
Pre-ordered. Just hope Amazon deliver it on time…. <_<
Looking forward to the review!
Thanks!
David West of NEO mag gave it 2 1/2 stars, praising the animated bits but called it “Gynophobia: The Movie” for promoting a fear of female sexuality.
He’s really trying too hard with that line.
Either that or Adam Torel peed on his cornflakes….